Aurelia is stunned by Nicoleta's question. Never did she imagine it would be Nicoleta asking her this question. Caught for a loss of words, she opens her mouth and can't find the words. "I thought you didn't like me like that? You'd want to move in together, even though I'm transforming into a monster? How do you know I won't just lose my shit and kill you one night? I'm constantly terrified I'm-"
She closes her eyes and shakes her head, blowing out a breath. "Can I start over? Let me start over. What I meant to say was, yes, I'd really like that, Peaches. I'd like that a lot."
She smiles weakly and looks up at the monk, hopeful. Maybe there is still a chance to keep my humanity after all.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"There's no guarantee that I won't do the same thing," Nicoleta says with a smile and a shrug. She steps in close and puts her arms around Aurelia, tightening them just a bit. "I could just take you in my arms and squeeze," she says before pressing her lips against her girlfriend.
~~~~~~
Four days later, Nicoleta returns to the inn with a spring in her step. After a few hushed words with one of the staff and an exchange of coin, she sits down in the common room to wait for Aurelia.
Her estimation of the amount of time that her girlfriend will spend clothes shopping proves correct and about an hour later the mesmerist returns from her errand. The monk intercepts her as she moves through the common room towards the stairway. "Hold up," she calls out. "Here, let me take care of that." She takes the new garments from the woman's hand and hands them to the same servant she talked to before. "Take these to our room," she says with special emphasis. She turns to Aurelia. "You and I are going to take a walk. There's something I want to show you."
She leads Aurelia out of the inn and up the main street that leads to Gold Market. From there they walk the wide street that leads up the hill and eventually ends at the citadel itself. Long before that regal destination, though, she turns off down a side street into a nicer section of the Pillar Hill district. There are trees spaced along the cobbles giving a little protection from the light rain. The dhampir is unusually evasive regarding the reason for their walk, happy to talk about just about anything else.
The neighborhood they eventually find themselves in is populated with closely spaced multistory buildings. The street is well-kept with no sign of the filth present in so many places of the city. She stops in front of one of many and turns to face Aurelia. "This could go one of two ways and I haven't yet decided how yet, but it's worth it to me to ... you're worth it to me to give it a try," she says, vaguely. Smiling, she leads the woman up to the door and inside to a small, but clean hall. She indicates the stairs leading up. Reaching the second floor, she gestures for Aurelia to continue up to the third floor. The stairs end at the third floor and they stop at the only door on the landing. Nicoleta holds out a large brass key to Aurelia and indicates that she should unlock the door.
The door opens to a large living space filled with simple furniture. Looking around Aurelia can tell that there must be at least two sleeping rooms and an eating area.
"The furniture isn't the greatest, but we can bring in better stuff if we want. I didn't want to assume what ..." Nicoleta is interrupted as one of the doors opens and a varisian woman dressed in the clothes of a servant steps into the room. "Oh, I didn't realize that you were already here," Nicoleta says in surprise.
"I wanted to be here when you arrived, Miss Radacan," the older woman says with a smile. "And this must be Miss Abbratozzati." The woman steps up to Aurelia and tips her head to the mesmerist. "I'm Lilia, Miss." She turns to Nicoleta. "I rearranged your effects, Miss Radacan. That boy that you had bring them over had no idea how to handle a woman's things so I told him to just leave them and I'd deal with them." She shakes her head and gives a small laugh. "Really, Miss?" Nicoleta actually looks embarrassed. "He was the only one the inn had available on short notice." The dhampir turns to look at Aurelia. "I wanted to move our things over before you got back from shopping."
She leads Aurelia to a small hall and at the end she opens the door revealing the main bedroom. There's a large poster bed draped with colorful varisian scarves and a number of large wardrobes along with a dressing table. The mirror over the dressing table is also veiled with the same colorful scarves. "Those weren't there before," Nicoleta says with suspicion. "Lilia? Did you ...?" she calls out only to be cut off. "I felt the room required a feminine touch, Miss. I hope I wasn't out of line."
Nicoleta smiles. "No, that's great. Thanks."
The other feature of the bedroom is a set of windowed double doors that lead out onto a small balcony overlooking the street below. With the building sitting on the rise of Pillar Hill, the rest of Midland descends below them all the way to Citadel Volshyenek and past that, the Jeggare river. Opening the doors, Nicoleta steps out onto the balcony. The rain has almost ceased and the air is fresh from the normal smells of the city.
