Hunted. [ Michie Mich x Russian Vodka ]

Come to me, my pretty.

A sultry tone; A mocking tone. The taunting voice clearly stated that mockery with a smirk. It simply dripped with a hint of seduction and just as strong, the sense of teasing flicked off the tongue as if saying a simple name. It was just that easy.

A stumble in the night; A fight on the street.

One thing was definitely sure, there were at least two beings that were not asleep that evening and something just gave off a vibe that it was going to be a very long night. If anyone actually looked, they could see a slender figure crouching down in a black hooded cloak; Slowly, the figure stood and a deviant smirk was more than apparent on the plump lips that belong to the person while a swift motion with a hand pushed the hood back to reveal a face: A woman. She stretched her arms up high and tilted her head back, letting out a soft yawn before she looked over her shoulder with a grin. "Oh, this is going to be fun..." She uttered with a devious grin before she reached to her sides and pulled out her firearms, firing a few shots behind her before sprinting then making a flip off the roof to land on another one.

Her demeanor showed that she was being chased, but she was simply... walking. Why was she so calm? No one would have ever known and no one would have cared, probably. She was like a shadow, someone who rarely showed herself but made herself known once she realized that she had a job to do. She hunted the supernatural and... she was part supernatural herself. Turning her head back, that devious grin never seemed to have left her lips, even as she ran her tongue along her upper lip before she continued to walk along the edge of the roof. "Come along, sweet thing..." She cooed in a sultry tone, giving whatever was chasing her a small wink before she stopped walking and remained at the edge of the roof.

It was clear to anyone who had hear voice that she was the one who had spoken early, letting out the provacative taunt and whatever was chasing her was who she was taunting. She opened her mouth, revealing her sharp canines as emerald optics flashed with anger while she looked onwards at the one pursuing her. Lightly, her tongue ran over the sharpened canines before she smirked once more and flipped her firearms, pointing one towards the moving figure. "Bang." That smirk never left as she let out an audible laugh before her firearms back in their respective holders and soon enough, she had leaned foward and allowed herself to fall off the building only to land gracefully on her feet.

Vampire.

That's what she was; That explained the sharp, pointed canines and her mysterious demeanor. Who was hunting her? She knew, but she knew that the one who was chasing her had thought her as easy prey: Oh, how wrong they were. With each stride of her long legs, her high heeled boots clashed with the ground to make a clicking sound. As she moved one of her hands up to run black-painted fingers through long brunette tresses, she continued to smirk; It was what she did. She was a playful creature, a playful being. She wasn't all vampire; She had a past darker than the night and she would never reveal it. Not until she got her revenge. Her fingers moved to her waist and pulled out a small dagger before she made a small slit along her wrist; Crimson liquid dripped onto the concrete and onto the grass as she approached the forest while her hand rose to her mouth, her tongue flicking at the cold steel to lap up the blood.

"That should get his attention..." Was her soft, sultry response to herself as she placed her dagger back in it's holster before she continued to slowly strut within the forest, trying to find the perfect place to meet up with her opponent; It was going to be interesting to see what would happen, but she knew a fight would ensue. It always happened that way and to be honest? She would never have it any other way. Come to me, baby doll. She said within her mind, trailing her tongue along her pale skin to lick up the remaining blood since she knew that the scent of her blood would draw him in anyway. This is exactly what she was waiting for.

She had walked right past him. The darkened figure in the small hole between two buildings, that was where he had picked up her scent.Something inside his mind had called for him to select her, a process that rarely happened as his victims were elderly, people who were about to die anyway. He had found a talent for spotting the signs of death, and the relief in the eyes of his victims as he took the last breath from them in his kiss of Death. The hazy grey eyes seeming timeless, mysterious.

And he had given in. The instincts of feeding had made her his target, whether dangerous or not. He was used to the hunt, the chase of his victims as they moved away from the main street. The heavy army style boots gave a clear echo behind her, the wind playing through the pitch black great coat he was wearing atop his normal clothes. It was opened, exposing his form to her, his eyes reddening as he set in on his target, making sure they were secluded from the humans.

His moves were quick though, his reaction time almost zero. He saw the light of the blazing guns before he heard the sound. But he had already moved, stepping out of her aim easily with a soft chuckle pressing up from his throat, his elegant moves bringing him on her trail instantly after. He watched as she jumped to the rooftop, making him follow quickly by taking two fast steps, pressing against the ground and one wall as he landed on a rooftop following her in a parallel line. His eyes set on her. The neck of the coat pulled up, his jet black flowing in the breeze.

