Spirits of the Earth

A massive black dragon sat curled up in the grand chamber of the citidel, frost radiating from his body like an ominous mist from the dark. Ice crept out from beneath his massive form, blanketing the tile for meters around, spires and pillars of which growing upwards toward the ceiling with each passing moment. His where there would be eyes were nothing but blackened sockets and where there was once a ring on his talon was there no longer.

For weeks now, Aeizith sat among the darkness as unmoving and still as death itself, not even his breath escaped his lungs. Nothing but ice came from the great beast as more and more time passed and it was starting to worry his men... His assassins... So loyal were they that they hadn't even entered the grand chambers in all this time. They understood his sorrow having known his family and his new family, serving them faithfully for all their lives... They felt it too, the grief of losing those they were proud to serve but it was nothing of the scale that this dragon suffered... they were but mortals, living a hundred years if they were lucky... Aeizith would have to bear this grief forever...

The Citadel, a massive obsidian spire towering above the trees that surrounded it and the city over yonder, it's shadow cast personifying the name "Blackhearth"... It was a name that meant something once... A name that cast fear into the hearts of mortals, beast and divine kind alike, dragons that truly made the world their dominion, dragons that were once a tight knit family...

And now only the second youngest remained. Aeizith Blackhearth slept his days away, ignoring his thirst for blood, his hunger for food and his emotional need for comfort... He let himself waste away as his magic flooded out from him uncontrolled, freezing away the hall that once belonged to the people he loved.

His treasury was growing by the day, spilling out into two rooms now as his assassins did jobs, robbed, whatever they needed to do to accumulate gold all in the desire of making their mentor and perhaps even father-figure happy. Dragons did love a good hoard  but their efforts seemed to go unnoticed... The dragon remained still, not even stirring as the smell of fresh metal spilled out into the hall...

It was a cool fall morning, the birds singing through the forest from their warm nest in the leaves and the forest creatures coming to life as they awoke from their slumbers, the faint sounds of rustling and quickened steps could be heard as they scurried off to follow their morning routines.

A young girl walked among the freshly dewed grass, her heels having no problems gliding across the verdant ground as she made her way deeper into the forest, her crimson gaze falling upon a large obsidian tower in the center of the area. Lasciel knew not what the tower was nor who it belonged to, but the thought of a young handsome man owning such a masterpiece was all the needed to investigate. A succubus like herself couldn't pass up the opportunity to steal gold from a wealthy man, now could she? Not with her dashingly beautiful looks and her curvaceous body, it would be a dishonor to her mother if she let her assets go to waste.

It took about half an hour for the girl to reach the tower, her eyes scanning its massive length until she reached the tip, a smirk sprouting across her soft pink lips at the sight.

Lasciel, her trusty giant purple scythe in hand, swung open the large door to the citadel and gracefully strutted inside, ready to defend herself against any enemy or trap the building had in store for her. She kept her left hand free and loose, already formulating which defenses in her arsenal she could use to deflect any attacks that reach her. Lasciel, on the other hand, would not attack first, due to her having entered the citadel without an invitation or permission, and as such it would be ill-mannered of her to attack those she was intruding upon. Even the demon side of her had some sense of honor.

To an outsider or any guard, she looked like a regular human, her wings and horns not being developed in her human form to help her blend into human society. As such, her body resembled that of an eighteen year old girl, reaching an average height of five feet and five inches. This was her typical disguise, used to luring others in and tricking them into believing she was a weak mortal. The only thing one might find odd is her scythe, as most humans would go for swords or daggers,; however, in her other forms she already wielded swords and felt her human form would be better equipped with a different weapon, one able to send shivers down a grown man's back at the sight of it directed at him.

The guards that should've been outside guarding the doors had disappeared, allowing the divine profane creature to pass into the dragon's domain. They remembered what an angel was truly like... a demon... and they sensed a pressure at the very least that was comparable to their lord on some level... She may have been masking her face but to experienced killers like them that have been in the presence of a creature such as she, they knew not to meddle in her affairs even if they knew not what she truly was.

Moreso the better because Aeizith wouldn't stand for any more of his family dying to outside forces. The door the angel forced open would slam shut with earth-shaking force the moment she slipped inside, a true display of her power that she was able to force open such a gate. the long corridor ahead of her was wide, dark and empty like a cavern of obsidian, tiled with the darkest marble and the only light coming from the chamber ahead. The walls seemed to have deep slits and ripples along the side like a giant's throat, air even passing through here though it was as cold as the tallest mountain.

Should she continue, the angle would come to a massive circular chamber, several rooms spreading out from this one though all rested behind the owner that sat in the middle... There, resting his head on his claw slept Aeizith, enveloped in a grand iceberg so thick one could almost not see his reptilian scales beneath the cold. Even as seconds passed, the pillar of frost continued to grow and expand, slowly eating away at the floor nearly covering half of it now in slow and jagged glass-like protrusions.

With the Angel's approach, assuming she continued to press on, Aeizith would begin to stir for the first time in months... Something unfamiliar was here... Something shouldn't be here.... The closer the divine/profane being would get, the more the ice would begin to quake and shudder... And the moment she stepped into the main chamber... it shattered.

With a crash that resonated out through the endless spires of Blackhearth Citadel, the iceberg collapsed in on itself, throwing mist and shards of chilling frost into the air and obscuring one's view. An inhuman wail erupted from amidst the invisibility, cutting through all other sounds before all fell quiet... Standing atop a mound of jagged ice stood a boy with sanguine eyes and fangs like daggers.

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/86/90/27/869027c016941df2d82426d14271a4fc.jpg)


"Y-you...." He stuttered, venom clear in his tone. "W-what have y-you come f-for NO-" He stopped, confused, cocking his head to the side as his eyes focused in on the new figure... Who was this...? He was sure it was Amira but no... She... wasn't...

"I.... you... Ugh! W-what are y-you doing i-in my h-house, c-c-c-creature!?"

Much to her delight, it seemed no one in the citadel had the courage to stop her from entering as the goliath of a door slammed shut behind her, and as such, she began to waltz her way down the main hall of the structure, a coy smile upon her lips as she felt the presence of beings nearby, too scared of her power to approach her. Despite her mortal appearance, it seemed those hiding had the ability to sense powerful beings, or perhaps they were cowardly creatures to begin with, hiding in an abandoned citadel for protection from the outside world. Lasciel made a note to figure that out after she investigated the tower, for they may provide some sort of use to her.

With her long legs carrying an even pace, neither too fast like a jog nor too slow like a turtle, she  made quick progress of the darkened corridor, her eyes latched onto the light at the end of the path, coming from a chamber that, she presumed, may contain just the thing she was looking for in the tower. Her heels clacked eerily as she crossed the hard tiles painted in the finest black shade, as dark as an empty night sky. The slight breeze coming through the slits in the wall danced through her hair, lifting the raven strands through the air and cooling her body as it hit her exposed skin.

The light spilled out of a circular chamber with several rooms splitting off like a maze, and the treasure laid at the center. Her bloody gaze landed on an icy giant lump of flesh, whose head rested on a rather large claw. Lasciel could hardly make out the creature through the frozen blanket it wore, and she would have thought it dead had it not begun to stir awake. She was just out of reach of his frosted floor, away from the protruding shards of ice that were ready to impale the next thing to make a wrong move.

Silently she focused her fire magic to the ground beneath her feet and flicked her fingers ever so slightly to control the flames, melting the arctic area around her as she pressed on further towards the wakening creature, afraid of nothing. She was about five meters away from the being, the chilled blanket surrounding them shattering in an instant, the sounding echoing throughout the silent citadel. Rogue shards of ice and mist filled the area from the blast, and Lasciel flicked her wrist upward, creating a wall of fire  a few inches taller than herself and curved inward at the top to avoid any stray ice landing on her from above. The fire licked at the hardened particles as a few flew her way, and as some fire burnt out due to the newly created water, all she had to do wa create more flames to replace the old. While this took place, mere seconds really, a sound cried out from where the beast laid, a roar to frighten her by the mighty being.

As the room fell silent and the flying ice died down, the young girl released her fire magic, the flames vanishing as quickly as they had appeared. Her eyes analyzed the boy standing in the place of the creature, giving Lasciel a clue he could transform like herself, and she briefly pondered if he had more forms than just the beast and human.

He began to stutter out threatening words, although the angel-demon hybrid could not take the boy seriously due to his stuttering voice. The demon felt that his words sounded more nervous and scared than deadly and frightening, despite the harshness in his tone. She did give him some credit for having such deliciously sharp fangs and adorably scarlet eyes, the same as her own, for those two features of his added a bit of oomph to what he was trying to portray; a creature of formidable strength and power.

"What am I doing in your house?" She repeated casually, taking a few strides forward, keeping the distance between them three meters or so apart in case he began to attack her. She crossed her arms over her chest as she stopped moving, emphasizing her chest as only a demon would do in such a situation, and began speaking again as he did so, "My apologies, Mr...?" She trailed off, hoping he'd give her his name, although if he didn't she wouldn't feel the least bit offended and would continue on as if nothing happened. "I was merely enjoying my time in the forest when I stumbled upon this large tower, and as no one stopped me when i entered through the front door, I thought this place was abandoned. So as any normal person would, I got curious and wanted to explore a little."

Lasciel ended her explanation with a soft smile from her full lips, meaning the man no harm, but becoming intrigued with him and his abilities. She wanted to learn more about him; why he seemed to live alone in the forest, what species he was for it was obvious he wasn't human, and, most importantly, what awaited her in the rooms beyond the one they currently stood (treasure, items, a library, anything was possible and she wanted to know).

The smile the woman gave him made the vampire's stomach turn, a smile all too familiar that brought up far too many good memories. He frowned deeply at the girl's apparent good manners, as if that would make up for her assaulting his domain the way she had. He would've frozen her into bloody fluid and drank from it happily right then and there were it not for that DAMNED SMILE she flashed him! Those eyes, that smile, that stupid confidence! Why did she have to look and act so much like Amira!? Why couldn't she just be a stupid no-faced blood-sack he could bring himself to drain!?

In his heart, the dragon knew that he hadn't changed at all since his little girl's death... His little baby Amber... The thought of his child's grave down below drained the color further from the undead's already pale face, taking on an even more ghastly white than before, whiter than the pure snow that seemed to fall all around him. Nothing had changed and he knew it... He was still so afraid, timid and scared beneath this stupid brovado.... He could feel his dry, bloodless heart slam into his ribs with each pump as he stared down this invader who was so EASILY able to penetrate his fortress. He could feel himself shiver under his jacket as the woman's deep red eyes met with his own, feeling her gaze probe into his soul... It was like she wanted to know all about him with this look and the dragon could do little more to resist than break his gaze.

It was only for a moment, his eyes flicking down but it was all the display of submission the woman would need to get an idea of what really was going on here if his stutter didn't already. He was fearful of a creature that made short work of Blackhearth steal and metal and pushing through his soldiers as she surely had. The dragon may live her in this tower... but in this situation, the woman was the boss.

