The Night Shift

[Anonymous]

Everything seemed to be going so slowly for Maia as she watched the man coming closer to where she stood. Everything moved in slow motion as fear claimed her, tears not being enough to express the great amount of stress that was upon her. She felt, in that moment, that this was the end and Kaito wasn't going to come after all. Distracted by this thought, she was oblivious as to why Ottah suddenly stopped his advance toward her and looked past her to the door. All she felt was a deep sense of relief that she might be spared a few moments longer from the punishment he spoke of.

She watched, confused, as Ottah's face went through a number of emotions, the most identifiable being confusion, curiosity, and anger once more. Turning her head, though, she broke through the silence that her terrified mind held her in and gave a small sigh of relief as she saw Kaito standing behind her. Quickly, she moved to stand a little ways behind him, but enough to still be considered beside him. Unable to convey her thoughts with words at the moment, Maia took to simply touching her lifemate gently upon his shoulder as she eyed the two men that were now facing each other.

In the time it'd taken Maia to move closer to Kaito, Ottah had sized up the newcomer, quickly determining that he'd never seen the man in his life. "Yours?" he asked, an amused chuckle rolling in his throat. "I believe you're a bit confused there, Maia's been mine for years." It was then that he spotted the glint of determination in his eye which, at first, made him want to laugh even more. What stopped him, though, was his own anger rising again as he paired the actions of the woman with the man's words. Of course, he thought, flashing a knowing grin their way. "So this is your lifemate, Maia?" he asked in mock disbelief, looking past the angered male to the one he'd known for so long.

The voice of Ottah alone was enough of a command to cause Maia to raise her head. Looking over Kaito's shoulder, the Carpathian woman nodded her head as she whispered a weak, "Yes," in reply to the question asked of her, pleasing the man that she answered him still.

"Well then...step aside, boy, you've no right to stand between a slave and her master," he said, still grinning at the pair for a moment before a frown replaced it. "Especially after you've kept her from work and given her your vile seed to care for."

Ottah's words were shocking to Maia, making her worry about what her mate might do upon hearing such. She herself, though, couldn't help a few more tears being shed at the cruel words her employer spoke of the unborn life she carried. She wanted their baby more than anything, more than her own freedom from the clutches of the dirty work she did to support herself. This she'd decided most definitely, but fear still remained that this wish had come too late, that Ottah might not give in to Kaito and she would be trapped.

ooc: *pats* It's okay. =) and yay page 10!

[Lion]

"A fighter's spirit is a soul that must stand as stalwart as the one who possesses it.  While stance and style are essential, without heart, a fighter is nothing.  Stand as brave as the raging storm and as unmoved as the Kilanthro Mountains and you shall never know defeat.  But lose this vision and you shall fall."  The old man was right: Stand like a mountain and brave like the fire burning in his heart and he will never fail.  Kaito kept his expression fixed upon Ottah even as he mocked and insulted him.  The rage that broiled in his veins remained but soothed the coldness with which his skin excreted.  Clenching his fist to the point that his nails dug into his flesh, he scoffed inwardly at the 'boy' remark.  Why, he was old enough to be Ottah's great-great-great-great grandfather!  This fool would soon learn it wasn't wise to deal with a beast of the night.

He waited until the stupid bastard was done talking before he pursued to explain himself.  It seemed no matter where he went, all these 'businessmen' were the same; they just loved to hear themselves talk.  Rolling his eyes inwardly, he reached into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a small purse, weighty with gold.  Tossing it to Ottah's feet, he retorted, "You say she's your 'slave', huh?  Well, in that case, I'm offering to buy her from you.  Pick up that bag and just see what's in store for you if you let me take her off your hands.  There's plenty more where that came from."

[*is still dead* Thanks.  Sorry for the delays but as I'm recovering from my illness and trying to wrench myself from my obsession to Persona 3, I've had a difficult time coming up with posts (on time, I mean).  And also I've been working on some new characters as well, but nonetheless I apologize.]