His pace was just a notch faster than her's as he kept his head lowered a bit. He could almost sense her awareness, she knew exactly where he was from the deep thudding sounds of his boots against the stone. Hearing her voice, he let his eyes close for a bit, his lips curling up in a smile as he listened, savoring the entire moment, remembering the pitch of her voice perfectly as he opened his eyes again. "I will, precious.[/]" He replied in his deep voice. Stopping as he saw her pull her gun again. Though this time, he reacted differently, stepping aside in the last moment as a hand, clad in black leather, shot out, grabbing the bullet. He loved entertaining himself as his eyes never seemed to leave her frame.

As she dropped, she'd hear the clanker of the metal bullet ahead of her. The vampire had taken off, disappearing from her obvious sight for a short moment. The sound of her unsheathing the dagger caught his ears as he instantly felt the scent of the blood, the intriguing scent of her different blood that had caught him earlier. He adjusted the black button-up shirt on his chest quickly as he jumped off the roof a building ahead, landing with his front towards her and his head bowed, letting her see his red eyes with the gray mix, seeming like a mist, along with his gritted teeth. His lips turned upwards in a grim smile. "You've had my attention some time already, Miss." He replied to her words, knowing they were in the beginning of the forest, the rustling of the leaves in the wind being heard a short distance behind him. He had a lean appearance, the coat slurring his form from her though she would notice the broad shoulders and almost aristocratic posture in front of her.

A perfect figure of a delectable vampire, that's what he seemed to be; Her duty was clear to her, but she hadn't revealed what she was going to do to him. To him, she was sure that she was just another lonely girl who would make the perfect quick meal for him. Oh, how wrong he was. As she awaited his return to her, she reached towards her collar and slowly pulled down the zipper to her cloak, revealing the outfit she wore and the womanly curves of her body. The outfit was simple: Tight-fitting black pants with a black studded belt; A long-sleeved white button up shirt; Her high-heeled black boots, of course; And a black scarf that was loosely wrapped around her neck.

Now that she had actually revealed her body to those who would see, they could easily the holsters that her firearms rested within as well as a sheath for a sword It was a blade that was passed down to her by her father right before he was murdered: The sword of the Burakku. The blade was a symbol of her survival, but it was a sign of tragedy; Each time she used the sword, she was reminded of the fact that because she wasn't strong enough at that time, her parents died and she was a monster. Well, that is how she found herself to be at least.

Tick tock. He still wasn't there yet.

A quiet, unammused sigh escaped the supple lips of the young woman as she rested one of her hands against her forehead before shaking her head back and forth; The other hand lightly grazed over the necklace that dangled from her neck. It... was her mother's. The chain was long and silver while what hung from it was a magnifcent butterfly with jewels adorning the wings. On one of her birthdays, her mother surprised her with that necklace. It was a piece of jewelry that she had always eyed, but never told her mother that she had desired it. She always wondered how she found out about her craving the necklace and to call it her own; It had been her father. They were both good parentals who always spoiled and loved their daughter; She was blessed to have such parents.

She held the butterfly up to her eyes and for once, she had actually smiled. It wasn't much, but the corner of those plump, supple lips were tugged into a smile. Her fingers let the pendant slip and fall between her the slightly apparent cleavage as she rested her hands on her hips and looked to her left. Nothing. Looking to her right, she saw nothing either until he had finally revealed himself, causing her lips to loose that light smile and put on a more dominant smirk; She had regained her composure and full confidence. "Well, well..." She began as she took a step forward while her index finger ran along her bleeding wrist before she revealed to him the warm liquid.

"I had your attention, did I?" She asked as she placed her finger within her mouth, the small muscle she had slowly rolling around her finger tip to wipe off the blood before she began to circle him, taking small, confident steps around him. "And how did I do that?" The question rolled off her tongue with a resounding click of her tongue while she continued to keep that confident grin flashing upon her lips. "I know all about you. You've been watching me. Vampires are supposed to simply attack their victims, aren't they?" She asked then stopped as she stood behind him, tilting her head to the side as the corners of her lips were still tugged in a devious manner. "Ah, but where are my manners? I am Yozora Burakku. Certainly a pleasure to meet you, dear sir." It all rolled off her tongue with ease, her French accent completely drowned out by her perfect English one.

His casual stance gave him a relaxed approach. Almost making him appear careless. But the vampire knew how dangerous people could be. Especially when backed up in a corner and forced to fight for their life. But he wasn't a natural, no matter how much he had wanted to be. His bloodline was human, it would be obvious to her as she got closer. There were thin, white lines, paler than his skin that seared his face.

