Ad Astra Per Aspera [M] [@MorningStar]

[wandering_giraffe]

She studied him for a moment, abruptly leaning forward staring into his eyes, one hand on her chin.
"Fine...but I'd rather not feed on you...you're honestly lucky I was able to control myself the first time."
"They would probably kill on sight the minute they saw me unless...you pretend to have captured me. If we're convincing enough, they might just believe us. Then once inside we can search for the records."
She finished her coffee, a sly grin creeping across her face.
"The coffee is excellent, by the way."

[MorningStar]

He observed her deliberate, enticing moves with a devious smile. "Consider yourself fortunate if I don't capture you for real," he remarked, his eyes and the curve of his lips carrying a suggestive tone. "Although maybe not for my day job."

Gods. Why did he find himself in this constant state of arousal whenever she was around? Was Valerian's allure so potent that he couldn't maintain composure for more than a few minutes?

Finishing the last sip of his coffee, he placed the mug on the nearby table with a resonant thud. "Well, it's worth a shot," he confessed.

[wandering_giraffe]

She found a blush was settling on her cheeks again...
"You'd have to catch me first, Adrian," she teased, the words velvety and smooth.
"Very well...I'll need to grab my provisions from the inn I was staying at...I would bring a weeks worth, just in case. Should we meet at the tavern? I'll need to feed before we leave as well." She couldn't help looking him up and down again...she was a vampire it was natural.
She stood up, taking the coffee mug.
"Where would you like me to put this?"

[MorningStar]

Her eyes traced him up and down, her voice stoking the fire of his desire. Yet, he had to set those thoughts aside for the moment. He might have had a lead for once.

"Keep it if you were planning on getting rid of me after our trip," he smirked. "Leave it here if you plan to visit again."

Without waiting for her response or lingering for final thoughts, he rose and headed towards the part of the house that served as his room, gathering necessities.

"I'll meet you at the tavern," he called over his shoulder.

[wandering_giraffe]

Valerian smirked, studying both him and the coffe cup before hanging the coffee cup on his front door handle.
"Bye, Adrian," she purred, gently closing the door and heading to the tavern.

For some reason, she didn't have an appetite for humans tonight. She sighed. Raw meat would have to do for tonight.
She got the inn and grabbed her knapsack and a hooded cloak as well, also grabbing an old black book, putting it in her knapsack. The last thing she grabbed before she left the inn was a walking stick she had carved herself.

Then she set out to the tavern, leaning against the front wall outside and watching for Adrian.

[MorningStar]

Adrian embodied stealth, to the point that even a vampire like Valerian might have been taken aback when he emerged from the shadows to stand beside her. Placing his heel on the wall, he leaned against the tavern brick.

"Hello, Valerian," he whispered. "I hope you didn't wait long."

Maybe he employed a touch of alchemy to mask his scent, but that was all part of the thrill.

Wait.

Was he trying to impress her now?

[wandering_giraffe]

His voice cut through the air and scared her, and she just about whacked him with her walking stick before she figured out who he was.
"Goddamn, Adrian you scared me! I didn't even see you! Or hear you approach for that matter."
She adjusted her knapsack, mustering up a smile.
"Shall we head out? There is a good place to camp about halfway there."

[MorningStar]

He reciprocated with a determined, subtle smile. "Yeah, let's."

——

The journey proved more strenuous than anticipated, reaching only the halfway point according to Valerian's warning. As their steps faltered, they sought seclusion in a wooded area, setting up camp in a modest clearing.

Amaya gathered sticks, initiating a small fire for warmth and cooking. "I can whip up something for you," he offered, fixated on the flickering flames. "Or, you know, you can use me for the time being, just be careful."

He hoped to use this moment of peace and rest to learn more about the woman.

[wandering_giraffe]

Valerian was struggling.
"It's not that easy. I can't always control it."
As Adrian got the fire going, she excused herself, practically running a good distance away before she leaned against a tree trunk, breathing hard. She couldn't forget how good his blood tasted...and the desire was only going to get worse. And he practically offered himself up to her. She took a deep breath, and went back to the clearing, sitting down next to the fire and apoligizing.
"Sorry...had to get a hold of myself."

[MorningStar]

Upon Valerian's return to the campsite, Adrian had already begun cooking a rabbit he had hunted during his travels, roasting it over an open flame using a stick as a makeshift holder.

"I'm proud of you," he playfully teased, his eyes fixed on the dancing flames and the cooking rabbit. "Just know the offer still stands, or you can have some of this if you'd like."

Her initial response, if any, went unheard as his thoughts raced—revenge fueling his pursuit, and conflicting notions of his unlikely alliance with the captivating Valerian. The unexpected offer lingered in the air, a reflection of his unpredictable demeanor.

After navigating the maze of his thoughts, he eventually shifted his gaze toward her. The expression on her face spoke volumes about the internal struggle she was enduring.

"So," he started, attempting to initiate conversation, "what's it like?"

[wandering_giraffe]

"Oh...being a vampire? Well..."
She shifted to get closer to the fire.
"For one thing, being a vampire makes your abilities stronger. I could run from here to that tree line," she gestured off to the north, "in about 10 minutes. But it's really tiring to do so. And I don't need sleep the way you mortals do. I sleep mainly to rest and regain my abilities. And...forget," she said almost regretfully.
"Forget about some of the mortal lives I've taken. Some of them didn't deserve it."
Valerian laughed bitterly, the flames casting dancing shadows across her face.
"But money talks doesn't it."

