If Howl's main goal today was to make Jasna so flustered she couldn't speak, he had managed to complete it. Her lips were parted, words on her tongue, but Jasna couldn't find a way to actually get them out. Tightening her arms against her chest, she closed her eyes and ground her teeth together, more than frustrated at the fact that Howl was using his limits wisely. She couldn't really get him in trouble for sticking to his words, now could she? The extra blow made her eyebrows quirk slightly, lips pulling into a frown. He'd keep up his little game until she either gave into him, or she got so fed up she kicked him out. If she just sat there and let him continue, it wouldn't be changing his motives any. Of course, the light brush of his tongue caught her attention. A shiver rolled over her spine unwillingly, and she let out a huffed sigh. This wasn't the kind of bath she had been expecting, though it was a little foolish of her to try and think Howl was capable of acting like a good boy for more than ten minutes.
"Slightly." Jasna responded, inhaling deeply once again, hoping he'd give her a few minutes to relax once more. She could still feel the pressure he had permitted against her throat from his tongue, or the small chill that had coursed over her shoulders from it. Pulling her legs up a little, allowing her knees to lift from the water's surface, she leaned more back into Howl's hands, her hands finally letting up against her chest. The bubbles still hid plenty, luckily, so letting her hands rest against her knees wasn't an issue.
Howl's hands were amazing, she wouldn't deny. Especially not when he hit a really sensitive spot. Jasna tried to hold herself back, but she couldn't help but lean more into his massaging fingers, silently indicating that it had felt good in that one spot. It was just below her neck, a tensed spot she could tell, but it felt amazing to have pressure applied.
He murmured against her ear, feeling the way she leaned back into his touch. She was more than enjoying her bath, even if she didn't like his advances. He was being a good boy bordering on sainthood since any lesser man would have screwed his promise and jumped into the bath like he longed to do. But he was more strong-willed than that. Much as it was killing him. The voices he sometimes heard started drilling into his head, commenting on how she looked, how much they would enjoy bruising that skin and destroying all sense of innocence. He didn't pause in massaging her shoulders, but his mind drifted as he blocked the voices out, going eerily silent. He was barely breathing- almost falling into a mechanical state of being. They were tugging on him, telling him of someone who was asleep with terrible fears that needed to be played with. Of illusions he needed to create. He should cause chaos, they whispered. Ghostly hands skimmed his skin- but he knew they weren't real. Illusionists were rarely born for a reason- their own powers killed them from the inside out.
He put the voices back into their box- even though he locked it, they always found a way out. It was some of the reason why Jasna had caught him staring into space with a blank expression bordering on pain a few times. He couldn't seal the box shut because the voices were apart of him- even though they were very dangerous. For probably the hundredth time, he wondered if they were pieces of the people whom he had killed with his gift. Like bits of soul that clung to his imaginative powers. He probably would never know. With a jolt, he snapped out of it, the voices pressed back into their box for the time being. He increased the pressure on that spot that she seemed to like and got lost in the silence.
There was no point in denying his claim that she was a liar. Jasna, for any purpose, had lies up her sleeve as though they were tattoo's marking her skin. She was good at it, mainly for the reason that in some situations, if she didn't bullshit them good enough, they'd get it personally. And to repay that personal debt, it'd have to be with her head. That wasn't something Jasna was capable of allowing to happen. Instead, she sat quietly, a soft smile touching her lips at the very corners. As much as she didn't always enjoy Howl's comments, she did enjoy his sarcasm and company. For the very least, he could throw a smile on her face just as quick as he could take it off. That was rare for Jasna to find- human or not.