[Anonymous]

Surprised by the sudden offer placed in front of him, Ottah took a moment to think about the words of the man before him. Smirking, he scooped up the bag at his feet and deftly untied the top to peek inside. Satisfied that, indeed, the bag held genuine money, he closed it up again and looked over to Maia, letting his eyes linger on her before returning to her lifemate who stood at her side. His eyes wandered between the two for a short while as he thought and then he exhaled in a huff before beckoning for the woman with a slight gesture of his hand.

Hesitantly, Maia removed herself from Kaito and started slowly towards Ottah, unsure of why he wanted her closer to him, her hopes being that the process would be quick and easy. When she reached him, she lifted her gaze warily and regretted doing so when she met the angered glare of the man before her. Gulping, she soon dropped her eyes to the floor, flinching as he placed a hand to her shoulder, allowing him to guide her to stand behind him. Once he'd released her, however, Maia quickly spun to look across the room at her love as despair, fear, and pain glistened in her eyes. "I suppose I wouldn't mind being rid of the little wench," he said, letting the words roll slowly off his tongue, liking the feeling of power, that he was the one controlling Maia instead of the one she spoke of as her partner. "I really don't think you'd want her, though. She's practically useless for work right now, like all pregnant women, and I plan to rid her of her burden here shortly."

"Sir, you can't!" she whispered frantically, her pain keeping her voice from rising any higher. "Just...please wait...I'll do anything, sir, please don't." Ottah turned to look at Maia then, smiling at the sight of her, gaining confidence as he saw the emotions he was able to evoke from her.

"I really don't think you have a say, my dear, but don't worry, I'll make it quick and it'll all be over as soon as this little...pest is out of our hair. You know that I warned you not to fall in love, Maia, but tell me where you managed to find one like this." He paused to look over Kaito again, grinning proudly. "Probably on the streets, I'll bet. There's no way a little rat like him could have enough money to buy you, love, don't get your hopes up." With that he turned his back on the man at the door, oblivious to the danger of such a prideful stance, and began guiding a crying and extremely emotional Maia around to the other side of his desk, accustomed to matters being settled whenever he wished them to be.

ooc: Oh hush! There's no reason to apologize to me, it's okay, I understand. =) We all have delays from time to time, I just hope you feel better soon!

[Lion]

What could he say?!  What could he do?!  He knew that outright attacking Ottah could hurt Maia and the baby she carried instead.  There was little more that he could do to help than he might help a starving man.  "You're wrong," he said, determination brimming in his voice.  "I do want her and I'm sure I'll have more use for her than you do.  What would you want with a pregnant slave?  I'm sure the concept itself is really degrading to you, isn't it?  But you're wrong if you don't think somebody will want her.  If nobody is who you really believe will take her, then call me Nobody."

His eyes darted about wildly in an attempt to find some foothold in this situation.  Yet the wall that Ottah presented with that mad gleam in his eyes made the challenge none the easier.  What are you doing?!  You're a warrior, goddammit!  You're going to let this bastard intimidate you?  Use your wits, all your strength, and assert yourself.  Kaito's mind berated him for his weakness as if he were a child receiving a switch from his mother for trampling her garden.

Suddenly, he saw the whole of his future before him.  This was the moment that would determine the rest of his life; whether or not he would live in happiness for the rest of eternity.  If he didn't act now he could lose Maia—lose their child!  There would be no way he'd live with himself if he let this monster hurt them.

He watched with a still horror as Ottah moved closer to her, feeling his greed for power and control seethe and felt the burning rage in his own blood boil over.  "No!"  he cried out, barely able to keep himself from rushing toward him and delivering a death blow.  "You want more?  Here take it!"  Kaito reached into his robe and pulled out another of the coin purses he had on him and threw it to the floor.  "There's more."  As he persisted in making more and more money appear, a corner of his mind whispered that it was rather smart of him that he didn't bring all of his fortune along; there was no telling just how much this fuck would ask for when it came to a pregnant employee.  He felt the weight upon him alleviate when there was roughly ten or so bags on the floor, each heavy with gold and silver and a show that he wasn't just some random street urchin.

