It had been almost a week since Sera had come to live with Felix. She nearly refused to be separated from him for too long, but she had come to accept certain things. Her room was the small room that he had first brought her too. She slept in the small bed in there, away from Felix, shut in the dark room as she slept for the day.

She longed to be with him, curled up against him and feel his arms around her.

But there was some unspoken thing that told her no, that would not happen. But she needed him... She needed what he could give her, the way he treated her. That pain... Oh it felt more wonderful than anything, and she needed it. It healed her in ways she hadn't guessed. Sera scarcely remembered Ambros anymore... Or Rosa... They were nothing but shadows of a memory.

It was just after dusk now, and Sera was waking up from her slumber. Once she was fully awake, the girl remade the bed making it looking as if no one had even slept there, and then moved to the mat on the floor.

There she knelt, waiting for Felix to come to her, call for her.

She needed him... Her body was trembling with eagerness, waiting... Sera wanted to see him, smell him and feel his hand though her hair, assuring her that she would stay with him one more night, that he want her to stay so he could help her.

The girl's brown eyes flicked to the door, to her knees, to the door again... "Felix..." She murmured, her voice so soft it was barely heard even by her ears

Ferox stroked a fingertip over the blade of one of his knives, feeling the cold slickness of the fine steel. He enjoyed using blades. As a vampire, he had natural weapons in his claws and fangs, but the knife always seemed so much more elegant. And why not? Weren't tools what had set the humans above the other animals in the first place?

He was looking for a knife in particular, one that would suit his new pet. Like the former stray that was currently sleeping on his (the dog's) bed, the fledgling was just a creature Ferox could manipulate. And he could train her as well. It was a little more tricky than the dog, but he was patient. It hadn't taken much to endear himself to her, to the point where she craved his presence like a drug.

The ancient could, and would, use that.

Because he wanted more out of her than just her, well, he supposed the word 'devotion' would fit. Ferox lifted a small double-edged dagger from its holder and tucked it into its sheath. It would fit her hand easily. Slipping it into his coat pocket, he left the room and locked it behind him, and headed towards where the fledgling was staying.

Where... Where was he?

What... What could possibly be taking him so long to call for her? He usually knew when she woke and called her almost right away. But why hadn't he called her yet? Getting up she moved to the door. She had to find him, had to see him! Was he okay? Had she angered him without knowing? If she did... She had to make it right! She had to get back his affection, his approval.

Sera was just about to reach for the door handle when she stopped.

No... She had to wait. She had to be good. Felix would be angry if she didn't trust him, if she didn't wait.

Suddenly, the little fledgling tasted blood in her mouth. She'd been chewing on her lip nervously without even noticing, so hard that she'd bitten through. With a whimper she made her way back to the mat, kneeling again, waiting....

But she couldn't sit still. Sera was worried... Worried that she upset him... Or angered him. She never wanted to do that! Never! She wanted to make him proud of her, make it so he would say that she could stay with him forever. Sera loved being with him, she needed to be with him because he made her so happy, made her feel so wonderful.

Sera continued to chew on her lip nervously, so scared that he would leave her hear alone... She didn't want to be alone... She wanted Felix to be with her. The girl's eyes widened, and a bright, hopeful smile came to her face as she heard footsteps heading her way. Felix! He was coming for her! He was coming wasn't he? It... it sounded like it.

It was all she could do to keep herself still, to keep from fidgeting, or jumping up and racing out to meet him.

"Sera," Ferox said calmly, opening her door. He had felt her anxiety through the heavy wood panel, just as he'd hoped for. It would be even easier to get her to do what he wanted if she was afraid of disappointing him.

The ancient held a hand out to the young vampire and asked, "Do you feel up to hunting?" Considerate. Careful. Kind. That was important. He needed to make her dependent on him before building up her spine.

Hunting wasn't all that he had in mind, of course. Ferox wanted blood, but more, he wanted fear. And not the quick slash of it either... no, he wanted something that would last a good while. A week at least.

Sera bounded up to him as the door opened, stopping just in front of him, nuzzling his outstretched hand.

Hungry? He needed to feed? She would feed him, she wanted to feed him. Blood... She was bleeding. With a whimper of pain she bit her lip through again, blood flowing inside and out now. Tip-toeing, Sera wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him fully.

"Let me." She murmured as her bloody lips kisses at his cheek. "Let me feed you. Take my blood, I want you to." She begged him softly, kissing him in between words. "Please. Please feed from me Felix." Yes. To feel those harsh fangs at her neck, to feel her body jerk as it fought to stay alive even as he drained her.