While Howl was lost in his mind, Jasna had parted her lips to speak to him. She hadn't received an answer, so she asked again. When she didn't hear anything from him after that, she glanced over her shoulder, eyebrows pinched together, thinking that he had deliberately ignored her twice. His eyes were distant, his face slightly relaxed, almost as though he were too tired to show expression. Blinking, she pursed her lips for a moment, before she felt him snap back out of his lingo. "Haven't you been listening?" Her voice, though held snark, was more paranoid than anything. "There's someone in the suite; I heard something break." Jasna would've lifted herself out of the bath tub if Howl hadn't snapped out of it, but in her current position, she didn't think facing whoever intruded naked was the answer to things. It had nothing to do with Howl being behind her; she didn't have that much pride left, anymore.
His voice was soft, distant, almost like he was speaking from far away. Seeing her move, he removed his hands from her and stood up, seeing the painful scars on her back and his reflected in the mirror. But then he heard it, the tiniest crunch of a boot on glass. How had someone gotten in? They were on the fourth floor...He sniffed and then covered his face, making sure to block the smell from his sensitive nose. Someone had knocked over a vial of perfume and the smell was blocking him from locating the intruder by smell. He wasn't like a werewolf or a shifter, but at least he could have been able to tell if it was a man or a woman in the suite with them. He took the dagger from the back of his pants and palmed it, the familiar weight balancing in his hand like an extension of his arm. It wasn't small by far. It could have passed for a short sword. It was curved and wickedly sharp with an ivory bone handle with black symbols carved into it and the metal of the blade. Glancing at Jasna, he stared at her a moment before he said- without moving his lips:
"Stay here."
His face was devoid of emotion- his eyes like mirrors. They showed nothing of his inner thoughts- they only reflected her. However, he gave her some of his emotion when he pressed his lips gently against hers. But he moved so quickly it was as if the wind could have caressed her mouth. He slipped around the door, careful with his steps. He knew this room better than anyone but he couldn't- and wouldn't risk Jasna's life. If only he had kept his gun...He heard another soft crunch the was lighter than the first. Ah, so there were two intruders. Brilliant. From the sounds, he determined that they could be either the men from the bar or others who had seen him in town and were after him. He couldn't be sure. But whoever they were, they were probably going to try to kill him and steal Jasna. It could be one of the Catchers- a group of people who capture beautiful women- rare ones at that- and sold them into brothels and to private 'collectors.' It was a disgusting business only made worse by the profits it raked in.
If he hadn't kissed her, Jasna most likely would've listened to Howl for once. She hadn't wanted to get out of her bath and redress herself. In fact, she was enjoying it's warmth and the bubbles that remained. Why would she want to ruin that lovely pleasure? The kiss made her eyes blink, and her body to slightly tense. It was uncalled for, such an act of affection, and Jasna's heart raced from the small touch. It hadn't been long, though she had felt some sort of passion behind it. It was frustrating, and Jasna couldn't let him continue on like he was allowed to do things like that whenever he saw fit. Stubbornly, she narrowed her eyes at the door when he left and stood up from her bath. Leaving the plug alone, not wanting to alarm anyone that she was emptying the tub, she stepped out onto the tiled floor.
Grabbing a towel, she pulled it around herself, not fast to dry herself off. She didn't expect the intruders to be kicked out that fast, so she had time to make sure she was dry. When she was dry enough for clothes, she hung the towel up and instead of grabbing her breastplate that would take ages to do up, she pulled off a silk robe from one of the shelves beside the sink. Pulling it around her body, she tied the knot at her hip and grabbed her panties, slipping them up her legs. Crouching to her pile of clothes, she routed through the fabric until she felt the needles she had been searching for. Pulling out three, each needle suck between her four fingers, and straightened. Using her toes to support her feet, she moved towards the door, her footsteps light. Nudging the door open just enough to see, she narrowed her eyes, only able to see Howl with his dagger. No disturbances had aroused yet.