The explanation she provided wasn't satisfactory either. he didn't think any sane person would attempt a raid on a tower like Blackhearth Citadel alone and even if they were, there was NO possible way they'd be able to just mozy on through the gates like how she made it seem. Either there was an entire army waiting outside... or she came here and breached his sanctum herself... neither option eased the vampire's conscience. Amira, the treacherous demon, had taught him one thing and that was how people lied... and right now, this girl was sounding a lot like her GODS DAMN HER! If he knew Amira could shapeshift, the dragon would've called her out on it... he WANTED to call her out on it and blast her with all he had anyway but that sweet look and that tone... it still melted him even now with the weight of his dead girlfriend and child on his mind. Damn that woman.... Damn her to each circle of Hell...

"I don't believe y-y-you." Aeizith huffed, his breath coming out as a soft ploom of frosty air. "You d-don't j-j-just w-walk in h-h-here w-with that gate o-out f-f-f-front. E-explore my tail..." His tone took on more of an agitated edge as he attempted to overcome the weakness in his knees and suppress the softness in his heart so he could go back to his slumber. She seemed to be asking for his name and, like the spell Amira had cast on him with her presence, the dragon fell for it again, spilling his secrets like the world had his family's blood.

"Aeizith.......... Blackhearth. W-w-what's your n-name I-i-i-intruder? Sp-speak before I g-g-get NASTY."

He mentally slammed his palm against his forehead for that one... Embarrassing. It took all his will to hide his blush.

She inwardly raised an eyebrow the moment he frowned at her good manners. If was rare to see the demon behave, and when she finally did, she was being questioned and doubted by a complete stranger about it! Lasciel began to wonder if being good at all was the route to take, the demon not believing so but the angel within holding her ground about all the good that can be done through good deeds and manners. If her persona's had faces, the demonic persona would be rolling its eyes at the angelic one, finding the good nature of her to be rather ludicrous.

His eyes drifted from her own as they silently stared between each other, a showdown of confidence and strength, and it was no question that she would be the winner even before the match started. His stuttering had give him away long before his yielding gaze. The soft smile across her face morphed into a mischievous smirk and her eyes came alive, a new emotion shone brilliantly in the dark red hue of her irises.

It was then that he huffed out more words, his stuttering as present as ever, with an added cloud of smoke gliding out of his mouth and into the air until it floated away. The snowy haired man didn't believe her rather pure intentions for entering his home, and was slowly becoming more and more agitated with her as time progressed.

He seemed to have gotten even more nervous, or suspicious, of her as their encounter lasted, his voice pausing as he gave her his name. She repeated it aloud, her tone like a sensual whisper, "Aeizith Blackhearth..." As she listened to the rest of what he said, she couldn't resist a coy smile as he said he would get nasty if she didn't reply quickly. Her eyes held a playful light in them while she made eye contact with the boy, purring her response, "Mmm..I wouldn't mind you getting nasty with me, Aeizith."

Lasciel uncrossed her arms from her chest and moved the left hand to relax at her side, the right hand placed over her heart as she continued, "But before we get to the fun, I should introduce myself. I am Lasciel Pareseph." She removed her right hand, letting it lay limp by her hip. "I do promise, sir, that I was not meaning to trespass. I met no resistance when I walked through the door even though I felt presences there, so I thought maybe this establishment was a safe haven for those seeking shelter and protection. I guess that should have been a clue that something was off, but again I thought maybe the creatures were just shy so I didn't think too much of it at the time...My deepest apologies for disturbing you, Aeizith." Lasciel's angelic persona was fighting to see the light, wanting to patch up this misunderstanding with the man by using her honesty and politeness, as she could sense his growing irritation in her voice.

UGH! He knew it... He knew she was going to use that against him and he said anyway! He's such an idiot. Aeizith couldn't hold back a light blue blush flashing across his face as the girl took his threat as some kind of innuendo, his embarrassment bubbling to the surface quite obviously if only for a moment. He could feel his cheeks just freezing as his coagulated, undead blood rushed to his cheeks, helped along by magic and other forces, his expression falling further into regret and frustration. How he hated her right now, the ice on the floor personifying his emotions. The floor errupted in pillars of frost and jagged teeth, ripping all up around her without the dragon giving a single command... The seemingly random display of his power left a rotten taste in the dragon's mouth. Why couldn't he stay composed!? Why couldn't he be like Emilia in this sense!? The mere thought clouded Aeizith's mind in anger, causing a small dark cloud to form above them, a generation of what was going on inside.

"I h-hate you..." He mumbled under his breath, his will to actually do anything decreasing as she continued to play him ever so easily. Again, she attempted to play on her original story that she was just walking around and happened to come in here believing it was abandoned and still, the dragon looked down at her with skepticism. Just because something was said over and over again didn't make it true. Emilia thought herself invulnerable and a master of all things and now she was just as dead as every other tyrant before her. Aeizith thought himself in control when the intruder walked in here but look at him now, bordering on submissive. He was surprised, perhaps pleasantly, when she actually apologized for her deed, acknowledging that there were cues about that could've alerted her to reality. He was so shocked that she'd apologize that Aeizith just stood there, not knowing what to say.

She was so much like Amira and yet... Amira never apologized... she never seemed to regret anything she did be it hurting him or not. When he looked into her eyes those years ago, he thought he saw love... He didn't know anymore in hindsight but this girl... She may not be so similar... But this revelation didn't put him any more at ease. Aeizith shoved his hands into his jacket pockets in an effort to calm himself, shoving his hunger, anger and embarrassment deep inside so that it may be replaced with self control. He sighed, and with that, the cloud above them dispersed, allowing the view for the tower ceiling once again if one could even see so high.

"...Your a-a-ap-pology is accep-pted." The dragon grumbled, feeling just how ruined he was after his constant hibernation. His head pounded with protest with the lack of blood in his body, his mind was fuzzy with the lack of water and being cooped up in here for so long made his skin burn with stir-craziness. But he couldn't leave yet... He wasn't ready yet....

What more to say was there then "Get out" or "Please leave?" And even if he did ask for such a thing, what were the odds she'd stick to her politeness and abide by his request? Would she just walk out the way she came in if he asked her? Somehow he didn't think so. No doubt she could hear the spilling of gold coins and other treasures in the rooms nearby as his assassins got to work counting it for him. He'd probably have to bribe her with something to make her leave quietly... He sighed, rubbing his temples as the ice beneath him slowly melted, lowering the dragon to the floor.

Electi... He whispered. I r-really w-w-wish you were h-h-here right now...

"C-come." The commanded, gesturing to the chamber on her right with his hand. "L-let me sh-show you s-something."

With that, the vampire would make his way into his personal treasury and, if the girl would follow, they'd be lead to a ledge... a ledge with a railing and desk behind it that overlooked a pit that seemed to go down for miles... There, piled high in the pit was gold uncountable with nearly as diverse treasures dotting the dunes, among them were several armored warriors in deep blues and blacks counting the hoard, calculating Aeizith's worth as a dragon because that's what dragons do. Upon the desk, though, held his greatest treasures:

His ledger that was updated constantly by his faithful soldiers which held his gains in treasure and his losses for the upkeep of the tower. Without it, Aeizith would be lost in a financial rut and he might very well lose the tower to time in a few hundred years were it not constantly upkept. While it wouldn't be the most powerful of his treasures, it was certainly the most valuable if he wanted to continue living in dragon-luxury for the rest of his infinite life. It might also have some secrets to teach on how to accumulate such vast wealth...

The second, beneath a glass dome was a small black feather that seemed to hover on it's own, magic practically pouring from it's tips. Amira's feather... A show of their love... Despite being a constant reminder of how BRUTALLY he was played, it also reminded him of how innocent he was... and all those happy memories. This single feather made master wizards look like utter jokes in terms of power and he had the ability to tap into it, granting him an immense boost in nearly all his attributes though it could only be used a few times before having to recharge.

The third was a small wooded jewel-box but within was the true treasure: A small golden ring that seemed to coil up the wearer's finger like a snake with a small silver rose resting on the top... This ring was what stood between Aeizith and the morning sun and what kept him from burning alive at it's touch... It'd saved him countless times throughout his life as a vampire and he trusted it's magic.

The final treasure was a large black reptilian scale the size of a soldier's kite shield, leaning against the desk's leg... Aeizith's dragons scale. It was what he'd given to Amira as a declaration of his love as she gave him her feather. It was common practice for dragons to do this... to give a part of themselves to the one they care about most... for all the good that did him. The scale also held great magical power, about as much as an experienced mage but it also had another ability: One could tap into his blood and know exactly what his thoughts are, his emotions, his location. T'was also far more durable than any common steel mortals would cook up on their own and much lighter. Losing this would bind him to whoever held it until he reclaimed his scale... and it wasn't something he was looking forward to happening again.

Aeizith hoped the woman wouldn't pick from these... there was mounds of gold down there that meant nothing to him!

"P-pick s-s-something you w-w-want, then g-go." The dragon sighed, doing his best to not draw attention to his desk.

A light giggle escaped her soft lips at the sight of the man before her blushing at her terribly shameful innuendo she made of his threat. He should have known better than to use a word full of mixed meanings and could be taken in, or morphed into, such a wrong way. Her enjoyment slowly erased itself from her visage as he seemed to truly become angered, his expression dark and irate. Without any movement from his body the floor burst to life in an instant, icy pillars and spiky posts destroying the peace all around Lasciel as he set off another display of power similar to what she had walked in on. However this time the power was centered towards her, and it was full of malicious emotions, a hatred for her that even she knew not where it came from.

Along with the frozen deathtraps around her, a dark clouded began to form over head. She wasn't sure what the cloud was for, maybe to create a violent storm of ice or snow, but she did know that it had been created at the same time as his display of power. This gave the angel-demon a clue that he was even more furious than she originally thought, with a storm brewing above them and the clouds pitch-black, they were ominous, and would have sent a shiver down her spine if the angel were in control of her at the moment. The demon in her felt no fear, feeling just as powerful as the man despite being in her weakest form. She couldn't help it for she wouldn't be a good demon if she weren't a cocky bitch all the time, playing games with all her "prey".

As the angel persona took over and sincerely apologized for the demon's actions, without actually saying it was the demon's fault, the owner of the citadel roughly shoved his hands into his pockets, and for a moment, as she waited through an agonizingly long silence, she thought he wouldn't believe her apology due to her counterpart being brazen in her dealings with him. Thankfully he accepted her apology, and the clouds covering the neverending ceiling dispersed. The storm was over, leaving Lasciel safe for the moment, or so it seemed.

The man was lost in deep thought, rubbing his temples as if he were making a terrible business deal with an annoyingly persistent shop. His actions almost caused the girl, now being controlled by the angel within her, to cock her head slightly, in a confused manner, but she bit her tongue and held back her actions, deciding that not moving at all may be better than reacting to his inner turmoils. She didn't want to disturb or burden him more than she already has. Seconds, although it felt like hours for the weary angel, he descended to the floor as the ice slowly thawed away, probably leaving water puddles where it melted unless there was a drain for it to flow to.