"Please. Please take my blood if you hunger Felix" She whimpered before kissing him eagerly, beggingly.

Ferox returned her kiss, one hand moving to stroke through her hair. It was odd how that one, small movement could be so condescending. It was the type of stroke one gave a pet.

The ancient sucked hard on her bloodied lip, drawing the cool red liquid out. As she spoke, however, he shook his head. "I can't," Ferox said softly. Dead blood made him ill if he drank too much--part of why he so enjoyed dragging out the lives of his victims.

"It holds no nourishment for me," he explained, cupping his hand on her chin.

It was affection, it was love... It was what she needed.

Seraphina was overjoyed as he returned the kiss, sucking at her lip, drinking from her. He had given her so much and she wanted so badly to return the favor. She wanted to give him everything he could need, everything he could want. She owed him so much, and it seemed as if there was so very little that she could do for him.

But this... Knowing he could feed from her, state his hunger with her blood.

He... No. He couldn't? Sera nearly cried out as Felix pulled away shaking his head. No... She could not feed him. She would not nourish him, could not fulfill his desires, his needs.

The poor fledgling sank back with look of utter pain and sorrow, feeling utterly helpless to please and provide for the man who cared so much for her. What could she do for him, the man who gave her love... Soft little whimpers of distress came from her as she looked at the ground hopelessly, fearful that he would get rid of her.

No! She couldn't leave him! She didn't want to leave him ever! There had to be something, anything that she could do for him!

Falling to her knees she clutched at the hem of his shirt. "Please... Felix... There.. There must me something I can do for you! Just tell me anything you need, anything you want from me and I promise that I'll give it to you. Tell me what to do, anything, and I'll do it Felix." She begged him desperately, nuzzling at his thigh. "I don't want to leave you..."

Pleasure did so extend beyond merely the physical. As a kiss alone, a simple meeting of mouth to mouth, there was only the small and simple pleasure of that touch. A stroke, a fine glide of skin on skin, but nothing more.

But the feel of the fledgling quivering against him? The heady rush of knowing that he could control her so utterly, from a simple kiss to something more? That was the real pleasure--the power. It was not tangible. He could not literally hold power in his hand. But it gave a very real sense of euphoria even in this relatively minor situation.

Ferox nearly grinned as she fell back, a pitiful mewl issuing from her throat. It was almost too easy, wasn't it? Almost felt decadent to be so easy. Almost.

Soothingly, as one would calm a small child in distress (and really, wasn't she?) he smoothed a hand over her hair. Stroking gently, Ferox was silent for a few long moments, all the better to make her hang on that sharp point of not knowing.

"Come..." he said at last, "come hunt with me."

As he stroked her hair, Sera whimpered again, pressing herself closer to him and nuzzling at his chest. She didn't want to leave him. She wanted to stay with him forever, knowing that someone cared for her, someone would be kind to her.

But was this goodbye? Was this the end of the happiness and joy she had found?

"No... No, I don't want to go Felix..." Sera nearly sobbed. "Please don't make me go. Let me stay with you. I'll do anything, I promise." She clung to him like a fearful child, So afraid that he would put her back out on the streets.

But. But as he said that she would go hunting with him she looked up, sheer joy on her face. Hunting? Yes, she could hunt for him, she would do that if he wanted her to. With a bright, almost loving, smile Sera flung her arms around his waist in a tight hug. She couldn't help it.

She was so happy that he wasn't getting rid of her, that he was giving her another chance, she had to let him know how grateful she was. She nuzzled affectionately at his chest for a moment before pulling away "Yes... I can hunt." She nodded.

She moved quickly to get dressed, a pair of jeans and a mock turtleneck sweater that had been from one of Felix's victims a few nights ago. She was sill barefoot, but it didn't matter to her. Everyone seemed to have bigger feet than hers... But that was okay, she didn't really need shoes anyway.

After dressing she bounded over to Felix once more, ready to do as he said, anything he said.

"Shhh. You don't have to go anywhere," Ferox said soothingly, patting her on the head.

Inwardly, he frowned a little. He never would have predicted this reaction from her. Ferox would try to adapt, of course, but he had expected more independence from the fledgling. He couldn't force her to want what he wanted, he had hoped she'd want it for herself. The power to be on her own, self-sufficient.

He mulled that over as she dressed. When she was finished, he nodded approvingly, ignoring her bare feet. It wouldn't fit in all that well, but tonight it wouldn't matter. Drawing the knife from his sleeve, he held it out to her.

Sera never wanted to be alone. She never wanted to be without someone with her... She had been alone almost all her life, and because she had found someone once she knew what the difference was. And she hated being alone.