Pushing the door open further, allowing herself to slip out, she closed it again behind her, careful not to make noise. Slowly, she moved up behind Howl, knowing that as soon as she was behind him, he'd know she was there. Something she hated, time to time, but it came in handy for situations like this. With her hand raised holding the toxic needles, Jasna nudged her shoulder against Howl's, lifting them into his view. Jasna had used them before around him, though only once or twice, considering they were hard to get a hold of, and when Jasna attacked someone, she was aiming to kill. Not put them to sleep. She figured the needles would be a better choice; no messes to clean up, apart from the perfume bottle they had broken, and they could be set up for questioning. Or negotiating. Whatever mood Howl was in by the time they came to.
He heard Jasna move and kept his eyes on what he could see of the room. He could only see the sitting room since the rooms within the suite were so spread out. It made for a good ambush. But he had the advantage- he knew the room's layout inside and out. He saw the needles in his peripherals and glanced back at Jasna, seeing her as his backup made him want to grind his teeth. He was supposed to be protecting her and she was supposed to be keeping her sexy ass in the damn bathtub! But noooo! She didn't fucking listen. He rolled his eyes before he listened for more sounds. He heard swishing and soon the room was plunged into a semi-darkness. The drapes had been closed. Without hands. Someone here knew telekinesis. The energy in the room seemed familiar but he couldn't place it...narrowing his eyes, he used the shadows to his advantage- by creating illusions.
He couldn't prepare Jasna for his ability- couldn't warn her ahead of time but he knew she would realize what he was doing. She'd been on the outside looking in before. The room seemed to shimmer for a moment before Howl's appearance changed. His clothes resembled how he looked with his armor, but it was different...darker...sinister even. Symbols appeared on the armor, and on his skin. They looked like glyphs and words in Latin- but they kept shifting and changing. Laughter filled the silence, but it came from no discernible source. Until Howl moved, his face took on a different appearance, smiling too wide, eyes too gleeful and shiny. His dagger was now the size of a sword like Switch's but it was different- warped.
Lights winked on like stars but even their light was twisted. Nothing about Howl's illusions was good. They were always messed up and tainted. The walls soon faded into a blood red color and the floor changed as well. It seemed to be constantly changing colors and textures. Little beady eyes peered out of the darkness and showed sinister smiles with huge teeth. They were the ones that were laughing. Howl stepped into the middle of the room, glowing in the darkness like a red star. His grinned widened, his teeth looking razor sharp before he spoke- sounding so detached and empty despite his appearance.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are...You're in my world now.."
The headache started first, and then the woozy feeling that always followed after it. Jasna took support against the wall, her hand falling to her side that held the needles. All of a sudden, she wasn't feeling so good. It felt as though she were still inside the bathroom, only the steam fresher and more hot. Lifting her free hand, she wiped the back of it across her forehead. Nothing. No sweat at all, yet she felt as though it were way above her preferred temperature. Closing her eyes, she kept them pulled tight, trying to pull herself out of whatever had a hold of her. Only, the harder she seemed to try, the worse things got. It wasn't until she heard laughing that her eyes opened, confused.
She could see the darkness of everything, the way things were unnatural and dark. Pushing herself off the wall, she almost stumbled, catching herself on the bed. Her mind was spinning, and nothing she did was going to make it stop. Her hand let the needles go, and she caught her breath, turning to glance at Howl to see if he was experiencing this as well. Only, Howl didn't look like Howl. He grinned at her, his teeth pointed and covered in blood. His eyes dragged over her body, the sensation she got giving her stomach knots and painful twists. He approached with solid steps, his weapon pointed at her. Jasna tried to blink the image away, to stop the illusion from continuing, but nothing she did was going to get rid of him.
The tip of his blade pressed against her throat, and she let out a startled cry, her chin lifting to try and keep the contact to a minimum. He grinned larger at his, his entire face dark and shadowed, though his eyes pierced through the darkness with bright red; the colour matched her hair. He advanced, shifting his sword so that it was still pressed against her throat, though his body was closer to her leaning position against the bed's foot board. Her hands clenched the wood, almost hard enough to break pieces, fear pulsing throughout her entire body. Howl's head tilted, and his tongue pushed from his teeth, a long snake-like fork ending the bottom of it. He licked his lips like a monster, before extending his tongue and dragging it up her cheek. Jasna tried to pull away, but he moved his sword once more, so that it was level with her neck when she pulled away.
