★Bite Me★

IX

Akuma

From the bread stall I move towards a man who stands outside a small building, his arms crossed over his chest. My senses follow Connor carefully as he wanders after me nonchalantly, taking in the sights. I offer a small smile and turn to Connor, holding out my bags a bit.
"Please."
I ask softly as he looks at the bags. He hesitates then nods and takes the bags, situating them in his arms so I can turn back to the man.
"Connor, what do you want?"
I muse as I peer at a sort of menu, listing everything the butcher before me offers.
Connor lists a few things and I order some, taking the bag from the man when he returns from inside the shop.
"Thank you."
I mutter as I turn back towards the street. The sun is peeking over the small buildings, lightening shadows and casting new ones.
"Got to go now."
I grumble as I begin to walk hurriedly down the street. Connor follows, waves of confusion washing over me.
"We've got everything we need."
I inform as I slow to walk beside him, keeping an eye on a person who peers at me from the corner of their vision as we pass. Connor nods a bit and looks up, glancing around at the light the rising sun brings. Already light is spreading in patches over the road. I stick to the shadows, reaching out to grab Connor's hand in my own as my eyes sweep over the allies and side streets we pass. A vendor ahead forces me to move closer to the center of the road, into an area of weak light. I force myself to continue to walk calmly as the light's intensity gradually increases. My hand tightens around Connor's as a faint burning sensation becomes evident in my exposed arms. There is only about 100 feet between me and the alley that leads back to the woods, but as the sun's rays from each alley scorch my arms, the cool forest can not come soon enough. Finally we have made it to the alley and I must withstand only a moment in the harsh sun before we break into the protection of the thick canopy of trees.

Connor

Akuma leads me back to the forest through the small town that slowly becomes more alight as the sun rises. We have made it back into the forest before she finally releases her firm grip on me, yanking her arm under her cloak with a soft hiss. She keeps moving though and I follow hurriedly. Finally she stops and sets down the bag she carries at the base of a tree, extending both of her arms in front of her. Both look red and almost raw, nausea bubbling in my stomach as she examines them with a grimace. Out of no where, a shadowed form drops in front of her and snatches both of her wrists, eliciting a gasp from her as the form pulls her towards itself. I jump back in surprise as the form begins to take shape. It is a man, a well-built one at that who is at least a foot and a half taller than Akuma and half a foot taller than me. He wears black jeans and a grey shirt, his messy black hair pushed back from his face. What shocks me most is his glowing red eyes that look down on Akuma intensity. The nausea grows into fear as Akuma growls, low and threatening deep in her throat. The man only chuckles, taking one of Akuma's wrists in each of his hands and lifting them above her head, examining each of them.
"Quite a state you got yourself in, Mistress."
The man lulls in a deep, smooth voice as his eyes fall to Akuma's face. I stand frozen as her now glowing eyes meet his.
"Let me go."
She says lowly, but makes no effort to pull away. Rather than do as he was told, the man smirks and slides his eerie eyes to mine, sending chills down my spine.
"Oh, did the pet cause trouble?"
He continues, releasing Akuma as he keeps his eyes trained on me. I can't help but tremble as he takes a few steps closer, eyes never leaving mine.
"Damien, damn it, stop."
She finally snaps and the man stops, giving me one final look before he turns back towards Akuma, smirking.
"Oh, I must have made you pretty mad."
He muses as he makes his way back to her, snatching her wrists back. To my surprise, he lifts her arms again but this time leans closer and runs his tongue up the length of her forearm. Akuma furrows her brows and finally pulls her hands away, retracting them into her cloak. The man chuckles again and offers his palms, shrugging a bit.
"I was only helping."
He purrs which earns a look from Akuma before she turns her gaze to me and motions behind her.
"Let's head back. Ignore him, he's simply a nuisance."
She says before grabbing the bag she set down and continuing her trek. I glance at the vampire who watches her walk away before hurrying after her, ignoring the harsh gaze that follows me. We walk for a while in silence, light speckling the forest floor. Finally the silence breaks when I sigh heavily, jogging to walk beside Akuma.
"What was up with that?"
I ask quietly, my eyes falling to her arms that carry the bag. They are slowly returning to a normal color, pink now except for a strip over her forearm where it is fully healed. Where he licked her maybe? The thought crosses my mind but is interrupted by Akuma's words.
"Like I said, just a nuisance. A vampire I know. Don't worry about it."
She assures as the forest opens into her yard. I nod as we make our way to the door, following her inside and closing the door behind me with my foot.