He spoke up, this time commanding her instead of threatening her, and she obliged obediently, following him in the direction he had motioned to. Her eyes widened and she audibly gasped as they passed through the chamber and entered a massive room, full of golden shiny coins and people going through and counting the money, the blues and blacks of their attire contrasting to the hoards of gold around them. Lasciel had never seen such riches before as her large gaze traveled around the room, taking in anything and everything she could see. Everything was new and different, various treasures unimaginable to mind were buried within the yellow mountains and she wondered where he had gotten such precious items.

Showing her this room brought out the child side of her for a few moments, her imagination springing to life as she envisioned what he had to go to obtain the items in the room, until he breached the silence with his deeper voice. His six words were all the demon needed to hear to instantly fight for control as he offered for her to take what she wanted and leave. It was finally her chance, the one her demonic persona had been waiting for since they first entered and she heard the soft, barely above a whisper, sound of metal clashing. She had instantly known it was money, and deducted by typical lore that Aeizith's beastly form had to have been of a dragon, for they always are depicted as hoarding mounds upon mounds of gold in ancient lore. The demon eventually won out against the angel yet again, her human form deciding to follow the darker path instead of the lighted way.

Her gaze shifted from the gold surrounding them to the table in the middle of the ledge. She wasn't quite interested in taking any of them, but they had caught her eye as she scanned the room. He had to value them in some way for them to be separated from his gold and other treasures, and the mischievous demon wanted to know what made them so special. The first thing she spotted was a giant reptilian scale, although she had her beliefs it was a dragon's scale because of her earlier assumptions about Aeizith, leaning against the leg of the desk. Lasciel didn't know nearly enough about the lore of other species to know why he treasured a dragon scale, so she could only make guesses about what it could be used for. Perhaps, she thought, it was a trophy, and proof of his power as a dragon, that he had gotten by defeating a stronger dragon. Or perhaps it fell off of him and to keep it safe from the misuse of others, he kept it tucked away in his chamber of the tower. Her lastly guess was that it belonged to a lover of his, a memento of a love he once had but now was gone. The second object, sitting nicely atop his desk, was a small wooden box, engraved with jewels on the outside. She wondered momentarily what the gem inside looked like, but despite her yearning for the finest of jewels, she was held back by her own restraint and that of her second conscience telling her it was a bad idea. Why should she take treasure from a man who could have just shoved her out the door and not even offered her anything? She was not barbaric enough to disregard her honor in such a way as being ill-mannered.

Thus her attention was short lived on the box, and even shorter lived on the book also lying on the desk. She had no interest in such a trivial thing as knowing how much gold he had; what was the point in taking his financial bookkeeper and not the gold itself? She couldn't come up with a legitimate reason herself. Then, with slightly widened eyes, she noticed the small glass dome, and the floating feather encased within. She instantly knew what kind of feather it was, and made quick assumptions about its meaning. The black angel wing hovered innocently in the glass, but it couldn't betray her experienced eyes. Aeizith had known, or gotten a hold of, a very powerful angel's feather, the magic all but oozing from it, figuratively speaking. It was rare for an angel to just give a feather to anyone, so she knew he either bought it from someone close to an angel or was most likely close friends, probably lovers in her eyes, with the angel.

Lasciel turned on her heels after briefly analyzing the feather, getting to the main thing she wanted from the man. "I can pick anything I want, as you said?" She asked rhetorically, stepping to be within arms reach of him, unless he stopped her before she advanced any further, her crimson eyes locking onto his own unless he turned his head or averted her gaze. The playful look back in her eyes and her trademark smirk etched upon her lips couldn't hide her intentions. "Does that mean I can pick you, the most valuable of all the treasures here?" While she spoke she raised her right hand ever so lightly, gently placing the palm on his chest, if allowed to, of course, when she said the word 'you'.

Before he could even respond, or process what she had hinted at, she suddenly jerked back her wrist, granted he didn't slap her hand away or already remove it from his personal space, and scurried back a couple of meters, her face dusted light pink as she became embarrassed by the words she had spoken with the succubus nature in charge. Aeizith would, no doubt, probably find her behavior quite peculier, potentially evening coming to the conclusion that she had bipolar disorder, or something similar. That conclusion was semi-correct, she did have two conscience's in her body, but neither of them spoke and it was more of her feeling drawn to say or do certain things, and then feeling the repercussions of them later.

Lasciel, in her panicked state, tripped on her own feet when she quickly backed away, causing her to tumble to the ground. Her butt crashed to the ground with a quiet thump, and her hands landed to either side of her, with her scythe tightly gripped in her left hand. Her face flushed darker as she slowly rose to her feet, trying to act as if nothing had happened. She winced slightly as she lifted herself off the ground, the faint smell of iron drifting around her as she noticed her left hand had been cut by a sharp corner decoration piece of the ledge. She mentally face palmed at herself for being so clumsy as she glanced at her flesh wound. It was nothing serious, just a medium lengthed cut diagonally across the back of her soft hand, having broken her delicate skin and drawn a small amount of blood.

Turning her attention to the young man the demonic side of her was insistently pursuing, she nervously tried to mend the damage done by her other half, "Ah..I-i am so sorry, please disregard what I said earlier...Likewise, you do not need to give me anything, as I was the one to invade the security of your home..." Lasciel ignored the stinging pain in her left hand as she strengthened her grip around the scythe's handle in her right hand- having switched hands after the wound was brought about. She was preparing to make her leave, not wanting to burden the man any longer.

Aeizith cringed as he followed the scythe-wielder's gaze over to his memento of Amira, coming to the same conclusion Lasciel had if one step further. He counted the seconds her gaze rested upon it's glass and wondered how long it would take for her to ask for it. One would have to be a fool to turn down such a prize and even the most ignorant of humans would've leapt for a feather that radiated such power. Even if she couldn't tap into it, she could sell it to the highest bidder that could and, in one sale, she'd probably be richer than he. He could see the greed in her eyes, in those matching pools of red, he could sense the desire for his treasured feather as it radiated from her like frost did from his own skin. He could feel his muscles tighten and strain defensively as she gazed ever longer, contemplating if he was ACTUALLY going to uphold his part of the agreement. As a matter of fact, why was he giving this intruder anything? It was nothing she deserved and he wouldn't be a true dragon if he just gave away his hoard to anyone that passes by.... and he could hear her little heart beat in that chest of hers... How easy would it be to just draw his daggers and rip it out through her back, drinking from it's fluids like a citrus fruit? He could feel himself salivating at the thought of fresh blood, his stomach quietly rumbling at the thought of being filled once again.

He was about to step forward, compelled by his impulses to do the deed when she suddenly turned on her heels, forcing the dragon back in his place. He blinked reflexively, snapping him out of his trance and reigniting his misery which had gone dormant during his episode. His eyes flicked around the room, taking in his surroundings again. Oh... that's right... She was going to take his feather from him... Aeizith stared coldly as her lips curled into a devious smirk, restating his offer.

His eyes widened suddenly as the woman placed her hand on the dragon's chest, asking if she could have HIM of all things! HIM!!?! Sh-she wanted... him!?

Aeizith froze, thankfully not literally, his eyes dropping like stones to the girl's palm resting warmly upon him. The words that came out of her mouth sounded almost alien to him, like some kind of divine or profane tongue he hadn't know just yet. Never once has anyone ever declared something like that in the 7000 years he's been alive. Never once has anyone called him a "treasure" of all things and said they wanted him FIRST. It was so different than saying it himself... So different to be on the receiving end.... The Dragon's boots literally froze to the floor upon hearing this news, pinning him to the tile unintentionally.

Before he could say a word or even move, the girl suddenly recoiled as if tugged by an invisible force several meters backwards, her face looking almost embarrassed as Aeizith's did after he realized what she was doing. He could feel the outrage being born from his shame this woman caused, a proverbial match held over it just an inch, preventing an explosion. What kept him from freezing this entire room into an icy death-chamber was the girl's sudden begging where she fell, her expression one of true shame...

"I.... wh-what's wrong w-with...." He stopped, a smell reaching his nose. A coppery, metallic watery smell that made his stomach erupt in growls of desire. Aeizith's eyes turned steely as they fell upon the girl's wounded hand the sanguine pouring from it like the most delicious, savory juices from the most pristine cut of meat. It took every last bit of restraint Aeizith had to keep himself from licking his lips and forcing his eyes from the wound..... to her throat... That's it! He couldn't take it anymore! He was too hungry!

The dragon raised his palm and suddenly the air around the girl would freeze into a shell completely outlining her body, smooth but a perfect fit... so perfect that there would be little room to move... the ice would restrict, growing tighter and tighter, becoming more and more cramped, her wounded hand growing colder until....

The frost would slowly slip from her body, down into her bloodied limb, growing thinner and more flexible almost like a wire of icy cold. While it might sting much more than a normal steel needle, it put the latter to shame in sterility as the dragon poked the surrounding flesh.

"Keep still." He commanded, his focus entirely on his work. The needle would extend and further thin at the back, turning into both needle and wire as he stitched the girl's cut closed. T'was deep enough to warrant such a treatment but nothing too hard to heal up... in a moment, the needle would snap from it's icy treatment before returning to it's master, the wire itself suddenly melting to reveal her wound healed... or at least closed with the smallest bit of still mending flesh present. Whether or not she was looking, it was true when Aeizith thought he was too hungry... He took the ice in his hand and plopped it in his mouth, swallowing it and embracing it's salty goodness while revealing his fangs again in the process... And while his stomach cried out for more, the dragon was able to resist it's demands much easier.

The dragon would then approach, ripping his feet from their frosty lock, keeping his hands firmly tucked into his pockets to show he had no intentions of freezing her again, his expression wary and blushed but calmer than before... She seemed much less a headache now and not just because of her newfound manners.

"...I-I don't understand." T-the dragon muttered, cocking his head to the side as she explained how she didn't desire anything from his hoard. "A-anyone w-w-wouldn't hesitate to take f-from a d-dragon-hoard and... y-your rejecting m-m-my offer...?" He smiled slightly at that, strained, then a little softer as she seemed to understand who was at fault.

"Y-y-yes you were wrong." He agreed, nodding is head slightly. "B-b-but you realized th-that. Y-y-you also didn't t-take from me... P-perhaps... w-we may t-t-try again." He held out his hand slowly, gently for her to shake.

"I am Aeizith Blackhearth... Welcome to my T-tower, the B-Blackhearth C-c-citadel."

Lasciel mentally slapped herself from pulling away, the man having been speechless by her words and unsure of how to react. It was quite an adorable reaction, one she wished she could have savored more. She was, however, thankful for being injured, able to distract him from asking her about her strange behavior. She would have a hard time explaining to him what actually went on inside her, and why she acted like two completely different people but also the same person simultaneously. It was a very confusing process, and she sometimes wished she wasn't like that for it was always such drastic differences. One side of her wanting to be a complete flirt and sleep with any attractive person she found, but another side of her wanting to be courted and find a nice relationship with a good man. Her mind was constantly in turmoil at the conflicting desires and actions.