The words "Howl, stop!" were on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't move her lips to get out the noise. Instead, she closed her eyes and wished him away, trying to tell herself that this wasn't really happening. Unfortunately, her biggest fear wasn't keen with the idea of fading into the darkness. His sword dug into her skin, sending a sudden burn over her neck. He wasn't going to fade into the distance until Howl released the illusions altogether.
He spoke into her illusion, knowing what she saw and how much it hurt his heart. But he couldn't stop it and he soon heard the agonizing screams of the two intruders in the room. Their nightmares were interesting, intriguing and he found some of himself feeding off of it, gaining energy from their agony. He fed from them like a beast, savoring their unique essence. It wasn't something easily described. He wasn't feeding off their fear, per say, but on their nightmares. The way their minds caved under the pressure was intoxicating because they struggled just like Jasna, but he wasn't attacking her- she was just an unfortunate bystander that he involved. The voices were attacking the intruders and he moved his hands, little strings attached to his gloves. He controlled them here easily. And soon, his world shimmered as he stepped between worlds- the nightmares of his intruders splitting his reality in half like he was watching two different rooms at the same time. The nightmares were familiar...fear of death, of loneliness, the usual. A lover's scorn. A mother's abandonment. They are all normal fears. But the structure of them...they were always different with each person who happened to be devoured by him in some way. The energy was a familiar taste on his tongue...but how? Then he saw a woman with silver hair and black eyes and a man with black hair and silver-white eyes.
"Miria?...Shulin?"
They were twins, he could tell. And he knew them. He hadn't seen them since...since...he couldn't quite remember but it had been years since he last saw them. Shulin reached out a hand and Howl felt a shock of electricity through his body. He gasped with a jolt. Usually, in his illusions, he had supreme power, but if someone could see through them, to the surface of the original reality, he was able to be affected. But it only happened if someone KNEW it was fake. If they could find his real self in all the darkness. Only Shulin had been able to find him. Like before. So it had to be them...his..friends. The illusion broke like a mirror, pieces sliding and breaking on the floor as the room came back into focus. Howl gasped for breath before he fell to his knees and clutched at his head. He sucked the illusion back inside his mind, sweat coating his skin. It wasn't always this difficult, but he was still being jolted by electricity.
"Enough, Shulin. He's come to his senses. If he hadn't sensed our familiarity, you know you wouldn't have been able to see through the curtain of his world. He could have killed us."
Of course it wasn't real. Jasna knew Howl wouldn't let his madness go this far with her involved. But that didn't change the fact that she could see and feel things that felt as real as Howl's interrupted massage. Attempting once more, she squeezed her eyes shut, keeping her lips firmly together, holding her breath. She didn't know why she was holding her breath; possibly to escape Howl's familiar smell, or because she thought it would help control her mind again. Even so, she felt his tongue ease down her neck, where his teeth extended and bit into the crook. She could feel a stream of blood trailing into the silk robe, but still, she tried to hide the image and feel of the entire thing by keeping her eyes closed. It was the only thing she knew how to do. Trying to fight back was useless, unless she wanted to get her head chopped off, or her neck ripped out.
Howl's voice tingled in her ear, telling Jasna that it had been the real Howl speaking. Her eyebrows pulled together, concentrating more on his voice than his dobbleganger's teeth, still pushing into her skin. Names? Who did they belong to? The pressure on her neck released slightly, only her shoulder opposite to the side he had bitten began to sting with pain. His nails, having crown wickedly and torturous, were now dragging down her shoulder. Jasna's lips parted for a scream, but she didn't get enough time to let it out. Her mind stopped spinning, and she was no longer being harmed. The real Howl collapsed, and she almost rushed to make sure he was okay. Instead, she caught her balance on the foot board and held back, her eyes looking between the two people before them.
