Deja Vu

[Tigeress]

A white light filled the small area, so intense she could hear the cries of the two men it was currently blinding, scaling their eyes and burning deep into the very dark and dreary souls they contained. The woman in her arms was dying, but in the light Avornadi could hear her whisper, 'are you an angel?'. Her throat was too tight to respond, but she smiled and watched the woman go peacefully into whatever beyond she believed in.

When the light receeded there was an emptyness that hung in the air that had everything to do with the three dead bodies. It wasn't just that there was no movement, there was no sound, no breeze, nothing. It was as if time had stopped and she was moving freely in the void or that which happened between. She knew better though, and when she focussed she could hear the daring chirp of one cricket, the unsure skitter of a mouse or other small vermin.

The alleyways had never intimidated her, even though it seemed the age old warning not to wander alone for fear of predators had rang true in the case of the woman's fate. She exited around back with the woman's body in her arms, intending to take her nightly route after making a stop by the station to see that the night duty found the woman and notified her family of her passing. She waited in the shadows until one of the men patrolling came upon her and called out for backup. They would deal with it from there.

She was exhausted after expending so much energy, but the night still felt young and she wandered in the glow of the streetlights, making each one flicker momentarily brighter as she passed through. The water glimmered off in the distance, and she passed almost obliviously through a few people wandering together in the evening, smiling and happy with their company. Her heart felt heavy with the memories of people she couldn't help, couldn't protect. She wasn't anyone's guardian angel.

Laces were loosened in her corset as she seated herself below a tree, breathing evenly and looking out over the water at the moon, which tomorrow would be full but tonight it was not quite there.

[StarShine]

Krin'lar sat on the bridge, the glimmering water ebbing and flowing with his breath and heart rate. It was soothing for him, to be out at night, that time when it was easiest to disappear.

Why he came here he wasn't sure. It happened randomly, this need to go where the water flowed, to pull at it with his very life's breath.

Apparently he wasn't the only lone wanderer, however. It was easy to see others, to observe, when you went unnoticed yourself.

"You look in need of a guardian angel."

[Tigeress]

She had felt his presence, but had thought he would just pass her by or not notice her himself. Did he recognize her for what she was? She guessed with his comment that perhaps he didn't, that, or he didn't know she could feel his power and knew what he was, too. "No... I'm quite good at taking care of myself. I've met a lot of people who would like to think of me as their guardian angel, but I let them down..." She sighed and eased up from the tree, looking over the cobblestone next to her that marked the bridge she often sat under. Tonight she was being bold sitting out in the open, or maybe she was disheartened enough not to care.

"This place is getting worse, I think." She remarked quietly, laughing quietly to herself and turning glowing orbs towards the male who had spoken to her. He was... quite attractive she realized suddenly, and she hated to admit it but this made her a feel a little bit more open and trusting towards him. It was a light attunement thing, they all seemed to have a weak spot for beauty and passion and everything that seemed to heal the soul.

"I am Avornadi, and you are?" She questioned, wondering instantly if that was a good idea to give out her name. Sometimes she went under an alias, so as to be more difficult to recognize and to be able to just... talk to people. It was nice to be revered and respected, especially after all the effort she put into becomming who she was today, but sometimes she just wanted to be... her. Avornadi the woman, not Avornadi the headmaster.

[StarShine]

It wasn't often he came across a name as unique as his own, or at the very least a name that was less than common. It sounded vaguely familiar, though it wasn't a sensation he could pin.

He didn't fight it, merely let the faint whisper of recognition whisper in his ear before the sound of the river washed it away. As ever, he found himself flowing into the situation, easily taking up the mantel of the comforter.

It did him good, in truth. This was his place, his escape. Here, above the rolling waters, he merely was.

"Being able to care for yourself doesn't negate the need for a guardian angel. Everyone needs a shoulder now and then. Or a touch, a kiss, a whisper. Comfort comes in many forms."

He smiled ever so slightly, the soft, thin lips curving just enough to make his eyes twinkle in the soft light.

A deep breath in and the water sloshed forward, a slow one out and it swished back. Ebb and flow, the constant dance. His own comfort.