She failed to notice his traveling eyes and the raising of his palm until she felt a biting chill across her entire body. Her eyes were filled with confusion as her body became encased in a frozen body suit, a small yelp of surprise escaped her lips as she was stuck in place with the ice slowly tightening around her petite frame. For a brief moment she was scared she had crossed the line and he was suddenly furious enough to murder her, crushing or freezing her in the ice cocoon.

But then the ice changed its course, moving from her body to her hand and shrinking in size, becoming string like as it snaked around her wounded hand. He ordered her to keep still as he sewed her cut skin back together, repairing the damage she had been ignoring. When the needle first went through her skin she winced slightly, both at the pain of it piercing her and the sudden shock of cold entering her delicate flesh. She bit her lip to keep from shuddering again as he continued working, not wanting to move and disrupt him. For it was a very kind gesture of him to do that for her, especially after everything they had gone through already that day. Lasciel was grateful for his assistance, not wanting to have to shift into her angel form to heal herself while still in his presence, not after seeing the angel wing kept on his desk.

It took only a minute or so for his skilled hands to finish suturing her hand, tying off the makeshift thread and snapping the needle as it returned to him. She glanced at her hand, looking at the delicate needle work he performed, before turning to look at him in order to properly thank him for healing her wound, at least more than what she could have done in her current form.

Lasciel was about to thank him, but a part of her couldn't help but ask him about her blood. "Do I taste good?" She asked playfully, watching with amused eyes as he had plopped the piece of ice in his mouth like it were candy and revealed his sharp cuspids. Oh how she wouldn't mind being bitten by those, shivering at the thought of his chilly breath upon her heated neck. She would even allow him to drink her blood if he wanted, as she was just a tad bit curious about what if felt like to have a small amount of her blood drained from her by a cutie like him.

Then he made his approach, closing the gap between them, his hands stuffed into his pockets potentially to show her he had no tricks up his sleeves, and inquired about her choices. He seemed to be amazed by her lack of desire for his treasures, even going so far as to confirm her suspicious of him being a dragon.

"Yes, I am declining your offer to take anything you own." She replied, not skipping a beat, with a soft smile upon her lips at the sight of his own smile gracing his features. It brightened up his face and made him look even more cute than before. Then he continued, having agreed she was in the wrong, but did admit that maybe they could restart their first meeting. "Hello, Aeizith Blackhearth. I am Lasciel Pareseph, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Thank you for the humble welcome, and thank you very much for stitching up my hand." Her voice was softer, more gentle than when she was flirting with him, and her smile was cheerful, reflecting her happiness during that moment.

The girl didn't take his hand and, now he remembered why. In his efforts to be a respectable host, he forgot she had just cut her hand on the edge of his hoard-pit a moment ago... Stupid... stupid... That's right... He didn't want to hurt her any more than she already was. She asked if she tasted good and the dragon didn't respond... at least in words. The blush on his face made his thoughts quite obvious as to her flavor. Lasciel's blood was delicious... exquisite... The sweetest and most savory he'd ever consumed, not to mention the the utter POWER that seemed to exist in each drop. Yes... it was intoxicating and he'd be a liar if he didn't admit that he wanted more.

Aeizith averted his eyes in an effort to hide his desires but this would likely only reveal them to the being instead. She had him completely at her mercy in this way and had from the start. Some assassin he was, unable to keep his emotions secret...

Still, the dragon couldn't help but warm (...literally) at the sight of her sweet and gentle smile, an expression he didn't expect from someone who was just flirting with him like a demon a moment ago. She was catching him by surprise in a number of ways today and they had just met mere minutes before. Yes, she was an intruder and yes she embarrassed him numerous ways in a very short amount of time but just... he was charmed by her. What more could he say?

Lasciel confirmed that yes, she was wasn't going to take a thing from him... Not one coin, not one of his personal treasures. Even after a dragon, known for hoarding wealth offered something to her, she denied it... This humble nature of hers truly left Aeizith in quiet awe. Someone who can resist their greed and so freely too was admirable, for lack of a better word.

"Greetings, Lasciel... G-good to m-meet you." He blushed a little more as she thanked him for fixing her hand, the dragon reaching up and massaging the back of his neck sheepishly. "I'm glad t-to have helped...."

"Listen... Y-you don't have anywhere e-else to be, d-do you...?" He asked, the chill in the room seeming to drop subtly with each passing word. "I-I don't kn-know much of a-anything about you b-besides your name... w-would you care to share a meal with me? My servants c-can make th-the best f-food you'll ever taste..."

Getting to know someone that could charm him so easily was an opportunity Aeizith just couldn't pass up. Maybe if he knew more about her, maybe he'd get to know how she was able to toy with him so well... and maybe if he knew her better, he'd get to know how to toy with her too.

She sheepishly looked at his offered hand, her grip about to loosen on her scythe to allow her to exchange hands once more, until he remembered something and slightly moved his hand away, potentially remembering she had a freshly healed wound on one hand and had to grip her scythe with the other. If she switched hands her wounded one would be in pain at bending and stretching with her gripping tightening around the large shaft of her weapon.

After her question his face flushed, silently answering her in quite a fun, entertaining way. It seemed he was embarrassed to admit she tasted lovely, delicious, leaving him wanting more... His hunger for more of her was obvious as he shifted his gaze from her, trying his hardest to deny the feelings he held within. It made her curious to what he would do if she offered herself to him, a stranger willing to allow a vampire to feast on her. What did that make her? An idiot, lunatic, crazy even? She wasn't sure, but she was sure that she wanted to try this, although part of her felt it was a bad idea, wrong to become so intimate after barely meeting the man.

Ultimately her better half won the fight, and she kept her flirtatious comments in her throat for once, allowing him to continue without any interruptions. He was glad to have met her too, her face brightening even more at the words. She was thankful they were able to make amends and become friends. He ran his hand across his neck, embarrassed at her gratitude for healing her it seemed, although she was unsure as to why her appreciation caused the same effect on him. Maybe he was more humble than she thought, or perhaps bashful when it came to his accomplishments.

"No, I do not have anywhere else to be." She began, answering his questions, her tone light as a gentle breeze, the smile never once leaving her soft lips. "I would be honored to share a meal with you, Aeizith. We can become more acquainted with each other that way, and I'd really like that!" Lasciel cheerfully exclaimed, rather excited to get to know more about the mysterious man whose tower she stumbled upon. She felt it had been fate for them to meet, he might even become someone very dear to her. Only the future could tell how their lives would pan out from this moment onward.

Aeizith flinched at the girl's enthusiasm at his offer, continuing to not expect her actions as some sort of apparent trend. From the moment she walked in here, she did nothing but surprise the young-looking dragon... Perhaps this was how she played her game. Nevertheless, he smiled gracefully, happy she accepted his offer so freely. At least they'll be able to have some kind of civil discussion... maybe actually get to know eachother a bit.

"This way then..." He directed, gesturing his hand out the door from which they came. If Lasciel would follow, Aeizith would lead her back through the main chamber and into the adjacent room, the door to the treasury they were in freezing shut behind them. He couldn't take any chances... Not with anyone he's known for a few minutes.

Still... He couldn't help but reflect on Lasciel's gorgeous appearance... Something he hadn't had the opportunity to do until now... She was beautiful... A familiar kind of beauty that almost seemed to be divine in nature. She was just too perfect... Her features were just radiant, her voice was smoother than fresh ice and warmer than the sun, her outfit was such at it'd take dragon's years to craft something comparable... She was as pure as the driven snow and just just a joy to look at... But then there were the times when she could flirt like a demon and jab at his vulnerable spots with perverse pleasure. He could only IMAGINE the thoughts that went through her head when she looked at him... and he did... Only with her standing behind him as he lead her did he manage to hide his entire face going red with blush. She was a strange one... She could be the most sweet and kind girl he's known... then turn vicious with her flirts... Almost like Amira...

It was almost scary how much in common the two shared... He hadn't known the angel to tamper in illusions but, then again, she never showed of her powers with him. Maybe she was still around, just playing with him, toying with her favorite dragon-whelp... She never forgave him for courting Silver... Why would she after she's died...? Perhaps she came to defile her corpse in the crypt down below and was just using him as a vehicle to get there... The dragon's reverence for Lasciel turned to suspicion once more, glancing back at her with a look that masked his intentions... perhaps because he didn't know what he was going to do. Everything she's done so far matches up with Amira if a tad more... insidious and backwards. She was kind to him first before ever pinning him down and forcing herself upon him... Ignoring her obvious jabs, she's been sweet... and gentle... So far....

It was her blood that tipped him off. So much power in just a few little drops... he could feel it writhe within it's sanguine prison... No one ever held that much power... besides Amira. Perhaps it was his blood-deprived mind forcing him to draw conclusions that don't exist, accept coincidences as fact... but he didn't think so... not yet.

The to would arrive in a large dining room with a massive black obsidian table with a sanguine cover over the top, several trays of food already upon it's face. These have been out for weeks now, but remained as preserved and fresh as they day they were baked, steam still rising off the various cooked meets, warm moistness still present in the insides of the bread. The dragon sat at the head of the table, of course, the largest of the many thrones that surrounded the table, each one belonging to his siblings at some point. Of course, Lasciel my sit wherever she chose, Aeizith not to picky on such details. He gestured for the guards within to vacate the room, leaving him alone with his newly acquired acquaintance.

"Please... choose what you l-like..." Aeizith offered, gesturing towards the various plates. "There's quite a variety... I'm sure you'll be p-pleased with the s-selection." As for him, he lightly padded his own plate with some... exceedingly rare cooked meat and filled his cup with a rather thick red "wine". He'd wait for Lasciel to start enjoying her meal before he'd say anything, watching her eat with both curiosity and a questioning nature, thoughts almost visible through his eyes...

"S-so tell me... Lasciel... W-what d-do you th-think...? A g-great f-feat of architecture... i-isn't it?"

Aeizith flinched ever so slightly at her cheerful response, and she realized maybe she had been far too verbally excited about getting to know him better. He was probably still trying to cope with the rather odd ways she switched personalities, and since she had been rather brazen for a majority of their interactions, he must not have expected her to be peppy and sweet, still half-expecting her to make an inappropriate comment or throw herself at him (the latter is something she, however would never do).

Luckily he was able to overcome himself, guiding the two of them out of the treasure room and icing over the doors for extra security, although she felt a little taken aback by his actions, believing he was meaning the action to be against her. Yes he barely knew her and couldn't be too careful, but she felt maybe he could have at least waited until they were farther away and she wouldn't have noticed the frost locking the doors in place. Although to be fair, if she did want to break into the room, ice wouldn't be enough to freeze her in her tracks thanks to her fire magic.