"We have it for at least six months," she says, looking out over the city. "That is ... if you want to stay."
As of late, Aurelia was finding it harder and harder to enjoy the little things in life she had previously held in such high regard. One of the only true things that sill made her happy was of course, shopping. So when she returned to the inn with her bags full, she was in a good mood and riding high. She didn't think her day could get any better, but she was wrong.
"I love it!" she exclaims and leaps up into Nicoleta's arms, wrapping her legs around the monks waist and peppering her with fangless kisses on her face.
When she eventually hops down, she insists on visiting the rooms two times each again, making notes about different accessories that will obviously need to go in places. "And this rug, definitely need a new rug. I can handle that, if you would like."
She spins in a circle, holding her hands out as she does so "Wow! Our own place! This is, this is a big step for us, right?" she asks, looking for reassurance.
The dhampir's relief at Aurelia's reaction is palpable. "Yeah, it's a big step," she says with a deep breath. "To be honest, I haven't actually lived with anyone else since I was thirteen or fourteen. So this will be a new experience for me."
As the mesmerist tours the place again, Nicoleta follows along. "Feel free to do whatever you'd like as far as decorations go. Although that room ..." She indicates one of the doors, "Is Lilia's room and so that should be off limits for us unless she invites us in. She'll keep the place clean and if we let her know that we'll be here, she'll take care of meals."
She looks around the room.
"We'll have to invite Roz and Iolaire over for dinner some evening."
As you reap the benefits of your good work, the city's leaders are hard at work studying the notes recovered from Ramoska Arkminos and Andaisin about the nature of blood veil. After a week, they have a breakthrough and begin to start manufacturing a cure. Mercifully, the cure is a simple concoction to create for any alchemist or spellcaster capable of brewing potions. The disease’s supernatural origins prove to be its undoing, for once a person suffering from blood veil takes the cure, not only does the disease fade, but for 1 week thereafter, contact with the recently cured person spreads the cure in a manner identical to how blood veil itself spreads. In a matter of only three weeks, the threat of blood veil is eradicated from Korvosa.
In the end, blood veil claims the lives of nearly two thousand citizens. But this is just a fraction of the people who would have died had you not intervened to stop the cult of Urgathoa from spreading the disease. The gratitude of the people of Korvosa knows no bounds. Tayce Soldado organizes the thanks of some of Korvosa’s settled Varisians. You are treated to a large feast at Tayce’s home with the Varisian community, many of whom bring you modest gifts (such as delicately embroidered scarves, beautiful jewelry, exquisitely illustrated harrow decks, or fine clothing) with a total value of 250 gp for each of you.
Dozens of other families recognize you for saving the lives of family members or neighbors. You each gain a favor from a skilled artisan, a local artist, or athe like. This favor might be the gift of an item worth no more than 1,000 gp (such as a set of three matching masterwork daggers, a bejeweled ring worth 1,000 gp, or a cloak of resistance +1), a place to hide out for a night, help researching a topic (this grants a +5 circumstance bonus on the next five Knowledge checks the PC attempts, provided they recruit the aid of the NPC offering help), or any other useful services.
Field Marshal Cressida Kroft personally you for your extensive aid during the plague. She finally and officially deputizes you as members of the Korvosan Guard and opens Citadel Volshyenek’s armory to you. Each of you can select equipment worth up to 2,500 gp (including magic weapons and armor) from the stores.
Finally, Queen Ileosa would be remiss not to publicly acknowledge your work. Surrounded by her Gray Maidens, including the one who attended her at Trinia's botched execution, she gives a brief speech on the steps of Castle Korvosa. "We are here today to acknowledge the actions of these four fine women. It was through their blood, sweat, and tears that a cure was found for the heinous blood veil plague. They have saved our city, and are to be commended. Let all look upon them as the heroes they are."
The queen grants each of you a 5,000 gp writ in reward for your services. This writ is good for any purchase made within Korvosa’s walls.
Iolaire is the one at the award ceremony, smiling and looking rather overwhelmed by all the attention, but the piercing gaze that evaluates the keen is all Vox and what she sees gives the drow a dark glow of satisfaction.
There will be a reckoning one day, your Highness. It's hard to say who had that thought, or whether it was a rare moment of agreement between the two.
"Well, whether she's really behind it or not, she knows who we are now. We're no longer anonymous," Nicoleta whispers to her friends as she smiles at the gathered audience.
"You can see it in her eyes, that was not a genuine smile. She's playing to the crowd and had no choice but to do this for us."
