[Nexus] Saer's Manor

[kitcatk8]

"I know." His gaze was sincere as he looked up at her. His hand he kept between them reached up and touched her jawline with its fingertips, though it was still in a position to keep her at bay in an emergency. He didn't want to use it that way. "You are doing very well."

He wasn't as ignorant as she imagined him to be. He'd been around a long time, dealt with blood lust in all shapes and colors. And he'd been teaching individuals to deal with their inner beasts for several centuries, usually vampires, but there were certainly exceptions to the rule, such as her. He'd been created with his own beast, able to control it from the start. She was not so lucky.

"And you are strong enough to own this, are you not?" His voice was still quiet, but it was firm. "Since when does Nixa allow something to get the better of her, including her own dragon?"

He didn't think his words would work. Not yet. But they had to start somewhere. And he knew she was smart enough, strong-willed enough to eventually learn, to channel her hunger in some other way or to quell it. With creatures of the forest, she'd never been forced to learn how to control it. With him, she was put to a new challenge. He had confidence in her, but then, he also still had the arm put up between them.

[orb_of_blood]

The words had an adverse effect, as Nixa snarls angrily, baring her teeth. It's stronger than I am, Saer! It will always be stronger then me!

But then she shakes her head, looks away, tries not to hear his heartbeat. He has no way of knowing. You claim you know dragons, but you've never been to my world. Who knows, maybe the bloodlust could be... dimmed somewhat, or shifted or channeled... but Andaress had named and asserted it as a control over the dragons, a price for their strength, and there was no completely controlling it.

Although... she's surprised herself by not taking a bite from Saer yet. She's shocked that she can be this close, can smell the blood, can feel his weakness, and yet still resist somewhat.

And she's mad.

At herself for defying her goddess in that way. At him for pushing the defiance. At herself for ever drinking from him in the first place. At him for coaxing her to.

No, NO! No anger, Nixa!

...too late. With a sudden pang of lust and anger and craving, she pushes him down into the desk with the hand still on his chest. The other one attempts to pull free of his grasp and shove his head to the side as she leans down to tear at any exposed skin with her teeth, seeking blood.

[kitcatk8]

Her angry words only had him more prepared for what was to come. Saer gripped her claw tighter and locked his arm as she pushed down, not allowing those teeth to get anywhere near his throat, snarling in turn. His was a deeper, thicker sound, more animalistic than should have come from a human-shaped throat. He tried to use her momentum to his advantage, pulling her in the same direction she dove, but rolling so he'd end with her under him, their legs both dangling off the side of the desk, but their torsos in no danger of falling off the huge piece of furniture.

The fact that she'd heard his words at all instead of all out attacking in the first place was promising. But if it was a fight she sought, he'd oblige until she was tired of it.

[orb_of_blood]

The moment Saer is over her is the moment Nixa truly loses control as the bloodlust causes a full-scale panic attack. She's trapped! Trapped!

Nixa won't allow herself to be trapped. She's struggling like mad. The claw he's caught curls around his hand to try and dig into the flesh unless he lets go or twists it around. Her other claw, which is still at his chest, rakes downwards, and she's snapping still with her teeth, although they're far enough away to not pose any threat. Simultaneously, she kicks her legs, driving a knee upwards in a vicious aim for his groin.

[kitcatk8]

The best her claw could do at his hand was puncture the back of it, and as wild as she was, she did so beautifully. Rivulets of blood flowed anew down his wrist and forearm. He pulled back enough so her claw aiming for his chest ripped through the shirt but only grazed his skin, not causing any substantial damage.

But her knee and its final aim was right on target. The demon bit back a howl of a cry behind clenched teeth and felt the vicious hit travel all the way up into his gut and shoot sharply down his legs.

His patience was not limitless. With a snarl, he tried to slam her claw back into the desk and reached to grasp her opposite wrist. At the same time, he pulled suddenly, harshly, at the heat which rest not only at her surface, but deep at the center of her in a vicious metaphysical jerk.

[orb_of_blood]

Nixa's probably thrashing too hard to be pinned until...

Until Saer pulls at her Core. Nixa can shut her Core to the world, but she rarely does so completely, leaving it open a crack to allow it to respond and fluctuate according to her moods. It means she's a relatively strong dragon as she doesn't keep it shut away as her siblings keep theirs (so she can access it instantly whenever she needs a boost of energy)... however, it also means that she's completely open to this kind of attack.