Their leisurely walk to the next chamber was spent in silence, Aeizith leading her to the correct room and her watching his back as he moved, not wanting to make a wrong turn and end up lost in his massive tower. She hadn't realized until she was behind him how tall her heels made her, giving her roughly four inches of height above his own. She felt small when she had been with him earlier, but now that she had measured up to him, they were about the same height if she took off her heels. It amazed her how much tinier one can feel in the presence of a powerful person, making them forget their own strength as they failed to stand their own against them.

The dining room laid near to the room they had come from, both grandeur and elegant as it stretched out wide. In its center was a beautifully dark, obsidian table filled with an assortment of foods. Lasciel wondered how they had prepared the food in such a little amount of time, but then thought better of that idea, believing they had already made the food while the two of them were still discussing things in the treasure room. He had quite the amazing set of servants to faithfully make him such delicious looking food every day, it almost made her jealous. Sure she was a gorgeous, full of power, divine being, but her meals were rarely as luxurious as his.

Aeizith took a seat at the head of the table, his chair the largest by far in the room. It was befitting of a king. Lasciel chose to sit beside him, fighting her instincts to sit on the opposing side, in the second to largest chair. She felt it would have looked like she was challenging him in his own home, and she did not want to do such a thing even if her demon persona thought it would be fun. Not everything "fun" was worth doing, the consequences overpowering the experience.

"Thank you, everything looks so wonderful here! I'll have to send my compliments to your servants after the meal." She happily replied to his offer for her to select whatever she wanted. She went through the table as Aeizith had and gathered the food that seemed the most appetizing; steamed vegetables, a small salad, and a few small pieces of the fine meat. Then she too filled a glass with the gooey red substance, pondering what kind of wine he had imported. She had momentarily forgotten his vampiric nature, and didn't think anything of the substance except that it was probably a very rare, fancy new kind of wine she had yet to encounter. How naive she sometimes was. It would probably get her into trouble one day.

Before she took a bite of her food she brought her glass up to her plump lips, having gotten quite parched while they were in the treasure room. She took a small sip of the wine, using the proper etiquette on how to savor wine. It was impolite to drink wine hurriedly for the drink was meant to be sipped on at least half an hour, if not longer. If the "wine" was indeed blood, she would widen her eyes ever so slightly at the taste but swallow the little amount she had taken before gently setting her glass down and using a napkin to wipe away any of the excess blood from her lips. She would then act as if nothing were wrong, not wanting to offend Aeizith or over react at her own mistake. Lasciel had never had any blood before, the metallic substance thick and a tad too much of iron for her tastes. She was thankful her diet did not consist of the liquid, although she figured it probably tasted better to vampires than other beings. If the "wine" was in fact wine, she would swallow the red beverage, feeling her insides warm up as the alcohol began to enter her system. Thanks to her demon persona, she could handle her liquor quite well, having experienced her fair share of alcohol many times, especially the harder liquor. It seemed demons were extreme in every aspect of their lives.

If Aeizith continued to ask his question, Lasciel would look over at him and reply softly,"Yes, this citadel tower is marvelous. Beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. I think the high, endless ceilings and the use of obsidian are my favorite part about it."  She took a pause, in case he had anything to add on to her response, before inquiring about himself a little, "Is it just your servants, the men that count your money, and your servants in this tower?" If he responded yes, she would ask a follow up question, "Does it ever get lonely being in such a large place without anyone really being here? Ah, my apologies if that was too forward of me..."

"I'll c-call them in after our meal if you w-wish." The dragon offered, smiling gently. He could've easily drilled into her with his questions, interrogating her at the point of his magic as they sat at this table together. It would've been easier and he would've gotten his answers probably a lot faster but then.... that'd be something Kaida and Emilia would've done. They would've stuck hooks into her ankles and hung her from the ceiling, letting her bleed out onto the floor until they drained her of every last bit of useful information. Then? They'd either kill her, eat her, or do something equally cruel. He knew their tactics would be the most efficient and beneficial... but he was always the... "black sheep" of the family. He always held out the open hand, not the closed fist. He always tried to make things easier for them both than just himself. He suspected this was why Emilia cast him out... He just wouldn't be as cruel as them. And yet here he was... Alive while most, if not all of them were dead.

He looked at the girl strangely as he swallowed a bit of meat, unsure if she was being sarcastic or not when she complimented the obsidian spire's absurdly tall ceiling. She hadn't seen the true glories this citidel had to offer from Kaida's torture room (which Aeizith is currently in the process of improving), to the massive lofts at the top where each dragon would spring into flight...

Still, he wouldn't judge. Perhaps she just enjoyed the little things. He noticed how... cautious she was around the wine she poured and the sight made him smirk, wondering just what she thought was inside. Blood? Does she even KNOW how hard it'd be to bottle various types of blood THEN keep it all good on a rack!? His smirk expanded into a chuckle as he took another sip, his sanguine gaze warming somewhat. She didn't seem so bad... Maybe she wasn't Amira... His suspicions were slipping... As for what they were drinking though, yes it was a special wine made for vampires... EXCEEDINGLY potent, enough to get Aeizith, a vampire/dragon, drunk should he finish a bottle, but thick like blood to simulate it in a sort of placebo effect. The taste was thick... pungent... But delicious to him all the same. He wondered HOW this girl remained sensible after her sip...

Her question shocked him but not in the way one would think. Of course, it was something to be expected, what with the Citidel itself being the size of a large down in width, let alone the various floors, chambers and stations... It was made to accommodate a family of growing dragons and all their servants after all.

"...No..." He mused, setting down his cup and resting his cheek palm as he looked thoughtfully onwards. "I have a-all the interaction I-I need... My servants are many a-and I-I train them m-myself... M-most are b-brought t-to me as ch-children a-and t-they grow up s-seeing me as a father, t-teacher, a-and master.... I t-treat them carefully... t-take as m-much t-time as I can t-to m-make sure th-they're b-brought up c-correctly under me a-and I get to kn-know them all... N-no I'm n-not lonely..." Aeizith's eyes turned darker, softer, almost wet...

"Th-though... Equals... th-those are hard to come b-by. P-people who are t-truly on your l-level and can stand u-up to you in b-both power and ph-philosophy and WILL. O-one y-you c-can truly r-respect... as they r-respect you.... It's m-much different than m-my servants wh-who do all they can to p-please me."

He blinked and his tears froze away, sparkling dust that melted into the warmer air.

"W-what of you...? What's your s-story...?"

"Thank you, I'd greatly appreciate that." She replied, smiling just as gently at Aeizith. He was a very kind person, at least that's how he seemed to her now, after one gets a bit familiar with him. Although she knew there was no way he easily trusted her after not even knowing so much about herself. Honestly, she wondered if she should be as trusting. He could have poisoned her food or drink, and she would have never noticed until it took effect. Yet Lasciel was too naive sometimes, and tried to seek out the good in all people, no matter what they said or had done in the past.

The wine, on the other hand, was most definitely to be judged after the first sip. She noted it was not, as far as her knowledge went, actual blood, but was just as thick and gooey as the substance. Lasciel briefly wondered if he enjoyed the texture of blood more than the blood itself, and that was why he had such interesting looking synthesized wine. The taste was a different story. It was thick and rich, and slightly revolting due to the overwhelming texture of the strong liquid. Sure she wasn't a mortal, but even her divine tastebuds couldn't tolerate the taste of his vampire wine.

However, she would not let her distaste show, as she did not want to offend him in any way by rejecting his, probably expansive, fancy wine. She set her glass down and listened intently to what he had to say, cutting into the rare meat as she listened and taking a bite sized piece into her mouth. She was delighted by the savory taste that exploded inside her mouth, all the juices of the meat filling her. It had been too long since she had such delicious meat inside of her, she missed it too much and made a mental note to go out and treat herself more often, since she deserved it.

Aeizith mentioned that he did not get lonely due to his servants, being in multitudes, keeping him company. He also mentioned they were brought to him as children and he raised them himself. She wondered why he would do such a thing, and where he stole the children from to make his servants. It all seemed rather cruel to her, unless he had very, very good reasons for taking them and teaching them as if they were his own. She was about to interject, inquiring about why he did what he did, when his gaze softened, the words ready to come out in her throat hitched, unable to be spoken as her eyes watched his expression change.

He seemed rather melancholic as he spoke about equals, having someone who he felt was of the same level as his own, not just some servant but someone to converse openly about all aspects of life with. Someone to accept you, flaws and all, and rely on you just as much as you reply on them. Her heart melted at his words, feeling his emotions behind them  She gave him a warm smile, in hopes of comforting him should he need it.

Then it was her turn to begin explaining her life, and she honestly had no idea where to start. Did he want the beginning or just certain, character developing moments of her life? She figured she would do a mix of both, her words flowing softly as she spoke, "I grew up an only child, birthed from a forbidden love. It's such a tragic tale, but in the end I hope they found their peace together in death. You see, my mother was a succubus, while my father was an angel. Two species destined to fight one another, fell in love and had a child." Lasciel started from the beginning, telling him the kind of creature she was, to even them out for she knew at least two of his species. If he had more, she didn't know. "I spend most of my days now traveling, seeing the world, and trying to meet new people. I didn't have any friends when I was younger, being sheltered by my mother until her passing, so I never got to experience what it was like being friends or falling in love. You are actually my first friend in a long time, Aeizith..." Her cheeks warmed to a toasty pink tint as she was embarassed, her life story was rather sad and pitiful. What kind of creature doesn't have friends? Well one could guess being a succubus and only vying for someone to sleep with them might make things slightly difficult.

Aeizith nodded knowingly as the girl summed up her tale. T'was a tragic one to be sure, but one he's heard before. One didn't get to be an assassin without knowing just who your targets were up until their deaths. In a sense, the girl was a bastard or fatherless child, much the way he was. All his father figures were dead or nowhere to be seen, you're the only family you ever have with everyone either being a servant or a stranger... It was like a dragon in a dungeon of glass... one wrong move and they all shatter. She continued to explain that most of her life was spent wandering the land and that she never had the opportunity to have a friend or fall in love before, so sheltered was she. This was where their similarities ended. While they might've been brought up similarly, their earlier years couldn't have been more different. While she spent her time in unbridled freedom, Aeizith spent it in servitude to his older siblings, siblings he thought he loved. It was only recently he had his own dominion... and it was only recently he had discovered the worst possible loss again.

The rather bold statement that she considered him a friend after sharing one meal and conversating post her barging into his abode left the dragon speechless. He wasn't surprised, given the story she just told... but he was speechless. He looked at the girl, perplexed, but slowly a smile crawled up his features.

"Y-you're sweet." The dragon complimented, pushing his half-finished plate away. "S-strange... T-trying to b-be my friend a-after you j-just c-came in here like you o-owned it... B-bold th-that you'd sit at a t-table w-with the owner of the h-house y-you intruded..." His town seemed harsh, his smile darkening, but then suddenly, every feature about him seemed to brighten, his grin growing warm.