"Calm yourself, woman. He will be fine in a moment...Shulin, my love, release him.."
The woman turned her coal black eyes onto Jasna. Her lips curved slightly in a secretive smile, like she saw something no one else could. In fact, she could. Jasna had a beautiful aura and she could see her growing feelings for Howl. Poor girl. Howl needed her but he didn't want to. Shulin stopped his attack, withdrawing tendrils of electricity from Howl's convulsing form. He wheezed and collapsed onto the floor, holding a hand to his chest. He shook from the aftershocks and Miria tsked under her breath and spoke to Shulin in a language that was beautiful but bizarre. The man shrugged before looking over at Jasna, blinking as if he had seen her before. He stared hard before he relaxed his hardened expression.
"Jesira? Is that you?"
His voice was deep and musical, much like the woman's. It was entrancing in a way. But then his vision seemed to clear and he looked..disappointed. She wasn't Jesira. He knew that, but she looked like her twin. It was uncanny. He turned his gaze to Howl and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck like he was embarrassed. Poor Howl. He could barely move right now.
Howl was in agony. His heart felt like it would burst and the only thing he could think of was protecting Jasna. He saw her pause on the bed and reached for her hand but couldn't really move. He gasped before he started to calm, his mind still in shambles. He still glowed like he had in the illusion and he was trying to pull it all back into himself. With his body hurting and his mind a fuzzy mess, it was difficult. Fucking Shulin.
Woman? Oh, wasn't this peachy. Not only had her amazing bath massage been interrupted, it had been interrupted by a snob. Jasna's mood turned sour, her eyes narrowing as she glared at the woman. Her hand tensed on the foot board, though it was mainly doing so to keep her balance. She didn't like these people, she could already tell from the way they had just let themselves in. Not only that, but she wasn't appropriately dressed to meet people who knew Howl. She had come into this, thinking she could stab some people in the ribs and put them to sleep, not shake hands and give full out introductions. And the way the woman looked at her... Jasna didn't like any being capable of seeing anything beneath the skin, which had been her main issue with Howl when they first met. It's safe to say he grew on her in that aspect, however.
Glancing between the two when they spoke to each other, she was a bit put off when the male looked directly at her and addressed her the name of someone she had never heard of. "Who?" Her own face hardened, waiting for some kind of explanation, but his facial expression gave it away. He had made a mistake, and thought she was someone else. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, she looked down at Howl, swallowing what saliva had gathered in her mouth. He looked like he was going to snap at any moment, like a child's toy after being thrown around too often. When he tried to lift his hand towards her, she kneeled down, careful of the robe, and pulled his arm around her shoulders.
Helping him stand, she lead him the small distance to the bed and helped him sit down. Jasna had no idea what was happening to him, but she didn't like it, regardless. Looking back towards the two, she gave them both hardened glances. "What did you do to him?" Her voice wasn't demanding, like a lover. It was more curious, with a pinch of concern.
"Unfortunately...Shulin electrocuted him out of his illusion and he is trying to piece his mind back together."
Miria shrugged, as if unconcerned as Howl was hauled up onto the bed. He was still shaking, which meant he had almost lost control. His fingers were randomly elongating into claws and back- a draw back to being pulled out of his illusion too quickly. He had wanted to protect this woman and had let too much of himself out. Stupid boy. He had let his demons get too much energy for him. He was usually more in control than that...it must have been sometime since he released and illusion while his targets were awake. It didn't usually take so much but with their resistance, and their defenses, it had taken more than he had put on.
"When Howl releases an awakened Illusion, it takes more energy to put himself back together because of the energy needed to invade a person's mind- much less three people, even a human, who have protections against invasions of the mind. He focused more on us to try to spare you and it cost him. He must care for you."