"Just smile and wave, gals. Smile and wave." Aurelia says with a large grin, waving.
The queen quickly retreats back into the castle, leaving you to enjoy your rewards.
Two weeks later and Nicoleta looks around at her friends gathered in her and Aurelia's apartment.
"A toast," she says, raising her glass of red wine. "To good friends and to a city that seems to be returning to normal," she says. "Oh," she adds turning to tip her head towards Lilia, who stands nearby. "And to the best damn lamb stew I think I've ever had."
"My pleasure, Miss Radacan," Lilia responds with a nod.
"I also would like to thank Aurelia for how wonderful this place looks. It's all due to her because I know f$@& all about decorating." The dhampir drains her glass. She's made it clear that she very pleased with the fact that Iolaire chose to attend rather than Vox. "And I wanted to let everyone know that the guestroom is available if anyone feels that they don't wish to walk home tonight because they've drank too much." She gestures towards several unopened bottles of wine with a laugh. "And it's the good shit, too. No more cheap wine for me and my friends."
She sits back down and scoots her seat closer to the mesmerist's and places a possessive around around the woman's shoulders. "Oh, and if anyone is staying over, let Lilia know in advance and she'll start arranging hot water for baths. I know how much everyone here loves a hot bath." She grins and grabs another bottle to open and refill her glass.
"So how is everyone else holding up?" she asks.
”So far, so good,” Rozalia says, clad in a fancy red dress and sipping her wine. ”Old Korvosa’s still under quarantine. Can’t get back to my old place so I’m staying with Io. She’s been real good to me.” The oracle squeezes the elf’s hand. ”Your choice where you wanna stay tonight, Red.”
Aurelia was overcome with excitement for their new place together and she immediately set to work decorating it with various Varisian arts, cloth, and furniture. She thoroughly enjoyed spending time on this, so much so, she nearly forgot about how bad things had been going for her. But once her work decorating was done, her mind turned back again to her sickness as she called it.
Not only had she lost her reflection, now she was physically unable to get within five feet of any mirror at all. Worse yet, just yesterday while walking outside she noticed that her shadow disappeared. It seemed like with each passing week, she was becoming less and less like herself. She tried to hide the growing emptiness inside she felt from Nicoleta, putting on a happy face and laughing with the others. But deep down inside, her sickness was eating away at her humanity.
As she looked out over her friends as they lifted their wine glasses, her mind wandered and she began to wonder what Roz's blood tasted like. Io's. Vox's. Were they different? Could she tell the difference?
When Nicoleta puts her arm around her, she focuses back to reality and asks "I'm sorry, I missed that? Oh. A Bath. I do love baths. Though not those bubble ones Roz always seems to have." she raises her glass and winks at the oracle.
"Can we never spend more than twenty minutes with each other before the farting jokes start?" Iolaire says, affecting a very put-upon weary tone. "I swear you're worse than my children, and I have five of them now! Speaking of, I'd better head home at some point. The kids are used to us being out late but I think it's important to be there for them." The way she says us makes it clear she isn't referring to herself and Roz.
As Nicoleta drinks and starts to think sanguine thoughts she catches Iolaire's eyes and sees the moment as the pupils disappear into Vox's white eyes. Iolaire's smile sharpens, just for a moment, and then her face is back to normal, her smile joyous and not a hint of the drow is to be seen.
Later Iolaire gestures for Aurelia to join her in the other room, leaving Nicoleta and Roz to whatever those two get up to when they're alone - probably something disgusting. "I just want to remind you that I'm here if you need me." She says gently. "I know a bit about what its like to share your body with something else. If you could use some tips I may be able to help."
Roz downs another glass of wine once Io and Aurelia depart, leaving her alone with Nicoleta. "Like the new digs. How's the whole vamp situation going? Anything I can do to help?"
***
Roz falls back into the ferns, breathing heavily in the aftermath of her obedience to the Green Mother. She invited Iolaire to join her in her nightly devotions, and tonight she whispered her greatest secret yet--that Queen Ileosa was behind the creation of the blood veil plague.
Basking in the afterglow, she rolls over and lays her head on Iolaire's chest. "That was a good one, Red, wasn't it?" She lays there for a few moments before shifting to look the taller elf in the eyes. "Hey, Io... What are we doing here? I mean, not literally, but... These past few months have been really nice. Is this a long-term thing? I kinda want it to be..."