He observed her, how much she was packing. The sword, however, caught his interest for a quick moment, supressing that she was there. He remembered having seen pictures of it by his Master, having studied it's history, her's too for that matter! He snickered at the sight of her. He always enjoyed the sight of a gorgeous female body, though this one was both beautiful and deadly, a dangerous mix for a careless vampire.

His eyes scanned her body, noticing the necklace even before she begun playing with it. Unlike humans, he didn't lose focus to her womanly forms, her cleavage, the fact her hips gave her an almost perfect hourglass figure. He could still smell her blood, the sight of it tingling in his senses as he restrained a low, guttural growl in his throat. He couldn't give in to primal instinct. He was a rafined creature of the night, not like those other bloodsuckers who depraved on the first thing they found.

As she moved to him, circling him, he followed her hungrily with his eyes as he listened to her words.

"I am not as monsterous as the weak of my kind." He replied calmly, his accent falling neutral when it came ot English. He had been almost all over the world for long enough to pick up accents, dialects. Everything he needed to know was in his head or in his diaries as he let his arms fall back in a swift move, the coat sliding down the back of his arms and onto the ground with a whoozing sound. He heard her introduction of herself, making him grin. "The last descendant of the Burakku line." He turned to her, his lips curled in a mischievous smile. "The pleasure is all mine." His tone took a quick change, becoming seductive as his form was now revealed to her, tall, lean, showing enough muscle. But it was a deceiver, his strength was unmatched by humans, most of them at least. "My name, is Maximillian de Gronaj." He bowed for her, the handle of a sword the length of his spine sticking up at the back of his neck.

The porcelain-skinned female eyed the vampire carefully while she continued to observe him; Pitiful. She despised these creatures, even if she was one. She was forced, forced to be what she was. It was a constand remainder of what a failure she was; How she was weak and not strong, in her own mind. The fact that she was constantly putting herself in danger by teasing vampires made her life to be full of danger, but her mission was her own. It was something that she knew she had to do.

After she had finally finished looking him over, she stood in front of him with a small grin then rested her hands on her hips before tilting her curves to the side. "Is that so? In my experience, all vampires are the same." She began before she took a step forward and it was obvious that there was a clear height difference, but she was undeterred; There was no backing down from her duty. That small grin soon transformed into her devious smirk as she lightly tapped her finger tip against his chest. "You all expect the women you find to be defenseless creatures, but you are clearly wrong."

It was clear that his presence around her angered the woman, but she was not showing it as anger; She was acting more playful then annoyed. That was her personality: A variety of mixed emotions always showered with a large amount of teasing and seduction. Some would have seen her as provacative; Others would say that she was a slut. In any case, she didn't care. She allowed people to have their opinions since she had their own. To each his own.

Placing her index finger against the bleeding cut she had against her wrist, she took the crimson liquid then placed it at the tip of her cleavage where her necklace would rest against while she looked up at him. She took a step closer to him then moved one of her hands against his chest as she leaned in closer with a small grin. "Do not tell me that you believe me to be one of those girls, dear." With a wink, she leaned back and rested her arms under her chest while she watched him, waiting for him to respond. What happened next shocked her.

'The last descendant of the Burakku line'? What was that supposed to mean? No one knew about her family because she kept that part of her life a secret. It was her weakness when it came to anything. The only ones who could have known that she was the last one in her family were the vampires that killed her loved ones, including the man that she was to marry. "Maximillian..." She whispered his name quietly before she shook her head. "How would you have any inkling of my family? How do you know that I am the last of my family?" She snapped, that teasing demeanor vanishing as the seriousness was heard within her tone.

Her retaliation to his words about being different made him raise a brow. He was already enjoying the encounter with her as he made sure to observe every gesture she proceeded with, every little flick of her wrist. Even the way her hair waved in the wind. It seemed he was calm, almost too calm as he raised his head, his lips parting in a soft grin. His fangs were already extended to the point of being ready for the bite. He let his tongue lick out to the left, running it along the pointy part like it was nothing before he looked down at her again.

"If that is so with us, then surely, it must be the same with humans." He replied, applying his logical mind to her reason. "If all vampires are weak minded, then all women must be weak." He let her continue her play, obviously enjoying it as his eyes seemed to glow grey. It was a sign that he wasn't committing himself fully to the thirst of being a vampire, that he wanted to change her mind on Vampires.