And wow, is it ever effective! Saer only needed to pull a little at her Core to pry it open and drain Nixa's heat and energy reserves significantly - as already proved by his small draw from the burn in the water previously. But as he tugs harshly, he's rewarded with practically of it in one insanely large burst, and the thrashing drowess stills. Completely.

He's just tapped her energy. Every small bit she drank from him, gone in that instant, and even more after that. Nice. In fact, it's surprising she's still even awake after that. But she is. Barely. But as limp and vulnerable as can be, as her heart slows to a crawl, her breathing drops, and whatever heat Saer hasn't pulled leaks into the atmosphere from her now-open Core.

Don' kill me... she mumbles, fear the only thing evident in her voice. Please...

[kitcatk8]

He was over her, finally able to let the tenseness in his muscles go when she all but collapsed. The demon's arms were literally shuddering with the amount of energy he'd just pulled from her, and his breaths were labored, as if he'd just gotten done running a mile as fast as he could. He barely heard her whisper past the roaring of his own blood in his ears.

Somehow, both his hands had ended up on either side of her head. It might have happened in the middle of the pull when he realized he needed something to brace himself against. He honestly didn't remember, and that was somewhat troubling. Also troubling was that when she pleaded up to him, he had to bite back the urge to laugh.

Euphoria.

Great. He was drunk off her.

At least his wounds had all healed.

Somehow he managed to bite back the chuckle, clear his throat and shake his head, murmuring down to her, "Don't be ridiculous..."

She needs you right now. Focus.

He shut his eyes tightly in a hard blink and tried to do just that. Usually it came much easier that this. His brother Alus was the notoriously distractible one.

She's scared.

He shook his head, hard, and reopened his eyes. Saer lifted one of his hands and then laid his palm gently to her jaw and neck, trying to gauge her temperature. Though it might be difficult from the amount of heat he'd soaked up in so little time. He was used to her being warmer than him, not the other way around. The thought sobered him somewhat.

Despite his inner voice protesting, the demon leaned over and touched his lips lightly to hers, focusing some of that extra, amazing heat to the edge of his mouth. It was offered rather than pushed. He didn't know if it would help her, but it was the gentlest thing he could think to try in the moment, and based on her reaction or lack thereof, he'd offer more or less.

[orb_of_blood]

She draws whatever heat back he allows her to through his lips, but other then that he gets no response. After a few moments, with a tremendous amount of effort, she pulls in her Core and manages to store the last few wisps of energy and heat.

Not happy.

Even though she needs the heat he's offering, she snarls against his mouth, angry at him for such a stunt but unable to do... well, anything really. Still, she doesn't sound too appreciative of that, or his laugh after, and definitely not of the kiss. If she were able, she'd almost definitely push him away. Even a lack of energy couldn't stop the anger of the bloodlust.

[kitcatk8]

The moment she snarled against his mouth, weak as it was, some sort of switch flipped in the demon. He drew back and returned the snarl with one of his own, something between a barking growl and a roar. Where he had been trying to reassure her a moment before, suddenly the pendulum swung the other way in accordance with her mood. His control was usually better. Under normal circumstances, he'd be able to handle the swing. Now, it looked like he'd had enough, and that was exactly the message he was conveying in his non-verbal response. It wasn't conscious, but pure reaction.

Saer was not too well-equipped for rational judgment calls at present. He stared at her beast with his own. Though, his beast was always there, constantly peering from those icy blue eyes. She was helping to bring it to the surface, and the power surge had contributed significantly as well.

[orb_of_blood]

Such a feral growl cannot mean anything good, especially if it's coming from a demon.

Get away from him. Now.

...How? That's remarkably difficult to do when you have no energy!

In fact, all the energy she does have is drawn into a warning hiss and the weak movement of her head, drawing her lips back and giving a louder crimson-tinged snarl.

Another slight movement. She shifts one leg so it's pressing against his, and tries to draw heat back through that small link with the same - although this time barely muttered - heat-stealing spell, keen on regaining her energy.

((Actually the energy links between the two of them are rather interesting as they both run off of heat. At first they were relatively equal. Then Nixa had most of the energy and Saer had little. Now Saer has all of it and Nixa has almost none. And this is all within the space of... what? Less than an hour?))

[kitcatk8]

((lol. I know. It's quaint.))