If it wasn't for the irresistible pull of the sun, she would have never left Felix's side. She wanted to be with him always.

But she wasn't going anywhere. He had said so himself and he wouldn't lie to her, he wouldn't say something and not mean it. In this world... Sera was far to delicate to be on her own... She was to fragile mentally more than anything, her mind torn to bits, unsure about what to do.

But with Felix, he told her what she needed to do, he told her what she was and she knew for once without a doubt what she really was supposed to do. Which was why, when he held out the knife to her she took it without hesitation. But.... But what did she need to do with it? What was she supposed to use it for. Her hand tightened around the hilt as cold, harsh memories came back, haunting her mind.

The feel of the cool blade, biting into her skin... Sitting in a dark corner all alone, feeling the bite again and again as the scent of blood swarmed her nose. The scent of her own blood.

She whimpered softly as she felt the pain in her arm... But no one else cared... No one cared about her... She was all alone...

"Sera! What are you doing?" She was jerked harshly to her feet, the knife falling out of her hand as Ambrose turned her around. But she could only look away, tears leaking from her eyes. "Sera, I love you so much, why do you keep doing this to yourself! You know it takes you longer to heal." He said as he pulled her close, holding her tight. "I love you... Please darling... Don't do this."

But she wanted to... She wanted to feel the pain. She deserved it. She had hurt him... Drove him away. It was her fault Ambrose had left... It was her fault because she was such a monster. She was alone because of what she was.

She moved back sullenly, her eyes on the blade of the knife. Suddenly Sera slashed the blade across her palm deeply, turning a yelp of pain into a soft hiss as she clenched her hand tightly. But the pain... It felt good, it felt right. She deserved it. Deserved it for what she was... She was horrible.... She was a monster who drove the ones who loved her away.

But the blood that dripped slowly from her hand now was a promise not to do the same thing with Felix.

If she was a monster who forced away any who cared, well, perhaps it was a good thing for the fledgling that he didn't care. Not about her, not really. Ferox cared only for what he could do with her, what he could mold her into. And even if he couldn't, he would enjoy the challenge.

At his core, Ferox was a loner. He'd been alone, in many ways, since he'd been sired. Isold, his maker, had turned him for her own amusement and, in some ways, to make herself an heir. Ferox had been handy. She had not watched him or studied him to find out if he was the right man to become her heir, she had simply chosen him at random and molded him.

In short, she hadn't cared about him. If he hadn't worked out, she would have chosen another and another until she found one that did.

Sound familiar?

As Sera dragged the blade through her flesh, it would have been easy for Ferox to stop her. But he did not. He took her bloody hand, held it between his own. "No," he said quietly, "what you feel... don't turn it inward. Turn it outward."

Misery loves company, as does pain. It was freeing to hurt others when you hurt.

"What's wrong darling? Why do you keep doing this?" He had asked as he pulled her onto his lap, holding her closer. "I'm always here for you. You don't have to hurt yourself like this." He stroked her hair gently, lovingly.

"Yes... I do... I need it." She had murmured, unable to look her sire in the face. "I'm so horrible..."

"No you're not Sera! You're a wonderful young girl. You don't deserve it or need it, so why... Why do you hurt yourself like this all the time?"

She hadn't answered. She couldn't have even if she'd tried. It was just an overwhelming grief, sorrow, pain in her that couldn't come out any other way. She raised the knife again to strike her arm this time but...

Sera jerked as if she'd been smacked as he grabbed her hand, not suspecting he would stop her. "Felix..." She murmured, her wide eyes staring at him. His words... They didn't make sense in her mind, but something deep inside her agreed. Outward? Turn her pain... Her suffering outward? "How?" She asked quietly, her eyes falling slightly.

"Can you feel it?" Ferox asked quietly, not answering her question directly. "Feel all that anger, the pain, the misery build up inside you? Feels like you're smothering from the inside out, doesn't it? And if you don't let it out... if you don't do something it'll swallow you whole and you'll be trapped... trapped inside that blackness with no way out..." His voice was almost hypnotic, so low and smooth and soothing, his stone-colored eyes on hers.

Ferox lifted her hand, pressed the bloody palm to his lips, briefly scraping his teeth against the wound before turning his own hand over it. His blood dripped into the wound and, almost immediately, it began to seal.

"You feel like cutting yourself is the only thing that'll make that smothering pressure go away, but it's not. Take the humans, cut them, make them bleed. Every ounce that pours away, every time a fresh scream rings, you'll feel it lessen."

