[Bloodmoon Rising] The Aftermath

dress: **Sexy Princess** - Lucy dress, black
mesh fits for  Maitreya, Belleza, Slink, eBody and classic avatars

also on the markteplace

hair: Tram - E816 non rigged mesh hair, fatpack

chair: Salacity - Not Your Grandfather's WingBack Chair

with built in poses, PG and Adult

and decor
available exclusively at the XXX Event for January 

tattoo: ISUKA - Hikaru

skin appliers: Glam Affair - Klea

 eyes: {S0NG} - Blair Purple eyes

with mesh eyes and Catwa appliers

in Pocket Gacha for January

nails: Slack Girl - Ballerina basic mesh nails

She stood at the edge of the dying light, rain cascading down the window panes.
The sound of the rain soothed Tess. It always had.

"You know they will come after you, " the quiet deep baritone of Malcom's voice sounded in the silence.

"I am aware of that," Tess stated simply. Her calm eyes distant, memories flowing in them like swirls of a turbulent ocean.

"They won't stop", he continued.

"Malcom.."

"They will kill you, and all that you have done, all that we have accomplished, will be for naught.."

"Malcom..." Tess' voice now had a slight edge.

"I just want you safe..." Tess felt his hands on her shoulders, those gentle large hands, their skin a dusky chocolate tone.

Tess turned slightly, her head dipped and her cheek was on his hand, as her own came to gently rest on it. She closed her eyes and for a moment, for a single split second, she let the stress and old anger fade, and she sighed.

"I will be fine." She then said, taking her hand away and turning to offer Malcolm a small smile.

Malcolm looked at her for a few seconds, opened his mouth to speak, and then nodded.
If she was anything, she was stubborn and persistent.

"I need to be alone for a while.." she said as she sat in Vincent's old leather chair, the throw that still held his scent left on it. The safehouse was for all Shadow Warriors, but this room, this was Vincent's haven, his private office, and only Tess and Hunter had been allowed to freely come and go.

Tess lifted her wine glass, lifted it to her lips, and sipped the lifegiving fluid.
Blood.
Red, vibrant with energy.
Purchased from a blood donation center. Tess chuckled humorlessly. Vincent had been the leader of their.. sect? coven? Secret Society? Tess didn't even know what to call them really, at least not anymore. Shadow Warriors was how they were referred to over the centuries, but the name was hardly applicable now.


*************
She had been sitten there, in the heavy silence, for God-knows how long.  Then she felt her skin goosebump.
The sound outside on the alley vibrated in her ears. The familiar gait was unmistakeable.

Hunter! Tess moved with preternatural speed, at the secret door in an instant,  all senses alert as she landed in the apparently empty alley, rain falling, drenching her.

Hunter? she reached out with her mind.

The shadows moved.
His broad shoulders and amber eyes... his long wavy hair in a tumble down to his shoulders, and.. a beard?

Tess laughed. Really laughed as she ran into those strong arms, enveloped in an embrace so tight that she caught her breath in a gasp. But she didn't let go. She held on, trembling now, all the emotions she had controlled so tightly for so long suddenly flowing, and she dug her nails into him, sobs rising up to a wail..

Hunter held on to Tess. The emotions emanating from her were so strong he had to take deep breaths to just keep on his feet, but with every breath, he took her in.. her scent, her vibrant energy, the soul she always claimed had been gone for long now.

He held on to her until her sobbing calmed down, always aware of the energies around them, knowing they were in danger oustide of the protection of the Safe House.

"Let's go inside.." he said gently to her, his voice by her ear. He felt her nod, and he put her down.

Then, he saw her raise her hand and the slap stung across his face, and he lost his balance and almost fell backwards.
Fuck she was strong.

"That's for leaving me, you fucker!" her voice was breathy,  quivering still from her tears, as she wiped her face with the back of her hand. She was soaked, her hair plastered to her head, her dress accentuating her curves more than before, and her eyes flashed a deep hue of lavender.

"Do we have to do this here?" he asked, annoyed but knowing her anger needed an outlet.

"Fuck you!!" she said, and lunged at him, but he was faster this time, and grabbed her hands, pinning them behind her back as he pushed up against the old brick wall.

"I needed you! and you left! You. left. me." she said, struggling with every word through gritted teeth. She sobbed, a body wracking sob that shook her even as she struggled against his vice grip.

"Tess, I am sorry.. I am.. but please, we need to go inside.." he said, quietly, urgently.

Tess sniffled, looking more like a pouty child than an enraged vampire now. She looked down and then tilted her head slightley.."is.. is that a kilt?"

"I'll explain once we get inside" Hunter said, moving fast now, the secret door opening for him as he passed through with Tess' hand in his. She stumbled in after him, wiping her face, as they entered in the old kitchen.  Wrapping her arms around her, she shivered.  The flood of emotions had left her exhausted, her guard she had always kept up was down, and she struggled to get some sense of oder in her mind.

She knew that she had put both her and Hunter in danger by letting her emotions run like this, outside the protection of the Safe House.  She took a few deep breaths, then looked up at Hunter, who was staring at her with the same beautiful calm eyes that he always had, sprinkled with light and laughter.

"I'm so glad you are back" she said simply, staring into those eyes, and smiled.. a real smile for the first time in a very, very long time.