A Night Full of Possibillities

[brittney]

She looked at Larten as he spoke to her and flinched when she saw his eyes flash. She didn't believe that it was his fault that her parents were dead, it couldn't be his fault. Besides, how could he have known that Murlough was still alive and would kill some girl's parents. Before she could say anything, he left Mr. Tall's van. "If you would excuse me," she said to Hibernous before she stood up, left the van, and ran after Larten.

When she reached his van, she went inside and walked over to him. "It wasn't your fault, Larten. Murlough..." When she said his name, she had to calm her pounding her heart as the fear went through her again before she could continue. "That thing would have killed my parents either way." She turned towards a window on the wall Larten was standing across from and looked out it. She was beginning to remember the memory of her parent's death and did her best to push it away before Larten noticed the pain-stricken expression on her face.

[Larten Crepsley]

Larten heard Erika enter and speak. When she was silent he said, "Erika had I made sure he was truely gone then you wouldn't be here right now, you wouldn't be having nightmares, you wouldn't be turned into a Half-Vampire, and you wouldn't have foster parents." Larten turned to the girl and said, "In a way it is my fault your parents were killed. And because of that I want to try so much harder to keep you alive." The Vampire hesitated and then went on, "Erika do you want me to turn you now or tomorrow night? Again it will be painful and sometimes deadly." He walked to her and held her close and whispered in her ear, "Erika I will not turn you if you are not ready, but I will take you to Vampire Mountain."

The Vampire breathed in the girl's scent and heard the blood pounding in her veins, but thanks to him being a Vampire, Larten was able to control himself. "And just to let you know. I think its better to be a Vampire rather than a Vampaneze. When you get hungry you won't drink as much as a Vampaneze would and yes when you turn you will thrist for blood, but since you would be Half-Vampire you could also eat solid foods." Larten stood back. "I will leave you to think about it. If you need me just say my name and I will be in here quickly."

[brittney]

She listened to him as he spoke. It was true that if Murlough had died before her parents hit him that unfortunate night, they would still be alive, but she wasn't going to ponder what ifs. She had to concentrate on what she knew to be true, even if the truth was sometimes unbearable to deal with.

She turned towards him when he asked if she wanted him to turn her now or tomorrow night. Then, before she could reply, he walked over to her and held her close to him as he whispered in her ear. She rested her head on his chest, enjoying the comfort his embrace brought her. While he held her, she didn't say a word, made no move to answer his question.

That changed when he stepped back after a few minutes had passed and after he spoke a few things about how it was better to be a Vampire than a Vampaneze. She watched him as he began to back away towards the door and knew what her answer to his question was. "You don't have to go, Larten. I already know what I want. I want to become a half-vampire tonight so that I can go through the change and be ready to leave tomorrow night," she said as she met his eyes for a moment before looking away.

[Larten Crepsley]

Larten turned back to Erika, "Give me your hands." He took them and looked at the perfect hands, "This will hurt, but do NOT lick them." Then he stabbed her fingers with his nails and watched as ten droplets of blood swelled up from the wounds. Then he did the same with his own fingers. "Now I touch my fingers to yours." As soon as their fingers touched, Larten's blood flowed into Erika. He felt the familiar blood ritual happen. Finally he pulled away and began licking his fingers before licking Erika's.

"Are you ok?" Larten helped the girl up and set her down in the nearest chair. "How do you feel Erika?" Larten hoped that the change had gone well. He didn't want to lose Erika, but if he did he would have rather lost her to the change than to Murlaugh. "Do you want to go out for some fresh air or do you want to rest? I can understand if you want to rest. The change can be very tiresome and I don't want you to hurt yourself too soon before you get used to being a Half-Vampire."

[brittney]

Erika watched as Larten turned back towards her and they began the blood ritual. She did exactly what he told her to do, not wanting to mess it up. The moment the blood flowed into her fingers and into her bloodstream, she began to feel slightly lightheaded and she felt some pain, but mostly felt dizzy. When Larten led her to a chair, she let him and sat down as she started to feel sleepy.

Looking up at him as she listened to what he said, she replied, "I would like to stay here and sleep. I'm feeling a bit lightheaded." After saying this, she looked down at her fingers and saw that the places that Larten stabbed with his fingernails were already healing and she continued to watch them heal until they were nearly finished healing. She then looked back up at Larten and asked, "Do you have a spare bed or something?"

[tori]

I do not deal the cards and I play a lousy hand.
I celebrate no victories and my promises are sand.
Against all this I contrast you, when all is lost the war is through. 
Hey, angel, dare the winds now we can fly.

