As written by Emperor Jester and Krysis
It wasn't exactly morning, though sunlight shown threw the tattered curtains in the bedroom when Nox "awoke". He'd never truly been asleep, instead, in a deep state of thought, practically catatonic. The Caer had made many plans, and for the most part, everything was working exactly as he had planned them out to. Rising from his bed, caring little if he disturbed his company from the night before or not, he'd move across the cold, almost stone-like room towards the window, brazen in his nudity, especially once opening the blinds.
Nox would almost hiss. The sunlight...how it stung. The longer he let himself bask in its light, the more animalistic his features would become. The pain was almost exquisite, and just as annoying to boot. Once his skin began to peel, blacken, crack, and smoke however, he'd throw the curtains back to their original position before turning back towards Pierette. "Are you awake yet, girl?"
Pierette was awake and staring at him. She gritted her teeth as she massaged her leg to try to work out the cramp that had her muscle standing out in sharp relief on her calf. When it let go, she groaned in relief and laid back. "Not a good look for you, m'lord. Sunlight will ruin your complexion."
She'd examine her limbs and body next, checking to see how much damage remained, brushing her fingers over the cuts he had made in her skin to brush away any dried blood that remained. Lastly she touched her throat, this time almost gingerly. She had a hard time breathing anyway, and the bruises from his hands would probably make that even more difficult.
He'd watched her as the burnt patches of his skin quickly peeled and feel away, turning to dust before hitting to floor. Soon enough, Nox looked as he had the night before, if not seconds. "I realize that. The sun however, will hold no sway over me eventually. Every day it hurts less and less."
A cold glance over her body. "So frail. I forget your kind has trouble dealing with my...specific tastes, and that your physical limits tire you out. I only stopped once I'd realized you'd lost consciousness." A knife, resting delicately on a bedside table would find its way into his hands as he moved across the room. It was expensive looking to say the least, and looked to be something from an era long past. A bladed heirloom of his family. Nox took it everywhere, or at least one made to look like it. "You exceeded my expectations though. I'm impressed, Perilous."
She smiled at him using her nickname, "Normally I enjoy a little rough sex, but you exceeded my expectations as well, my lord. I find myself in need of my bag and of a bathroom, if you wouldn't mind taking a short break."
She'd groan as she forced herself up, standing with only a little trembling in her limbs, though she did favor the leg that had cramped so dramatically. She had only made one request when he had first shown her the knife, and that was to avoid her tattoos. The art would have been marred by even the thinest of scars. Other than that, she had thrown herself willingly into his desires. What she hadn't told him was that the painkillers she had taken earlier in the evening had helped alot with how eagerly she had greeted his plans.
"Of course, in due time. First, I can't have my guest walking around as if the master of the house had harmed her. I have a public image to keep." Whether or not that was an attempt at a joke or not, was uncertain, though it was for a purpose.
The knife would flash in his hands, slicing his own arm open. His skin would sizzle, and almost bubble, a thick, almost black liquid rising to the surface of his skin. One simple command as the Caer locked eyes with his guest. "Drink it."
Pierette bit her lip when he cut himself, inhaling sharply and automatically taking a step towards the Caer. Not to help, oh no, but turned on by the sight of blood on him, just as she had been when he had hurt her and the red had smeared on his white skin. She would touch his arm to either side of the wound almost shyly as she looked up at him, her fingers cupping to keep the liquid from being wasted on the floor.
"Am I permitted to ask what this will do to me? In the heat of the moment, I wouldn't have hesitated, but after seeing your children, you must forgive me for being leery of your gifts." She'd bend towards that black fluid though, breathing in the scent as if she could hardly resist despite her caution. Knowing it had hurt him to offer her this made it all the more intoxicating, though the taste of blood wasn't normally one of her desires.
"I noticed how you breath, child. And your current physical state may impede the plans I have for you. This is merely a means to help alleviate some of those symptoms." If she touched the goop, it would seem to stick to her, and its aroma was cloyingly sweet, almost harshly so. It smelled of overly ripe berries, with dark, rich, earthy undertones. Already, the wound was closing and the "blood" was beginning to cool against his icy flesh, small flakes appearing on its surface, slowly spreading.
"I'm trusting you." She murmured before her soft pink tongue was lapping at the edges of the liquid. She breathed warmth against the flakes of ice as she worked, determined not to let a single drop go to waste. Of course, she was usually fearless when it came to substance abuse, and if not for the terror of becoming one of his spawn, she would not have hesitated at all. Death held no horror, but those things-- Well, Perilous had finally found something to fear.