[MorningStar]

Her words elicited a softening of his expression. Sitting there with her brought a strange conflict—he recognized the familiar regret in her tone, a shared sentiment that tempted him to wrap an arm around her, seeking solace together. Yet, the deep-rooted animosity toward vampires, a result of the cold-blooded murder of his family, created a persistent barrier.

However, a seed of doubt began to sprout.

"I'm no summer picnic," he shared, searching for common ground. "I'm sure I've taken away many vampires that didn't deserve it. Especially if there are some out there like you."

[wandering_giraffe]

Valerian smiled...a slight, rueful smile. She idly picked up a twig and threw it into the fire.
"I've never met another vampire like me...we are reclusive creatures...but I've also never met another hunter like you...it's kindof nice, actually. To not be killing."

It was interesting.
She was a black sheep among her kind for many reasons, yet here she was, sharing a fire with a sworn enemy.
Funny, isn't it, what the days bring?
Her stomach growled. Whatever Adrian was cooking actually smelt good.

[MorningStar]

A sly smile played at the corner of his lips upon hearing her stomach growl. With the rabbit now perfectly cooked, he skillfully prepared it for the two of them. "It is nice," he agreed, handing her a portion.

"And if you're going to be a vampire and live forever," he continued, "at least you look that good."

[wandering_giraffe]

"Well...if I can survive all the inevitable hunters..." she grinned and tried the rabbit almost cautiously, but it was good.
"I can't get actual sustenance from this...I have to have blood of some kind. But strangely enough, this does help with the blood lust? Fascinating."
She took another bite of it.
"So, what caused you to become a hunter?"

[MorningStar]

His response lingered in the air, a pause pregnant with the weight of unspoken considerations. The need to choose his words carefully for Valerian warred with the internal debate of whether he should unveil this part of himself to her. Eventually, after moments that seemed to stretch into eternity, he concluded that he owed her the truth, or at least a glimpse of it.

Adrian gazed into the dancing flames as he began to unravel the tapestry of his past to Valerian. "I grew up in the unforgiving grip of poverty, a life where my family, desperate for power, dabbled in dark arts," he confessed. His voice carried the weight of haunted memories. "One night, a malevolent coven, that I now know as the crimson veil, fueled by a thirst for power, slaughtered my family before my eyes. The desire for revenge consumed me, leading me on this path of hunting creatures like them."

He turned his gaze to Valerian, his eyes revealing a mixture of pain and determination. "It's not just about vengeance; this path helps me survive, make a living out of bounties on supernatural beings. I may not have chosen this life, but it's the one I've forged to stay a step ahead of my own demons."

[wandering_giraffe]

Valerian listened as Adrian told her some of his past.
The intrigue on her face turned to sadness. He had a hard past.
Wait, why was she sympathizing with him? What was wrong with her? She was supposed to be a cold blooded killer...she killed who she was paid to kill. She was supposed to leave her emotions out of it. She succeeded in doing so. Well...succeeded until now. She was discovering she was beginning to fall head over heels for this man.
"I must have seemed just as bad of a creature," Valerian admitted sadly.
Which, she realized, at the time, she was.
"I have done some regrettable things in the past. My backstory is not tragic. I yearned for power...for blood. I sought out a vampire lord...I practically gave him my soul...and my brothers...for power.
But the target I had killed...when you caught me..."—-her crimson eyes seemed to turn black in anger—-"he had done some vile things...I would have killed him for no money. It was unfortunate we met that way. But...I am truly sorry about what happened to your family. But it does not surprise me it was the Crimson Veil coven that did it."

[MorningStar]

Valerian's words carried an unexpected warmth that quietly thawed Adrian's guarded heart. In that moment, her sincerity prompted a subtle shift within him, softening the standoffish exterior he had worn. As her words resonated, a gentle opening occurred, allowing a touch of vulnerability to surface in the space between them. Valerian's authenticity acted as a quiet catalyst, and Adrian found himself, however subtly, beginning to let down his defenses.

"Well, the only thing I hate worse than vile vampires," he said with a slight smirk, "is vile humans. It sounds like he had it coming."

He held her in his gaze for a moment longer, captivated by the ethereal sight she presented under the moonlit sky. Her pale complexion, accentuated by the soft glow, and the allure of fur-adorned attire rendered her downright enchanting. In his eyes, a distinct longing for her presence lingered, a silent acknowledgment of the enchantment she cast upon him.

[wandering_giraffe]

Valerian leaned back against a fallen log, beginning to relax for the night.
"You know," she mused, "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm glad I met you."
"We better get some sleep, the day after tomorrow we'll be at the vampire coven."
She paused, as if searching for the right words.
"I hope you can find what you're looking for, and attain justice."

[MorningStar]

A grin spread across his face.

"Vampires sleep?" he pondered, his tone a playful blend of teasing and flirtation.

Though the allure of sleep beckoned, a necessity for what lay ahead, he hesitated to let this moment slip away. For so long, he had been closed off to her kind, but he couldn't deny the unexpected pleasure of her company.

Having finished his meal and freshened up, he headed toward the tent. Yet, as he passed by her, he abruptly turned, lowering himself to her eye level.

"Thank you," his response was quiet and sincere before he closed the distance, letting his lips meet hers in a tender connection.