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Sometimes Tori wondered why she volunteered for these jobs. There were plenty of other roustabouts, plenty of others who wanted to earn an extra dollar or two by running errands. There were plenty of other people who deserved the couple of extra dollars. She was just thankful for the job; she wasn't looking for any extra cash. And yet when Bertha had pointed out that Crepsley had left his glass vials after the last show and asked for someone to run them to the vampire, she had volunteered. 

Why did had she done that? 

The vampire was strong. He was male, and he was strong - much stronger than her. It was those sort of people that Tori tried to avoid around the Cirque. It wasn't because she was a bit squickish about what he was, though it did tug at the religion her father had beaten into her, but because she was afraid of people like him. They could easily hurt her, and Tori... Tori didn't care to give them the chance to do so. 

And this was practically placing the chance right into his open palms. 

But she had started this trek across the campsite, and Tori was not about to give up now. The glass vials tinkled gently as they bounced about in her coat pocket, reminding her playfully about what she was taking to the vampire. It wasn't the best of reminders, but it did keep her mind on the task. 

When she arrived at Crepsley's residence, Tori felt a shudder go down her spine. She swallowed hard, swallowed back her fear, and knocked as best she could. She hoped he could hear her. 

"Mister... Mister Crepsley...?"

[Larten Crepsley]

When Larten heard Tori's voice he wondered why she would be seeing him. He went to the door and opened it, "Yes? Can I help you Tori?" Larten rarely got to know the young woman and it seemed like every time she saw him she looked like a deer caught in headlights. Larten knew that it was probably because he was a Vampire, but he sometimes couldn't help, but feel hurt that she would act like he would hurt her. Larten may be a Vampire, but he was a kind and gentle one despite his exterior grumpyness. "Would you like to come in?" Maybe if he could get her to come out of her shell a little bit then Tori would be a little less frightened of him.

[brittney]

Erika was drifting off to sleep when she heard a female voice and a knock on the door. She opened her eyes and turned her gaze towards the van door as Larten walked over to it and opened it to show a girl that couldn't be that much older than herself. She looks so skittish, she thought to herself as she looked at the girl curiously. She listened to the conversation the two of them had and waited to see if Tori would come in or not.

[tori]

As soon as the door opened, Tori ducked her head and slumped her posture, creating the effect of her essentially shrinking. She knew how to appear smaller whenever she needed to, despite her already-small stature. It was a trick that had served her well over the years with her father and Logan. It had gotten her out a beating once or twice, if she remembered; she had only been sent to bed without supper those nights. 

The vampire asked what she was there for, and Tori opened her mouth to reply. The quicker she could tell him, the quicker she could get back to her tent and take care of the little Kitten. But then Crepsley asked her inside, and Tori felt her entire body tense. She knew it would be rude to reject his offer, but she really wasn't sure if she should accept it. Tori made it a point to avoid all the males in the general area. But... But she knew Mr. Tall trusted Crepsley, and that was enough to give Tori reason to nod. 

Quickly, quietly, she stepped inside, turning to the side just enough so her wings did not brush against the vampire. That would have been rude of her, and awkward for the both of them. 

"You, um... You left your..." Her eyes fell down to the pocket, where the vials rested, and then raised to Crepsley's face. Never once did they meet his eyes. Carefully, she drew a vial out of her pocket. "You left your vials back at the Big Top, Mr. Crepsley. I just came to return them to you." 

Her wings rustled. 

[Larten Crepsley]

Larten was startled. He had left his vials. That was very much unlike him, "Thank you Tori. I appreciate you bringing them to me." He indicated Erika who he knew must be wondering what was going on, "Tori this is Erika, my new assistant... and possible friend." Larten cared deeply for Erika and wanted no harm to come to her. The girl would make a good friend as well as something almost like a daughter. He turned back to Tori and said, "Can you thank whoever told you to bring them to me? I don't know why I left them tonight, but I thank you for bringing them." He slipped the vials in his pocket and smiled gently at Tori.

[brittney]

There was a pause before Tori stepped inside, turning to the side slightly so that the wings on her back wouldn’t brush against Larten. Erika was surprised to see the wings. Where did she get them? Has she always had them or did they come in recently? She wondered as she looked at the beautiful wings.

As she looked at them, she listened to Tori and Larten speak to one another before Larten turned his attention back to her. She looked up, wondering if she should say anything, but decided to just stay quiet for the moment until she was asked a question. She didn’t want to interrupt their conversation. Sure, she felt safe around Larten, but she didn’t know this girl or if she had any allegiances to the vampaneze or not and didn’t want to say too much, especially if there was something worth telling the vampaneze about. So she just sat there and rested her head against the wall beside her as her eyes began to close.

