Private Tales Desire, and Dark alleyways

[Esmoria]

The was nearly to rise over the horizon. The gloom of Alliria was at it's darkest, The street lamps flickering out in anticipation of the coming sun.
The hustle of the crowds since passed as most tucked themselves away for the night long ago.
When most might have turned into their bed for the evening Esmoria had taken to the dewy cobblestone streets. She wasn't in search of anything in particular. It was just a canny feeling that she needed to witness all sorts of life in the city. For Alliria was a very diverse city and it's inhabitants seemed to have business or pleasure all hours of the day. Indeed her many hours wandering about in the night had yielded some very interesting conversations.
Most of them had amounted to an affirmation that she could make a very decent sum of coin were she to become a woman of the night.
She could hardly blame their confusion. Esmoria had taken it upon herself to visit one such establishment in the city and found the women to be wearing attire much more to her taste than the clothing sold in the market stalls.
Alas even when she wore the bleeding heart crest, it was simply lost in the many diverse voices and creeds of the city.

Her heels clacked along the cobbles as she meandered down side streets in no particular direction. She had gotten a much better sense of the city's lay out in her short stay, but she often took as 'scenic' a route as possible. One never knew when they might stumble onto something interesting.
So despite the fact she was indeed headed back to the little tavern she was renting a room in, Esmoria was only vaguely headed in that direction.
Her eyes and ears more perked for any passing curiosity than focused on where she was going.

Lilette Blackbriar

 

[Lilette Blackbriar]

Spoiler: Music

---

She felt warmth that was not hers, cradled a man in her arms for whom she felt nothing, his back pressed to the wall in a dark alley behind some seedy tavern, her face buried in his neck.

With every weak gasp his muscles eased and eyes thinned closer to shutting. If anyone saw the young nun with this suspected highwayman there would be a scandal, she knew, it was why she'd chosen the large cloak suspended from her slim shoulders, her features obscured beneath a black hood.

But every minute she stayed felt like living again.

Her heart beat faster, freckled skin tinged the faintest rose. Even the memories she stole were pleasant; a kaleidoscope of emotions and sensory echo that came so freely. Soft grass beneath bare feet, the warmth of sunshine on the Allirian coast. The scent of... smoke? and cries for mercy...

Her eyes shot wide, then narrowed in disgust.

She remembered now why she'd chosen him this night. The same reason she met any man by moonlight.

Lilette pulled back, dead breath turning to mist in the cool night air. Blood trickled from her pale lips, while fangs slowly receded behind them. When she let go, he collapsed in silence, his newfound pallor to rival her very own.

She dabbed her face clean on a handkerchief and closed her eyes.



*click*

*click*​

*clack*​

Pointed ears twitched, suddenly she was staring down the alleyway, mercurial eyes burning white hot into something, or someone.

No, don't see me, she thought.

By the gods please don't.

---

Esmoria​

 

[Esmoria]

What the pale woman's eyes met was a figure of reds and pinks adorned scandalously at best, ruinously by some standards. The habit she wore transparent rather than an opaque black, such that even this symbol usually meant for humility only framed her figure in further clarity.

She was certainly surprised by the display she came upon, a seemingly pious woman and a freshly drained corpse. She thought she spied just a hint of blood upon this elegant woman's lips, almost passable for rouge were it not for the unmistakable shape of drip from the corners. Esmoria had heard the religions here favored restraint of various degrees, yet this display seemed to her a glorious display of indulgence.
Her heart sped faster, she had indeed heard rumors that Alliria had recently acquired an influx of such residents, Vampires.
Where there should have been a scream, an expression of terror, perhaps a drawn weapon even, there was none.
Instead she was met with a smitten expression of adoration. "Oh~!" Came a soft gasp of admiration.
To think she would be so lucky to witness up close, it was a shame she seemed to have missed most of it.
For to Esmoria, those afflicted with the curse truly embodied the ideals of Their beloved Sister of the Triune.
They required sacrifices in order to live, they themselves were greatly transformed by it's affects and they held an allure that stoke desire. Such a meeting would only have been more perfect if the pale figure held Tief blood in her veins. Then Esmoria would have truly called it fate.

Her tail swished back and forth behind her excitedly, nearly upending a stack of empty crates nearby.

Lilette Blackbriar

 

[Lilette Blackbriar]

Lilette saw everything, and more.

Her reflective eyes widened towards the stranger in alarm, but she could not bring herself to run. It was her face which alarmed the vampire most, for anything not immediately frightened of her was suspect, and terrifying in of itself. They seemed pleased, or excited, and caused her renewed heartbeat to hammer in her skull.