"Your name seems fitting. I am Krin'lar, although I once had a friend that dubbed me "Lars" if that would better please you."

He had purposely overlooked the comments of being an angel to others, as well as how the place seemed to be worsening. What she was to others was no matter to him, as he was but just meeting her himself. Whatever else she may have been was utterly separate from what she may be to him.

He paused for the barest breath of a moment, the lights playing over his waves of blue-black hair, seemingly blurring into the shadows of the night air. He had propped his tall, lean figure against the railing of the bridge, hip thingyed slightly as he studied her. Something weighed heavy in those eyes, something he would never see by observation alone.

"As you are able to care for yourself," he said suddenly, voice rumbling softly above the river's whispering purr, "I see no reason why you shouldn't be about in this place that seems to be worsening, as you claim. Though I do wonder if you sought to give a shoulder.. Or find one."

A slight nod over her shoulder, the faint, almost hidden smile quirking his lips again as he went on, gazing to where the river churned darkly, widening. "And I wonder this as there is no better a place for such things than the deepest, darkest parts, where it needed as desperately as precious oxygen. You don't seem to fit this area, in yourself."

You don't flow with the same tide as those that do.

He hooked his thumb in his jeans pocket here, waiting her reply. He expected it to be sharp, in truth, yet it mattered not to him. He would shift with the rhythm of events as they passed. No, there was no tension in him as he leaned against the bridge railing, dark waves of hair falling across his forehead, half hiding his eyes as he studied her, absorbed her. He looked a near fool when compared to her elegant heels and form-fitting attire, his own faded jeans and tender green shirt nearly baggy when seen next to her, though they flowed comfortably over his shapely, if willowy, frame.

It would take a bit of time, a little ebb and flow, before he had fully absorbed all that this woman was. But the sea was ever patient, ever silent, ever watching as it dissolved what was set before it. Tonight, she had been set before him.

[Tigeress]

She raised her eyes again suddenly for a moment, he seemed to be rather familiar with similar sensations that she was. It was true she found the most comfort in intimate situations, touch was something she lived off of. But he wasn't a... he didn't have the same 'taste' as one influenced by the element of light. Rather, his appearance at the least made her think water, possibly dark.

"Yes, it certainly does. I have never turned a cold shoulder to any of that which you mention." Well, that wasn't entirely true. She was very... particular with whom she pursued intimate relations with. She hated to admit it but she was biased based on ability and position- she didn't want ties to anyone who could be taken out on a whim or used as a tool to get closer to her. Perhaps she was too paranoid, but it came with someone of her past. People died, often, and quite easily.

She watched him with eyes that feigned relative disinterest when in actuality she took in every twitch of muscle, every movement of breath. The way his eyes took in the water... 'definitely a water mage' she concluded silently. She took a few steps forward, and the second the streetlamp touched her, her whole boldy seemed to glow from within, an aura of light illuminating her like a full body halo. The comparison wouldn't have pleased her, she was tired of feeling like she was meant to rescue the whole world. No, she was tired of failing.

"I fail to see why a name that isn't yours would better please me. Your given name rolls off the tongue in a much more pleasant manner, Krin'lar." Her footsteps stopped when she reached his side, taking in the casual dress. It wasn't something she was entirely unaccustomed to, she was just a victim of high fashion; it was something to occupy and entertain herself with, mostly. The purple and brown corset sat above charcoal grey pants which were encased almost entirely by brown heeld boots (kitten heels, admittedly, because she hated how tall she was in anything more than a two inch heel) which looked to be made of suede.

"It is not myself I worry for. Maybe I am looking for someone to unload my woes onto, it's hard to bear the burdens of the city." She laughed then, shaking her head as if embarassed by her own thoughts. "At least all I have to worry about is one city, and nothing more." The light reflecting off the water glimmered like a million little stars as she stared at it, her body willing her to unload all the pent-up frustration within.

"I don't seem to fit in anywhere during the night. No matter, there are places to be lost if I don't want to be found." She let it hang in the air that she might have been hoping to be found, not that she cared who found her. Vampires were excluded from that open welcome, of course.