When Io talks to her, Aurelia lets her sadness push through the facade of her fake smile. She frowns and sighs and asks "Is it the same? I feel like the true me is being erased with each passing day. I'm becoming more and more something else. My mind is consumed with disgusting, terrible things and their persistence and continuing bombardment of desires is causing my sanity to break."
She lowers her voice and says "I fight hard against it each day, but it gets harder to do so. It's only a matter of time before it drives me to make a really bad choice. Everyone will be mad at me and blame me and I'm sure it will be my fault, but, I. I don't know what I'm even saying. "
When Io talks to her, Aurelia lets her sadness push through the facade of her fake smile. She frowns and sighs and asks "Is it the same? I feel like the true me is being erased with each passing day. I'm becoming more and more something else. My mind is consumed with disgusting, terrible things and their persistence and continuing bombardment of desires is causing my sanity to break."
"At least you have a true self to hold onto." The drow replies. There wasn't even a flicker, suddenly Vox was there and Iolaire wasn't. "As for you mind, we all have a dark side and few of us are as sane as we pretend." Her smile is wide and bright, so wide...
Roz downs another glass of wine once Io and Aurelia depart, leaving her alone with Nicoleta. "Like the new digs. How's the whole vamp situation going? Anything I can do to help?"
Nicoleta's confident smile fades at the question. She glances over to where Aurelia walked away with Iolaire and frowns. "It's not going great. She's changing, but that's not really the issue." The dhampir looks back at Roz. "She's losing hope and I don't know how to fix that. We haven't heard back from Arkminos and she's convinced herself that we never will." She refills her glass. "I don't know what else to do."
She lowers her voice and says "I fight hard against it each day, but it gets harder to do so. It's only a matter of time before it drives me to make a really bad choice. Everyone will be mad at me and blame me and I'm sure it will be my fault, but, I. I don't know what I'm even saying. "
"What Vox is trying to say," The red-headed elf continues, "Is that we all have demons. There's no shame in that. Fighting is what we have to do, we all know what you're dealing with, at least a bit. None of us are going to hate you if something goes wrong. After what happened with Nicoleta that time in the inn, nothing went wrong there even when you feared it would. So trust your friends, we're here for you. And there's hope that you'll be cured. You've got someone on it, someone spooky as hell sure but still someone, and you've got Nicoleta. That's a lot more help than some people get."
It's clear that she's talking about herself from the way her voice drops and her muscular shoulders droop.
-------------------------------------
"That was a good one..." Iolaire gasps, being invited to join Roz's worship was more tiring than she'd expected. "Do the secrets you speak have to be true?" She asks, curiously. "If I spoke a secret that I believed, but was in fact not true, would something happen or does it only matter that it's secret as best I know?"
The woman's next question causes the elf to sit up straight, the top pulled up to her neck falling back down at the sudden motion. "I've thought about this... a lot." She murmurs, realising that she might sound a tiny bit creepy admitting that. "I... like long-term. I like us, long term. But Roz, I'm going to be around a lot longer than you. You're what, twenty odd? In thirty years time you'll be nearly gray. I'll be... exactly as I am. Unless there is no me by that point, just Vox."
She pauses and then turns to her lover. "If that happens, if I don't come back one day. You'll look after the kids right? Vox wouldn't hurt them, but she wouldn't be there for them either. I'll sort out a proper will and everything. There's a bit saved and Alice and Jasper could run my shop in a year or two but," She seems to realise that she's blathering. "You'll stay, right?"
”Sounds like a real shitty predicament,” Roz says. ”Gotta hope that ugly vamp is true to his word. I’ve got some extra coin left over. We could pay Ishani to perform a divination. Maybe the word of a god will give Aurelia some hope again?”
***
”The secret’s gotta be true, and it’s gotta belong to somebody else,” Roz tells her lover. ”And it’s gotta be a different one every time, or else the Green Mother don’t like it and takes her favor away. She’s a demanding mistress, but I ain’t got much choice in the matter. I owe her my life, after all.”
The conversation turns more serious, and she reaches to squeeze Io’s hand. ”Hey, I ain’t going anywhere, okay? Yeah, you got a longer lifespan. But there are ways around that. If I stick with my devotions to the Mother long enough, she might deign to grant me a fey’s vitality. In that case I’ll live as long as you, maybe longer. And if not, well, we just gotta enjoy the time we have.
“As for the kiddos, of course I’ll look after them. After what I went through as a kid, I ain’t gonna let anything bad happen to any other children if I can help it. I’ll love them like they were my own.”