He wasn't going to compliment on his beliefs that she would be as weak as the other women, or girls if they were younger. He had made his point a bit earlier, though he could sense the change almost before it happened. He had mentioned her family. He knew they were all dead. They had to be after what he had been informed as he took a step back carefully.

"I know all about what happened on that dreadful night." He told her, looking at her carefully, observing how she changed movement and speech patterns as he registered every single change. He had to keep himself mentally one step ahead of her if he was to win the fight. "Every vampire knows what happened." He added after a bit. "It was the greatest triumph we had over the Hunters." He seemed to tense up for a moment, though quickly relaxed again.

"Though I am sorry that you lost them all." He let out, nothing more than a whisper as he stepped in closer to her, one hand moving up to her cheek, brushing a strand of hair back. "Though understand, I never had any part in it. I don't want to be a part of murdering those who hunt us. I only feed from those about to die, or those who give me their blood willingly." He whispered, seeming to be calm, affectionate for those brief moments before he pulled back, his eyes turning cold slowly.

"A triumph, was it?" She asked him, turning her back to the male vampire as she shook her head and slowly began to clench her fists. Her eyes slowly closed before she took in a deep breathe then turned to face her tormentor, her eyes shooting open; Still, she began to show that playful demeanor again as one side of her mouth was etched in a sinsiter grin. "You all think that you took down a family of vampire slayers, no..?" To herself, she nodded, but merely continued to grin as she began to pace herself back and forth, her high heels sinking into the ground slightly.

"Oh... You are very much mistaken." Was the intended response that she gave as she stopped moving then stood in front of him with her hands resting idly behind her back. "You killed three innocent humans with your bare hands and disgusting canines. Not only that, but your kind had changed me into one of your own. Well... attempted to, at least." With her last statement, she continued to nod and began to stride into the same path of pacing as her eyes closed very slowly and quite calmly. "You see, I've regained my human dignity. I am a part of your... kind, but I am still my own."

It was a sincere tone that she held, but not in the sense when she talked of her undead breed. She was spiteful towards the fact that she had part of the race that had killed those closest to her inside of her blood stream; She was undead, but not undead. It was a complicated story, to be sure, but she always told it to those who were curious. She had come to terms with the fact that she may live forever, but if she could just find those that killed her family, she would be fine with living alone for the rest of her life. Justice came first, for her; Nothing else.

"What your kind did to my family... What your kind did to an innocent family... It is what drove me into becoming a slayer. I fight for them. I fight for myself. I will not let vampires continue on in their injustice to kill humans and drink them dry. I refuse." She snapped, clenching her hands into fists as she slowly tried to regain herself. When talking of vampires or even the injustice that they can pressue, it made her angry; It made her furious. Her family was innocent; Why? Why did her family have to be killed? It was a question that had always plagued her mind and that would most likely remain there because she was certain that the vampires who had slain those she loved, would never tell her why did it.

"You are sorry that I lost them?" She asked softly, remembering the sight of seeing her mother, father, and the man she loved dead, drenched in their own blood. The fact that the vampire had thought it even safe to come towards her shocked her, but his touch was gentle, especially for a vampire. For a moment, she closed her eyes and imagined that it was her lover touching her face while she listened to him then opened her eyes to look at him. "Again, I must remind you that they were not hunters. They were innocents. I am the only one within the family to be a hunter, just me." She told him then looked up at him as he pulled away. "So, what will it be, Maximillian? What are you going to do to me, hm?" She asked, the mocking tone clearly showing it's presence.

He was patient, calm. In fact, he liked to virtue himself with living by the christian rules had taken pride of believing in before he was turned. He never harmed another person if it could be avoided. It was also probably the reason why he hadn't hurt her yet. He stuck to listening, letting her tell her tale how she wanted it. "The order wasn't mine to give when it happened." He said, turning his head and gaze from her, letting his hair fall down in elegant waves over his cheek. He had more news for her, but he had to keep them hidden as he kept his face turned away from her. "But what happened that night went awfully wrong in the end. You were meant to die too." He whispered. "I was never invited to the party, but I watched. From a distance." He told her.

He let his hand run from her cheek down to her chin before letting go and stepping in, leaving his shoulder only six inches from her shoulder. "I saw what happened, I remember who did what exactly." He whispered. He knew that she was furious, the scent was filling the air and making him restless. He hated dealing with 'bad' emotions and she wasn't exaclty helping him. Though she was still playful, he easily noticed that it was a facade. A face she put up to provoke him.