"That's more than twenty thousand, easy.  I want both of them: Maia and the child."  The flawless look of stone in his black eyes was unshakable.

[So a month passed and this piece of crap came out....  *pouts*  Well, sorry for the wait and shitty post, but I did what I could.]

[Anonymous]

Being the greedy man that he was, Ottah felt he was smart for not settling for the single bag of coins Kaito had originally presented him with. The feeling of control and power never left him as his ego soared when he heard that the man would give up more money for Maia. It satisfied him to hear the familiar, dull clanks of coin as purses were unloaded and dropped to the floor in haste. Savoring the moment after the offer was made -Maia, unharmed, for all that was on the floor- he turned around and stared at the man. He saw the determination still holding true in his eye and, though Ottah would never admit to it to him, he had struck a chord about the pregnancy being degrading to his reputation. All the man wanted, though, was to walk away with the better deal, which he felt he was getting.

"Fine, take her. She's been more trouble than she's worth, but you might find that she's exceptionally loyal to me so don't be surprised if she ever decides to come back...she owes me her life, you know." Then, to Maia, he said,"You know your place with me, dear, don't ever let me catch you working for someone else or you might find yourself hunted yourself. Now, get your sorry ass out of here before I change my mind."

Ottah's words were all the prompting Maia needed and, once he'd released her, she moved across the room to stand behind Kaito once again. Looking down at the money that had freed her at last, she finally gave a smile and laid a hand on Kaito's shoulder. "Take me away from here. We have a lot to do and we need to figure out where we can go," she whispered into his ear before planting a 'thank-you' kiss to his cheek. Glancing to Ottah for the last time, she saw he was already taking the money to his desk to count properly, though she doubted he suspected being lied to. She saw the greed in him, something that she hadn't really seen before, and it disgusted her. Wanting to leave, though, she looked away quickly and lightly touched a hand to one of Kaito's.

ooc: Delay = busyness But I'm back. =) And yours wasn't crap it was perfect, don't be so hard on yourself.

[Lion]

It wasn't over yet.  Not the completed transaction.  No, it would only be over when Kaito took her out of the building and a hundred miles away from the city to a place so remote, neither Ottah not a god would find them unless he or she wished it.  That was all he wanted now, to take her away to a place that had nothing to do with the hellish place called Ketra.  Sure, what appeared beautiful on the outside was just a cover for the miserable underground of survival the street rabble of the city used just to get by.  And that's just what he was with no protest: nothing but a vagabond fighting to live just like everyone else and, as he knew, Maia was no different.  This wasn't a city of beauty but a gilded jewel with worthless copper underneath.

There was nothing here left for him anyway, aside from the remains of his cash.  At Maia's prodding, Kaito turned and nodded, his eyes still burning with an intense hatred for the acidic greed of Ottah as he began to count the coins.  Thinking it best not to say anything but leave things as they are, he left.  It was best to let a wound heal to prevent it from festering.

Kaito walked gently with Maia down the stairs, his arm around her waist in order to support her in the journey to the bottom entrance.  He thought momentarily just where he'd take her.  'Take me away from here,' was all she said but that was enough for him to go on.  He though of a place, somewhere deep in the Draconi forest that they could be safe, his woodland cabin that he hadn't used in years, was the location he had in mind.  But he would keep the information to themselves until he led her safely to their apartment.  "I know where we can be safe, Maia.  Somewhere far away from here, like you want."

[Anonymous]

There was nothing for them in this city now, Maia knew this well. She felt it was alien now even though she'd lived there for so long, spent so much of her life doing evil things. Now was her chance to change, to get away from the violence, Ottah, and everything she'd known to be familiar for so long. In a way she was sad but she was also relieved that among all the bad she'd also discovered the good in life. Now she would get away from it all and go somewhere else so she could keep her child safe like she'd hoped she'd be able to.