Shulin's voice took on a curious edge, almost like he was shocked at his discovery. But of course, Howl didn't care about anyone. He cared about them but it was from a distance. The male sighed and looked over at Jasna, seeing so much of Jesira in her that it was uncanny...but Jesira had died over a hundred years ago. Perhaps...perhaps....
Howl sighed as his back hit the mattress, it was so soft, almost like Jasna's skin. He wanted more of her skin..her softness...her purity. He felt blind and reached for her, grasping her hand once he found it, he pulled on it gently, tugging her down. He needed something to ground him. He grit his teeth, forcing back the nightmare in his head until his vision cleared and his madness was under control...well, not quite.
"Miria will leave you, Shulin, just like you fear. She'll leave you for another man because you aren't good enough."
His voice was warped and he swallowed, pressing harder against the chaos, boxing it and locking it up. Soon, he stopped shaking and sweating but didn't let go of Jasna. He took a few deep breaths before he relaxed into the mattress. He felt tired, wired, energized. He went too far, just like Shulin said, but he wasn't sorry. He would fight his madness until he died if he could protect Jasna. It was his duty to protect her with his life.
This was starting to creep her out. The way those two talked... the way they acted. It didn't help that the male had mentioned something about Howl caring for her. She turned her cheek to that statement, and bit her tongue, keeping denial from slipping out. Right now, arguing about someone's feelings wasn't going to help. It angered her that they didn't seem to be concerned about him, though. They knew each other, but they were still alive. That told Jasna that they were friends of sorts. So why would they go to such methods to put an end to his illusion if he would've called it off anyway? Hurting him seemed unnecessary to her, and with their lack of regret only made Jasna dislike their company further.
She hadn't been looking down at Howl when he grabbed her hand. It caught her off guard, and she turned to face him, only to feel herself being pulled down against him. When she hit the bed beside him, she held her breath, his hold still remaining on her hand, both of them currently resting on his stomach. Swallowing, Jasna bit her lip, unsure of what to do. It felt uncomfortable enough still being in just a robe, but having Howl pull her down with him into bed in front of two people she didn't know? Even Jasna, who had a remark for everything, was speechless, and unaware of what next steps to take. Instead, she listened to Howl's rugged voice, her eyebrows pulling together at what he spoke of. He seemed to relax after that, but their hands remained entwined.
Looking up at Howl's face, she searched for any worry lines, or angered creases that took place with his moods. So far, she couldn't tell what he was feeling. And, to be perfectly honest, it was more unnerving than her nightmare illusion.
"Do not think us heartless, young one. We love Howl, but he has tried to kill us before when he was out of control. He has come very far from that point, but today showed us he still needs training from Maltrese. But more to the point, he was protecting you and therefore, he figured us a threat and meant to exterminate us. For your sake. Howl does not care about himself, but he cannot protect you if he is dead, no? He hasn't seen us since he was small, which is why he attacked us so. He couldn't place us within his memory well enough to control his madness. 'tis the curse Illusionists as powerful as he face."
Miria sighed as she looked at Shulin. They could have been twins, and they were, but of a different sort. They were soul twins and could only love one another for eternity. Which was fine with them. They were connected on a level that other creatures could never grasp. They literally could not live without the other. She touched Shulin's face and he leaned into it with a sigh, closing his eyes, completely at peace. It was almost intimate the way he relaxed and Miria rolled her eyes with a pleasant smile. Still the same old fear. He knew she couldn't and wouldn't leave him, but he was still afraid that he was lacking in what she needed and wanted in a lover and friend.
"She reminds me of Jesira..."
Shulin whispered loud enough for only Miria to hear. She nodded lightly before she pulled away from him, but he followed like a shadow and pressed her back to his front as he wrapped his arms about her waist. They looked over at Howl and saw him relax and grasp at Jasna and they carried matching expressions of curiosity and...hope. They were perfect compliments to each other. They could also be irritating with their insight and prophetic speech.