He was taken back, back to before he had been turned. The touch of her smooth, soft skin seemed to stir some memories in his dead heart as he gave a small sound: "Hm." His lips curled up again in a smile. "You remind me of my beloved Madeleine, Yozora." He whispered, turning to her as he looked down into her eyes. "I loved her even after my transformation." He whispered quickly, letting his left hand up this time, cupping her cheek, his thumb running just above her lips as he stroked her skin.

He kept the contact, making sure it was sensual enough for him to feel comfortable. "I watched as they entered my room one night. How they accused her of witchcraft." He told her, his eyes never leaving her's, turning grey, hazy like they had been before the hunger. "You lost your family when they came. I lost my world." He felt the melancholy, the irony in it all. He was a vampire now, nothing could change it as he let his head down to hers, placing his cold lips against her forehead in a gentle kiss. "So unless you plan to slaughter me, like they slaughtered her, you should consider another view on us." He whispered as he broke off, moving past her. "And as to what happens now." He let his voice rise again.

"If we part without a fight, it will be suspicious, and I doubt you will you give yourself and your blood to me willingly." He said, having let his hand drag down over her chin elegantly, now resting on the handle of his sword. "So, it is your call." He was looking forward to a good fight, but he knew he wasn't the provocative one after all. Not too heavily in his own opinion.

The slayer was struck speechless in hearing that he had not given the orders, but watched from afar at the ensuing chaos that befell her family. "You... You merely watched?" Her eyes slowly closed as she brought a hand up to her head, fingers gently massaging at her temples before she lightly shook her head. "And I was meant to die, hm?" The revelation made her laugh as she tilted her head back, her brunette tresses to fall from her shoulders as she looked up at the moon, letting it's light her skin before she closed her eyes.

"Well, I didn't die. I'm alive and when I find them, I'll kill every last one of those bastards." She couldn't believe it. They really did intend to slaughter an innocent family that night, but clearly, they had failed for she was still alive. Well, as alive as any hybrid could be. Ever since then, she knew that she had changed. She didn't even know if her heart was dead or alive; What was human in her anymore? Sometimes, she felt like an outcast, but she would always remember that she had something to fight for and no matter what, she wasn't going to let anyone bring her down.

The memories surged through her: She could remember how she had heard strange noises coming from her parents' room so she had gone to investigate, but clearly she shouldn't have. The sight... was unbearable. She could remember the canopy over the king-sized mattress having blood splattered against it like red paint against a white canvas. The sound of sucking filled her ears and she could remember seeing a vampiress covered in, feeding off of her mother. Oh, how badly she wanted to scream, but she knew that if she did, she would be dead, too.

Her heart began to beat faster at the realization of what had happened before she looked to him, her body stiffening slightly as she felt his hand cupping at her cheek; She had not let many people touch her since the death of her lover and the sensation of skin against skin made her worry. "Madeleine, hm?" She repeated, turning her head away for a moment as she listened closely, surprised that he actually spoke her name. Even after she had turned away, she could still feel the light touch of his thumb against her lips, but she soon shook it off.

Once she had turned back, she noticed how his gazy was still looking directly towards hers, emerald hues never leaving his as she crossed her arms under her chest. "I love more than my family; They were the only ones I had. What you had in one person I had in two, three." She added, the imaged of her lover appearing in her mind. "Your same vampires found me after years; I had finally settled down and I was going to get married but your vampires... They killed him. They killed him to get back at me for being alive." Her hand slowly moved up and pressed it against her forehead, holding in her emotions as she thought of the man she lost.

"You remind me of him, my sweet Alain." She whispered softly, sighing softly before she moved her hand away, his lips soon occupying her forehead with a soft kiss. She looked to him, slowly shaking her head. "I've met many of your kind, my dear Maximillian, and I can safely say that most, if not all, have showed me that they want me dead; They want to finish what they started many, many centuries ago." The feeling of his hand dragging down her chin made her close her eyes once more as she listened to him then nodded. "You are right. I will never give my blood willingly. Not to any vampire." She admitted sadly, her hand moving to curl her fingers along the hilt of her blade before her eyes opened. "Perhaps, you have changed my mind that not all vampires are horrible creatures, but if we leave without fighting, they will give reason to chase us both." She stated and slowly unsheathed her blade, taking a fighting stance. "I am sorry."

She wasn't the only one to have brought back memories. He just didn't seem to show any sign of them, in fact, he only ever did when he slept. When they haunted him with their blame, and their guilt. It was his own actions that caused him to get where he was, to get himself turned. And every night, he had watched the show from start to finish, turning and tossing in his sleep until brutally awakening when the sun settled and the dream ended.