One might have taken offence to the way the man seemed to prod about and openly delve into her personal theories on herself, the city, life, purpose. But she had invited the conversation, and similar to his kind she had a very cool, clear view of things and rarely lost her temper. It wasn't worth getting worked up over. Life was what you made it, and often the people who mocked others seemed to be the ones with the most to prove, running from themselves.

"What brings you to humour me with your company? Surely a man such as yourself can find better companionship in a much easier fashion?" She mused aloud, a subtle smirk tilting the corners of her lips and exposing the strikingly well defined line of her cheekbones. The woman felt a little bit off tonight, and it showed in her somewhat self-depreciating attitude.

[StarShine]

The light seemed fond of playing with her, that was certain. She held her own brand of beauty, a bright, sharp look that was highly fitting.

It wasn't typically a look he was particularly fond of on a regular basis, but it was nothing he held a distaste for, either. It worked for some, it didn't for others. For her, it worked wonderfully. She looked very.. Proper.

No matter how she looked, she had needs. One did not wander the streets in the dark unless there were needs to be met.

He intended to give.. Or be.. Whatever it was she had need of. For no other reason than she had been placed before him, a jewel in the sands, and he wished to.

"Some find my name.. Strange," he said in passing, letting the conversation move on to more important things, to focus more on her. His name, his history, was of no matter, not on this night. It was she that needed exploring and discovering, hot himself.

"You look after this city, Avornadi, yet who is there to look after you? Don't count me ignorant; I know very well that such a gem as you are requires proper protection, else the thieves lay hands upon it."

So she was someone of import, then, someone who felt it was her duty to care for this place that was slipping. It was new information, but nothing of interest to him. Position, status.. That did not tell him who she was, did not let him see the tiny bits of fractured light in the very core of this jewel.

There was ever the play of light on water. Gently rippling waves glimmered brightly with broken prisms, raging storms danced with light's shadow, even pebbles were smoothed to glint in the twilit hour. Whatever else the lights of the night did on her flesh, they did in triplicate within.

It was not a show he wished to miss.

"Myself, you ask? I come here for various reason. I shalt bore you with such details, however. Though I must admit that I am glad I chose such timing tonight, else I would have been spared such interesting company for that which you call 'better.'"

A faint grin, a light tease. She was close, but he didn't quite dare tilt his hip to brush it against hers. So far she had only indicated a desire for speach, and so that was what was given.

He did, however, make no attempt to hide the soft grin in his eyes whenever he studied her. Nor did he resist the urge to lick his lips when he glanced at the long, slender curve of her neck. She was but half a head shorter than his own tall frame, a fact he could gladly appreciate. In the right heels they would have been eye to eye, but as it was she stood at just the right hight for a light nibble.

He breathed in while he glanced at her, the ripple of his muscles only just noticeable under the gently flowing clothing. When he breathed that way his whole body took in the air, pulled at the water, shifted and flowed and welcomed. A quiet breath out and his body relaxed, the waves sloshing back up against the shoreline, easily released. Ebb and flow, shift and change, accept and polish.

(Oi, he was supposed to have had his hip c0cked, not thingied!! Yeesh. >*<)

[Tigeress]

He seemed to be intent on something, and that something had to do very much with herself. The cultured woman tilted her head and smiled, this was a game he might not have known all the rules to play. He didn't seem to recognize her, and seeing as she didn't recognize him, this didn't bode well. If he wanted to help her ease her troubles with some physical attention, his name would have to hold some meaning in the community. Too easy of a weakness he would be if she became attached at all, and although having multiple lovers seemed cold and careless, she did feel for them all.

"Tell me something about yourself, something that might impress me. I do look after the city after a fashion I suppose, I am one of two headmasters to the entire area. It is... tiring. But it demands a lot, I cannot lean on those who cannot support the threat of being used as a tool to get to me." She admitted, her eyes taking on a serious hardness before softening again playfully. He was being very bold with her, and it took away some of the stress she'd been dealing with previous to his arrival. She so loved being flirted with.