"B-but I like you." He ended. "I-I'm glad y-you consider me a f-friend..." Before he could say more, the dragon's stomach let out a roar that would peel the paint of walls, not nearly enough blood in the meat to quell a vampire's hunger. His smile seemed to wither to a shadow of it's former self, reminded of how long he'd gone without a good drink... Sadly, he might have to go and drain one of his assassins soon... he couldn't go on much longer like this and the citizens of nearby villages shouldn't die to fill his stomach... Aeizith sighed and brushed off his misery as best he could, forcing on a humored chuckle. "Heh... I guess I'm a bit hungry still..."

The raven haired beauty didn't realize how her statement could have been taken wrongly, she had forgotten that not everyone had the same criteria of a friend as she had. The silly, innocent side of her was too naive, and it showed through the look on Aeizith's face. He hadn't expected her to say they were already friends, yet he smiled slowly and even complimented her, caking her sweet.

Her cheeks sister with a very light shade of pink, having not expected him to call her sweet. Lasciel wasn't used to such a nice term being used to describe herself, and she didn't know how to react to it. But before she could thank him, he continued talking, the smile fading away and being replaced with a cruel expression, eyes staring daggers into her. She shuddered slightly at his gaze, his tone threatening as he commented on her bold choice of wording and actions. She feared she had struck a chord in him, bringing forth his wrath and letting loose his angry upon herself.

Yet just as swift as the darkness took over, his face softened once more, his eyes more gentle than before. She let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding in, her nerves calming down slightly as he was only kidding- or so she hoped.

"T-thank you, Aeizith. I like you too!" Lasciel replied, nervous as first due to being frightened just moments earlier. She mentally face-palmed at her shyness, part of her in shock that she could be so meek when she was such a powerful being. Before she could happily reply to his comment of being glad she considered him a friend, a large rumbling echoed throughout the empty room. Despite him having eaten some food, he shrugged off the rumbling as just being hungry. She didn't understand what he meant, for if he was hungry there was plenty of food and he still had a plate of food in front of him he could eat. Unless he was hungry for a different kind of meal...

Her eyes widened slightly as she realized what he had meant. His vampire blood must have been hungry for blood, and since it had the taste of her blood earlier, it might have been craving more. "U-um Aeizith?" She shyly spoke up, unsure as to if she should offer such a thing, but knowing it would help alleviate his hunger and pain, something the angelic side of her always tried to do. "i-if you are needing a different kind of food...Y-you can use me...ah I-I mean I have the ability in my true form to regenerate at the rate I take damage, so I wouldn't be affected greatly by losing some blood..." Lasciel hoped he understood she was trying to help him, and she hoped she hadn't misunderstood what he had meant. She might die of embarrassment if she did the latter.

Aeizith openly laughed as the girl so utterly bluntly reciprocated his feelings, entertained by her difficulty to maintain control. Just a little while ago she was throwing flirts about like they were fireballs and yet here she was now, tripping over her own feet in an effort to maintain her composure... It made him smile knowing that she had the same problem as he. Aeizith never could keep up a strong persona for long after all and perhaps she was the same...

In response to his quite obvious desire for blood, Lasciel spoke up, offering hers. He was about to protest, informing her that if he were to drain her now, now that he hasn't drank in weeks (maybe months), He could very well kill her but he was stopped by her continued explanation. Knowing now that she could just grow back whatever she lost in her draining eased his conscience a bit, but he wondered how much energy it would take from her to recover... Would it leave her unconscious? Would it just leave her groggy or would she not be effected at all? The dragon considered his options as he studied her silently... What if he drained her too much and he ended up taking more than she could recover from? What if he killed her? Just then, his eyes flicked upward for a moment, his vampire senses catching the movements of one of his assassins watching Lasciel intently. If it was her... or the life of one of his men... his soldiers... his children... then he'd choose her every time. Beautiful as she may be, his people came first always.

"Come here, then..." Aeizith sighed, getting up from his throne and stepping a good couple meters from the table. It'd be a shame if he dripped blood on the table-cloth. Dark wings would sprout from his back, spreading wide at least 7 feet in either direction, their massive leathery fingers held out to either side almost welcomingly. In addition, Aeizith held out his arms to her as if offering a hug, though the shadows of his newly sprouted wings hid his face... all but his smile and his elongated fangs and his eyes which glowed hungrily in anticipation.

Should Lasciel step within arm's reach, Aeizith would gently pull her against him, his wings slowly folding down over her back, giving her little room to struggle. He'd look down at her and smile reassuringly, his fangs growing ever further... ready for injection.

"This will only hurt for a moment..." He assured before leaning in down by her throat, natural vampiric pheromones releasing from his pores. If she was truly a human, she would feel her skin begin to numb, her knees buckle, her strength leave her... a natural drug a vampire releases to guarantee a victim wouldn't struggle. It was called "Vampire's Seduction" for a reason: If the pheromones effected her they way they were supposed to, Aeizith would almost seem to glow like a god to her, appear the most perfect being... Feelings of love and lust would swell in her chest, brought forth by his pheromones. All these intense feelings would come together in a way that would make her submissive to him, stealing her strength away.

"Don't be afraid..." He'd whisper before opening his mouth wide with a soft hiss, then biting into her throat... Of course, only his fangs would sink in, just enough to pierce her jugular in two places, allowing him to suckle on the blood that drained out of her. It was so sweet... just like she was.... He never broke eye-contact with her all the while, essential to a vampire in order to keep the target submissive... in addition to making her want to be there... he had to act like he wanted her there... positive reinforcement. Much more effective than fear. His gaze would be warm, loving, one he practiced a million times for moments like these... Ripping people asunder wasn't how he'd like to get what he needed... he much preferred this...

It was a pleasant surprise to hear the soft vibrations coming from the man, even though he was laughing at her for her change in personality. She pouted inwardly at his laughing, and she would have playfully gotten angry at him for laughing had the conversation not taken a drastic turn, becoming more serious.

The vampiric man stood then, telling her to come to him as he distanced himself from the table, his body grew ebony wings from the back. Their wingspan was rather large, at least seven feet, the dark feathers looked warm and inviting. He out stretched his arms for her, preparing for their embrace while he feed on her blood. Through the shadows his elegant wings created, his bloody gaze pierced into her like a beast waiting to devour its prey.

It would have normally sent a shiver down her spin, but her demonic blood took control once more, having been dying to be in control and have this moment. Lasciel gently left the table before walking towards Aeizith, a bright light flashing in the room where she stood. She liked to keep her transformation hidden, her body vulnerable as she switched her body's clothing and appearance. A couple seconds later the light dispersed, revealing a demonic angel in the place of the mortal body.

(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8a/93/98/8a9398708f9f2bf79c2fe4f9ea3d7771.jpg)

Her hair and eyes kept their original colors, but the rest of her underwent a change. Curved demon horns sat atop her head, and roughly six and a half to seven feet long pure white angel wings. Her mortal dress morphed into a skimpier attire, basically covering just the necessary areas, and her feet were enveloped in black gladiator high heels.

Lasciel strutted to Aeizith, and when she got within arm's length he embraced her, wrapping his own wings around herself and her wings. It was a cramped area, her up against him, and his wings pressing into her back. She looked up at him, a glint of fascination in her dark orbs, as he stared down reassuringly with his fangs enlarging.

She was skeptical when he said that it would only hurt for a moment, but then he leaned down towards her neck, his icy breath chilling her sensitive skin. Her skin began to tingle, as if it were asleep, and her legs felt heavier, as if weights were added to them. Lasciel ignored the effects he was sending her body through, trying to dismiss them easily.

He whispered gently for her to not be afraid, opening his mouth like a snake and sinking his fangs into her delicate skin, piercing them into her precious flesh. His darkened eyes gazed into her own, never breaking contact as he fed.

"Ahhh~" She let out a quiet groan as he pierced her, lapping away at her blood hungrily. Her neck stung where his fangs entered, the pain dulling away as time went on. Lasciel could feel the blood gathering at the holes in her neck, a strange sensation to feel her blood leaving her neck and going into his mouth. Yet she wouldn't have traded the moment for anything, enjoying the experience she was able to obtain.

Aeizith's eyes widened and his undead heart raced as Lasciel was suddenly struck by a flash of light, something completely unexpected as she sauntered his way. Once the blinding light faded, Lasciel stepped out as something new... something the dragon had suspected from the start and now he knew for certain why... She was an angel... And she was beautiful... From her curved horns to her... unique attire to her personality, the woman that stood before him now was someone new... gorgeous...

If he was in control of himself, the dragon would've recoiled, eyes wide, his face flashed with a sanguine blush. He would've questioned her as she was now and probably... most definitely rethink his plan on draining her... If he was in control, he would've evicted her for this.... this deception and triple his defenses, knowing now that there was another angel out there that knew where he was and WHO he was.

But Aeizith wasn't in control. His need for blood was far too great and besides... that arrogant little face of hers, so beautiful and soft... it caught the undead beast's eye... His base desires overrode his better judgement now that he lacked the restraint to contain it. She was a gorgeous little sheep and that expression of hers only made him crave her more. With each heartbeat of hers he sensed in that neck, he felt his own start to beat for her... The dragon embraced her, wrapping his wings around her and bit into her neck, tasting her blood almost desperately now that it'd touched his tongue. What first was frantic, trying to suck up every last drop, slowly melted into something more intimate, gentle, savoring the unique flavor Lasciel brought. He sighed softly into her throat, his breath now warm against her pale skin. He sucked on her new neck wounds gently, almost like a kiss now...

He heard her moan softly into her draining, seemingly enjoying the sensation. The sound made him smile, tighten his grip on her a little more. He drained all he needed from her in just a few moments, feeling more alive than he had since Silver and his child died and still... his desires lingered...

Aeizith released his bite from her neck, his fangs shrinking back down to their normal size but still he didn't pull away, staring into the angel's eyes... deeply, almost as if contemplating something... Even after draining her, he couldn't shake the feeling he was craving more... This always came when he drained someone... Fresh blood boosted his strength, his speed, his instincts... his desires.... He leaned a little closer, their faces an inch or so apart, never breaking his gaze with her. Slowly his complexion bleed back into his cheeks, taking on a more normal tone... His skin became warmer to the touch, much more than before as his guard lowered, drunk of his revitalization...

And then... before he would do anything they both would regret, Aeizith's wings disappeared and he released his grip, quickly taking a step or two back at speeds only superhumans would be able to detect. To most, it would appear as if he teleported a short distance back. Frost, once again, sparked across the dragon's features, more profoundly across his nose and cheeks in an effort to hide his blushing face. His eyes were downcast, nervous and embarrassed, his hands fiddling with eachother as if personifying his state of mind... Unlike being drunk, though... he could remember what he just did....

"I... u-um... Th-thank you...." He whispered, his eyes flicking to the side. "I.... I'm sorry... I... h-have t-trouble controlling myself after d-drinking blood... I-I just... feel s-so much so fast I.... Sorry..."

