Mature: Desert Moon

[Soran Nightblade]

Atul sat stiffly on the edge of Maxwell's bed, his tension deepening the silence of the room as they waited. It was growing colder by the minute. Without the hearthfire burning beneath it, it was only a matter of hours before the mansion became one more deserted structure in an impassable frozen wasteland. The thought satisfied him.

Sinead paced the room in front of the bed. She looked out the window at the bloodstained snow, the ruined table crumpled against the ice at the edge of the courtyard. "How are they now?" she asked quietly.

"Weaker than I counted on. I did not plan for the blood shield," Knight responded matter-of-factly.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele climbed into bed with her daughter, wrapping an arm around the child as she settled next to her. "Two," she sighed out the number. "Sagra ne ero..." Tenele winced, knowing the pain he'd feel next. "I'm sorry."

[Soran Nightblade]

Knight's breath caught in his throat as the transformation ripped through him. Sinead spun around in alarm and ran up to him, unsure whether to touch him or not. He winced up at her with a neon red eye that was too familiar, groaned, and was gone. It left her staring wide-eyed at the blank place where he'd just been. She'd known the mechanics of it, but she'd never thought that it would hurt.

Vlad and Atul reappeared on the bed behind her, nude and drenched in sweat.

[Emora Deen]

Atul blinked, groaning as he settled into the bed heavily. "Gods," he sighed. "What did he do to burn up so much energy?" Atul hadn't noticed Sinead yet and didn't realize that his Kingly form was exposed to his allied Queen. At least it was an attractive one. He flopped over on his back, spread eagled, stretching to sooth his tight muscles.

[Soran Nightblade]

Sinead had a moment to realize who was in front of her, and paled. Imagination was one thing, but she hadn't expected to ever be confronted with the man fully nude. "King Hajara," she addressed him in amusement, because she didn't have a lot of other thoughts at the moment. She didn't avert her eyes; queens quickly unlearned that habit. So she just crossed her arms and smiled. "I am here to help you get home."

Vlad stirred slightly, and winced. "Atul," he murmured into the king's shoulder.

[Emora Deen]

Atul froze, angling his head up to look down the length of his body to Sinead. "Ugh," he huffed, cupping a hand over Vlad's head. "Hey, buddy... our ride is here... Good evening, Queen Sinead," he replied, matching her poised and calm demeanour with his own. He couldn't shrink back and be shy now, not when she was being so calm about it. That was a show of weakness.

He wiggled out from under Vlad's head, laying the vampire gently into the covers. He stood up, in all his glory, and matched the Queen's pose, arms folded across his chest.

Atul looked around and laughed. "Well, it seems in Tenele's preparations for departure she packed away all my clothes..."

[Soran Nightblade]

The vampire tried opening his eyes, and snarled at the effect the light had on his brain. His hands shook as he pushed himself upright and squinted after the sound of his lover's voice. "Ugh, I feel like garbage," he muttered.

"Please make do with the linens on the bed," Sinead replied to Atul, trying not to become speechless at the dead king's vulnerable behavior. She'd never seen Vlad relax this much around someone when he was injured.

Even as the thought struck her, Vlad seemed to register her voice. The vampire stopped squinting, stopped slouching, and stopped breathing. His handsome form straightened proudly where he sat on the bed. If he cared about being naked, it didn't show. He just looked at her with icy walls behind his eyes that rivaled those surrounding the courtyard. "My Queen," he addressed formally.

[Emora Deen]

Atul pulled the covers off the bed and tied one around his waist and then handed the other to Vlad. "Me too," he replied to Vlad. "My head's exploding. I don't want to even think about what yours feels like, given you partially healed body." He knew the vampire was weak and in pain, but he also knew his pride very well. He wasn't sure what his feelings were towards Sinead at the moment, or if he blamed her fro Maxwell's treatment of him. They could sort that out later.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad folded the sheet in half and drew it around his waist. He took a few steps away from the bed, hiding the tremble in the point of his step. "Why are you here?" he asked in a low voice, barely audible.

"To bring you home," Sinead responded, worried about that feral glow in his eyes.

"Why are you here now," he demanded in a harsher snarl.

"Vladimir..."

"Fuck you," the vampire seethed.

[Emora Deen]

Atul blinked, trying to understand what was going on. Did Vlad think that Sinead could have saved him... could have found him sooner? His eyes narrowed on the queen. He couldn't say anything not yet, and risk losing his alliance. But, he would shred that paper into a million pieces if the woman had a poor excuse for why she didn't save Vladimir when she could have.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Vlad," Sinead snapped commandingly.

"Oh, going to get pissed? I spoke out of order, maybe I should be lashed," Vlad smiled sadistically. "Take your time. There's nothing you can do that he hasn't already."

"Vlad, stop it," Sinead warned. "You know of my responsibilities."

"I'm sorry, did I offend you?" He was shouting now, so cold. "I'm sure it's been so hard. You've been busy with queenly duties, I'm sure. You'd hardly step out of your way over a demon slave like me."

"Vladimir!"

[Emora Deen]

Atul frowned. "Queen Sinead," he called darkly. "Could you have known where he was all along? Could you have gotten here to help him instead of sending Tenele and I on a suicidal rescue mission?" The King's blue gaze darkened.

[Soran Nightblade]

"Maxwell's power is hidden from me. I had no hope of locating Lord Dracul as long as he was with him. Only Knight was able to show me this place after being here himself." She frowned at Vlad. "Did I not order you not to go with him under any circumstances?" she demanded. "Did you not swear an oath to me? How could you lash out at me for this? If I cared for you as little as you say, I would let you find your own way home."

"No, you would bring me anyway, because it is easy, and I am useful," Vlad spat. "Searching...that is much harder. Best to leave that to a committee of those closest to me."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. I'm seriously going to get angry, Vlad."

Vlad's lips curled to snarl a retort, but the room went white for a second. He staggered sideways dizzily.

[Emora Deen]

Atul jumped into action, wrapping his strong arms around Vlad's waist and holding him tightly. "Hey," he murmured near Vlad's ear, pressing his forehead against the vampire. "Take it easy. Calm down. Breathe. Let's get home to your daughter and your wife. You can argue with the Queen when you're feeling better. Tenara misses you so much, Vlad. Conserve your strength for her."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad leaned in against Atul, his breath evening out. "Yeah. Okay," he muttered quietly to the more logical king. His head was spinning too hard to think, anyway.

Sinead had gone placid as well at the sight of Vlad ready to pass out. It was shocking how easily the Hajaran king was able to calm him. She'd never been able to do much with Vlad while he was in a rage. "Come. Hands," she directed, reaching out for Atul's palm with her right and Vlad's with her left.