"Now I can tell from your taste we are... compatible. I do tend to like those of the water." She murmured impishly as she closed a bit more distance and brushed his hip with the top of hers, standing in such a way that was impossible to ignore. "If you could prove to me you will not weaken me, then I might rely on your strength if you lend it to me for the night." Her voice had lowered to a breathy seductive whisper near the end, the look in her eyes enough to speak volumes of words that were left unsaid.

Her fingers danced up along his arm, and it seemed like everywhere she touched him, the material and his skin glimmered. The glow around her had faded slightly, and now she seemed to... shimmer, almost. The light reflected her mood and now she was putting effort into getting his attention, wanting him to witness the beauty of her abilities. She wasn't foolish though, she knew she couldn't keep it up for too long with how much energy she'd already expended only minutes ago.

He was a nice height, an impressive height for a man. She found most to be her height or shorter, but he was enough to make her feel of an average height, even in the heels that put her at 6 feet even standing in front of him. It was easy to catch the glance of his hungry eyes, and the sound of his controlled breathing made her shiver slightly in the cool night air. She watched the muscles in his jaw and neck work and pictured him putting those muscles to good use on her. Not at all caring whether he minded her excitable nature, she let a small grin slide across her face, betraying her thoughts entirely. Hopefully he would live up to her expectations, she didn't want to send the man away this night.

[StarShine]

She spoke as any gem would, with a knowledge of her value and rarity. Whatever else she may need of him, his tactics thus far seemed to have been of some aid at the very least.

"Ah, we cannot have you placed in danger now, not one such as yourself."

That sly grin, the playful dance of his eyes upon her curves, the almost tender way he let his weight shift to accept her brushing up against him. He saw the new play of light, saw the way her eyes gleamed as she shimmered in the night air.

Illumination was more than fond of her; it was a part of her.

His smile grew, muscles rippling in pleasure as he thought of the way the moonlight rode the waves. It was all too easy to picture her copying her element and rocking with the gentle flow.

Or perhaps she would rather a typhoon than a moonlit lake.

Eyes flashing, he had to grin at that thought. He could be a typhoon. He could be anything she needed.

He was water.

"As to impressing you.. If I were to hazard a guess, you aren't one to be impressed so easily. It would take more than, say.. A single rose."

He grinned, glancing over as a small tendril of water reached up over the edge of the bridge. Reaching out with a single finger separated a small orb, allowing the rest to fall back into the river with a slight spattering sound.

The little bunch of water at the tip of his finger shifted in a shapeless mass before snapping into a perfect replica of a rose in bloom.

He turned it this way and that, studying it idly as it froze from the inside out. He looked at it as if it was nothing more than a common pebble, though he clearly felt the light tap in his strength such a trick had required.

It had taken years of study to gain such a knowledge of his element. He could manipulate every particle, every drop, into what he needed. He could make the moisture in the air condense in her lungs and drown her at this very moment, if he so wished.

"No, not one for roses, I don't think."

Grinning that playfully impish grin, he set the little trinket on the bridge railing, letting his body lean closer so they were nearly propping each other up. The longer she was here, the more he enjoyed the fact that he didn't have to strain his neck to look down at her.

"What, then, might impress one such as yourself? What might you wish to know of someone as humble as he that stands before you."

He considered for a moment, wondering in a vague sort of manner if it would be considered flaunting once he mentioned being that he was the second headmaster she had mentioned. His years of study, his lifetime of wandering across the distances, watching and absorbing all that there was, the calm he held in any situation, including the time he had found himself in a rather violent vampire clan's territory.

"Not to be impressed by flowers or trinket tricks, then perhaps by society's title. If that of headmaster isn't enough, or perhaps causes you worry as to how much danger I may know in my own life and bring to yours, then mayhaps my learnings. If traveling through all the lands, absorbing what there was to see and know in the many places I had called home, does not suffice, then perhaps my very nature. If not the ability to resist panic when in the midst of a rather harsh clan of vampires then perhaps the ability to find my way out of the middle of a war they held with an equally harsh pack of werewolves that had, somehow, gotten a few earth mages in their ranks. If not that then perhaps this.."

