Mature: Desert Moon

[Soran Nightblade]

Ilya frowned. "It is your choice," she said, shrugging. "But your feelings matter too. I can't imagine dating someone just because I felt I was supposed to."

[Emora Deen]

"I just need to think on it," Tenele agreed. "This is a complex situation. But, I can understand what you are thinking. I've lost my memories. I have wiped the slate clean. I could start over. Maybe find someone that was a little less... violent." Tenele rubbed her arms. "But, I have a little girl who loves her father very much. I can't just throw him away. I have to at least try. If it doesn't work, at least I tried."

[Soran Nightblade]

Ilya reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I'm sure you will be fine. You have all the options in the world." They enjoyed some tea together, and then said their goodbyes for the day.

[Emora Deen]

For there second date Tenele dressed a little more comfortably, and less fashionable, just in case she found herself in a fountain again. She also wore shoes appropriate for running with a hell hound. She was more nervous now than she was the day before. And while she did want to go on the date, she thought she'd much rather catch up on the sleep she missed the night before.

Tenele looked out at the sun for the time. He was a little late, but she didn't let that bother her.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad knocked on her door, a thoughtful look on his face. He'd had the whole day to think about the day before. He'd also worked hard to come to grips with the most difficult fact ahead of him; this woman didn't know him. Might not even like him. She owed him nothing, and after tonight, if she chose, she could never date him again.

He worked hard to remember life before her. It didn't seem like he'd really been alive. He'd been false, friendless, and incurably bored.

But he'd survived, and he could do it again if he had to.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele opened the door and threw on a smile. "Hi," she greeted him, opening the door a little wide. "Do you want to come in for a moment or head straight out? I have tea made, it is still warm... Do vampire's like tea? Or we don't have to drink it, we could just go." Tenele clamped her mouth shut to keep from rambling. "I'm sorry about yesterday. The kiss startled me, I wasn't prepared... and..." Tenele's brow scrunched. She waved her hand around. "I, ugh, had a memory laps to the, ugh, the, ugh.... That place. That..." Tenele lifted her green eyes. She grabbed his hand, stepped out, and closed the door behind her. "Let's go."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad hesitated, his planted feet thwarting her efforts to pull him. "Last night was a mistake," he said. "I tried to be someone I haven't been in a long time, and it didn't work at all. I thought...you might prefer that version of me, because that was the case the first time. But maybe you're not that person anymore, either."

He looked at her quietly. "I will not touch you tonight. I swear it. What would you like to do this evening?" He studied her. She looked tired, and he could feel the tension rolling off of her. He couldn't help but feel this was bound to fail before it even started.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele looked around, up and down the hall. "I'm not sure," she murmured. It would be easier if she knew enough about the area... But, the idea of venturing out of the palace wasn't appealing to her. Not after her last adventure. "I know... you're a warrior. I'm a warrior. I used to be. I don't really remember, so... I want you to teach me how to fight."

Tenele smiled at him. "If you aren't afraid I could beat you, that is."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad hesitated. He didn't want to touch her after her reaction the day before. But with weapons... "I can do that," he said with a weak smile. "This way."

The armory was empty at this hour. Vlad walked her through a room full of weapons. He selected a bow from the wall, sized for a man. Tenele had never condescended to a woman's bow. He passed the large weapon to her and collected a large quiver of arrows from the corner. "We can start with some target practice."

He wanted to see how much muscle memory she had left over from her former self, before he put a sword in her hands. He led her out to a large room lit by torches. "This is the training room," he explained, walking to the far end of the room and dragging out a large straw-thatched target.

He walked back to Tenele and stood beside her, not too close. Do you remember how to draw it?

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smirked. "We'll see," she admitted. Tenele positioned the arrow, and began to try and draw the string back. She laughed. "That is a tight string!" She lifted her arms and pulled back again. No, she could feel that wasn't right. What was she doing wrong? Tenele glanced at him. "I'm rusty, it appears."

She took a deep breath, straightened, stopped thinking so much about it and drew the bow. Her finger's slipped and the arrow launched before she was ready, sliding across the floor before the target. "That's embarrassing. And I was good at this? I just need one more. One more and I think I've got it."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smiled. "Go ahead. I'm just going to....stand back here," he teased. "Try lifting your elbow a bit higher, so that it's aligned with your line of sight. And aim upwards a bit to account for gravity."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele nodded. She did as he instructed. Took another deep breath, and fired. The arrow hit the target, but not near the center. She took another arrow from the quiver and tried again. Closer, but not quite there. Another arrow. Tenele took a deep breath, aimed a little higher.

Bullseye.

Tenele jumped up and down. "Yay!"

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad smirked and went down to the target to retrieve her arrows. "How does your arm feel?" he asked as he reached her side. Tenele had well developed muscles, but an inefficient technique could still be exhausting. "Another round?"

[Emora Deen]

Tenele nodded. "It feels fine, I think," she told him, taking the arrows from him. After two more rounds her arm began to ache a little, but she was having too much fun to stop. But, she eventually gave in, handing the quiver and bow back to him.

"What now?" she asked gleefully.

[Soran Nightblade]

Her good mood brought a genuine smile to his face. "Would you like to try the sword?"