The moment he felt the heat-stealing spell, weak as it was, he forcibly snapped his head to the side and back, both physically and metaphysically jerking at it.

If he was unsuccessful at breaking it for whatever reason, he still clutched onto it, keeping it from siphoning anything off of him.

Survival instinct is one Hell of a thing to bring out in a demon (no pun intended). And though she posed no serious threat to him in the moment, she still fought, still tested him and pushed her limits.

He was the stronger. It would not do.

One moment, his furious eyes were looking at hers, the next, his mouth was down and against her neck with a deep, dangerous growl. Unless she had a way to suddenly combat him, he bit down onto her throat, just above her carotid artery, and he wasn't gentle about it. He didn't break skin. Yet.

[orb_of_blood]

She feels the bite as pressure and nothing more. No pain. So it doesn't really stop her struggling, although with her weakness the spell has shattered and it isn't like she can shove him away.

But, hey, that's odd... where's her carotid artery? Where are any of her main arteries? She does have blood vessels, everyone does, and she can bleed profusely as already proven, but her main ones: aorta, vena cava, carotid etc. they're all suspiciously absent.

The hell, Nixa? That's really weird, even for you.

Another hiss, a weak attempt at a shove, the vain acts of a weak dragon. Not even a single word.

Saer! Well, okay, maybe one word then, and seeing as it was damn difficult to get out there probably won't be many more following.

((Good night!))

[kitcatk8]

When she struggled against him, that was very nearly the last straw. Why wouldn't she submit, damn it! His jaw tightened and his teeth broke through the first bit of flesh, because his instinct was to rip her throat out and force it.

Then she spoke his name.

It didn't matter what tone she said it in. It was his name from her lips, and it forced him to think about what he was doing and who he was doing it to.

His jaw loosened and he let out a harsh breath. A frustrated growl came next which grew into a scream of frustration.

Nixa's poor Drow ears.

Squeezing his hands into fists so tight it made his knuckles paler than normal, he shoved himself off the desk and away from her. He paced fully to one side of the room before he turned around and looked at her, presumably still laying there on the desk.

Saer uttered a creative curse in his original language under his breath, growled some more and paced back, then again to the door. Finally, he screamed towards the entrance to the office. "Reece!"

[orb_of_blood]

Nixa barely registers that he withdrew, but she does calm.

What had that been about? Had Saer really been about to kill or wound her?

Of course not. Not Saer. He had never inflicted harm on her purposely during her stay.

And yet... the cry afterwards as though frustrated when he learned he shouldn't, the strange look in his eyes beforehand...

Of course, she was one to talk. Didn't she just almost drain him of blood?

Wow, destructive relationship!

And as the lack of energy finally begins to drain her of the bloodlust and set in dramatic mood swings, she squeezes her eyes shut, a few unwanted tears dripping from their corners. She lies limply and lets anyone do as they want to, i.e. can be godmoded for a short time.

[kitcatk8]

Reece -dependable, polite, unfailing Reece- opened the study door carefully. His face was carefully neutral, although somehow the butler made it look like he wasn't forcing it.

He'd been around to see plenty of Saer's shows of temper.

The demon in question was pacing furiously, both hands running back through his hair with the silver crescents sliding out of his palms and staying stubbornly forward. His palms were at the back of his neck.

"My Lord?" Reece's voice, so calm and collected.

Saer snarled, though it wasn't at the butler. It was at the situation in general. At what he'd almost done from a damned power play. It took him another breath before he could speak, and when he did, it was rough and gravelly. "She needs to be taken--..." He paused suddenly and growled again, shaking his head harshly. She was drained, but what did that mean for the dangers she could pose? What if she regained her energy and decided to attack everyone in the home? The stablehands, Reece, Beaty, Angele? Saer made a frustrated, jerking gesture with a hand. "Hells, I don't know!"

Reece's eyes glanced over at Nixa, laying still, and it was the butler first who noted the tears. Odd, that they would stay on her face, but it truly showed how much cooler her skin was. He cleared his throat and stood a bit straighter. "My Lord, might I suggest placing her in her room and sealing the windows and doors with your special locks?" It was a compromise. One which didn't give her free reign as soon as she was up and about, but also didn't place her behind all steel walls without any form of comfort.