Within seconds, she began to enter that realm between being fully awake and starting to fall into the thralls of sleep. That was when she saw a face she didn’t recognize fully, but her body knew to be scared of it. It was the face of a man with deathly pale skin, scraggly black hair that fell past his shoulders, and looked at her hungrily. Her eyes flew open at the sight of him and she screamed loudly, now fully awake and crying.

[tori]

As soon as he had taken the vials from her grip, Tori drew her hand back to her side, slid it into her pocket. She risked giving him a small, light smile before dropping her eyes again; it made her uneasy to meet any man's eyes - especially if that man was a vampire like Larten Crepsley. It wasn't that she had anything personal against the man; he had not done anything to her. 

She just feared all men. 

"You're, um... You're welcome, Mr. Crepsley," she murmured, her wings fluttering slightly. Quicky, she pinned the back, pressing them against her back. They were something she preferred to keep hidden from everyone - even those she might have trusted. She glanced towards the door. "I guess I should be, um... I guess I should be leaving..."

But then Erika let out a scream. 

Tori's wings flared out, one smacking into a wall. The girl winced, whimpered once, but otherwise made no complaint as she moved towards the younger girl. Every instinct kicked in. She knelt beside where the young girl was laying, reached out to grab Erkia's hand with her own. She stroked Erika's forehead with the other. 

"Erika," she murmured gently, ducking her head so she could look into her eyes. "Erika, dear, it's all right. It's okay. It was all a dream. I promise. All a dream... Just breathe, darlin'...." 

A quiet cooing sound came from deep in Tori's throat; her animal's form of comfort. 

[Larten Crepsley]

Larten smiled softly when Tori went to Erika's side. He moved to Erika's side as well and said, "Your fine Erika. Nothing will hurt. Not while I'm alive." Larten gently stroked Erika's hair from her face. "Come on. Let me get you to a bed where you'll be more comfortable." He turned to Tori, "Can you get one? Ask a couple of the performers to bring it. Try Cormac and Alexander. Maybe even Evra." He turned back to Erika and knelt beside her, "Was it the nightmare again?" The Vampire was thankful that Tori had come when she did. The woman was a natural with girls. He turned to Tori again and said, "Tori do you want to come to Vampire Mountain with Erika and myself? You can keep Erika company along the way while I sleep during the day."

[brittney]

Erika looked into Tori’s eyes and concentrated on calming down and breathing normally. It helped when Larten came to sit beside her and began to soothe her, too. She cuddled up to Larten like she used to do when she was younger and had bad dreams. Her father and mother were the ones she had cuddled up to then, though, but now she had Larten and Tori. At least she didn’t have to go through the nightmares alone.

When she heard Evra’s name, she remembered how she had reacted to him before and said, “Not Evra. I don’t feel comfortable around him. I think it’s because of his snake side.” She then turned her attention to Larten as he knelt down beside her and asked if it was the nightmare again. She wanted to say that it was the same nightmare she has been having for years, but knew that it wasn’t. This one was different, almost like it was a flashback or something to when she saw the thing’s face. That was when she realized that she must be remembering Murlough’s face. “Oh, my God,” she whispered as the realization went through her. “I remember him.”

As she said this out loud, she suddenly felt like she was going to throw up. Rushing over to a wastebasket, she knelt down beside it and began to vomit. When she was finished, she leaned up against the wall and closed her eyes, but quickly opened them when she thought, I don’t want to see his face again. Instead, she just sat there as she waited for the next wave of nausea and hoped that it wouldn’t come.

[tori]

She was still concentrating on helping Erika when Crepsley spoke, and Tori jumped slightly. She turned her head ever so slightly, so she could look at him out of the corner of her eye. The wariness was obvious in her gaze, in her very posture, but the young woman refused to act on her instinct. Her own safety was not her concern at the moment. All she was worried about as Erika's well-being.

"I, um... I..." Tori stuttered slightly, her voice still barely above a whisper. Her eyes shifted to Erika. She swallowed slightly. Her wings rustled, feathers fluffing out slightly before settling back down. "If... if you think it would be good for her for me to be..."

And then Erika moved towards the wastebasket.

Her wings pinned back. Tori hooted softly, the noise sounding almost too animalistic for such a woman. But the girl didn't even seem to notice; she was still concerned about the girl. She watched, eyes soft, as Erika vomited. She did not move from her spot, not quite willing to disturb the girl until she was done. Once Erika was sitting and appeared calm, then Tori moved towards her.

She knelt beside the younger girl, reached out to touch her hand gently. "Erika..." Tori said softly. Her wings rustled once again. "Erika, darlin', it's okay. It'll all be okay. Can you breathe for me? Deep, slow breaths..." She glanced back at the door, then at her. "Do you want me to get you some water? Do you need anything at all?"