"I heard that."
Howl murmured with mild irritation, one wolfish eye looking at the pair. It was all so disgusting how in tune they were with each other. It was such a deep love that rivaled all love. He noticed Jasna's hand in his but he didn't drop it. He liked her there. But wouldn't say it out loud. He stared at Shulin with something almost like contempt before he grinned like a cat with all the cream.
"You didn't have to shock me so hard, you bastard. Still pissed that I saw Miria naked?"
Shulin's eyes sparked a deep blue and Miria just laughed. It was an age-old rivalry.
This wouldn't do at all. Jasna didn't even have to speak to get her opinion across. It was unnerving, but if she just took a deep breath and relaxed, things should carry on smoother. Instead of looking at them, she kept her main focus on Howl. She could still hear their words, if they decided to speak up, but anything else Jasna was trying to keep out. Meeting people had always been one of her weak points. The added on awkward meeting didn't help at all. Luckily, with her attention on Howl, she didn't see the two glue themselves to each other. Ignorant to their public affection, she inhaled Howl's scent, relieved that they were no longer trapped into an illusion. The ones he normally reigned over her mind were nothing like that.
At Howl's last comment, Jasna stiffened, arching a brow. Pulling her hand free from his after a moment of staring at him, she fixed her robe and crawled over him. With her feet back on the carpet, she moved to the bathroom door, opening the handle. Glancing over her shoulder, she figured he'd realize what she was doing, and she ducked inside. Closing and locking the door behind her, she let out a deep sigh. Unlacing the robe, she let the two pieces of fabric hang, the robe opening as she moved to collect her clothes off the ground. Slipping out of the robe, she pulled her pants on and buckled them until they were secure against her hips. Next came her breastplate, tied tightly, and adjusted until she could breathe without feeling something pinching. Glancing up to the mirror, her hand raised to fix the patch on her eye, only, it wasn't there. Jasna's jaw dropped, and she glanced down to see it laying on the counter.
"Dammit!" The one time she slips up, it's in front of strangers; people who she didn't trust. With a grim and disappointed look, she let her hair down and situated the patch over her left eye. Once that was done, and she was comfortable with it, she started to pull her hair back up to keep it out of her face.
Miria commented. Her eyes belayed more information than just an observation and Howl cast her an even stare. She took it in stride, more unnerved when he was being a gentleman than when he was staring at her blatantly like he wanted to rip her head off. Which she could tell he wanted to do right now for what they interrupted.
"She doesn't understand what exactly you are, does she? Howl The Night Eater."
Shulin whispered the words with a grim look. He didn't want Jasna to hear the words he spoke. Most people would never understand why he was called that. But that girl would and she would get into a panic. Not many had lived with the knowledge that Howl Hatter was also the most deadly Illusionist and Assassin. He was deadly mostly because he was still alive. Sorcerers and witches alike were terrified of the power he held. But he didn't flaunt it. He didn't show much of it. He hid it, which made him all the more to be feared. Besides the fact that he was a smart-assed prick to boot.
"No, she doesn't. I am her bodyguard and unless she needs to know exactly what I am, then she will find out from me and no one else. She knows of my Illusionist blood, but she doesn't know how terrifying it really it. Both of you know that was only half of what I can do. I don't need her having nightmares. It's hard enough to get her to sleep."
Howl spoke quietly almost as if he raised his voice some spell would be broken and all his secrets would spill out. Switch was the only one who knew how close he came to losing his mind some days. How close he had come to killing so many innocents. How many times he had tried to kill himself. Some of the wounds on his body weren't just some battles. Sighing heavily, feeling their gazes, Howl glanced towards the hallway that led to the bathroom. He could sense Jasna's irritation and confusion, and several other small emotions. But he wouldn't ease her like he wanted. He could barely sit up.
"Why are you here?
