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 Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 12:38 pm
Because I love you, her heart skipped a beat. Her lips parted without her notice and she blinked only half way as if in a trance. She was grateful she had severed the connection between Pierre and herself. Her guilt intensified and she became numb inside. All that went through her mind was, People who love me get hurt, but she did not voice it. It was vehemently unfair to unload this negativity on him when he had his own things to worry about. When he pulled away, she automatically refused, but this was not expressed. She could not. What about Pierre? He's hurting just as much. I would be horrified and would hate myself forever if I had so directly hurt... It's worse, because he changed so quickly, and then seemed to change back. Yet, he's still cold. He didn't even look at me when they dragged him away. Then there's... He killed her - snapped her neck like it was a toothpick; the easiest decision in the world. And James... She wished she could tear herself in two so that one could fret about what would happen to Pierre and the other could enjoy her time with James without overwhelming guilt.
Hearing him laugh made her smile. He helped her into a chair and kissed her hand before letting go. That hand found the other and was tucked underneath her chin, soon to be replaced by her knees and folded around her legs. She hugged them, not caring that the white silk robe they had given her was exposing most of her thighs. The emptiness and immense confusion did not cease, however, no matter how hard she tried to bore her knees into her chest - there was a hole there that seemed to be eating at everything else inside of her. 
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Posted: Tue Nov 12, 2013 1:06 pm
James watched her fold into herself. I've made her uncomfortable, he thought to himself. "Look," he said with a smile, "I only told you so you'd know. I can accept that you love Pierre; I do. Nothing has changed between us, I promise. I'll always be your friend. Always," he said with a wink, alluding to his immortality.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 6:49 am
Jaime remained huddled together and motionless with her eyes closed. Her breathing was barely visible and her heart slowed as if becoming still and calm. Her eyes darted beneath their lids, moving from the one side to the other as her thoughts dug deeper into reason and into her heart, seeking out all possibilities and consequences. Her lashes stirred and her eyes opened, seeking out something on the table. She walked to it and drank out the last drops of her mother’s blood while picking up an object that he could not see.
“James,” she started in a tone of voice that oddly seemed hesitant and determined at the same time. “Why me? There are so many gorgeous women to choose from. You could have chosen a happy life with a lovely young lady…” she made her way to him, speaking slowly as if she was unsure of what she was saying and looking up into his eyes.
“Someone who didn’t have as much baggage and issues attached to her; someone who could properly be yours and take care of you.” Her eyes were glossy, her pupils were dilated and they seemed to speak of anguish and forbidden desires. She stopped. He was close enough to feel the heat pulse from her human body, but not near enough to touch. She tilted her head up towards his – her lips only inches only inches from his and her eyes growing; begging.
“Why?” It was but a rasping whisper, hot against his skin.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 12:01 pm
James's thoughts were hazy. It was difficult to think when she was so near to him. He could feel her hot breath, the warmth of her skin, her confusion. Her lips were so close to his and he longed to take them for his own, to make her feel how he felt when she tormented him this way. But he couldn't do it. He couldn't make himself move, couldn't think, couldn't blink. Something about her ensnared him.
He took a deep steadying breath out of habit and reached out to her, placing a gentle hand upon her waist. "Jaime," he breathed. He could get no further. His mind was stuck. He simply stared into her eyes, mesmerized.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 12:13 pm
Jaime moved fast. Her hand grabbed at his and turned it up. Something sharp pierced his wrist - a scalpel. It cut deep, severing an artery. Her lips pressed to the wound and she started to lap up the blood gushing from it. Her grip was firm; her hands urgently pressed his arm to her mouth. She bit into it, making sure the wound would not heal until her search was over. Anna had communicated memories through blood before - selective memories - but when the blood was taken from her dead body, some of her knowledge on tricks like these passed over to the drinker. Jaime searched only for an opinion of Pierre. There seemed to be an underlying rivalry between the two friends regarding matters of the heart, and she was determined to know at least this small seemingly insignificant detail.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 12:37 pm
 
Jaime coming to visit him in his cell, comforting him through the torments he endured. He had imagined them to be almost the same; both being held captive, both being punished and ordered about, both fearing...
