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 Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 4:19 pm
 You make it up as you go along.
Why pretend that you're something that you're not?
I believe in you and always will,
Ever since you told me you're for real.
Inside, emotional mood swings soon collide.
Now gather up all your tenacity.
Take my hand 'cause I'm settin' you free!
Who cares who's there to stare
And tell you how to look?
I'm not even sure they know you by name.
Helorah followed, slightly less grudgingly as before, though she would never have admitted it. She turned the corner and entered the room, which was startlingly contradictory to the one before. This one felt open and blindingly bright. Its decorations were just as simple as the other yet it gave an air that felt almost opposite to the first room. Her eye was drawn to the only true colour in the room, a great read boundary around the bed, and she blinked in surprise.
"The lines are crossed, and the static numbs my ears.
Your turn of phrase rings hollow;
I can't trust a word you say.
What are we to do when the last great poet
Has thrown down his pen?" she recited flatly, cocking her head to the side. Her skin prickled uneasily, and vaguely, she felt like she had lost something somehow in the speaking. Hel's long, pale hands ran over her arms, trying to rub away the goosebumps with friction, while her mind scrambled for any answer it could find as to why those particular lyrics had jumped immediately into her head. Of course, she found nothing other than a cloud for the future, and she didn't like it.
Her blank surprise bent into a frown, but not a scowl. She was too confused for that. So rather than just stand there and look like an idiot, she lied, "It's rather empty... boring, dull, plain. All that jazz."
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 6:22 pm
"If it were truly dull, it would not have sparked such words." He glanced at her and smiled, but almost in a disappointed manner. "Also, I think you would have taken a more sarcastic tone on its lackluster, not be flatly honest." Nikolai shrugged and exited the room after heaving a sigh, beginning the trek to the next room.
This one wasn't his favorite, either. He liked it less than the previous one, but it worked. He liked to sleep there on Halloween. The "red" pillows were too orange for this picky artist to call them red. So, orange and black, and a wonderful night sky view, what does that sound like? Halloween? Yes.
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 6:44 pm
You make it up as you go along.
Why pretend that you're something that you're not?
I believe in you and always will,
Ever since you told me you're for real.
Inside, emotional mood swings soon collide.
Now gather up all your tenacity.
Take my hand 'cause I'm settin' you free!
Who cares who's there to stare
And tell you how to look?
I'm not even sure they know you by name.
"Oh, shut up," she mumbled. He grinned, and she scowled, her foul mood redeveloping. Words didn't matter, anyway. It was involuntary... Or something. She shook her head, trying to clear her head briefly before she turned in time to catch his last comment, which made her pause again for thought, her expression quizzical.
"You do realize that most people would appreciate a lack of sarcasm, right? ... You know what, don't answer that. You would find that a problem." She rolled her eyes, crossed her arms again, something she had dropped as of late, disturbingly enough, and glowered after him.
"Not that you'll care about the warning, but the more I b***h about something, the more direct and blatant I'll be. For instance, we'll get one thing straight off the bat: I hate you." Helorah's face didn't flicker or phase for even the slightest moment, and her tone was so straight that it almost made her words seem calm and rational, despite their meaning. She shrugged and raised an eyebrow, as if waiting for some sort of response to that.
Flicking her hair out of her face prissily, she strode ahead of him into the next room. Obviously, she was picking up on the trend. Her eyes scanned the environment, taking in criticisms and compliments, though nothing was voiced at first. She pointed finally at the bedding and the ceiling. "You do realize that's not red, right?"
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 6:53 pm
Nikolai pretty much ignored her ranting behind him. It was pointless. If she truly hated him, he could learn that on his own. He didn't need her to tell him. Having to voice it almost made it seem like she was more trying to convince herself than him.
He didn't expect to catch her attention that quickly.