She snuggles closer to the elf. ”And, uh, speaking of that... I don’t know about you, but I've always seen myself having my own kids one day. Is that something you might want, too? It’s, uh, harder with two ladies involved, but not impossible with the right magic.”
When Vox appears, Aurelia jumps "F~$+!" she exclaims, smacking Vox's shoulder "You just can't do that shit!" She shivers and shrugs. "Okay. Okay."
When Io reappears and starts talking, she takes a deep breath and nods. A small sigh escapes her lips "Alright. You all are good friends. I appreciate your kinds words. The way this thing is progressing, I figure I only have a few more months before I am unable to keep the sickness away. It's getting so hard. I just hope we find a cure before you have to, you know."
”We could pay Ishani to perform a divination. Maybe the word of a god will give Aurelia some hope again?”
Nicoleta brightens up. "I hadn't thought of that. I'll have to find him and see what he has to say." She grows quieter as she considers the idea.
~~~~~
The next day the dhampir sets out to locate the priest of Abadar. Her goal; to find out his divination capabilities ... and what it will cost her.
Aurelia lay restless that night, unable to sleep. She tosses and turns for what seems like hours before she eventually gives up and slips out of bed. She decides she needs a walk to clear her head.
Nothing like a nighttime stroll to help you sleep, right?
Slipping outside, she makes her way around the neighborhood.
What are you looking for, Aurelia? Do you want to find some helpless creature begging for you to drink their blood?
She strolls for about an hour before giving up, returning back home and slipping into bed once again.
“As for the kiddos, of course I’ll look after them. After what I went through as a kid, I ain’t gonna let anything bad happen to any other children if I can help it. I’ll love them like they were my own.”
She snuggles closer to the elf. ”And, uh, speaking of that... I don’t know about you, but I've always seen myself having my own kids one day. Is that something you might want, too? It’s, uh, harder with two ladies involved, but not impossible with the right magic.”
"Nothing is impossible with the right magic." Iolaire replies. She takes Roz's hand and wraps an arm around the woman as she snuggles into her side. "I'd like to have kids of my own and I want to be a better parent than my father was." She smiles, although unshed tears glimmer in the corners of her eyes. "I guess we have that in common too right?"
------------------------------------
Later that evening, once the Voices are all asleep, Roz is summoned downstairs and finds Iolaire at her forge. Standing by it is a large tub of water, warmed by the forge itself and Iolaire gestures for her girlfriend to get in. The water is perhaps a shade warmer than perfection, but remarkably pleasant in the cool evening none-the-less.
"I made something for you." The elf says with a grin, "Hop in." Once Roz has done so, Iolaire joins her and nudges the woman's legs apart, before producing a delicately carved razor from a tooled sheathe. "Enjoy the bath and lean back." She instructs. "No sudden movements, ok? I'm good at this and the razor is some of my best work - which means sharp!"
True to her word, between the warm water and the sight of the red head between her thighs Roz barely notices the soft touch of steel until the deed is done and Iolaire sets to work between her legs in earnest.
Roz does her best to relax in the tub. "Alright, just be careful down there, yeah? That's a delicate flower, and I don't want you to nip it in the bud, as it were."
Thankfully for Roz, Iolaire proves a dab hand with the razor and by the time the bath is done (with the water still warm thanks to the forge) Roz finds herself newly trimmed and neatened, with nary a scratch or mark to show for it.
Roz runs a hand over her now-smooth skin in wonder. "Silky! I like it, Red. Thank you." She stands up, water dripping from her body as she regards the elf. "Now, is there anything I can do for you?"
Nicoleta finds the priests at the Grand Bank of Abadar still busy trying to quash the last pockets of blood veil in the city. They are also concerned at the loss of one of their most notable worshipers, Arbiter Zenobia Zenderholm. She was briefly feared missing during the blood veil crisis, but she recently resurfaced and proclaimed her allegiance to Queen Ileosa, vowing to aid the Gray Maidens in their pursuit of justice. She cut her ties with the church, though, and the Archbanker hopes to try to woo her back into the fold once the current mayhem subsides.
Ishani is happy to take some time to speak to Nicoleta. "I can perform a divination for you, yes. I'll just need to ask for a donation to the church and have you tell me exactly what question you wish me to ask."
She strolls for about an hour before giving up, returning back home and slipping into bed once again.