She'd even slurp at the wound if it was still open, perhaps hoping to provoke a sound from Nox. After all, she had made plenty of sounds for him, in some strange way, she felt he owed her at least a little reaction.
Despite her desires, Nox would remain stoic, watching her tongue work. A cold would spread throughout her body as she consumed part of his, numbing the wound's he'd inflicted on her earlier that night. An icy fire ignited in his body, filling her with energy and power. A rush of physical delight, a complete body high.
Though the important part were her lungs. It was as if she could breath normally, if she could even remember what that felt like. No pain, no wheezing, no rumbling in her chest. On a molecular level, the fel magic in his blood was repairing the dying and scarred tissue inside her body, everywhere. As he'd watch her inevitable reaction, a thin smile would form on his lips. "Consider this repayment for entertaining me so much last night."
Perilous gave a low cry when those sensations hit her, and would fall to her knees. Her nails dug into his arm to make sure she didn't loose hold until his flesh was clean. When it was over, she stayed on the floor, panting and folding her arms tightly around her chest as she could actually feel her lungs getting better. It itched and burned as well as feeling good, and the quickly improving quality of the oxygen getting into her blood.
A little dizzy at the feeling, she slowly lifted her head, dashing back the short tendrils of pink and blue hair that had straggled into her face as she gave the man before her a stunned and happy smile. "Seems like I owe you now, and I always repay my debts. Hell, you could make a fortune bottling that, and even the highest members of society would gladly pay any price you asked."
"Yes, I suppose I could. It hardly interest me however. Something as mundane as money worries my thoughts little. You however, will have need of it." Nox would lift her to her feet, running his hands over her, completely, to make sure she was more or less presentable. "Good. I'm glad you didn't have an adverse reaction to it. Its been known to happen. Now, get dressed or bath, or whatever it is you wished to do."
Almost tenderly, he'd kiss her forehead before moving towards his wardrobe, lost in thought. Today did not feel like a day for white. Today felt like a day for black. It would suit his mood perfectly. "I'll be giving you a list of chores later, and funds in which to complete them. If you do well enough, you'll receive another...substantial reward, akin to last night."
Pierette bit her lip again, this time in amusement at how innocent such a statement was, though she would not point it out to him. Money was hardly the only thing he could get for healing the terminally ill, after all. She turned in his grip so he could check all of her if he desired, and then gave a bark of laughter when he mentioned 'adverse reaction', her eyes lit with pleasure and joy.
The kiss on her forehead made her giggle and she would pick up her little pink sheath dress while he talked. The high was fading slowly and she didn't want to loose it completely before having to face a mirror, so she'd hurry off to get herself cleaned up and dressed. Unfortunately, the feeling couldn't last forever, and by the time she was wiping the steam off the mirror in the bathroom, grim reality was weighing down on her again.
She leaned close to the glass as she applied her make-up and whispered her daily mantra to her reflection. "No one cares. No one wants you. You're going to die and no one will miss you."
She gave her reflection a nod of approval before returning to Nox, once more dressed in the sort of ragged punk style she preferred: ragged blue denim and stray bits of plastic and metal, some of which were in her flesh.
When she returned, she'd find the master of the house in a rather detailed, tailored suit. Black with navy blue pinstripes up the pants legs, which would hug his sides tightly. A pressed jacket, ironed to have many hard edges and corners, and he'd just finish tying his tie in an trinity knot when Pierette opened the door. "Good. I was hoping you hadn't gotten lost or misled."
Nox had arranged several "goods" on the same bedside table on which the knife had rested. A thick looking, white leather pocketbook. A cellphone. A key. A simple silver-sapphire necklace, etched with his house crest, though that was only visible if you looked at it in a certain light. "Come. I've prepared a small employment package for you."
"Nah, you're my favorite person at the moment. You are looking scrumptious today, m'lord. Is that what I am supposed to call you, by the way?" Though Perilous thought of people more like toys or games, it seemed like it would be prudent to keep that to herself as well. She prowled around Nox slowly, admiring his suit and tugging the back seams straight for him.
"Wow. More presents? And it isn't anywhere near my birthday." Pierette would pick up the pocketbook first, if he seemed to want her to examine the items instead of letting him give them to her individually.
"You may call me whatever you wish, though I prefer my name to all other titles when I am being informal. Right now, I am talking as your employer however, since we've entered an agreement of services for rewards." The pocketbook would feel heavy, as if it were filled with paper. Inside would be, roughly, ten thousand dollars. "Half of that is yours to do with as you wish."