So too was her attire--or lack thereof--quite eye catching.

It was like nothing she'd ever seen, clearly emblazoned with religious iconography and in the style of her own habit no less, but so... provocative, mockingly so, as though some work of heresy.

Even those horns and tail, swishing about like a cat about to pounce, evoked the demons of scripture.

Whatever she was, Lilette could only hope they'd not seen her face in the dark.

She took one step back, pulled her hood closer, then took another.

Her knees bent, dust was kicked up in every direction, and the Vampire was gone, landed atop the roof and ready to make her get away. Perhaps she'd make for Pitchgate or the shallows to lay low, put this strangeness behind her.

---

Esmoria​

 

[Esmoria]

She sputtered and coughed a little as the dust momentarily distracted the Tiefling.
"Ah-! Waaait!~" Esmoria called out as the pale figure had leapt in an instant to the rooftops.

Unfortunately for the fleeing vampire, Esmoria could be quite agile and quite persistent when she was motivated. She made short work of hopping up and scaling the side to join the woman on the roof.
Where she might have only had a passing conversation before, now the chase was part of the game.
So she would surely follow if the woman chose to dash away again.
If the fair lady had secrets enough to turn tail the moment she was spotted then she was certainly worth hunting after. Though what she intended to do with her prey if she caught the woman, not even Esmoria really knew.

Lilette Blackbriar

 

[Lilette Blackbriar]

Wait? just who would ask for a monster to slow themselves? did the stranger not know yet the peril she invited upon herself, Lilette wondered?

No matter, she shoved the thought aside, planning her route across the rooftops.

What came after, she didn't know. Her pursuer may be checking the body right now, the guards would know of a vampiric presence even if they hadn't seen her face, but on the likely chance they had, she'd have to leave Alliria altogether.

"Oh... not again, I cannot..." she sighed painfully.

And in that quiet solitude, her ear twitched. tapping, like shoes on brick and timber, getting closer.

The vampire turned ever so slowly, and to her horror, saw little red fingers grip the roof's edge. She took a step back, nearly stumbling when her heel met naught but thin air and old shingles which fell and shattered below.

Lilette winced, her options dwindling.

"Get thee back." she said, just loud enough for the two of them.

"I wishest thou no harm but shalt defend mine anonymity if I must, stranger."

Her voice was strained, heavy breaths fallen from frowned lips.

---

Esmoria​

 

[Esmoria]

Esmoria pulled herself firmly onto the roof to find that she had apparently cornered the woman.
Much like a Hound that has caught the fox all too soon she seemed at a loss for a moment.
Her eyes bore into the pale figure with amused curiosity.
A finger came up to poke her own cheek in thought as she tried to puzzle out what the woman was declaring so desperately.
Anonymity certainly made introductions a touch more difficult.
"mmmm, I suppose I don't need a name....." She mused, though Esmoria generally wasn't above revealing her confessors or kissing and telling. The former usually took care of itself and the latter well she had never been in a position for it to matter. All the sisters tended to be quite open about such things.
She sauntered a bit closer seemingly undeterred by the woman's frantic expression.
"I wouldn't mind if 'thou' wished a little harm. I have so wondered what the fangs of your kind feel like."
Her tone salacious and playful with a soft laugh.
There were Tieflings with sharp teeth for certain but Esmoria didn't personally know any that used them to drink blood, at least not because they needed to.

She came to a stop just arm's length away, her tail lazily curving toward the other woman.

Lilette Blackbriar

 

[Lilette Blackbriar]

This tiefling's tone seemed to confuse her, friendly yet goading all once.

Her lips pursed and neck craned, as though none had ever spoken to her in this way before. It confused her instincts, left her paralyzed there at the edge, rubbing her palm where before she'd been ready to eat the strange girl if it came to that.

"Thou wishest me to... bite thee?" she breathed.

Not a hunter then, and stranger still.

Nevertheless she continued to glance about for an escape, catching sight of the small gap behind the Tiefling, though that route would lead her deeper into the city. Another look over the shoulder looked even dicier, such a long jump, even for her, but it would put her on track to the shallows.

She began to circle the stranger, hoping to take the longer, safer route.

Best keep her distracted till the opportunity arose, she thought.

"What... what art thou...?" she finally said.

"And from what faith dost thou hail,"

There was a pause, and a glance at that outfit to which she raised her silver brows.

"...sister."

---

Esmoria​