Though she was wrong when she mentioned it had been his vampires who were after her. He felt a lump threaten to block his throat temporarily but fought it back. "I never had any vampires under me." He whispered. "I was always alone after they killed my sweet." He didn't seem too bothered about telling her of himself, of his past. It was like he made a connection to her, through the fact that they had both lost someone very dear to them.

Listening to her reasoning, he smirked, letting his hand grip the handle of his sword firmly before he pulled it out in a quick move. It sung gently in the air as he brought it down, making sure to give her a display of it. It wasn't anything she might've seen before, it was a masterpiece, not a crude weapon for slaughter. "If I defeat you in combat, you will let me drink from you tonight." He remarked.

Letting his legs slide aside, he decided to stick to his practice of one handed fighting against her as he let his other hand out elegantly, ensuing he wouldn't lose balance easily as he continued speaking. "I will not kill you." He smirked at her, letting her know that she would walk after the night. "And I will protect you until you've recovered." He finished his stance, his eyes turning colder, turning into a more steel gray as he locked them on her's. "Those are my terms, what will you do with me if you defeat me?" He asked in a more serious tone.

"My darling Maximillian..." She began, cooing in a soft, sultry tone as she raised her hand up and softly trailed her finger along his cheek, giving a half smile and a half smirk while her hand touched his cold skin. "Do you think you can defeat me, my sweet? I have slain thousands of vampires through out my years; What makes you think that I can be so easily defeated?" She asked, her head tilting to the side before she slowly dropped her hand and smiled at him in a devious manner before she took a step back and tilted her hips to the side.

"My blood, hm?" Quietly, she chuckled to herself then shook her head as she listened to him even more, her arms moving to rest under her chest as she let out a quiet sigh. "Now, why drink my blood? If other vampires know that I have been fed off of, they'll come after me. More so, those vampires that killed my family will come after me, as well." She began then stopped for a moment and closed her eyes in order to think. If she was fed off of, she could quite possibly attract the attention of those vampires that killed her parents. She knew that if this were possible, she would be a little bit weaker after recovering and she knew that there were several vampires involved.

Then came the issue of Maximillian; He said he would protect her until she recovered, but does that mean, if those vampires actually came, would he protect her from them? His loyalty stands with vampires, or that is what she had continued to tell herself; It was his race. Would he really risk himself for one who kills his own kind? The very thought confused her, but if he really was going to protect her from them, she would have been fine with it; It would have showed her that she actually had something to, per say, live for.

Slowly, she moved her hand and gripped at the hilt of her blade a bit tighter as her eyes slowly opened while her hand that gripped her steel remained behind her head, her free hand resting against her hip as she smirked confidently. "If I defeat you?" She repeated, thinking for a moment before she looked towards him and became a bit more serious. "Nothing. If I defeat you, I defeat you. There will be nothing more. Those vampires are still after me and I dare not subjigate another vampire to them. I am not that heartless." With the hand that rested on her hip, she moved it up then moved her hand to gesture him towards her. "Come."

Feeling her hand along his cheek, he let his mind wander for just the briefest of moments. She had a delicate touch, soothing him a bit as he listened to her. Though as she stepped off, it seemed as if time slowed down around him. He listened to her words, weighing them thoroughly. She was right, the other vampires would come for her if it became known he had tasted her blood. The blood of a vampire slayer. But he had told her that he'd protect her, and he knew already, from the fact that they had been standing almost against each other, that her blood would only empower him.

His eyes sought out the area around them as he heard her hand grip the hilt of her blade. He knew the fight would be immense, it would be long. But he was willing to go through with it. "Then, if you defeat me, I will protect you and obey your will and commands." He pledged calmly, knowing it would be the ultimate price for him. He was immortal after all, free. For now at least. "Besides, I wouldn't believe you to be heartless just for seeking vengeance on your kin." He added as he readied his mind.

Though as he finished speaking, the weight of his sword seemed to almost double. It was like the blade wanted him to stop the fight before it begun. But he ignored it, bowing in front of her to show courtesy. "Let the fight begin then." He smirked as he rose back up, his right food sliding back until it felt sure footing as he then lunged forward. It seemed to happen almost instantly, though in his eyes, everything was so slow around them, his wrist twirling the sword around, striking not from the left, but from the right and from the height of her shoulders in an arc that would let it cross through her hips.