He rolled his eyes. "Oh dear, I suppose I should get my eyes checked. Wouldn't want to screw up one of my paintings with this obvious lack of recognition for color, now would I?" Glancing toward her, he raised an eyebrow and then turned back to the bedding. "It's orange, but in the same family. It was closer than the next red, black, and white room, and it's also one of the rooms I prefer to sleep in." He didn't really see why he needed to explain himself to her, but he simply shrugged. It killed time.
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 7:06 pm
You make it up as you go along.
Why pretend that you're something that you're not?
I believe in you and always will,
Ever since you told me you're for real.
Inside, emotional mood swings soon collide.
Now gather up all your tenacity.
Take my hand 'cause I'm settin' you free!
Who cares who's there to stare
And tell you how to look?
I'm not even sure they know you by name.
"Well, it's always safer to ask. I'd hate to offend someone by accusing them wrongly of being colourblind,"she drawled, rolling her eyes. Helorah tilted her head, deciding, and figured that this was probably her favourite of the rooms thusfar... Though, she wasn't sure what she thought of the last room yet, after her little spell or whatever it was. One corner of her lips twitched, as though unable to decide whether to frown or smirk. She released a small huff of frustration for her confusion and then let it go, instead focusing her interest somewhere else, voicing a lesser question that had begun to nag her.
"You hate people or something?"she asked suddenly, being careful to reroute her thoughts, "Four or five favourite bedrooms in an infinite number of spaces in this ******** castle, and I haven't seen a single other person. I mean, it's only a wonder why you don't have women simply flocking here." She actually smirked this time, no hesitation in the slightest. Her violet eyes narrowed spitefully as she raised her face up to look up for his reaction, her chin climbing in its angle again. "What, with having to spend money to force someone to be in your company, after all... How endearing."
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 7:25 pm
"Yes," he answered crisply. "I do hate people. Stupid people, anyway. And most of the population is stupid."
He looked behind him out the door.
"Every now and then people stay over here after a party. I guess you could call them parties."
At the last part, he raised an eyebrow, and his gaze hardened.
"I don't have to pay prostitutes, or buy slaves just for sex, if that's what you're getting at. When I want something," he stared into her eyes, a flash of mischief sparkling in the ebony, "I take it."
Nikolai sighed. "You don't see anyone here because it's their day off, I guess. I don't really keep track of when the maids or janitors or whatever come through here. I know when they're here, and I know when they aren't. That's pretty much all that matters. I'm not going to clean this entire place all by myself, and I'd rather not have it crumble before me."
His jaw tightened and he popped his knuckles. "I'm tired of sticking the the theme. I'll just show you the one place I sleep more often than the 'boring' room, which happens to not be red and black, and then I'll let you wander as you please to find your own room. Just be sure to tell me where it is, and no lies. I'll know."
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 7:43 pm
You make it up as you go along.
Why pretend that you're something that you're not?
I believe in you and always will,
Ever since you told me you're for real.
Inside, emotional mood swings soon collide.
Now gather up all your tenacity.
Take my hand 'cause I'm settin' you free!
Who cares who's there to stare
And tell you how to look?
I'm not even sure they know you by name.
"Tell me about it..." Helorah mumbled. She hated people too, but generally for multiple reasons. Stupidity had a lot to do with it. She moved her hands from over her chest to her hips, and that's when he turned on her. Their gazes met, one just as flinty as the other, and the comparison made Hel's lip quirk upward in a sneering smile. Even ground was something she'd never really come by before.
His response, however, had a hint of a threat in it, she detected, and as he spoke, her eyes darkened from purple to the closest thing she had yet achieved to red, just enough pink to make them a dark magenta. Her immediate reply jumped into her mind, but she did not voice it: what happens when someone won't let you take it?
There was a low rumble echoing somewhere in the hollow of her throat for the briefest of moments, but she let it up once she realized she was growling. Hel shook herself, and the feral appearance faded back into her impassive, stuck-up self. She listened as he continued, nodding vaguely. When he said he'd let her wander, she was slightly taken aback. Had she been anywhere else, she would have been under lock and key for weeks, if they ever let her off at all. After all, she'd been clawing their eyes out by that point, and however rich the people were, they didn't usually want to refurnish their entire estate. Her eyes narrowed slightly again.