In all her happiness now, though none was expressed at the moment, she also felt a little guilty for making the trip so difficult, for breaking down and crying, but now was not the time nor the place to discuss what had happened. Tonight was their chance and she knew that she would be safe with her lifemate come sunrise. She wondered where they might go, if Kaito had contacts in other cities, but he'd never talked much about where they might ever go and now she was excited to imagine just where they would end up.

"And where can we go?" she asked him, leaning her head against his shoulder as he guided her from her past into their future. Angling her head allowed Maia to see the emotions still boiling in his eyes, marring the beautiful brown she knew was there but was now murky and saddening. She knew that those feelings of rage and desperation were still fresh but she lifted a hand to stroke gently at the nape of his neck in hopes that he might truly smile for her. "You're angry, Kaito, but don't be. I'm here now because of him and I'm very happy that we'll be able to have our baby in peace," she whispered, knowing that even though she was free now they were not completely safe from the prying eyes and ears of the city.

[Lion]

He couldn't help it.  Kaito's nerves were still on end and despite the blocks of city that separated them from that demon named Ottah, he was trying without avail to reclaim his serenity.  His fighting spirit still burned with hatred, his eyes still swirling with an impotent fury.  There were so many brutalities he wished fervently to bring about upon the man that claimed his lifemate as his slave; the insults, the lies, the sly grins, he would make him eat his words and beat him until he screamed apologies and begged for his life.  Only then could he truly understand the pain he purposefully caused others.  Yet there were greater things to care for first, like Maia and their future child.

Still, he turned to her as would a child that had just been caught doing something terrible and was facing punishment.  His eyes were full of a tumultuous tempest of hatred and pain; but how could he not bear these damaging emotions, he almost had his future torn away from him!   "I hate him..." he said slowly, looking into her eyes.  "I want him dead, butchered, punished for the way he treated you!  The way he saw us as nothing but street rabble.  But I know there's nothing more we can do about him.  I just want us to leave."

He paused for a moment and helped her up to her apartment.  At the door, he whispered gently, giving her a trying smile, "I know a place where we'll be safe from bastards like Ottah.  I've got a house... well, a cabin more like.  In the Draconi Forest some miles away from town.  We can go there and raise our baby."

[Anonymous]

Maia watched Kaito with nervous eyes as they walked along, wondering why the words spoken to them had been so troubling to him. She knew he was upset and decided it best to let him sort it out himself if he wanted to, but then he spoke to her and she turned to see the hurt openly expressed upon his face again. Sighing as they entered the building that the apartment was in she wondered how she'd managed to push aside the intense feelings about Ottah's treatment of her over the years when her lifemate was still so bothered by the events of the evening. "I understand how you feel but it'll turn out good for us, you'll see. Maybe not now but soon I'm sure," she said as they entered the apartment.

As he explained that he knew of a place they could go she was sure her face lit up, the nerves that had kept her smiles dull dissipating with word of good news for them. "Kaito, that's wonderful! You never told me...but it doesn't matter, it's somewhere for us to go at least." She leaned closer to him and gave a light peck on the cheek. "You care too much for me, you know," she whispered in his ear, the easing of her worries still keeping a smile upon her lips. "Makes me feel a bit selfish with you helping me as much as you do."

Her thoughts and heart light now with the good news he'd revealed, Maia stepped through the apartment and opened the door to the bedroom where she began looking around at all of the things that had been such familiar sights for her over the years. "When should we leave?" she called, stepping lightly across the floor towards the bureau where she settled herself into the chair. Looking at her own face reflecting in the mirror interrupted her happy thoughts, though, as she noticed that her smile still gave off a faint sense of fright and her eyes still showed a bit too much fear and worry. It bothered her and she fell silent as she lifted a hand to her cheek, rubbing at the pale hue that had been allowed into to seep into her skin.

"And will we stay there forever? Do we ever have to come back to this city again?"

[Lion]

He followed her into her room and sat on the bed behind her bureau as she looked herself over.  He thought for a moment, peering at her reflection and taking the time to admire at what a beautiful Carpathian his lifemate was in an attempt to take his mind away from his emotional pains.  The once charming innocence that he felt in her the moment he first met her had all melted away in their time together, making her the vibrant strong female that he looked at with love in his eyes.  They were a force against the world now, setting out to survive against a tide that swore to destroy them.  Bring it on...