His mind telling him to win the fight, to prove that he was the better fighter. Even if it might cost him dearly, as well as wounds. But he ignored it, he wanted to win the fight, to prove to her that he was stronger than his kind. And if she caught his eyes, she would only see determination in his steel grey eyes.

If the two had already begun when he stated his words, she would have lost the fight; His statements shocked her. He would protect her and obey her will and commands? But why? For a moment, she thought that she might have heard him incorrectly, but as she gazed over at him, she could tell that he was being serious. With a clear, disappointed sigh, she gave a small nod to show that she understood. "As you wish. I accept your terms." She told him, but that last statement seemed to sit with her a little bit more; He didn't believe she was heartless for avenging her kin? More and more as their talk continued, she became confused with what he was telling her.

Where did loyalty stand? Did he not want to stand with his fellow vampires and defeat her, along with the other vampire slayers out there? For a few moments, she merely stood there and looked at him, examining all the features of the large vampire in front of her before she turned her head away and let out a quiet sigh. He reminded her so much of Alain; Her eyes made their way back to the vampire as she gave a small, sad smile then shook her head. "You... remind me so much of him." She uttered sadly, trying to not think of her dead lover, but seeing this vampire made the memories surge through her.

Once more, she closed her eyes then saw images of her lover, Alain. It was a flash of pain, seeing his dead body, but then a ray of hope as she saw a vision of him smiling, holding out his hand to her; She wanted to reach out and touch his palm, but she knew it was a trick, just her memories; Quickly snapping out of her daze, her eyes opened and met with the male before he lunged forward at her and swung his magnificent blade at her, causing her quickly sheath her own steel and flip backwards to dodge the incoming slashes.

Fingers curled around the hilt of her blade before she withdrew it, the steel shimmering with the moonlight as she bowed her politely towards him; With a deviant smirk, she pushed off the balls of her feet before she jumped into the air and flipped down, connecting his blade as she looked at him, jade emerald hues staring right back into his steel gray gaze.

Hearing her words, Maximillian realised that winning the fight would take more than he had given into any fight before. The clash of steel against steel ringing out in the night as he let out a soft grunt. She was strong, her eyes showed it as he looked deeply into her orbs. His muscles tightened, forcing her back slowly before he bended his knees lightly, pushing back and breaking the connection. He made the jump out of her reach, his boots sliding over the ground before he stopped, looking to her face. He was reminded of Madeleine there, a quick moment she looked like his woman before she had been slaughtered.

The vision made him grit his teeth, a few crimson red drops appearing in his eyes as he felt the hunger battle to overtake him. He fought it back as he stood normally, clenching the sword in one hand before he dashed towards her. He moved quickly, agile as he changed his course just before he got within reach of her, his sword singing as it blew through the air, working cleaving it's way towards her sword hand. It was almost obvious that he wasn't fighting to kill her, he was only fighting to defeat her.

He also felt the first bead of sweat springing clear on his forehead, his face contorted, his brows furrowed and his teeth gritted in a silent snarl. He knew he was bigger than her, but he also knew he couldn't afford to underestimate her as he had to fight with all he had in his body and mind. The game was dangerous, if they both got injured and no one won, they would be easy prey. He couldn't risk losing either.

She might've been thinking about his allegiances. They all were. But truth be told, he only lived to study the world. To study why people did what they did. He fought to learn how to stay alive, it was why he had instigated the fight with her. So he could learn, and if she won. Well, he would continue to learn from her. His allegiances, on the other hand, were blank. He answered to no one but the memories he still had left, sanity being driven to it's very edge in his mind when he slept.

The young female vampire may never had admitted to him, but she knew what this battle was to her; It was one of the most painful things to her. Here she was, fighting for someone who had vowed to protect her either way from creatures that should have had his allegiance, but... No. She didn't know whether she admired him for wanting to protect her or if she should think he was simply unintelligent for wanting to protect someone who was meant to kill him.

As she remained in mid-air, her curvaceous frame pushing her weight against her steel, her eyes remained peering into his own before they widened; Before her, she could see a man that was lost to her, but who had stolen her heart. "A-Alain..?" She uttered softly, not realizing she had said it aloud as she pushed herself off him then shook her head. No... No, I must be dreaming. Trying to convince herself, she looked over towards the male figure and saw Alain, but the image soon faded to Maximillian who was still holding onto his blade.