"More likely than not, that's going to end up with me lost in this goddamn place. You realize that, don't you?"
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Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 1:57 pm
"I'll know where you are," he assured her, nodding slightly. "You may not be able to find your way back, but just call for me, and I'll come find you." He didn't want to continue leading her around to his own rooms. Nikolai wanted her to find her own room. Let her place of belonging call to her. Besides, two of his absolute favorite rooms, she would not be able to see. Not for a long while. It was a rare occasion that any one got to see those rooms other than himself.
Right now, he wanted to be a bit of a recluse and either go to his art studio, or to his piano. He needed to do some form of art. It was itching at him, actually.
"If you want a suggestion, the room three doors down on the right side of that next left turn in the hallway might be a good one." He blinked, noticing how long and possibly confusing that sentence was. The vampire didn't know for sure if that room would suit her tastes, but it seemed like a cute place to put her. It was mainly purple and black, and she seemed quite at home with those colors.
He sensed her surprise at being left alone, but it didn't really bother him. There wasn't anything there that couldn't be replaced, aside from art work. Hell, some areas of the mansion needed redecorating anyway.
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Posted: Mon May 18, 2009 4:41 pm
You make it up as you go along.
Why pretend that you're something that you're not?
I believe in you and always will,
Ever since you told me you're for real.
Inside, emotional mood swings soon collide.
Now gather up all your tenacity.
Take my hand 'cause I'm settin' you free!
Who cares who's there to stare
And tell you how to look?
I'm not even sure they know you by name. Helorah was uncomfortable, but for all the wrong reasons. She frowned, her eyebrows turning in, and then nodded slowly, still slightly perplexed. Her mind focused on reading out the directions he had given her to his proposed room, and she turned to leave, taking the turn on the next corner and counting down the doors. She was still trying to figure out what to think of the whole situation, not really totally aware of where she was going. The faerie paused just outside the door, hand on the knob and still thinking.
She was comfortable, and that was wrong, which made her uncomfortable. Something was wrong; it had to be. A joke, maybe... a game. She didn't understand. Still frowning with concentration, she turned the handle and stepped in side, sweeping her head up to look around the room. The whole thing was very... gothic. Black iron-- she flinched slightly, imagining and tasting the heat of the metal against skin. Prolonged contact would burn stupid, sensitive faerie skin, after all. The bed was very high, towered on with black and satiny purple, pillows and bedding and fluffiness. It was Lolita, dark yet elegantly cute, and while it drew her, there was an immediate aversion to it.
And she was thirteen again, sitting on an ornately decorated bed. It felt almost like home, except for the heavy weight and dull burn of iron on her ankles while she sat. Hel pulled her knees timidly up her to chest, so that the whole of her body was curled up on the embroidered coverlet. Her fingers were shaking slightly as they pulled gently at the cuffs, searing as they pressed into her flesh, and she quickly pulled away. From her pocket, she pulled out something small and black. It looked a bit like a comb, but it was threaded horizontally with different sized wires. her sensitively, scorched fingers pulled delicately at the strings, letting loose a weak yet intricate chord into the silent room. Footsteps snapped through the sound, and Helorah quickly slid the little instrument underneath her thigh to hide it as a man entered the room. He kept walking until he towered over her as she cowered into the bed, and the memory began to blur. There was a crash of dissonances, then the sound of snapping strings, followed by Hel's own desperate voice screaming, "No! Please!"
Slamming back into her present consciousness, Helorah was already fleeing the room, practically slamming the door behind her. She stood with her back to the wooden entrance, now blocked shut, and took a deep breath. Slim, shimmery little fibers began to pour out from between her shoulder blades, whispery, delicate little wings that gave away her true fragility, and they briefly curled around her shoulders and arms, soothing, before she returned to herself and instantly retracted them, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Alright, well, not that one," she mumbled to herself, rolling her eyes.