And with that, he side-stepped so he stood in front of her, hips pressed against her lower belly. He didn't reach for her, didn't trap her in the slightest, merely stepped close, pressing against her, his face tucked down next to her ear as his body reacted to her prim and stylish flesh.

"I can show you what it's like to glide over a lake or rage with the storms. Your choice."

(Sorry for the long post. :S I'm having a bit too much fun with this. XD)

[Tigeress]

((hehe, s'ok! I have a bit of a flu/cold thing so I'm trying not to tap my muse entirely ))

It was charming, the way he took a play on an old time tradition and used something that did, indeed catch her attention. The frozen rose was beautiful, and she was content with admiring it from a distance, knowing that it would be cold to the touch. It seemed relatively effortless for him to do, and she raised an eye to him curiously, the quirk of her smile almost expectant. His control was admirable, he had been practicing for some reason, but why devote so much time to little things like that?

"I do like roses, well... I like this one, anyway." She laughed and toyed with one of the glass-smooth petals, feeling the cold chill of ice prick along the length of a slender finger. Her finger came away wet, and she raised it to her lips, tasting the cool liquid. It was as real as day alright, and she wondered if he would dissolve it later on or leave it to melt. It would certainly attract some attention.

"It is almost as if you know me... headmaster." Her eyes had lit up in surprise, though she moved bravely against him when he spun to move in front of her, pinning her between his body and the bridge. She laid her arms back to brace herself, which put her lower body even more against him though it took a bit away from her height. "You know then, all about what it is I face in my daily position. This is good, it is what I look for, what I require." The mention of being in the middle of vampire affairs made her frown in sympathy.

She raised her right arm upside-down and displayed the mound of scar tissue that lay in the crease of her elbow. "I think I know something of what that is like." She made a face as if to suggest that simply thinking about the event left a bad taste in her mouth. The woman didn't like to hold grudges, but there were certain things that could not be forgiven. Taking a life without reason was one, and that was exactly what they had done, to so many people... so very many.

"So tell me... I have heard whispers of your presence previous to this meeting but we have not stumbled upon each other until now... I wonder, how is that? I was secretly hoping for a night like tonight, I had heard the other headmaster to be quite pleasing to the eyes. I was not dissapointed." She smirked and licked her lips, contemplating what he said last before speaking again. "I would love to experience the full taste of the power which landed you where you are now."

She was curious to see what he would do, bringing her body up so that they stood mere inches apart. "Your hair looks just like the water at midnight. It gave you away to me much earlier." Not that it was truly uncommon to see hair colours that existed out of a normal spectrum in the city, some liked to play pretend it seemed. But there was just a certain way to tell what was a true trait of her kind, maybe it was just something she'd picked up along the way. She had nothing better to do for many years than study people.

[StarShine]

So he had passed, though he wasn't honestly trying to apply for any position. He wanted simply to explore this shard of light, to smooth her brow of her troubles for a while.. To taste her on his tongue.

Yes, he had to admit, she effected him in more ways than he would normally allow.

She also seemed to have more of an honest interest in him than a mere 'why should you be allowed to touch me' state of mind would allow.

"Would you have noticed me, honestly noticed me, if I hadn't called out?"

No, of course not. He was ever the observer, the one to blend and absorb. Few had honestly seen him because very few cared to truly look.

That wasn't of concern to him at the moment, however. At the moment he was tracing the scars on her arm, his touch light, almost tender, though his eyes raged beneath heavy lashes. He had seen defensive wounds before, injuries earned by guarding the face or stomach.

There were dangers for her, he knew that. There were dangers for himself, as well, just as there was for any of real social standing. He had been appointed for his detailed knowledge of his element and cool head; any headmaster also had to double as a warrior if needed.

But he also knew a defensive wound gained in battle and this was not one of them. These scars came about while she simply tried to keep her life.

So this was part of her fractured internal light, that glimmer he saw in the shadowed depths. There was more, though, much more to this woman than a mere scar could dare hope to tell.

The very desire to delve deeper, to wash through every last crevice of her being, said something in itself. Almost as much as his throbbing manhood.

He wouldn't get much thinking done in this state.

((Noo problem, you just take your time and get to feelin better. x3))