The words were asked coldly with a mild edge of curiosity. The pair looked at each other and spoke in silence, which always made Howl want to smack them both. But he waited, listening for when Jasna would make an appearance. He had the feeling he wouldn't like their answers.
As soon as her hair was how she liked it, for the most part out of her way and out of an attacker's grasp, she inhaled deeply through her nose. Jasna could barely keep her head on straight out there, and she needed to find a way to do so. This wasn't like her at all, and the woman hated it. Howl brought out countless emotions, most of which being her negative traits she carried with her everyday. But showing how startled she was by the uninvited guests? Never once had emotions like that surfaced before- not since the ship had set sail several months ago.
Swallowing, attempting to dry her throat, Jasna took one last glance in the mirror and tried to ignore how grim she looked. Almost like she was ready to tear someone's head off with her bare hands. Grabbing her boots, she started to pull them on, lacing up the inner strings carefully, considering the heels on their soles required balance. Once that was finished, she unlocked the door and made her way down the hallway once more, catching enough of Howl's question to make out what he had asked. Reaching the hallway's opening, she moved to lean against the frame, angling her body to fully view the man and woman standing not too far from where Howl was currently laying. Raising her arms, she crossed them underneath her breast plate, jaw squaring in thought.
"Well?" she asked, the harsh tone she remembered having returned perfectly. "He asked you a question. One I'm rather fond of finding out the answer to." She made no other remarks, not even her body language expressing her irritation anymore. The sooner she listened, and allowed Howl to deal with whatever they had come for, the sooner she could order something hot to eat, and intoxicating to drink.
"We're here because someone is trying to kill you. Why else?"
Miria said after a moment's pause. She didn't like being questioned in such a manner by a woman she hardly knew, but she also knew that Howl wouldn't take on the role of protecting this girl if she wasn't someone to be protected. She was special somehow, and Miria decided that that was enough not to try to frighten the girl. With that news, however, it probably hadn't been the best approach to just be simple about it. It wasn't every day they saw Howl and then they had to tell him he was being hunted? Not exactly a good reunion.
"Apparently, your mistress's half-brother plans on taking your head and handing it over to his grand-father after he devours your soul."
Shulin said, staring blankly at both of them. It wasn't good information. Not that telling someone they were being hunted was good information, but the content of it was like ash in his mouth. It never would sit well with him. And to go against one of the offspring's of Lucifer? Not an easy task. Most never survived. Especially someone like Howl. It would be a slippery slope.
Howl was dead silent for a long while, just staring at the two of them. One of Switch's brothers was going to hunt him down? What the fuck was that all about? That made no sense to him whatsoever. He didn't dance with the Dark Court or its little minions. He stayed as under the radar as he could with his abilities and tread lightly when it was necessary. Why was he with a bounty? The bounty hunter with the bounty? How bloody fucking ironic! Soon a grin slit his cheeks as Howl adjusted to the news in degrees and soon enough he was just laughing. It was hollow but with amusement lacing its edges until he finally shut his mouth with a some-what serious look. He could never look fully serious when being told someone was about to kill him. It was too often of a threat.
"Now why would one of Switch's brothers be after me? They don't acknowledge her as anything more than a pest. Her grand-father is the Lucifer. Either he's a full-demon, on thin ice, or fucking insane. Either way, it makes no sense to me."
As much as he hated spilling some of Switch's secrets, it couldn't be helped in this situation. While the twins knew about Switch's heritage, Jasna did not and therefore couldn't be kept in the dark about this. If someone was after him, he needed her to know at least some information to get herself out of there. He wanted to shield her from this, but he didn't have much choice. He glanced over at her, at her irritated posture that only he could tell at, and her face so smooth as ice. He wanted her in his arms but he didn't voice anything like that. The voices in his head started to clamor around and give him a headache. They weren't a fan of this news either, apparently.
Your support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)
《 JASNA VON SEGUR 》