The demon jerked his eyes up to his butler's and something in Reece's gaze made him turn sharply back to look at Nixa. It threw him. Gave him pause. Siphoned some of the rage from him, though the energy still burned within like mad. "Yes..." His voice was softer. He nodded and swallowed. "Yes, that would be fine. You fetch the locks, I will take her there. Actually..." He paused, frowned, then continued slower, "...to my room." After the way she'd acted, he didn't trust her in anyone else's care. At least he could handle himself with her. And in his own room, she would be kept away from the rest of her reagents. It wouldn't solve all problems, but it might save him a few precious seconds if she flew off the handle again. He was protecting his own. From his own.

And that would be how Nixa ended up in the demon's room, on his bed with her head propped on a pillow. Saer didn't stay with her. He didn't trust himself there. But he made certain the reenforced balcony door and main door to enter were sealed with the same charm he used on his collars and the metal chamber down in the basement -only able to be opened by his hand. Of course, it didn't stop an insane amount of strength from just ripping the door off the hinges, but it would at least provide sufficient warning if that was what she chose to try.

[orb_of_blood]

Nixa heard the entire conversation through closed eyes. Gathering her last stipend of energy, she shoved a tiny flicker of heat from her palms, which quickly fled from her, from the room, traveling away fast. Such a small flicker and such quick movement... it would probably be unnoticeable.

But it drained her completely and she passes out.

She wakes from draconic sleep slightly less than three days later, still drained. Her Core wasn't making heat. So hungry...

The most she can make herself do is draw up all the covers on the bed, and curl up underneath them, shivering. He'd taken her from her room, from any medicine she may have been able to find to treat this.

He wasn't even here himself.

So, now what? Die slowly in this room from cold?

How pleasant.

[kitcatk8]

He hadn't left her completely alone through those three days.

Every so often, he would let himself in and sit next to her, assessing her. But mostly, she slept. When he'd touch her skin, when he would feel the coolness, he'd push some of his heat gently into her. But truthfully, he didn't know how her body handled it any longer. He presumed she needed it but what if he was doing more harm than good? Honestly, he didn't know anymore, but his instincts told him to give her something.

The shivering was the first sign of life he'd seen in her in all those days, and that's what he saw when he opened the door to find her at that time.

As had become his habit, he locked the door behind him, then went to her. He hesitated only a moment before touching a hand gently to her jawline and pushing some more heat into her trembling body. Enough so he could gauge a reaction out of her, to see whether it appeared to help or hurt.

[orb_of_blood]

She didn't let him touch her. Nixa scooted back from the edge of the bed, hissing, and pulled the covers up over her face.

She's freezing, continuously shivering like mad, but she won't let him touch her, even if it was to offer heat.

In effect, it's the equivalent of a hunger strike. He keeps her in there, she won't accept aid.

Ooh, intelligent Nixa. So you'd die just to spite him?

...apparently.

[kitcatk8]

Saer rolled his eyes.

Too bad she was so much weaker than him.

He reached over, and unless she grew miraculously 100 times stronger than what she currently was, his arm wrapped around where her waist was, and dragged her back over next to him. Thankfully, the covers took care of all her appendages.

Keeping her there, he scolded quietly. "Stop letting your Pride shield your intelligence. It's unbecoming. And I made a promise to keep your miserable hide alive." He tugged the covers over her face until they were under her chin and showed her his other palm, but kept it well out of biting or spitting distance. "You can let me give you back some heat, or you can make me force it. Either way, it's getting done. What'll it be?"

[orb_of_blood]

Let go of me! She hisses through chattering teeth. Why don't you just leave me here to die? It wouldn't take very long at all. Or would you rather tear out my throat as you almost did in your office? Force me under the bloodlust? You're keeping me here because I reacted in an entirely normal way to you feeding me blood. You're punishing me for it!

She's still struggling, still pushing away, and even spits in his face. Go back to Hell, demon.

[kitcatk8]

Well, if his hand was far enough away to keep her from spitting on it, his face certainly was as well. Not to mention he'd seen the drowess mad before and he was well aware of her tactics.

So when she threw one of her classic, self-righteous and self-centered fits, his voice was bored as he responded. "Shut up, Nixa." As she struggled and from the way he'd pulled at her earlier, he was in a fairly good position to place himself behind her with that arm still clutching/pinning her body, pulling her against his, which is exactly what he tried. If that worked, he would attempt to lift his other hand and slide it under her hair, even with her struggling, to place his palm to the back of her neck. It would do two things: 1. Keep her from head butting him with the only appendage not covered with a blanket. 2. Provide some skin-to-skin contact so he could push some more heat into her.