Slipping into bed, Nicoleta moves up against her and pulls the woman close. "Everything ok?" she asks in a sleepy voice. "If you're wanting to prowl, wake me up next time. I'll join you."
~~~~
The dhampir considers the question for a bit before replying. "Will we hear good news regarding Aurelia's curse within the next month?" she finally asks.
Ishani lights some incense and places a few of the gold coins in a bowl as an offering to Abadar. He prays for several minutes, then the coins are consumed by a golden glow and a voice speaks:
"Slow progress is progress still. You must be patient and strong of will. Know ye that hope is not lost, but be prepared to pay the cost."
Nicoleta thanks the priest and leaves.
She finds her way to one of her favorite taverns where she normally plies her trade. Taking a seat at a corner table where she can watch the comings and goings, she pulls out her deck of fortune cards. After a second thought, she puts them away and pulls out Esmeralda's Harrow deck. Moments later and she looks over the spread.
"Yeah, yeah," she mutters to herself as she can hear her mother's voice berating her for doing a reading for herself. "The gift's only for others, blah, blah, blah. This is important and divine divination is for shit."
Aurelia groans when she wakes up Nicoleta returning to bed. "Couldn't sleep. Something was pushing me to go out and do something, but I couldn't figure out what it was I was supposed to be doing so I just came back to bed. Sorry I woke you up."
While Nicoleta is out and about in the morning, Aurelia sleep in. She pulls the blankets over her head and tries to make it darker and tries to go back to sleep, but fails. Frustrated, she gets out of bed and decides to go to a bakery for some fresh bread and pastry, hoping that will get her in a better mood for the day.
Aurelia groans when she wakes up Nicoleta returning to bed. "Couldn't sleep. Something was pushing me to go out and do something, but I couldn't figure out what it was I was supposed to be doing so I just came back to bed. Sorry I woke you up."
"When the sun's down, your instincts are telling you to hunt," Nicoleta says, growing more awake. "Once you realize what it is, it'll be easier to ignore. I spent a lot of puberty doing the same thing. Although, I thought I was looking for something else. Which I found on more than one occasion. This city has more than enough low-lifes happy to take advantage of a young girl."
Her hands begin seeking out sensitive places on the mesmerist's body.
"Speaking of taking advantage ..."
Aurelia finds her way to a bakery in Midtown called the Mad Batter. A handsome young Chelish man stands behind the counter, and mouthwatering aromas fill the air. ”Welcome, Miss! What can I get for you?”
"I see." she says, understanding a predator sense in her was telling her to go out and hunt. "I'll try to ignore that." When she starts giving her attention however, she giggles and says "I've been far too good of a girl recently. Maybe I need to make some trouble to get punished? Hmmm?"
Aurelia breathes in deeply when she steps into the bakery, a relaxing audible sigh escaping her mouth as she begins to smile "Am I allowed to just sit in here all day and smell this? Do you charge for that? Oh my, it's so wonderful in here. I don't know how you don't eat the food all day long."
She moves up to the young man and rubs her hands together "Let's see, let's see. What's good today? Can I have one of everything?" she laughs, not really intending to do so. "I'll take something with fruit in it if you have it. Apples or peaches maybe? Also, a loaf of your most delicious bread. Maybe some muffins?"
The man laughs. ”The smell is free. If you want to taste, that will cost you!”
He cheerfully gets to work fulfilling Aurelia’s order. As he is slicing off a loaf of bread, though, he suddenly hisses and shakes his hand. ”Ouch! Sorry, just cut myself a little bit.”
A few beads of crimson blood form on his finger, and a different kind of hunger begins to grow within the mesmerist...
Aurelia laughs when he says the taste will cost her. "Oh honey, you have no idea how much I understand that."
The sight of the blood triggers something inside of her and she instinctively licks her lips, staring at the bloody finger. "Oh you poor dear. Let me help you with that." she says, moving around the counter, feeling drawn to bloody finger.
"I.." she starts to say, her eyes transfixed on the boy's hand as she moves closer and moves it into her own, staring at it. "I..." she repeats, her breathing accelerating as she begins to shift her gaze from the bloody finger to the artery pulsing in his neck.
"I'm-"
Hungry! her body screams as she moves behind him, her canines extending as she begins to open her mouth.
For the last week, at the start of each day Aurelia has gotten into the habit of planting a trick into Nicoleta each morning that allows her telepathically communicate with her girlfriend in times of need while they were still relatively close. This was such a time.
