Mature: Desert Moon

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad's eyes flickered. "He knows. He was very affectionate toward Tenara before he left." He raised his chin, as if casting off the subject. "You're hardly promiscuous. It may sound hard to believe right now, but none of these relationships were casual, and none of them came easily for you until trust was built. You would not have shared yourself and Atul and Knight if not for their commitment to you, and I certainly wouldn't have shared you otherwise. He smirked at her. "You like to tell me I'm a bit territorial."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled. "I've noticed this," she replied, remembering his insistence not to get close to Matthew, and the hatred in his eyes whenever he mentioned the man who'd kidnapped her. "And the way you licked my neck after the bite..." Tenele reached up and touched the marks on her neck. "It was very territorial."

Off in the distance the subtle rumble of thunder echoed across the sky. Tenele curled over on her side, staring at the fire and hoping that wasn't rain. "I think I'm going to sleep."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad nodded. "Sleep well, Maiden girl."

He didn't sleep. He thought long and hard about what she'd asked, about summoning Knight. His powers didn't work out here, but could there be something Atul knew that would help them?

He didn't have a lot of time. Even with Tenele's generosity, he was still on the brink of hunger. He'd exerted most of his power getting them here. And she was naive, just as she'd been when they first met, about being able to deal with him when he was truly hungry. Just when she was beginning to trust and to care, he might have to cut himself off from her. He was going to enjoy every minute of it while he could. He listened to her heartbeat all night, right through the crashing thunder and the noise of the rain on the banana leaves. The teepee held up pretty well in the rain. It wasn't completely waterproof, but the fire kept things humid and warm inside.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele crouched low in the bushes. It wasn't going to get away. Not this time. She had tracked the damn thing all day. He had finally met his match.

The rain was cold on her back. Her clothes were soaked and slick, clinging to every curve she had. It rolled off her wet hair and into her eyes. She quietly reached up to wipe her brow before leaping from behind the bushes.

She wrapped her hands around the muskrat. It squealed and kicked its legs. Its claws cut up her wrists and he snapped at her hands. After a quick struggle she managed to knock it out... or kill it. One or the other.

Tenele carried her prize back with a proud smile, even if her wrists and hands were stinging.

"Vlad!" she called once she grew closer to camp. "I caught you something!"

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad was sitting on a rock outside the tent, cracking open mussels. He looked over his shoulder at her, and saw what she was holding. To his shock, it smelled delicious. Interest thrilled through him. He stood and walked toward her, trying not to act as hungry as he was. "You actually found something?" he asked in fascination. He'd never been interested in anything but humans before.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele held the muskrat up with a proud grin. The rain washed her the blood from her cuts down to her elbows. "I heard it scurrying. I think there are a few more in a whole. We could dig them out and you could have a feast. You can drink them, and I'll eat them!"

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad laughed, relief plain in his voice. He had more time with her. "The meat will be tough..." he trailed off as he reached her and the scent seemed faded. Moreover, the scent was clearer now that he was close, and it was very familiar. He reached out slowly and turned her wrist over, blinking at her wounds.

Oh.

"Thanks," he smiled at her, taking the muskrat. "Let me try this over there." Let me get away from your blood before I start licking it, he grudged to himself.

[Emora Deen]

Tenele smiled. "Okay," she mused, stepping away. "I'm going to go wash my hands."

Tenele went down to the beach thinking the salt water might act as an antiseptic for the cuts. She hissed as she let the waves crash over her hands and wrists. When she was done she tore more off the bottom of her skirt, shortening it a few more inches, and wrapped her hands and wrists in the short strips. It was a messy looking bandaging job, but it was functional.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad sat down on the rock, back to the shore. He looked at the muskrat and bit into it with an unsavory hiss.

The blood tasted sour and foul. He sucked it dry anyway, taking out his annoyance on the dead animal. When he'd finished, he set the carcass next to him and concentrated.

He didn't feel any different.

There was nothing here to eat except for his wife.

He grimaced at the small body next to him and began skinning it. The fur could be an important resource for Tenele later.

After a while he laid the pelt out on the rock to dry a bit and walked down to the water by Tenele. "We need to talk about strategy again," he said, knowing she wasn't a fan of this conversation.

[Emora Deen]

Teneel frowned at him, stepping away from the water. "We can go dig up the rest of them. We can talk strategy after that," she urged, reaching out for his hand. She took it gently in her fingers. "Can't we just spend one more day pretending like you won't try to devour me? One more day, okay?"

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad looked down at her hand clasping his, and couldn't bring himself to push the issue. "One more day," he said. "Let's find one more, and leave the rest. You might need fur later."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele nodded. She led him to the area where she found the first one and after a considerable amount of work and effort Tenele lured out a second one for Vlad to eat. Even though she'd asked Vlad not to talk about the issue, she couldn't keep herself from thinking about it. "Do you think if you eat these two, and then maybe bite me again, it will hold you for another day or two?"

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad looked at the creature with a frown, levitated it off the ground and snapped its neck. After a pause, he said. "You eat this one. You'll need the iron if you mean to feed me twice in one week." He looked at her. "That's your limit, okay? It's not sustainable. We can't do it again."

[Emora Deen]

Tenele frowned at him, glancing off at the muddied earth. She wiped the water away from her face and sagged back against a cluster of rocks. "Okay," she murmured, but didn't look pleased with his assertion. It was just a little bit of blood, a little bit at a time, wasn't it? Surely he could take a little every day? At least three.

"When do you want dinner?" she asked him softly, tracing the chain around her neck with a finger. Her breath thickened at the idea of his power entering her. That feeling, those thoughts that enticed her.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad grinned at her. "After yours," he asserted, sweeping her up in his arms. "Muskrat stew. I'm going to use the blood and everything," he teased her, touching her forehead with his.