Maybe not the smartest thing to provide more energy to a spitting dragoness, but he wasn't pushing huge quantities in her. For the moment, he would let his simple body heat radiate to her flesh, rather than actively push it.

[orb_of_blood]

Nixa calms slightly when he offers the heat again. But it's not enough. He could give her every scrap of heat he had, she could rain his blood and eat his flesh and it still wouldn't be enough. Of course it wouldn't. If she was hungry before, she's starving now. But she at least accepts the heat.

Are you ever going to let me out of this room, or am I a prisoner?

But that's not the question that's uppermost on her mind, Still, save that for later. It's not going anywhere.

[kitcatk8]

He let out an exasperated sigh, but continued to push the heat to her skin, a little bit more as she continued to relax. "You were never a prisoner. If you could stand now, you are free to go. Your rights end only when I fear for the lack of safety of my own at your hands." Saer's tone was flat.

[orb_of_blood]

She leans back against Saer, giving a small sigh of relief and closing her eyes as the heat seeps into her blood again. Still, though, she's a little worried. Because...

And the throat-biting? What was that?

[kitcatk8]

He was glad she couldn't see his face, because something flickered through those icy blue irises, and it wasn't an encouraging expression.

The demon paused a long moment. When he finally did start to answer, he shook his head slowly, back one way, then the other. He still didn't release his hold on her. "That was...instinct without rational thought."

[orb_of_blood]

So your instinct was to kill a helpless woman? Does she realize it was a dominance play? Maybe. It's difficult to tell just how much Nixa has already figured out. Obviously she's dumbing it down just to push as much sarcasm into her voice as she can possibly manage. She's still irritated with Saer for his actions.

Mostly about the blood. Here have my energy. Okay, now that you're completely under the bloodlust I'm going to draw it all back plus whatever extra energy you had to start with, and leave you entirely helpless. Nice.

So she doesn't mention the message she sent off before being taken away, while still on the aggressive side of the bloodlust. Really, she ought to mention it, especially as she's not entirely sure who received it and how they were going to act on it, but at the moment it's more an act out of spite as she's too weak to do much else by way of defiance.

[kitcatk8]

The look he gave the back of her head was anything but remorseful. But rather than argue with her, he answered her with the same tired, we've-been-here-done-this tone, "When you're finished, let me know."

[orb_of_blood]

Nixa pulls away just enough to turn and face him, drawing the covers up and closer to her.

She may have been speaking in an accusatory, harsh tone, but the fear in her face shines through even her anger. You don't understand Saer! I'm cold! Her voice drops to a petrified whisper. I'm never cold!

She shakes her head slightly. You can't possibly understand what that means. Saer, you could chop of my wings and I'd live. You could tear my throat out, and I'd live. You could flay the skin from me piece by piece and I'd live! She chews on her lip and begins to shiver again, as though the heat given had had no effect at all. But, dammit, you've managed to find one of the only two ways to kill me, Saer.

Dropping her eyes, she curls in against him if he allows it. All of that, plus her irritation and anger, plus the fact that she's not even sure if he still wants her at all, and yet she still wants to be close to him. To be held by him. Nixa's psychological need to be loved.

[kitcatk8]

When she turned and was so suddenly curling closer to him, the demon froze for several breaths. Her words were still processing.

It took a while for him to slowly exhale, to begin to relax, and he wrapped his arms slowly around her with some hesitation. Her moods changed like the weather, but it seemed all her most recent stemmed from that which she had just admitted to -fear.

If Saer had a God or Goddess to pray to, he might have done so for patience in that moment. "But I didn't," came his low answer. "You have to trust I won't. I can give you no better reassurance than my actions. I could have, but I did not." His answer was neither defensive nor sharp. Merely matter-of-fact.

[orb_of_blood]

Yet would you have stopped if I hadn't said anything? The tone is slightly softer but still somewhat harsh. His words weren't very reassuring. Of all the places in the Nexus, she thought here was safe. It appears she's been wrong.

She closes her eyes. Feels his hesitance. It only fuels her anger, her hurt. Perhaps she ought to have listened to Prism. Saer did not appear to love her after all.