Fighting off the urge the best she can, she screamed in her mind NICOLETA I NEED YOU! but there was no reply. Had she forgotten to set the trick this morning? Was she out of range? Was she not answering on purpose?
You don't need her, you have everything you need right here. something inside of her said, tugging at her.
Holding the boys hand in her own, she pressed her chest up against his back and reached around to him hold his cut hand with her other hand and whispers "Everything is going to be okay." in a breathy voice as she began to lower her mouth to his neck behind him.
”Hey! Wh-what are you doing?” the boy says worriedly as he feels Aurelia’s lips against his neck. ”I don’t think this appropriate, Miss. Help! Help!” he cries, but nobody else is around to hear him...
Her heart is pounding inside of her chest. Feeding on Nicoleta was never this exhilarating. The excitement and anticipation is driving her wild and she closes her eyes as she holds him tight, whispering "I want that taste now.".
She moves her right hand over his mouth to muffle the expected scream as pushes her fangs into his neck, creating an explosion of delicious, hot liquid that pours into her mouth. She holds him there, moaning softly as she drinks more and more from the wound, unable to resist the pull of the taste of something different.
The baker whimpers and struggles in Aurelia’s grasp as she drinks his lifeblood. Soon, his struggles begin to weaken, and he slumps backward, passing out from blood loss. The mesmerist has had enough to sate her hunger. But the man still has more blood, and it tastes so good...
When Nicoleta returns to the apartment she's in a good mood which is improved by the smell of fresh bread. "I give thanks every day for young idiots with more coin than brains," she says, setting her bag with her cards and various implements of trade on a table near the door."And that smells wonderful," she says, drawing in the scent of fresh bread. There's a smell of something else, though - something that tickles another part of her. "Are those peach muffins?"
She approaches the table and grabs one of the muffins from the basket before leaning down to give Aurelia a quick kiss. As she does so, the scent slams into her like a rolling barrel of sand. She takes a step back and the muffin falls from her fingers to the floor.
"Wh-What did you do?" she stammers out, but in her heart she already knows.
Aurelia is sitting in a chair, back away from Nicoleta when she enters. The bread and other goods are sitting behind her on the table, filling the room with the scent that reminds her of blood. She stares off into the distance, not even acknowledging that the monk has returned home until she physically moves in front of her to kiss her.
Her whole body is slumped and when Nicoleta asks the question, the mesmerist doesn't look up at her but instead continues to stare forward past her with dazed eyes that stare at her blankly. "I just wanted b-bread." her lower lip quivers on the last word.
"He cut his finger slicing the bread. I didn't-" her statement trails off as she stares past her girlfriend.
"I called. For you. Didn't. Answer." she says in a manner that makes the sentences disjointed. Odd spaces between the words that separate them with unnatural pauses. She licks her lips and says "He cried. I can still. Hear his pleas. I can still. Taste him. In my. Mouth."
"How did you call ...?" Nicoleta starts to ask, confusion evident in the question, but waves it off to ask the question that's much more important. "Is he still alive?"
Aurelia's answer is nonverbal. She closes her eyes as her chin slowly sags down to her chest. Tears spill out from behind her eyes and drain down her cheeks.
Nicolet tips her head back looking up at the ceiling. "F$%#." She stands that way for a bit considering the options. When she finally tips her head back down. "Lilia?" she calls out.
"Yes, Miss Radacan?" the woman answers from the kitchen area.
"Would you arrange a hot bath for Miss Abbratozzati and ensure that she gets in it and stays in it until I get back?"
"I'll do my best, Miss."
Nicoleta puts her arms around Aurelia again and gives her a squeeze. "Now you listen to Lilia and do what she says. I'll be back in a little bit." A quick kiss follows and the dhampir is gone.
~~~~
Knowing where the nearest bakery is located, Nicoleta starts there to see if there any commotion at the small business.
Aurelia just nods to Nicoleta silently, her eyes still closed. She remains sitting there until Lilia comes back to tell her that the bath is ready for the fourth time.
In fact, it isn't until the woman places a hand on Aurelia's shoulder does she realize that she needs to get up and get to the bath. She lets the house keeper walk her to the bath and waits until she leaves before making a trip to her room to grab her dagger and then returning to the bath, alone.
Nicoleta stands outside the Mad Batter bakery and stares at the 'Closed' sign. She can smell the lingering scent of fresh bread so she knows that someone was here working recently. She can see the events in her mind already and the self-hatred that Aurelia is probably feeling.