After that, she began simply opening door after door and glancing in. Immediately, she'd register either subtle interest or none at all. There was one that was dark blue, black, and white that seemed to be the best one thus far, though the black painted wood near the entrance was too akin to a cage than she liked. Finally, she pulled open the door to one she knew immediately would fit nicely. Maybe it wouldn't be her favourite always, as she shifted from day to day, but she had less time for being finicky at the moment, and the feeling of change seemed to be everywhere. Maybe it would stay that way for a while; oddly, she wouldn't have minded if it had.
This one was actually mostly white, which might have been a turn-off on another day, but all its accents were bright red, the shelves, mainly. Her greatest pleasure was the giant mirror that was set just back from the headboard. Her own reflection seemed to surprise her, and she realized how long it had been since she'd seen herself in anything other than a rare pool of water. In most situations, she didn't have need for one. Now that she could see, though, she realized she was older-looking than she had thought. Helorah made a face into the mirror and looked above it to the strange bow of wooden slats that was set over the head of the bed. It seemed random, but she liked it.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 2:54 pm
Nikolai quickened his pace down the halls, heading toward one of his favorite rooms: the piano room. He opened the door slowly, eyes sparking as he saw his baby. His Baby Grand piano, his prized possession. Stepping toward the piano, he gently stroked the keys, smiling at the ebony and ivory that gracefully lay in pristine condition before him. His breath caught as he played a simple chord, the melodious sound echoing through the Grand Hall. He technically didn't need to breathe, but human habits died hard. Nikolai sighed. He loved this piano. That was one thing he could say that he truly loved, music, and art. Okay, two things, unless you just lump music in with art. He took pride in keeping his Baby Grand in perfect condition, polishing it more than necessary.
Closing his eyes, he rested his fingers on the key in the starting position of one of his favorite pieces. He slowly began to play "House's Composition," the otherwise unnamed pieces that Dr. Gregory House, MD, supposedly wrote in junior high school.
((I'm currently learning that song, so I couldn't resist. X3))
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 4:32 pm
You make it up as you go along.
Why pretend that you're something that you're not?
I believe in you and always will,
Ever since you told me you're for real.
Inside, emotional mood swings soon collide.
Now gather up all your tenacity.
Take my hand 'cause I'm settin' you free!
Who cares who's there to stare
And tell you how to look?
I'm not even sure they know you by name. Helorah stared at the bed, in all its lovely plushness, and she felt the immediate urge to jump up onto the white comforter. However, she was well aware of the pristine whiteness of the room, and something things just made her OCD. White, in particular, was something she could only enjoy if it was completely unsoiled, no stains or dirt or anything, otherwise the whole effect was compromised. That in mind, she did not want her boots on that bed at all.
She glanced down at her legs, which were nearly completely sheathed in thigh-high black leather boots with thick, heavy heels. There were strings down the outside, but luckily, someone was smart enough to have put easy little zippers on the inside. She leaned over and unzipped them, immediately recoiling from the feeling of air as it brushed her exposed legs. Well, they weren't completely exposed. Hel had a thing for fishnets, and so, in the absence of her boots, fishnet stockings criss-crossed over her legs, up just as high as the boots had been. But, at least her feet wouldn't leave dirt streaks on the white fabric.
Nimbly, she leaped up onto the bed, hopping lightly until she reached the mirror at its headboard. She frowned again, placing a careful hand against the cool glass. Sticking her tongue out irritably, she turned on her heel, bouncing slightly on the airy plush of the mattress and comforter, and then collapsed solidly onto the bed, her knees bent to either side of her while she thought.
But she didn't know what to think.
Luckily, she was soon distracted by the humming thrill of music pervading the mansion, distant yet completely distinct. Without a second thought, she hopped up again and, leaving her shoes behind, half-ran out of the room, following the sound of the simple yet haunting melody. Her body turned corners on instinct, though she'd never be able to find her way back, until the sound reached its loudest volume to her right hand. Waiting until the last chord hit the air, Hel very slowly, delicately turned the knob and slid soundlessly inside, eyes wary.