He... He was like Alain, there was no doubt about it. In that fact, she couldn't let him win. She had to protect him. Seeing the hand coming to cleave at her sword hand, she quickly pulled her blade back and allowed their steel to connect once again. "Please... Don't fight me, Maximillian." She begged, her persona completely changing as she looked up at him with eyes that merely pleaded for his defeat before she pushed herself off of him, her free hand moving to grip at the hilt of her blade as she closed her eyes for a moment.

Protect him as you would Alain. Nodding to herself after the thought, she opened her eyes and darted towards him before pressed her sword into his hand, wanting the weight of the blade to become too heavy for him. Her morals, everything she had been been trying to fight for... She had to throw it all away just for him. He was the one vampire who believed in her, who had shown her a compassionate side to the beasts she believed to be there and now, she couldn't let him go. She wasn't going to let them get him, not because of her.

He noticed the confused look, the small slight of doubt in her eyes before she pushed back. Having heard her whisper the name of her beloved, he felt a sting of pain at the same time. Being reminded of Madeleine as she jumped back, the image flaring lightly as she stood back after. His beloved was gone again, his brows furrowing.

As the steel clashed again, he heard her words, heard her plea. He realised what was happenign in her mind just then, seeing her pull back after the clash. His single hand holding the blade still as his mind begun debating whether or not to listen to her. And then suddenly, she was heading towards him again.

His defence was delayed, as he moved his other hand to support, the blades clashing as he felt the blow. He grunted, almost bestially as he pressed his heels deeper into the ground, stopping the blow that way from hurting him. But instead of pushing her off her balance by letting her blade slide, he let go of the sword.

His arms moved around her, quickly blocking her sword arm as his own rattled to the ground, leaving her unable to fight him from her current position. that not being too hard with him being behind her as he let his lips down close to her ears, breathing down her back. "Why do you want to cease fighting?" He asked her in a soft, understanding tone, his body pressed in against her back, his hands holding her against him softly.

Yozora didn't know why she felt so inclined to tell this vampire that they had stop fighting, that he had to stop fighting her; She just knew that he reminded her of her Alain and in that, she knew that she had to protect him -- Even if it was against her personal morals and the mission she had for ridding the world of vampires, she had to protect him.

It wasn't so much the fight with Maximillian that was tiring her physically, it was the emotional battle she was facing with herself. Things like this never happened to her; She never had to question what she was doing or why she was doing it. So... Why now? She used the weight of her body to press her blade into his, but she noticed that he was shifting their positions.

Now, she was motionless. She remained in her place and didn't fight him as he held her and she could feel his body pressing into her back. His voice was soothing, calming as he spoke to her while she simply leaned back into him, allowing him to keep her in place before a soft sigh escaped her. "Because I don't want you to get hurt. I... don't want this to continue. We should stop and you should leave."

Her head shook from side to side before she leaned her head back against him, letting it rest under his chin. "Those vampires will find me and I do not want you to be here. You... are so much like Alain." She admitted, holding back the rest of her emotions as she took in a small breath. "I... don't want you to get hurt. So, please, let me go and leave, Maximillian. We don't have to do this." In her voice, she knew that there was a hint of pleading that she had hoped he would listen to.

Feeling her leaning back in against him, he couldn't help but smile lightly. She felt good like that, his arms gently holding her close to him. Her words calmed him, though disturbed him a bit at the same time. She wanted him to leave, to just let her be alone against those that were chasing them. His head slowly lowered, his chin burrowing into her hair as he closed his eyes with a soft sigh. How could he make such a decision so easily? To just leave her like that and never come back.

When she felt so perfect against him. His mind was in distress, she was almost confusing to him. But he had to do something about it. He couldn't just hang around her without telling her why, or something like that. Hearing that she mentioned him being like her lost love, Alain, he flinched, his grip on her tightening for a moment. It was more than he had expected. Close to being lost for words as he heard the rattling in the leaves near them, the wind blowing calmly.

His mind would've wandered if he didn't force himself to focus on her. "I won't get hurt." He whispered, his breath flowing down into her hair as he closed his eyes. "I don't want to do this either, but if anyone else hurt you after I left you, I would be devastated." He told her, his eyes opening slowly as he realised they weren't alone in the night. He had heard her hint, heard the bit of plea in her voice and he had ignored it.

"I can't leave you yet." He whispered, slowly loosening his grip on her, letting her know if she wanted to break off from him, she would be able to. His chin moving through her hair, slowly turning so his cheek ran down the side of her head, until his lips were at level with her ear. "I refuse to leave you until the demons have stopped clouding our minds." He whispered, just loud for her to hear it as he opened his eyes again, knowing something was close to them and watching them intensely.