A pause, to gauge her reaction before continuing. "The other half is to find a discreet, tight-lipped salesman who deals in furniture and another who is gifted at electrical and plumbing repair. Small companies who won't attract attention. Is that understood?"
She checked the contents before nodding thoughtfully. Pierette sat on the edge of the bed then, as if her knees were not happy about supporting her. "I know just the person to ask. Well, about the construction work at least. My darling brother will know who to get for furniture too. I'm guessing this cellphone is 'work' only, huh? Only you and the people you want to be able to reach me will have the number?"
"Correct. It can hold up to five numbers, and has a pre-set amount of minutes. Its what people these days are calling a...burner?" The slang was new to him, as was all this technology. Though it certainly had its uses, and the Caer found himself embracing the new age more than he thought he would've. Nox refused to become stuck to the past and miss out on the resources and advantages that time had created in his hibernation.
"The key is to the kitchen door. Always use the kitchen door. Tell those you hire for me the same thing as well. Never the front door, under any circumstances, unless instructed otherwise. As for the necklace, well, that is simply a gift. Feel free to do with it what you wish."
The wallet gets put in her shoulder bag, along with the cellphone (though that got put in with her personal cellphone). The key is added to the loop chain with her car keys and the keys to various other residences in the city. The necklace though, Pierette touched it lightly, then shook her head, "It's too pretty to wear. Especially the sort of places I go. Will you keep it for me? Maybe I'll wear it here?"
Then she shook her head to dislodge the silly romantic fancies that flittered about her thoughts before she focused on business once more. "Do you want me to do a title search? Find out who actually owns this place legally? It's probably a state owned propety by now, and if we play it right, we can get it back. Then you could fix it up openly, call it a museum home, or a historical residence or some shit like that. Remy would know how to do that."
"An interesting idea. Yes, do look into that." He hadn't thought about mortals and their perceptions of ownerships. Though with the terror he and his family had caused, it was doubtful anyone had even looked into buying the old Caer property. "You are more resourceful than I would've taken you for. After all is said and done, I may very well re-ask you if you'd like to live for eternity."
No matter what she was feeling, Nox had no room for romance in his heart for this girl. She was merely a tool, though already her personality made him crack a smile. She was useful without him having to direct her every action and movement, and she certainly wasn't stupid. Perilous was capable of picking up on his train of thought after only a few moments. And there was one other thing he needed her for. Her sister. He still remembered the shiver Celeste had caused in the back of his mind when he first held eyes on her at the rave. "Once all is said and done, your tasks complete, take as much time as you desire, to do whatever you wish. Return here at least once a week. Never bring anyone else with you, unless instructed otherwise."
Nox had said those three words more times today than he cared to admit. The Caer hated repeating himself.
Pierette gave him a surprised look at being sent away for a week apparently. At least, that was what she heard when he told her to come back once a week. Then she gave a bitter smile and stood up to give a bow, more self mocking than anything. She had let herself forget, even for a moment, that she was unwanted, and was immediately reminded of that fact. "As you wish. Good bye, sir."
He could sense her sudden bitterness in the air and snapped his eyes towards her with a sudden fury. "Is there something wrong, Perilous? Was something I said in the wrong, or hurtful? Or were my gifts not to your liking? If you feel like I am casting you out, let me make something perfectly clear."
Nox would grab her by the throat, his breath and words a cold hiss. "You belong to me now. This is your home. You may chose to live here, share a bed with me every night, do my bidding so I may continue to move in secret, and live a life much better than the one you live right now. I will give you all you desire if I feel like you've earned it. But cross me, betray me, or over step the boundaries of this relationship, and I WILL feed you to my pets, or make you one of them myself. Is that clear?"
She flinched for once when he grabbed for her throat, lifting her chin haughtily until the import of his words hit her. One hand would hold her bag back, so it didn't swing between them, but the other rested delicately on his wrist. Being told that she belonged made tears stand in her eyes despite her best effort to not let emotion show. His threats made her smile though, and she whispered, "Are you surprised that I feared being cast away? I want to stay. This is indeed better than the life I live on my own. I just know that I am unworthy and the dream must end, sooner or later."
Nox would sigh audibly before letting her go. "As you say. Now, you and I both have work to do. I'll choose my words better this time. Return here when you wish to." He would leave the room then, without her, moving unnaturally fast to leave her alone with her thoughts.
'Trouble. She could be too much trouble to keep in the long wrong. But I won't need her for that long, will I?' The thought brought a grim smile to his lips.