Her palms rested against his chest as he drank to his heart's content, savagely slurping away at her precious life force. Due to his desperately hungry actions, she wondered how long it had been since he last fed on blood. Days, a couple of weeks, months even? She figured it had probably been at least a month, his starving body losing control so easily at her offer for the blood giving her that idea.

His movements calmed down as his body was fed, his drinking less hectic and, dare she say, slightly on the romantic side. He sighed into her neck, eliciting a shiver from the hybrid as his once icy but now warm breath hit her exposed neck. The feeling of his mouth almost kissing her neck cause her cheeks to dust a light rosy hue, and the sensations mixed with the euphoria of vampire pheromones, caused a groan mixed moan to escape her lips.

Then Aeizith became even more gentle, pulling her body in closer as his grip tightened around her petite frame. There body's were inches apart, almost touching at this point. Her fingers could feel the rise and fall of his chest, and suddenly a desire to run them across the curves of his chest entered the woman's mind. Lasciel resisted the urge to move her fingers at all, not wanting to go further than he wanted despite the look his dark eyes were giving her. He had released her neck from his fangs clutches, the tissue of her skin already beginning the healing process from the inside out, and in moments the holes in her neck would vanish completely and any blood he drained from her would be replaced with newly pumped blood, saving her from any light headed or other nasty side effects of losing too much blood.

Lasciel's heartbeat picked up slightly as the man drew closer, his gaze staring into her soul as they were now merely an inch apart. She reflexively tightened her grip on his chest, her palm warming as his body heated up. She would have wondered if he were blushing had she not been preoccupied with how close he was. If she leaned her head in closer, their lips would gently touch, the desire to feel whether he was warm or cold even on his lips urged the woman...

Yet before either party could do anything more, the vampire dragon pulled away, suddenly vanishing and repeating a short distance away. It seemed she was the only one tormented by their close proximity, or so she thought until he began to ramble an apology to her.

This caused a small smile to creep up on her face, and the succubus trained demon was all but prepared to counter his actions. He was quite adorable in his nervous state, downcast eyes and fumbling of his hands. Too precious was he, and too mischievous was she.

Lasciel's high heeled boots clacked loudly against the hard flooring as she made her way towards Aeizith, unless he politely asked her to not come any closer or stopped her with his ice. "You are acting as if you've done something in need of forgiving, Aeizith." Her voice was laced with a flirty tone, a glint in her eyes. "No need for apologies if both parties want the same thing..." Her voice trailed off, leaving his thoughts free to imagine what she meant, as she made light of the distance with her long strides, stopping within arm's reach of the young man, if she were allowed to that is. She would wait for his response before coming closer, not wanting to scare him away with her heavy flirting.

Why did they always say that...? Why couldn't they just accept his apology, acknowledge he did something wrong...? Why did it always have to be "You didn't mess up... You don't have to apologize." The dragon only felt worse when they did that... those people that tried to lie to make him feel better... He wasn't a hatchling, dammit! He was 7000 years old and knew how damn much he damned messed up! The woman approached him, entering his personal space with assurances that she wanted this herself.

At this point, the nervousness had grown and sunken into a pit of self-deprecation and dark thought, his anger cooling into an ice not unlike that he conjures. She was toying with him now... Everything leading up to this was part of some kind of game wasn't it...? She was using his weakness to get close to him now, wasn't she...? It couldn't possibly be because she was genuine. No one was genuine... they were all liars. Aeizith shrunk away just a bit as the angel approached a bit more into his arm's length, once again growing ever closer. She could feel the brooding darkness that surrounded the dragon's thoughts almost as much as she could feel the temperature drop. Ice would spring up around the dragon, obelisks of frozen water, patches of jagged needle-like icicles but none of  these were close enough to even remotely threaten the angel.

He wanted to tell her to go away... he wanted to see her as a worthless invader, so deep had he fallen into his own darker thoughts. However... he couldn't find that strength... He couldn't force himself to freeze her into bloody ice... If the woman still approached, the dragon's would look at her with a sad, dark look, one that she didn't quite deserve... While he shunned her advance with his look almost as much as his own, He didn't quite shun her... It didn't go that deep. Something else did though. Something much deeper. Much like any practitioner of cryomancy, Aeizith could feel his ice nestle around the body of his wife and child down beneath the crypt, resting against their skin and keeping them preserved. He could practically see them now.... Asleep forever... Alive in just the barest of senses... All dead...

Then there was Lasciel... One second she was sweet and modest, then next she was practically demanding his intimacy... He supposed that's what all angels were like... UGH! He couldn't...

He couldn't do this... He just couldn't do these advances... It hurt too much...  The Dragon seemed to grow more miserable at the woman's approach by expression alone, his icy structures ceasing growing... and now actively falling apart into snow all around them...

The small smile turned downwards as the young man in front of her flinched away at her approach, barely noticeable but her dark eyes saw the movement for what it was. She stopped in her tracks, about a foot away from arm's length of the vampire, and shivered slightly as the room chilled suddenly, her arms clutching themselves to save warmth for in this form she could not wield fire. Lasciel hadn't realized she went too far in her flirting, having struck a chord laying dormant for quite some time in the dragon man. She was about to speak up apologetically when pillars of ice sprouted from the ground, Aeizith wanting her to keep the distance without attempting to injure her.

The poor angel was in shock at how terribly wrong her flirting went, traveling down a dark path she didn't mean for. Her eyes were widened slightly as she tried to make eye contact, with her tone hesitant, more fearful. She found the courage to begin reasoning with him shakily, "A-Aeizith, I'm so sorry...I d-didn't mean for my comments to hurt you in any way..." She downcasted her eyes just then, genuinely feeling awful for how her words impacted Aeizith. "I-it's my fault for flirting intensely without knowing how it would affect you...I s-shouldn't have done it..."

Lasciel bit her lip as she finished apologizing and blaming herself, worried and scared of how Aeizith would react, her heart breaking at his current state of sorrow and furiously dark grief. She expected for him to kick her out because she made him uncomfortable or remember painful memories of his past. If he did, she would understand and silently leave the citadel, the hilt of her scythe gripped tightly in her right palm. If he didn't kick her out, she would react accordingly to what he said or decreed, vowing to not make sure advances on him first, only allowing him to make any passes at her from that moment onward.

Aeizith said nothing as the angel's personality shifted again in tune with his misery, his sanguine eyes looking her over with suspicion as she begged his forgiveness... There was some kind of pattern here, wasn't there...? Every time she seemed to get comfortable, she'd revert back to the "Kiss-me Dragon" flirt personality, but the moment he objected or showed profound amounts of discomfort, she fell back into this polar opposite personality, like that of a well-raised young lady... What game was she playing...?

....

Maybe she wasn't playing. The transitions seemed too sudden to be unnatural... That last personality seemed to crave him for only what his body had to offer but this one seemed to genuinely care about his distaste... They were too separate to be part of some game... Anyone just free-forming this would've revealed a taste of their true personality by now where the two halves merged. This girl didn't seem to have that grey area.

"...Y-you're not that girl from b-before." The dragon observed, ignoring her apology all together. Finding out this girl's deal was far too important to ignore for even a moment and besides... he wasn't sure he was ready to accept her apology yet. The outcome of this interaction teetered on a needle and now it was weighing towards the "deep-freeze your bones to glass" side. Depending on how she answered his question, the balance might tip again. He had to know before he took any action... He wasn't going to

"You keep ch-changing... B-before you were trying to seduce me... now y-you're apologizing l-like I'm g-going to kill y-you. W-where did all that confidence go...? W-where does it c-come from? T-tell me."

The dragon's wings once again sprouted from his back, spreading wide to either side with a mighty flap. His pupils slit as if they belonged to a reptile and his mouth curled into a snarl to reveal many sharp fangs. The dragon stared her down as his anger manifested in one of his more incomplete partial dragon forms, hoping on some level that she'd get him to calm down. Aeizith didn't enjoy killing... He didn't want to lose control again...

His eyes scanned over her suspiciously for quite some time, analyzing her as the vampire dragon made up his mind on what to do with the poor girl. It was times like these that she wished she kept a tighter leash on her succubus thoughts. They would obviously get her killed one day, potentially even this day by the looks he kept giving her. Quite frankly, they were terrifying. While he surveyed her, he commented that she was not the girl from before. This comment, at first, confused Lasciel as she pondered what other girl he could have been referring to. But as he continued interrogating her, realization slowly dawned on her. He had meant the shift in her personalities, how she changed between hot and cold in an instance. Of course her bipolar like tendencies were perplexing the man, it was an odd phenomenon for one body to carry such contrasting thoughts inside itself that come out as frequently as hers do.

With a soft voice and her eyes slowly gliding upward to meet his own, she began to explain the complexity that made up her persona, "D-do you remember when I told you that I was born of both a demon and an angel?" Lasciel would pause momentarily for him to give a response, if he did. If not she would continue after a couple of seconds, "Due to the mixed blood flowing through my veins, and my upbringing with a succubus mother, I sometimes am drawn to be confident and u-uhm seductive...depending on what is s-said or d-done. Thus, for example, when you were very c-close to me, in the moment the demonic persona, as I like to call it, took control and said such brash things. R-right now, however, my angelic persona is in control, and that's why I am more reserved and care about your feelings..." It was then that he sprouted his dragon wings, flapping them in a grand gesture, and his pupils became just slits in his orbs. He began snarling at the more shy angel, threateningly baring his fangs to her, and his eyes glared more than just mere daggers into her very being.

Lasciel flinched as he transformed partially into a dragon, far more timid and submissive than her current form would ever like to be again. But even the demonic thoughts running wild knew if she didn't explain and calm her sultry words, she might be fighting to escape the tower alive.

As she ended her explanation, she fidgeted with her hands in front of her, still holding eye contact with Aeizith so long as he didn't look away, "I-i am sorry if this is too confusing or strange, I myself don't fully understand how this might be possible, or why it happens to me...I-it is quite burdensome to deal with, if I am being completely honest." Lasciel fought the urge to look away, wanting to advert her eyes to the ground and away from the killer looks he was giving her, yet she remained strong though her eyes gave her fear away as the emotion clearly reflected through her crimson eyes.

"Hmph." The dragon huffed, calming himself enough to keep reigned in while the angel explained herself. As she went on, Aeizith's summoned traits began to fade away, her story relaxing him just a bit. More than her story, it was the way she told it. She was afraid of him. On one hand, this was good. This showed how much power he had over her. If she was stuttering and struggling to meet his eyes then he knew that he could deep-freeze her any time he wanted with little resistance. He knew because he acted the same in the presence of his older siblings that once controlled him, their powers dwarfing his own even as they were now. Fear of death and pain kept people in line and kept them submissive and he liked it when they knew who was better.

Well... he SHOULD like it at least.