"Yes..." She whispered softly at his first question. But as he continued, she began to tremble. Yes... Yes she felt it. She felt all of it. Felt it pressing against her heart, trapping her in the sorrow she didn't want or need. She felt it keenly and ached to get rid of it. But how? How could she get rid of it? How could she cut it out of her body?

No... Not her body...

Sera shuddered as his lips, his teeth grazed her palm, but she was still trembling as he began to heal her hand.

"Yes... Yes, what do I do...? Please... Please tell me Felix..." She looked up at him beggingly.

Them... Make them bleed. Make them suffer and it would take hers away. It would take her pain and make it theirs, it would leave her free of this horrible pain.

"How... Tell me how to get rid of it. How can I give it to them? Please..."

"You already know, Sera," Ferox replied quietly. "You've felt it, haven't you? How that crushing pressure lightens every time you take one of them, felt the glee that comes from the glut of blood..."

It was the same reason why children with broken homes would torment small animals. There was a kind of catharsis that came in torturing those that were weaker, and no small sense of power. Power and purging, heady stuff for the powerless and pained.

He tugged gently on her hand, pulling her up with him. Enough talking about it. Time to go find themselves a human and actually do something.

Yes... She had felt it... Those overwhelming urges to hear them scream... To feel their bones shatter beneath her grip... To feel their heart stop and hear that last gurgling breath.

Sera's heart began to pound with that dark desire, the eagerness to kill to cause pain. Yes... Give it to others... Other could take her pain so she would not feel. She wanted to feel nothing! No pain... No sorrow or loss. No grief.

As Felix pulled her to her feet, she moved close to his side, her body eager, restless to get out into the night. She wanted to run, to feel the night around her... But that eagerness for the night was contained by her want of Felix. Wanting to be near him. Wanting him to cherish her, care for her, love her.

Yes, those were what she wanted most... But to please him, she knew what she needed to do, and it would help too. It would help her be free of this pain... It would help her sleep peacefully.

Her pulse was racing almost frantically now, the adrenaline was pumping through her body. Her eyes were wide and eager for action, her fangs aching for blood. "Are.. Are we going now? Are we Felix?" She asked eagerly, unable to contain her glee.

In some ways the torment of others was like sex, at least for the kind of creature that Ferox was. The gush of blood, the singing sound of screams. It was a glut of sensory stimulation that gave a twisted pleasure all its own. Especially to a vampire. Ferox didn't just cause the pain, he felt it too, if he so wished.

Agony twinned with that glorious rush of power... it was beyond addictive. And like any addict, Ferox wanted to lead others down into that dark, warped place with him. And who said he didn't share?

Her excitement, her anticipation, bled over into him. Infectious. Ferox smiled as well and his fangs itched to slide down already. The knowledge of what was to come was a kind of eager pleasure all its own.

"Yes," he said softly, "we're going."

Ferox had a seedy club near the east side of Demaitre in mind. Someplace where nobody thought twice about leaving with someone they'd known for only a few minutes. Someplace near some deserted warehouse or old apartment building that no one went near anymore.

OOC: You wanna just skip to the club or something? Let Sera pick out our Unlucky Shmuck for the evening?

((Heh heh, I have just the thing in mind :) ))



It was nearly an hour and a half later, Sera was panting heavily, the knife in her hand poised to strike again, but it simply hung in the air. The face of the body she now straddled was unrecognizable as the handsome teen she'd lured out some time ago.

She didn't want to stop! She wanted to keep stabbing and slashing in the brutal way she'd done, but... He wasn't responding... He wasn't screaming or fighting anymore... He... He was dead, his body still.

Sera hadn't even fed from the man, but lead him out, let him think he was getting her body just long enough to stun him and overpower him to the ground. It was then that she had simply stabbed, cut and slashed with the knife that she had hardly let go of. The result was the scene in the alley now. The girl was spattered with blood, her clothing stained and smeared as was her face.

She had started screaming at him to wake up, stabbing him again and again, wanting him to keep fighting even after her victim was dead.

But now... Now reality was beginning to sink in, and she realized that he was dead, he wasn't going to fight again... She... She'd killed him... Killed him for no reason, he hadn't done anything to her and now... Now he was dead!

She fell back off of him with a cry, the knife clattering to the ground. "Wha... what did I do?" She murmured. "Felix? I..." She didn't even know what to say as she looked around frantically for him.

Ferox had simply been watching quietly, ostensibly keeping watch at the end of the alley but really just observing. There seemed to be quite the bubbling anger in the girl, judging by the way she continued her mad hacking at the dead boy's face.

