A Cruel Jest?

18

The words should have shocked Mori or at least disgusted her, but Mori finds that it doesn't and that is what shocks her.

"Whatever rumors you've heard about me aren't exaggerated. If anything they don't say enough." Nocturne wants Mori to understand just how harsh and cruel he can be. Yet at the same time he hates bringing his dark side to light for her. Mori is the one thing in this life that hasn't been corrupted by darkness and it amazes him that she had managed that after everything that had passed with her father.

"I see." Mori's words are softly spoken barely above a whisper yet to Nocturne the words echo in the cabin.

"What is it Mori?" Nocturne demands. There had been something in her words that irritates him.

"So when your brother finds me, that is the same or worse that I can expect from him?" Mori asks him calmly.

The thought of Vena finding Mori nearly causes Nocturne to lose control of his temper. "No, if Vena finds you there won't be much of you left for anyone else to find." Nocturne says with great difficulty. "It was reported to me that he will literally tear..." Nocturne cuts off the words he was going to say when he realizes what that would mean for Mori.

"Vena would tear off what Nocturne?" Mori has a good idea what Vena would do. Nocturne's reputation is well known and he says that it's not accurate, it's worse. And that Vena's reputation is even worse than his. There is no way she is going to live another twenty years, even if she does somehow manage to deliver Nocturne's children.

"It doesn't matter Mori, I've sealed off this valley. He won't be able to find you to hurt you." Nocturne assures her quickly. But Mori feels that he's reassuring himself just as much as he's assuring her.

"If that is true than how did Lord Lin find this valley?" Mori is demanding, not that she feels that she will be answered. So she is more than a little shocked when she is.

"I have a few trusted people that are given the knowledge to this valley. I wouldn't do that much if it weren't for your needs and that of the children. Of course, if it makes you feel safer I will remain the only one to offer you blood." Nocturne says with a wicked glint in his eye.

Mori isn't even looking at him so misses the look. But at his words she masks her confusion and asks, "If you can do that why would you risk this location being leaked out in the first place?"

Nocturne's look actually takes on a dark glint now. "I could do it, but it would be seriously draining for me to do so. I have allowed Lord Terrance to include those he knows are trusted because otherwise I would kill everyone that lives in this valley to keep you alive."

Actually the more he thinks on it the more he prefers the idea. He smiles darkly until he looks over at Mori and sees her mortified and sickly look as she scrambles desperately off the bed and runs for the bathroom.

As he hears her violent purging of her breakfast he regrets playing with her like he did. He slowly makes his way to the bathroom and turns on the shower for her. As he helps her prepare for the shower, "I'm sorry Mori. I shouldn't have talked to you about that, any of it."

Mori wants to shove Nocturne away but feels to weak to even stand on her own. Not that she would be able to shove Nocturne away even if she tried at full strength. She's not sure what to say and so maintains her silence.

Nocturne sighs as he keeps hold of Mori. He can feel her shaking, her weakness from the vomiting is obvious to him, but there is something more he feels. He frowns as he tries to figure out what is wrong. Then it hits him, Mori is afraid of him. And that knowledge is perhaps the biggest shock to Nocturne yet.

Mori had never been afraid of him before that damn vision and this double damned talk. Nocturne wished that he had the power to turn back time like he can heal the effects of time on Mori. But the past is over and done and the mistakes must be lived and dealt with.

"What will happen to Lord Lin?" Mori's words, weak and barely heard over the sound of the falling water pull him back to the here and now.

"That will depend on his intentions towards you. If he was intentionally oblivious or was just too careless to pay attention to his own meals. If it was an accident due to carelessness not much will happen to him, a light whipping perhaps. But if it was intentional..."

"You'll kill him?" Mori asks but the words are said more like a statement. She didn't want anyone to die because of her.

Nocturne could guess at her meaning behind the words and what wasn't said. "Mori, if it had been intentional than it is treason. Not just because of you, but because he betrayed me his king. He could have killed you and the children, the future king of the vampire. If that is the case than he is possibly working with or for Vena. I have to take action against him Mori, one way or the other."

Mori just shrugs as she turns off the water and Nocturne wraps a towel around her. He frowns as he does so. "I'm going to bring some of my towels here. These aren't good enough to use for my pets."

Again Mori shrugs. Nocturne doesn't like how apathetic she is and quickly dries her off and takes her back to the bed.

Once she is all taken care of and tucked back in Mori turns to him confused, "Why are you doing this? You don't have to and..."

"I want to." Nocturne cuts in. He slices his wrist with his teeth and has her drink. "You lost everything you'd eaten earlier, you need to eat." Mori is too tired to fight against his order and brings his wrist to her lips.

The first time she had tasted blood consciously it hadn't been something she could tolerate. Her body demanded it, but mentally she couldn't stand it. But now, especially Nocturne's blood, she craves it. There is something, a taste or flavor that calls to her and she can't resist. She had never thought of herself as a person that could become addicted to anything, but she finds herself addicted to Nocturne's blood.

Nocturne feels her drinking and watches closely. He sees the signs of bloodlust on her face and is shocked. Humans have never reacted like this with vampire blood. They become addicted at times, that is why it is reserved, usually, for the brood mares while they are carrying the young. But evenso, none of them had ever shown signs of bloodlust.

"Enough Mori." Nocturne uses a commanding voice to stop her, but although it makes it's way through the bloodlust to Mori, it's not enough to get her to stop. Nocturne has to forcefully remove his wrist from her mouth. The wound on his wrist already healed.

He watches as the rationality returns to Mori's eyes. "What the hell just happened?" She asks in shock.

"Something that shouldn't have. You went into blood lust." Nocturne replies nonchalantly.

Mori looks at him with almost a look of hatred. That shocks him more than anything else had yet. Mori hadn't even done that with the villagers when she was her angriest with them. The vampire blood was changing her, making her darker. Yet, somehow, someway leaving her as pure as before. The smell of her blood is nearly overwhelming especially in his weakened condition. He needs to leave soon.

"That's not an answer Nocturne." Mori spits out. Her control over her feelings loosening. Taking in her emotions helps him control his own hunger, but he hates how she is becoming.

The knock on the cabin door interrupting the tension filled tableau. Nocturne turns and opens the door to find Terrance. "Stay with her, she's been fed. When I get back we'll talk. Whatever you do, don't let her out of this cabin." Nocturne orders barely waiting for Terrance to nod before leaving. Although he wants to slam the door behind him, he shuts it firmly as he leaves.