Jaime and Pierre fleeing Ravenheart. Her hand was in his. James felt a twinge of sorrow as he noted how the two held fast to each other.
Jaime and Pierre on the ship, gazing lovingly at each other, oblivious as James stood watched, concerned for their safety. Jaime slipping into a seat beside him on the ship, smiling a bright smile that made his heart soar... Pierre and Jaime riding down the moonlit path, seemingly carefree as madness loomed over James, tearing at him like knives...
And Jaime, sitting beside him under the tree, the sun bringing a warm glow as she picked at the grass and looked up at the sky; James spying on her from his reclining position, admiring everything about her...
Pierre's rage as he tried to drain her. The panic he felt, fearing that she would die, his throat being torn from his body as the tendons snapped and his bone splintered, choking on his own blood, wondering if he'd bought Jaime enough time... Staring into her eyes as the coldness crept through his body, wanting to tell her that he loved her, but being consumed by the pain and blackness, worrying that she wouldn't be safe around Pierre without him. So much regret. So much emotional and physical pain...
He pulled his arm away sharply, collapsing on the chair behind him, shaking. "No," he said quietly, "Enough." His blood dripped to the floor noisily, the scalpel still protruding from it.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 1:02 pm
Jaime staggered back, struggling to keep it all down. The emotions was intense and overwhelming. Blood dripped from her chin and streaked down her neck and seeped into the rim of the robe. She pulled the back of her hand across her lips, making an even bigger mess. Regaining her wits, she approached James, slowly as not to alarm him, but urgent. The scalpel was gently removed and she pressed a cloth to the wound.
"I'm sorry, James. I am so sorry, but I had to..." She squeezed his good arm and turned on her heel, taking the instrument with her. After washing her face and neck, drying it off on a towel nearby, she turned to him again.
"Get some rest before we set off again. And don't worry - everything will turn out for the better in the end." She smiled sweetly and exited the room, heading toward where they kept Pierre.
There was a door in the back of the infirmary on the right side. Behind that, was a short space with two iron doors. She ensured that the door linking this area to the infirmary was secure so that James could not interrupt.
"Pierre?" she asked softly, remembering that his cell was the one on the left, and attempted to slide her fingers through the gap near the floor that allowed airflow. She could not reach him. The gap was too narrow and stopped her hand at the knuckles.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 1:23 pm
 
Night was approaching. It had been at least an hour since he had moved, but still he remained in the uncomfortable position to watch out of the window. What will they do to me, he wondered. He thought of being locked away, of being burnt or forced to drink blessed water. There were so many tortures his mind devised, but he was too numb to be properly afraid, too shocked at what he had done.
Anna's and James's blood felt cold against his already icy skin. With a sigh, he dragged himself over to the water pitcher and poured it over him, rinsing the blood into a drain in the center of the floor. Immediately, he felt the effects of the water weakening him. He slumped to the ground and leaned against the wall. He looked to his left and saw fingers curling under the door. He recoiled, apprehensive. "Pierre," called a soft voice. The voice made him feel warm and relieved, but at the same time afraid and ashamed. "I'm here," he replied quietly, his voice full of sorrow. Even to his own ears, he sounded like a man who had endured a thousand hardships in one small hour.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 1:31 pm
There was laughter and sniveling after his reply. The sound of metal clanging against the floor echoed through the small, hollow space and another set of fingers joined their right-handed partners, white from being forced into the gap and begging for his touch. Their owner was at a loss of words. The sound of his voice seemed to have erased her per-meditated intentions.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 1:50 pm
He wanted to hold her, to beg for her forgiveness, to endure anything she would say toward him, to feel her strike at him. He would have given the world to just look at her face one last time, no matter the cost.
What are they going to do with me, he thought, his mind numb. What if this is my last chance to speak to her? To touch her?