Blood and chunks of flesh, even some bone, flew as though he'd been hit with a bomb. But a bomb would have been a less painful way to die. Still, despite the violence of the kill, Ferox wanted more. The explosion of fury wasn't satisfying enough for him.

He wanted slow. The drag of a knife through skin, the screaming until the voice was gone. That was what he craved. As the animal inside of him leapt hungrily, Ferox ruthlessly dragged it back. It wasn't time yet.

As she drew back, breath heaving, Ferox moved towards Sera. He held his hand out and the knife she dropped floated towards it, the blood and gore falling away to leave it pristine.

He dropped his hand on her shoulder and knelt next to the fledgling, one hand on her shoulder to turn her eyes away from the dead boy to him. "It felt good, didn't it? While it lasted, it felt good."

Her eyes were filled with fear and panic as she looked up at him for a moment, before throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face into his chest. He wouldn't like it... She knew he wouldn't. But there was something in her that was telling her how wrong she was, how horrible and evil she was.

But she wanted to do it! She had wanted to do it so much and it had felt good!
Sera nodded against his chest as he asked. And she couldn't lie. She had enjoyed it so much... She just wanted to do it again and again.

"I was bad though... I was bad Felix... I shouldn't have done that. I did it all wrong... I... I shouldn't have..." She whimpered against him, craving reassurance that everything was going to be alright, that she had done well and he was proud of her. Proud... No one had ever been proud of her before and because he'd given her a taste of praise, she wanted more. Nothing had felt more wonderful, more uplifting than his approval.

"But... But he deserved it? He did right? He deserved to do that cause of what he was gonna do right? He would have hurt me right? And... And he would have done it to others? He would have hurt other girls right?" She stammered as her eyes looked back up at him. She hadn't been wrong had she? She should have killed him... He deserved it.

Comfortingly, even though it wasn't in his nature to do so, Ferox made soothing noises as Sera clung to him. "Hush," he said quietly, drawing her back so his eyes could search hers. "You didn't do anything wrong. You weren't bad."

"They all deserve it, if we want them to," Ferox said. "Make them pay for what you feel," he encouraged. Like any master manipulator, Ferox shaped his voice, his appearance to enforce what he said. His voice was soft, soothing, and compelling, his eyes steady. When he spoke, he sounded so reasonable, so honest you couldn't help but want to believe him.

Even trust him.

"They deserve it," he repeated, "if we want them to."

Her face visibly relaxed, and she even smiled hesitantly as he said she hadn't done anything wrong. So he wasn't mad at her, he wasn't upset with what she did... And she shouldn't be either.

There was an ever so small part of her mind that was confused for a second as he said that they deserved it. Did they? Well if she wanted them to? But... But how could she decide who deserved it?

But... His eyes were so certain. His voice was so steady and sure, that it must have been true. He wouldn't lie to her after all. He hadn't yet, even if it hurt her, even if she didn't like it, he told her the truth. Not like Ambros. He always lied to her, he said it was to protect her... But how could lies protect someone?

Sera nodded then as an eager, child-like grin spread across her face. She nuzzled his shoulder quickly, and gave him an affectionate nip and tug at his shirt before pulling away. "Yeah. He did deserve it Felix." She said with a nod. "If he was gonna hurt me, he would have hurt someone else. He would have made other girls feel bad, and so I stopped him and gave him what he deserved." She said almost triumphantly.

Kiss the girls and make them cry...

Inwardly, Ferox puzzled over Sera's behavior. It was so... different than when he had initially met her. Then she had been fiery to the point where it was irritating. Independent, fiercely so, and violent. Now she acted much the opposite, seeking his confirmation constantly.

Peculiar.

Outwardly, he simply gave her the equivalent of a pat on the head. "Yes. Yes, you certainly did," Ferox said thoughtfully, moving from the fledgling to look at the mangled corpse again.

"A suggestion, though? Draw it out more." Ferox flashed a quick smile. "The longer the better. Wasn't it so disappointing when he stopped screaming?"

She smiled brightly as he praised her.

Yes it was true she had been a fierce and wily creature when he found her, but now... Now that she had that affection again, she didn't want to lose it. She needed it just as much as she needed blood, as she needed nourishment.

Her mother had given it to her...

Ambrose had given it to her...

Every time it had been taken away from her it destroyed her, it had... It had broken her down and torn her apart and into pieces.

Sera was determined to do anything to keep it... She would do whatever he said, what ever he wanted her to do for him she would do. Just for that approval for that affection and love.

She frowned though as he thought about his words. Draw it out more? But how... Yes.. Yes she had loved to hear his screams, to feel him fight her. She'd been furious when it was all over, she'd been absolutely furious that he'd stopped fighting. "Yes... I... I didn't want him to stop so soon..." She mumbled, looking down at the ground. "How? How would I... Do that?"