"Sonofab!&$&!" she snaps to herself and turns to race back towards their apartment. A nearby wooden noticeboard is the recipient of her wrath, punching it in a fury as she picks up speed.
~~~~~
Arriving back at their apartment, she heads nervously towards the fourth bedroom that they've converted into a bathing room - afraid to see what waits for her.
Aurelia slowly walks towards the bathtub, sadness overwhelming her. Lilia walks by her side after she exited the bedroom and as they enter the bathroom she turns to her and asks "Would you go get me a slice of the bread I brought home today? I'm famished."
No you are not, that's a lie. You've had more than enough today, don't you think? MURDERER! MONSTER!
Lilia nods and smiles and departs for the bread. As soon as she does, Aurelia shuts the door and slides a side table in front of it to keep Lilia out.
You can't let it win. You need to take matters into your hands and fix it before ... Before WHAT! BEFORE I KILL SOMEONE!? I ALREADY DID!
She moves towards the bath, disrobing, dropping her clothes haphazardly on the floor.
You know what you have to do, Aurelia. You can't let it consume you!
Sliding into the water, she lays her head back and wants to cry, but there are no more tears left. Instead, she lifts her dagger and slashes her left wrist. She cries out in pain and stares down at the blood pouring from her body. She touches it with two fingers and turns to the wall, writing a message for Nicoleta.
She places her bleeding hand into the water and watches the color change from clear to pink, the blood creating swirling patterns of red.
She looks down at her other hand and tries to slice her right wrist but can't force herself to do it. A moment of panic seizes her and she looks down at the magic healing potion she brought with her in case she changed her mind. She reaches for the potion and brings into the water. She is about to open it and drink it, but stops herself.
Don't chicken out now. What if you hurt Nicoleta. Or Io. Or Roz? Hmmm? You can't be around them, it's not safe anymore.
There's banging at the door. Someone is shouting. It doesn't matter. Just close your eyes and go to sleep...
She drops the potion into the bathtub water and watches it bob up and down in front of her as she closes her eyes and goes to sleep.
Beyond the bathroom door, Aurelia floats in blood stained water, her eyes lifeless. Her left wrist is slashed and her head is flopped to the side of the tub. A bloody dagger lay on the floor outside the tub and the words I'm sorry Peaches. I love you. is sprawled in blood on the wall next to her. Her eyes are open and glazed over and she doesn't move when Nicoleta enters.
When Nicoleta returns, it's as she feared. Lilia is banging on the bathing room door. She turns when the dhampir barges into the apartment and begins to explain, but is pushed aside. With a quick kick, the thin door bursts open, pieces of the frame scattering across the floor.
The blood runs cold in her veins at the sight of the limp body lying in the tub. "No, no, no," she repeats as she rushes to her side. She sees the dagger, the bloody water, and the gaping wrist. In a splash of water she lifts Aurelia out of the water, only peripherally aware of the potion bottle floating in the fouled water.
"Lilia! I need you to ... no ... I can get her there faster," her mind tries to figure the fastest way to the nearest temple. "There's not enough ..." It's only then that she really notices the ceramic vial bobbing around.
"Why would she ...?"
She sets the woman down on a towel tossed casually aside and snatches the vial out of the water. Unsure if she could be so lucky, she uncorks it and dribbles just a bit onto her tongue. The burning and searing she feels confirms what it is. Without a second thought she forces the woman's mouth open and dumps the contents inside.
She's relieved to see the wound on the woman's wrist partially close and her heartbeat grow steady. There's no other movement, though.
Turning to the shocked and pale varisian woman watching from the open doorway, Nicoleta tries to calm herself. "Lilia, I need you to take a hundred gold from the house funds. Go to the temple of Abadar and purchase another potion of healing. Whatever's left over, keep for yourself, but return as soon as you possibly can."
With a shaky nod the woman vanishes from the doorway and a moment later, Nicoleta hears the front door open and then close.
She looks down at the wet woman in her arms and after grabbing another nearby towel begins to wipe the bloody water from her body. Once that's done, she carries her into the main bedroom and puts her under the blankets. She then waits.
When Aurelia finally wakes up, she's greeted with the very gaunt and angry face of her girlfriend.
"Don't you EVER do a stupid-arse stunt like that again! Do you hear me!" she announces in a brittle voice. "If you ever ..." She's unable to continue as her voice breaks and the tears begin pouring down her face. "I don't care where you end up after you die. I will hunt you down and beat you black and blue! Is that clear?!"