She was slightly surprised but not really.
"Metallica to this? ... Quite a range," she pointed out. "I would have expected more bass."
{{ I like it. }}
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 4:58 pm
Nikolai froze.
Someone was in his music room. His sanctuary.
In an instant, he appeared about three inches in front of her. "What are you doing in here?" he hissed. "No one is allowed in this room but myself and whoever I deem worthy. You have not yet earned that respect," he snapped.
His eyes sparked with fire, but his aura had turned icy cold, his upper lip twitching in a snarl. His fangs glistened and his eyes narrowed as he reached fast as lightening to grasp her throat, intent on slamming her against the wall.
Of course, he hadn't told her any house rules... but anger didn't operate on logic.
((Ooh! Drama! X3))
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 5:10 pm
You make it up as you go along.
Why pretend that you're something that you're not?
I believe in you and always will,
Ever since you told me you're for real.
Inside, emotional mood swings soon collide.
Now gather up all your tenacity.
Take my hand 'cause I'm settin' you free!
Who cares who's there to stare
And tell you how to look?
I'm not even sure they know you by name. "So bite me, why don'tchaaaaaaaaaah!?"
Helorah had been intending on making her comment sassy and wittily sarcastic, but it was kind of interrupted with his extreme reaction. Talk about a temper. Not that she wasn't accustomed to it by now. It had merely taken her by surprise. Her bare shoulders smacked into wall, and she flinched but once the acceleration on his attack backfired, the pressure eased up.
She gagged once, clearing her airways, then glancing back up at him. His expression was so feral, cold and threatening, that her instincts triggered back deep into her elemental blood, and she growled back, more quietly but definitely just as pissed. Behind her, wispy little films of her wings flicked about indignantly.
Her elbow propped her forward slightly, fighting against his weight, but her free hand grasped his wrist as she glared up at him. "Don't touch me," she rumbled, pupils contracting into slits within her now almost maroon eyes.
{{ : O GASP! }}
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 5:34 pm
"You're my property," he spat. "I can do whatever I want with you."
A pale, slender finger slowly trailed a lazy circle around her navel. "Anything."
His head tilted slightly to the side, a few ivory tendrils falling across his eyes. A wicked grin crawled over his features, and he lowered his lips to her ear, whispering, "Now the only question is, how to punish you, Kitten?"
He growled, fighting the urge to bite her. Just bite her, not even for feeding. But, come to think of it, he was a little peckish. He gnashed his teeth, a not-so-subtle threat, daring her to fight him.
((I think I just scared myself. o__o;;; ))
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 5:46 pm
You make it up as you go along.
Why pretend that you're something that you're not?
I believe in you and always will,
Ever since you told me you're for real.
Inside, emotional mood swings soon collide.
Now gather up all your tenacity.
Take my hand 'cause I'm settin' you free!
Who cares who's there to stare
And tell you how to look?
I'm not even sure they know you by name. {{ Lol. Bring it on. }}
Helorah's body tensed, muscles rippling into frozen stone as one of his hands moved elsewhere. Her eyes narrowed further, barely exposing any colour as she snarled in response. His wrist was still beneath her curled fingers, and in her rage, her hand clamped down like a vice. Her other arms pushed harder than ever to push away from the wall, and suddenly, the silver collar around her neck crackled. It's suppression spell fought valiantly with the rising flush of magic that should have automatically been coursing her veins.
Damn technology.
She replaced the push of her arm with one of her legs, since they were obviously stronger, and she was only vaguely aware of the fact that pushing herself to fight being backed against a wall forced her to be pressed in his general direction. Technicality. She would fix that once she had some leeway.
"Chains or none," she hissed, "I've never been anyone's before. So I'm certainly not going to start now!"
She ducked backward slightly, letting go of his wrist and bracing herself backward against the wall now, every limb coiled to spring.
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