All these years had passed since he had been turned and Ferox still craved the quick high of killing. In his early years, the brutality had been what he'd wanted the most. He still wanted that from time to time. The sheer ferocity it took to beat someone, even just a human, to death with one's own hands... it was like an amphetamine.

When she questioned him, a smile spread over Ferox's handsome face and it was a wicked one indeed. "I'll show you," he replied, sliding the narrow blade he held into his sleeve.

---Short Skip---

Heading back into the club, it didn't take the vampire long to pick out his toy. A tall, broad-shouldered man with an athletic build. He talked too loudly and bragged too much, both with the air of one who seemed to think women should be ecstatic to kiss the ground he walked on.

How perfect.

Nothing more satisfying than breaking down a braggart. Deliberately, Ferox walked by the man, slamming his shoulder into the larger mortal's chest. As expected, the man reacted aggressively and picked a fight which led, quickly enough, into their forcible ejection from the establishment.

"Little shit!" Floyd snarled. "You just got us thrown outta there!"

Ferox brushed at his clothes. "There's a pity," he remarked calmly. Calling over his shoulder he said, "Alley cat? Want to carry your new toy?" They just needed him disabled and quiet long enough to get someplace a little private. Even in this part of town, people would notice a man being tortured in the street.

Sera nearly panicked as he left, only barely able to keep herself under control and to keep herself from running in after him. She didn't want to leave him! She wanted to be with him and he knew it! Why... Why was he leaving her?

He... He was coming back. He was. He hadn't ever lied to her yet, he hadn't given her a single reason not to trust him. He was so kind and loving to her that he would never leave her alone unless he really needed to.

But she couldn't help the fact that her heart was racing and lept in her chest as she heard his voice and smelt him again. Him and another man.... Who was this other man... He was bigger... Stronger than the other it looked.

But... He was being rude to Felix! How dare he! Hardly after he finished speaking Sera sprung from the shadows, snarling fiercely. Sure he was a big man, but he wasn't ready for the hundred or so pounds of anger that came bounding out from the darkness to hit him square in the chest. However, the fledgling was much less graceful than the cat Felix affectionately called her and the two went sprawling and tumbling. The scent of blood was on the air though, the man's blood, as Sera bit and clawed at him.

But soon she was on top, her hands firmly around his throat and his firmly around hers as well. But Sera didn't need to breath. "Don't you dare talk to him like that you human scum!" She snarled with a struggling breath. After all, she did need air to talk. "I'll kill you for that..." And true to her words, her hands did not slacken even after his did. His brain was slowly shutting down from lack of oxygen, but she didn't care.

Take him somewhere else?

Just render him unconscious?

No, he had insulted and offended Felix! She couldn't let this pathetic creature live after that! She would kill him here and now for his stupidity.

Ferox was a little surprised at the depth of Sera's anger towards the human over a few simple words. Then he sighed, as he supposed he shouldn't have been. Surprised, that is. With a simple flick of his fingers, he knocked her back from the man, who immediately began to suck in air and cough. "Don't kill him," he told her. "Then I'd have to go to the trouble of finding a new one."

His dark grey eyes studied her. She was eager, but green and rather easily sucked in. That was fine as long as he had control of her but a bit more problematic if her devotion wavered.

"Just bring him along," Ferox said, his gaze moving on to scan the nearby buildings. This was still a bit too near the club. Gesturing for her to follow, he began to walk away from the seedy little club and deeper into the nastier areas of the city. Any large, deserted building would do and there should be plenty of those further in.

With a startled yelp Sera went rolling to the side and looked up, confused about what just happened. "Wha? But... but Felix!" She nearly whimpered. "He... He insulted you! I... I couldn't let him just call you that, Master."

But she fell silent as he looked at her, her head dropping considerably.

She'd just been defending him... Why was he mad at her? Didn't he know that she would do anything for him? Killing... Saving his honor... It didn't matter to her. If he had disrespected Felix. Felix who had never treated her with anything but kindness, truth...

"Yes master..." She murmured as she nodded, submitting without a second thought. As he gestured to her without a word she walked over to the man just as quiet and gave him a kick in the ribs as if for good measure before gripping onto his hair and dragging him behind her.

Was... Was he really mad at her? Why wasn't he talking to her or... Or even looking at her? She'd done it for him... She had. She'd been defending his name and... And she'd just been trying to teach the mortal that he couldn't get away with insulting someone....