Kaito slipped off the bed and moved to stand behind Maia instead.  He placed both of his hands at her sides and bend down to her level.  Wrapping his arms around her arms, he kissed her cheek, jaw then neck.  "We can leave tomorrow evening if you'd like.  As soon as you're ready.  We can stay there forever, safe from the terrors of the city and of the all that are against us.  Maia, all I need is you and I've got my gold mine.  I love you more and more that my heart burns every time I look at you."   Kaito kept his face nuzzled against her skin, letting his breath splay across before he bent low and kissed her neck once more.

[Anonymous]

She had been distracted by her own thoughts when Kaito moved towards her, her body a bit tense though she tried to relax when he wrapped his arms around her. The feeling was comforting and light, having him near, and she could not help but smile for the shift in emotions. To her, in that moment, he seemed more like the man she'd gotten to know from the night they had met, full of confidence and enjoying life. Perhaps it was merely a ploy to make her feel better, but she was grateful to see such within him either way.

Giggling, the kisses he placed to her skin inspiring tickling sensations, Maia moved a hand and stroked his hair gently as she leaned her neck against him. "That sounds wonderful, but you don't have be so flattering for the sake of a pregnant woman," she teased, angling her head to place an airy kiss to his forehead. She realized then how easy it was to be close to him, how quickly they had formed a bond. That bond was something she was laying her hopes upon, though, for the legacy of a lifemate pair was surely a promise for her that one day her life might return to a sense of normalcy.

"Thank you, Kaito, for everything you've done for me tonight despite my own weak heart," she whispered to him, a smile purely of happiness and relief set upon her face. "Some day I would like to meet your sister, if you're all right with that," she added, eyes sparkling with a hidden admiration.

A transition like the one that was upon them would surely change Maia's own life forever, though she knew it was for the best. A lonely soul no more with a changed outlook where now she knew how much value life held and how meaningless and sad the feeling of loss was. Her thinking was forever altered, for the better she felt, and because of the work her own lifemate had done before they had even met she would be able to escape from the life she'd been living. The feeling was indescribable, almost surreal, but she knew that she would forever be in his debt no matter what he might tell her.

Their new beginning would also welcome new life, a new member to their scarce and precious race, and she was glad for the safety for their coming child as well. Thoughts of her own parents were brought to the surface and Maia smiled, knowing they would have been happy for her if they could see how things had turned out for their daughter. Maia wanted to be a parent that could be there for their child for as long as she could and raise them with as much love and attention she could offer to make up for the times where she herself had none. The child, she decided, would be special no matter what happened in the future. "The night is now ours," she whispered, closing her eyes to reflect on the fact that she nor Kaito were captives now, no longer at work beneath such a beautiful thing that was the birthright of their kind.

ooc: Still fighting my virus, apologies for the delay.

[Lion]

"I'm yours," he whispered softly into her ear as they both slipped into the comfort of the quiet darkness of the night.  And what a strange night it was for it seemed the quietest in all his years of wandering in the darkness.  To Kaito, the lost souls that drifted passed him without so much as a whisper and the stars settled in their places and the last dregs of the past became nothing more than a stagnant hope for the future.  And while it was a stagnant hope, it was bright nonetheless, white hot and burning as intensely as his love for Maia.  Never in Kaito's life was there a night so quiet that it seemed as if the entire world might be at peace with them.

And the night passed without incident...
~
The ends of daylight permeated through the thickness of the curtains of Maia's room and tickled at Kaito's eyelids.  The sunset was faster and fell, inspiring a waking sensation in his soul.  Slowly he roused from his slumber and stretched out accordingly.  And rousing with him was that sense of hope that too slumbered in the night as did he.  "Tonight's the night," he whispered into the darkness of the room.  Indeed, their journey to a new home had only begun.

[Anonymous]

ooc: This thread has been completed and the story continues here. Enjoy!