On the other hand, Aeizith hated inflicting misery on others. It was why he was never the Blackhearth torturer or the leader of the cruel Deathguard. He controlled assassins that killed quick, quiet and immediate, leaving no time of pain. All those were gone now, exiled or integrated into his assassins, leaving him with a collection of powerful skilled but only assassins. The dragon didn't enjoy that the woman coward before him like some sort of guilty peon begging his forgiveness... He wasn't used to that kind of power nor did he really want it... He desired friends! Not more servants! Her flirting had gotten to him though... She didn't know how soon it had been since his girl friend's demise... She didn't know about the crypt... He shouldn't blame her for this lack of control she had over herself, should he...?

The dragon stepped forward, approaching her but the instant he took a step, the dragon seemed to teleport from there to here, his speed so blindingly fast, it was undetectable to all but the sharpest senses. Despite his behavior before, he wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her into a soft hug, his chilling skin no doubt freezing her, but there was a strange warmth underneath.

"N-no... I'm sorry." He sighed, his cold breath blasting out over her shoulder. He'd pull away, looking her in the eye with a softer gaze than before, though his pupils remained slit. "My.... partner died recently... Her kid too... I'm not in my best state of mind right now... I'm sorry about the way I've treated you." His voice was smoother, calmer, stutters few and far between.

It seemed her explanation eased the man's anger, being sufficient enough for him to not fault her as much as he had a few seconds before. His transformed body slowly shifted back to the young man she had dinner with, the wings and murderous eyes fading away until they were completely gone. Lasciel inwardly sighed a breath of relief as he changed back, believing this meant she had gotten through to him and he had believed her. She wasn't sure what she would have done if he continued to threaten her, for even if she had intruded upon him she would fight back if he intended to harm her. She was kind, but not kind enough to die for his rage at a misunderstanding. But she was thankful neither of them hurt the other, they were just blossoming into friends after all.

Aeizith took a step forward after she shifted, teleporting in front of her before she had time to react. A quiet gasp escaped her lips when he blurred in front of her form, and her body flinched in fear of his impending attack. It was a reflex she couldn't help, wanting to protect herself from a fast opponent that seconds ago looked as if he wanted to hunt her down. However, the attack never came, and Lasciel relaxed her tense muscles when he wrapped his arms around her slender body, pulling her into a comforting embrace. They seemed to have a peculiar friendship, shifting between good and bad as often as her personality shifted.

She shivered slightly when his skin met her own, his body temperature, inhumanely cold, and her own skin warm as the fire's of hell, compared to his of course. His icy touch didn't freeze her death as she thought it would, and if she focused hard enough she could feel a slight warmth behind his touch, as if the ice was slowly melting to the heat. Lasciel relaxed in his arms as he apologized, sighing over her shoulder and cooling down the skin as his breath danced across it.

He suddenly pulled away from her, his slitted eyes staring into her gentle gaze, and revealed he was grieving the loss of his partner and her daughter. He even went so far as to apologize for his behavior, saying he was not in the right state of mind at the moment, which was quite reasonable given his circumstances. Her eyes softened as he spoke, the angelic side of her feeling empathy towards him for the pain he had to be feeling.

"I'm so sorry for your losses, you must be in so much pain right now..." She softly trailed off, opening her arms to embrace him in a warm hug if he allowed her to. It would be more of a motherly embrace than anything else, and she hoped it could comfort him. She would try her hardest to make him feel as little sadness as possible. "I can't believe I've disturbed you during this previous time...I deeply apologize for my actions." Lasciel would try to pull away from the hug to look back into his eyes, her own teary at the thought of what she had done to him. "Your own actions are justifiable, Aeizith. You are in a time of mourning and I, a stranger, not only intruded on your home but made advances on you during such a fragile time..."

As his explanation for his actions sunk in, the poor angel looked like she was going to cry. Her eyes softened significantly, tears obvious in her eyes as she pulled the ancient dragon into another hug, catching him completely by surprise. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, whispering that she couldn't imagine what kind of pain he was in right now.

No. No she really couldn't... To have the woman you love just... suffer and die of disease like that... Then the child you took in for her like your very own soon after becoming infected... Aeizith recounted all the sick, disgusting blood that poured from their eyes, mouth and ears... Their screams in pain as the blood-fever boiled them away, preventing any kind of sleep... The dragon remembered the weeks on end he stayed, desperately seeking all kinds of medicine from herbal to magical to things beyond to find a cure for this madness but finding little success... He could almost clearly see their faces as they called for his name, begging for him to help them while he watched them both die... Like the father and partner he was supposed to be and with his undead blood immune to the plague, he slept close with his sick and weakening family every night in an desperate effort, thinking that if he was there... the sick would flee... and they'd be better the next morning

...They were dead the next morning...

The dragon rembraced the angel, resting his cheek on her shoulder as he held in his tears, freezing them in his sockets before they had a chance to come forth. He wouldn't cry.... Not now... When he was alone, maybe.... Lasciel apologized for disturbing him during his mourning, stating that his outrage was justified given her advances... She was right... but also wrong. He certainly had the right to be mad in his own Citadel, especially given the circumstances but what he didn't have the right to do was threaten her life. That was TOO far...  He wouldn't be his older sister. He wouldn't be Kaida either.... He had to be better than them.... even if he could still smell his little girl's blood on his hands...

"I shouldn't have snapped at you..." He sighed shakily as the angel pulled away, looking into his pained, haunted sanguine eyes. "I may be... suffering... but I shouldn't make you as well... I forgive you for your... advances... Just..... don't do it again...... please....."

As the two embraced a second time, Aeizith rested his cheek on her shoulder, her expression hidden from her view. She couldn't tell what he was feeling, a mixture of grief and sorrow would not doubtedly be evident, but would he be crying? Was he angry at life for taking them away? Did he want to release his frustration out on something? Would he want to be left alone now, especially after revealing such personal matters to her?

Aeizith commented on his wrongdoing as the two separated from the gentle hug they were wrapped up in, and he sighed, as if a thousand weights were pulling him down. Their scarlet eyes made contact once more, hers swirling with sorrow, his drowning in misery, and he apologized for trying to cause harm on her as he was feeling the pain of their deaths. Misery loves company as they say, yet he apologized for trying to be that way, even going so far as to forgive her of the passes she made at him. This shocked the young woman, her gaze widening slightly. She didn't feel worthy of his forgiveness, not yet, but he had given it to her anyways, and she couldn't do anything to stop him.

Her head bobbed up and down a twice in response to his request regarding her not making anymore advancements on him. It was a simple inquiry, and one she would be able to accomplish with ease. Even if her demonic thoughts took over, she would have enough willpower to reign them back in, her mouth never uttering such words again. Thus with a small, gentle yet slightly sad smile, she softly reassured him, "I promise, Aeizith, that I will not make advances towards you again." Lasciel wasn't quite sure if she should say more or just end her sentence as it was. Perhaps the duo needed to soak in silence for a moment, or perhaps he had something else he would like to say to her. She of course had much to be curious about, but the time was wrong and she wouldn't dare ask such childish questions during a serious moment in time.

"I thank you..." He smiled gently, glad she made her promise. "That'd... make this a lot easier."  The Angel's readiness to just let it drop suited him fine... He still loved his previous girlfriend and he still longed to hold his adopted daughter in his arms again and if anyone tried to drive a wedge between that now... They weren't walking away...

Lasciel knew when to quit, though and that he respected at the highest degree. She knew and he didn't have to tell her... He had a feeling that he and Lasciel... THIS Lasciel.... would be good friends... Aeizith held out an arm to the angel, offering his hand for her to take. If she did, he'd give it a gentle squeeze, a sign he truly held no more resentment towards her... He was ready to put this unfortunate misunderstanding behind her if she was.

"I...I guess w-we can have a tour a-around the t-tower if you're i-interested..." Aeizith offered, his trademark stutter returning with his guard lowering. "N-name a p-place and w-we probably have it... M-my late sister w-was.... thorough w-when she designed th-this place... I h-hope to make a town of m-my very own surrounding it i-in a few decades...."

She returned his gentle smile as she softly replied, "I want to make things easier for you, whatever it is I will do it to help you." Lasciel genuinely wanted to help Aeizith in any way she could, hoping to alleviate as much of his pain as possible. It was her kind-hearted nature fully coming out now, trying to take away all the sadness and grief built up inside his heart. The demon was lying dormant for the moment, allowing the angel to take full control, which would help keep the young man from getting unformatable or irate with her again.

Unexpectedly, soon after she replied, he offered her his arm, or more specifically, his hand. She took it gratefully, feeling his larger hand tighten around her own. She gave his hand a sweet squeeze, accepting his silent words of peace and offering hers as well. Once both accepted the treaty of reconciliation, he offered to give her a tour of the tower, giving her the option to name a place and visit it within the tower. She hadn't realized how grand the structure was until he had made that comment, having to consider the fact she had been in only a small section of the citadel.

"I would love a tour of your home, wherever you would like to show me I would love to see. I do not have a particular place in mind." Lasciel continued to smile softly, her eyes shining with excitement and joy, her voice laced with energy, "Building a citadel around this one would be amazing! I hope I'll be able to see it once it is finished, as I know you'll be able to get it done!"

Aeizith smiled as the angel offered her services in any way to make his life easier, gracefully shaking his head. He couldn't think of anything she could offer him, nothing that she hadn't already. Her blood... her thoughts... the hope she'd never flirt with him again so long as he suffered like this... So far, she's fulfilled every possible thing he could reasonably request.

"You're v-very s-sweet... but I-I w-want n-nothing more than I've a-already asked..." The dragon responded lightly, offering the girl his hand. To his surprise, she actually took it and with surprising enthusiasm. He squeezed her hand back, his shaky grin becoming more solid, confident, as she declared just how much she'd love to see of his home. She didn't have a specific location in mind but he was sure he could come up with something that could interest this gentle soul.

"O-oh..." Aeizith blinked, surprised with how much faith she put in him... He expected skeptism or some kind of rebuttle, something that would encourage him to go more in depth into his plan... but her energetic declaration of assurance left him speechless... He'd forgotten what he was going to say now... "T-thank you for your support... Now... About that t-tour..."

Giving the girl a gentle tug, he'd lead her up a long, spiral tower of steps, the walls tight and the climb long. Eventually they'd reach the next floor of the citadel, one of many that stacked on upwards seemingly to infinity. For this floor though, or more specifically this room, was dedicated to the alchemical arts and potion-creation. Dotting the walls surrounding this large chamber rested several enchanting/alchemy tables, each one being used by humanoid figures in deep blue robes and crow-masks. Their hands appeared talon-like, long claws and bird-like palms but they were surprisingly dexterous with the mortar and pestle they used to grind the ingredients. Speaking of which,  The center floor dropped down into deep chamber where a field could be seen, green grass and wild-flowers of all kinds and colors popping up all over. A strong glowing light hovered above the chamber, filling it with a sun-like light... Similar, but not quite... It's why he didn't burn in it's presence.

"T-this is the p-potion room... i-it's where m-my soldiers w-work on c-creating new r-recipes f-for my forces... T-these c-creatures are c-called C-Coven." The dragon gestured to the various bird-like creatures at work. "Th-their natural affinity i-in the art h-has served m-me well... th-though they don't l-like to be disturbed..."