"Listen," he told her, his voice breaking with emotion and urgency, "Whatever happens, whatever they do to me, stay with James. He will protect you. He will keep you safe. If they decide to kill me..." He trailed off. He needed to tell her, but there were so many things he would rather say. He changed mid-sentence. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what I've done to you. To James and to Anna. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't control it. I..." He trailed off again. He couldn't go on. He merely lay his head against the cold stone, mouthing "I'm so sorry," over and over.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 2:02 pm
"Shhh," she gently squeezed the tips of his fingers with hers. "Can't you break this door down? This is ridiculous. James said they knew this was going to happen - the natives. There's something they're not telling us. Are you sure your research was correct? Are you sure there's a cure here?" She paused for a moment.
"James is a bit shaken, but fine, and so am I," she didn't mention her mother. She was unsure of the time they had left. "And I'll make sure they don't harm you... What happened? It wasn't you, I know that, but... You said something. Pierre, please be honest with me. Am I a sacrifice for something?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 2:09 pm
He kissed her finger tips gently. "I know there is a cure here. It lies with a powerful entity. This entity is the protector of this artifact and is the cause of all this - my loss of humanity and James's madness. They didn't know what would happen exactly, but they knew that something would happen. But I promise you, if I live, we will get through this - all of us. I will make sure of it. But if they kill me, you have to let them, okay? Don't fight them. If they kill me, please... stay in this land. You're safe here, much safer than anywhere we come from. Please," he begged her, his voice breaking.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 2:20 pm
His confirmation of her resolve sickened her and tears rolled freely. "No," her voice was high-pitched and expressed the feelings of helplessness over the possibility. "We will free Ravenheart of its wars and troubles. We will establish a working system without room for corruption of any kind. We will rebuild Rhodessa as you've always dreamed and you will be happy. James, too, and everything will turn out fine in the end. You'll see," her voice broke into a whisper at the end. She muffled her sobs into the nook of her arm before clearing her throat to continue, bravely, "I will not let them kill you. Thanks to my mother, I am stronger now. I won't let you go without a fight. Nothing you say will change that." Her tone of voice became stronger and more determined as she rambled on.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 2:26 pm
Pierre felt his heart tearing. She intended to fight them if they tried to kill him; in his eyes, it was just and fair. He had murdered someone and attempted to kill two others. He was dangerous and would possibly become savage again. They couldn't take that risk, and neither could he. He pulled his hands away.
Then you leave me no choice, he thought to himself. "You'd better go before they catch you here," he told her quietly. He fell silent, waiting to hear her retreating footsteps to know she was safely away.
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Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2013 2:47 pm
She pulled her hands back, not bothering to soothe them from the friction, and leaned against a wall. She pressed her back into it as hard as she could, hoping that physical pain would relieve her aching heart. It did not. A voiceless scream escaped her lips and the air around her started to swirl. She kicked the opposite wall - the cell's door - and the material, where the ball of her foot touched it, started to rust and peel. The same phenomenon was evident on the opposite side, but it did not help. Only the surface was damaged and that was it. Finally, she found her voice.
"Dang it, Pierre! They need you! Your people need you - the humans and the vampires. James needs you. I need you. And withdrawing into yourself is not helping anyone. Bad things happen to good people. Yes, things look pretty bleak now, but there's a silver lining around every stormy cloud. If you give up... What will become of the rest of us? What will become of your people? What..." she tore into violent sobs once more, unable to speak. Don't leave me, you idiot. Can't you see? I'm not going anywhere!
She attempted to steady her breathing, but when she spoke her voice was raw and hoarse with anguish. "Stop being a coward and fight! If not for yourself, for those who look up to you for guidance and protection." There was a pause filled with more chocking back of tears. "Your humanity is bound by the connections you keep; by the amount and quality of kinships. If you distance yourself from those who love you, there will be nothing left of you." Jaime finally fell silent and her aura decreased as she calmed, seeping back into her body's core.
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