"Felix..." She said piteously. "I... I'm sorry. I am... But when he said those things... He just got me so mad. You're so kind to me and so wonderful that I couldn't let him say those to you and not suffer for it. I didn't mean to anger you or upset you, never. Please don't be angry with me?" Her eyes turne dup to him hopefully. Looking for a small smiled that he accepted her appology, a pat on the head or some simple word to know that he would forgive her.

"What's the child's saying, Sera? Something about sticks and stones, I believe," Ferox said thoughtfully, still walking. "My honor is safe, though I don't fault you for trying to protect it." He glanced back as she kicked the man in the ribs and began to drag him. "Good girl."

They walked in silence for a bit longer, until Ferox stopped to study a decrepit, abandoned convenience store. It was thick with dust and out of the way--most of the buildings around it were abandoned as well. There weren't even that many homeless. It would do nicely, he decided.

Flicking his fingers at the chained door, it nearly came off of its hinges, he led the way inside. It was dark, but that was fine. Their eyes could see well enough. "No, I'm not angry. But, in the future, try to keep from killing them until I say you can," he said at last, after enough moments that it seemed he had forgotten they were speaking altogether.

She looked down sheepishly. Yes... That was the saying... But to insult someone who'd been so kind... Who'd never hurt her and only cared about her... She couldn't let it be, she just couldn't! Didn't he understand?

But then she smiled as he thanked her for the attempt and knew that she had done the right thing as he told her that she'd done good.

So Sera dragged the man on happily, smiling after him as she pulled her captive behind her.

"Huh? What are we doing here?" She asked curiously. "Aren't we going home Felix? I... I mean... We'll be home before I fall asleep right? I... I mean cause I fall asleep before sunrise." She'd assumed they were just going to take the man to their home, and they would take their time with him. After all, that was what she wanted to do.

“Take too long to go home,” Ferox replied absently, glancing at her as she mentioned she slept when the sun rose. “If you want to keep him for longer than,” he turned his wrist over to check his watch, “six hours, we can go back to the house.” It wouldn’t take them long to get back to his house.

It didn’t matter to him. He could torture the man for a few short hours or he could test the little fledgling’s restraint by letting her take him home—and then they could see how long the man would last.

With her violent streak, Ferox doubted it would be too long, but then… she might surprise him.

“It’s up to you, pet,” Ferox finished graciously.

"Oh!" She said, pleasantly surprised. "I'm sorry Felix! I thought it was much later." She said cheerfully as she dragged the man along a few more yards into the building. But once she dropped him she bounded over to Felix and hugged him with a little giggle of delight, a childish like sound that coming from her, a blood spattered little demon, was just vicious.

But she only nuzzled him lovingly for a second before bounding away to look to see what else she might be able to do with this man.

"Huh? Up to me? But... I thought we was gonna kill him slow? You was gonna show me how right?" She asked, slightly confused as she blinked curiously at him. Moving over to the man she gave him a kick in the ribs, the only response was a low, slow groan. "But... Even then, he's gotta wake up don't he?"

She kicked him again, this time in the hip. "D'ya know how ta wake him up Felix? Cause he's no fun like this..."

Ferox glanced around the grubby abandoned store as Sera snuggled up to him, giving her the equivalent of an absent pat on the head and a nod. This place would do, he thought again, casting a careful eye over the plywood covered windows and the cockroach scattered floor.

Glancing over as she kicked the man, Ferox frowned. She was right, it would be no good if he was unconscious. "Wake him? Should be easy enough," he replied. Purposefully, he wandered to the bathroom. Most of the fixtures had been stolen for some reason or another, but the toilet was mostly intact. It was also vilely overfilled. Apparently, taking a shit in an unflushable toilet was better than on the sidewalk. But that wasn't what he was interested in. Lifting the tank lid, he was pleased to see that it still had water in it. Frozen, but he could remedy that.

He came back with the water floating before him in a bubble--he'd had nothing to carry it in. Ferox dropped the still icy water on the man's face, listening dispassionately as he sputtered back to consciousness. "There you are, my pet." Ferox glanced at Sera, clasping his hands behind his back. "A few pointers before you begin, if I may. Strip him, it'll make him cold and keep his clothes from getting in the way. And, just take your time. We have plenty."

Sera grinned widely as he patted her on the head before bounding off. It was so much fun being with Felix. It really was.

"You can find something then?" She asked as he began to wander off. "Okay! I'll watch him while you're gone then!" Sera moved closer to the man and gave him a little nudge again before crouching down, staring at him with a look close to disgust. She proded him on occasion and he was just about to come to it seemed when Felix came back, a clear shimmery orb of water in front of him.

"Ooohh! That's pretty Felix!" She said with amazement. "Maybe I could learn to do that too?" She asked. But her question broke off into a giggle as he let it drop on the man, leaving him sputtering and nearly gagging.

"What the fuck! What the hell is wrong with you man! And your girl is a fucking psycho!" The man yelled as he looked around at the two. That was when Sera's high pitched and cheerful laughs stopped.

"That wasn't very nice Mister..." She said as she narrowed her eyes. "I thought you would have learned to be more polite than that after what I did." She said simply moving closer.

"Dude." He said as he crawled backwards from Sera who was slowly advancing on him, the little knife once more in her hand. "Get your brat away from me! She's fucking crazy!"

Sera was holding herself back. She wanted to strangle him to bean him with her own fists. But she knew that would kill him too quick. What could she do to draw his death out? To... Make him suffer.

"Maybe," Ferox said, thinking for the first time about what powers the fledgling might have. He wondered how he might find out, seeing as how he had no clue about her lineage and what sort of abilities her sire might have had. The quickest answer, the ancient thought, would be to use his own abilities and have a look-see.

Of course, that would be contingent on her distaste for mental powers having diminished somewhat.

Ferox studied the man, who appeared to be on the edge of panic, with perfectly calm eyes. "Oh, she may very well be. Psycho, that is. But, I can assure you I would be worse. I have much more experience, you see." Though this affair was supposed to be Sera's show, Ferox couldn't resist adding a trick or two of his own. Holding a hand out, he extended his fingers and the man's shirt flew open with the movement, revealing a reasonably fit torso. Another flick and the man was flat on his back, arms and legs spread helplessly.

"Turn the knife so the flat side is up," Ferox suggested, placing his hand over hers to demonstrate, "then slide it under the skin. Don't stab deeply or he'll go into shock and that, my dear, would end the fun."

Had he wanted to peer into her mind simply to manipulate her like Rosa had... She'd hate him forever. To trick her like that... it had been so cruel. And Felix would never do something like that. He cared for her more than anyone else had.

Which was why Sera looked up at him when he said that she was psycho. "Wha... But Felix..." She murmured, looking at him with almost hurt eyes. But then he said he was worse? So... So was it okay? Was it okay to be crazy? Was it okay to be like this?

Moving closer to Felix she wanted reassurance that she was okay, that it was okay to be like this. But the man's shirt flew off and he was forced to the ground. Sera growled, but hungry with desire as she watched him lay prone on the ground. She wanted hi-no... She didn't want him... Wanted Felix... Wanted the way he always gave her what she needed.

Sera murmured and pressed against him slightly as he moved near her, taking her hand. She nodded though as he instructed her, told her what to do. "Okay." She smiled slightly. "But... If he gets to noisy, can I cut out his tongue?"

"What the fuck? Why the hell you want to cut out my tongue you crazy bitch!" He screamed.

"Because you keep pissing me off!" She snarled. "You're an arrogant bastard who thinks he's so much better than everyone else! I could strangle you with my bare hands... And I'm not afraid to do so." She threatened, stepping forward. Her glare and ferocity seemed to silence him odd enough and he even tried to move away, but was held still by Felix. "But I won't... Because that's not a lot of fun."

Crazy, or psychotic, all depended on your point of view. Trite but true. Everything depended on your point of view. If you were on the receiving end of this particular type of crazy, well, then you probably thought it was entirely insane. If, on the other hand, you were on the giving end, well, it made perfect sense. Why torture random people? Why, because I can, of course.

Felix shrugged at her question. "Of course," he said generously, "though that will make him bleed rather a lot."

"Oh... I know. But it would hurt too, for a while. I mean I'd like to hear him scream..." She said looking up at Felix, moving back against him. She... She didn't like being too far away... She didn't know why, but it was such a comfort to know he was there next to her. "But if he's just gonna keep making me angry, I might as well cut out his tongue. Beside... We don't want him waking any neighbors." She nodded, such an innocent and childish smile on her face as she put a finger to her lips.

With a childish giggle she bounced back over to the man and straddled him on the ground. "But... Ohh... Felix... What should I play with first? What would happen iiiiff... If I popped his eye out of the socket! I've always wanted to see what would happen! I mean We did it with a shark in my biology class, but it was already dead and all... Is there a way to get it out of the socket? We just pried it out with a scalpel, but that kinda squished it."

She grinned down at the man in pure curiosity, truly wondering about what would happen. The man was obviously horrified, but kept his noises to frightened whimpers. Which was all good and well with her.

"What ya think Felix?"