Wrapping her arms around her knees, Ama looked up at the sky. The stars were out on the clear night and there was the warmth of a spring breeze tonight. She hated cold weather, it made her think of her time on the island... The...

No. She Had to stop thinking about that! She had to start living.

Yeah, that's why she was hiding at the school, a place that had no hint of vampire but for her.

It was about the only place in the city that didn't reek of vampire... The only place that didn't make her cower with fear. With the other kids her age... She felt almost normal again. There was even a boy she had a little crush on and she knew he liked him. But she'd convinced him that there was nothing going to happen between them.

The moon was a crescent in the sky, like the tattoo that had been inked onto her chest in some dark ritual that her first coven had. Ama brushed her fingers over the fabric of her shirt, right where the tattoo was, then the line down her stomach to where a never-ending knot was inked around her bellybutton.

Why had this all happened to her? She never knew... She'd learned something about the fanatic coven that had kidnapped her years ago, but why? That was the one thing that she never understood. Why had they taken her? Was she just easy prey? Did she look like the girls who they'd taken before? Was her Inuit heritage a part of it?

She didn't know and well, Ama realized not for the first time, it didn't matter anymore did it? Nope...

Sighing she lay back against the rough roof of the building, looking up at the stars. She liked it here... But she wanted to go somewhere warmer... Even if that meant having to stay in more.

Kieran was perched in a tree on the edge of the school grounds. He didn't usually climb trees, he preferred the solidity of the ground. Yet sometimes trees were a better outpost to look from than the floor. He could see so much more. The tree in question was almost as tall as the school. He couldn't see the top of it, but the small breeze brought scents to his nose and he knew that there was a vampire there.

As he continued to sniff the wind he made his way down the tree, trying to find out more about this vampire. She was younger than he was, much younger, recently changed. He headed towards the school, dropping done from the tree and then made his way to the school, strolling comfortably in plain sight. He would have been more comfortable with a sword, but he couldn't wear one in public.

He reached the school and looked up at the building. A small smile drew across his face and he vanished from his place at the bottom. Reappearing at the top he looked at the young girl across school from him. He didn't want to startle her, so he approached slowly.

Ama heard the sligtest of thuds at the edge of the roof behind her. Her eyes opened wide and she sat up, spinning around to face the one approaching her. He was a vampire, and he looked about her age, though unlike her more man than child. And he was older than she was... A good deal.

Trembling she stepped back slowly, her eyes still wide with fear. What did he want? Was he coming to hurt her? Was he from the others who'd killed her coven? Had they decided after this long not to let her live after all?

No... He wasn't that old. He didn't make her unable to move, paralyze her with fear.

"Stay away from me! I haven't hurt anyone! I haven't done anything to you!" She pleaded softly as her heals hit the edge of the roof. She could jump without a problem of course, but he might find her hideout... And if he did, she'd never really be safe.

Kieran froze as he felt her fear, it was more of a smell really. The panic in her eyes told him that she didn't like other vampires, but she was so young. She probably knew the basics and how to take basic care of herself, but that wasn't much for a vampire. As he looked at her, he made his features friendly and gave a soft smile. He would do anything for the power of empathy right now.

He didn't move towards her or extend a limb in her direction, instead he spoke with a slight Scottish lilt in his voice. "I'm not going to hurt you. I don't even know you. Not all vampires are mean and cruel. Some of us are actually quite decent and even kind." He wanted to ease her mind and to soothe the fear that she possessed when faced with older vampires.

He sat down exactly where he stood, to show that he wouldn't simply rush her. Something had obviously happened that made her fear vampires though he suspected that it was only older vampires. He was older than her by a lot, but not the eldest. He would have to see if he had succeeded.

She said nothing at first to his profession that he wouldn't hurt her, after all, the others had told her the same thing. They'd told her that she was special or whatever and they'd treated her no more than as if she were a stray dog, one that were good for a fuck as it were...

But as he sat, she stood still. He could probably still move faster than she could anyway, but it was a gesture of good intentions.

"Well... If you're not going to hurt me... What do you want?" She asked, looking at the young man for the first time. He... He was rather handsome really, and though he wasn't drop dead gorgeous like all the girls in school crooned over, his features were pleasant enough.

Blond hair and blue eyes sure, but he had a rounded boyish face, showing that he had been in the same situation that she was when turned. He was cute, adorable almost like those teen stars that had the baby faces. But like those teen stars, it looked as if he were trying to play up his adultness. She really didn't experience it yet, but being really old and still looking like a kid had to be frustrating at times.

But something in his face made her trust him, made her curious...

"I... I don't usually deal with others like... Well us..." She only fed on blood because she had to, not because she wanted to. Usually she'd use students before or between classes. Ones she caught in the bathroom alone, taking little bits at a time and making them forget the little encounter. "I'm not used to others dropping by here, usually this place is safe..." She murmured.

Kieran watched her and knew that if he moved too fast, she would probably bolt and that was not something that he wanted her to do. He wanted to chat and put her at ease, besides not all vampires were cold-hearted bastards. Most vampires were sociable and really nice if given the chance.

He gave her question some thought. "To talk I suppose. I'm the sociable type and it's rare that I get to talk to someone that looks my age. Besides I was in the neighborhood when I smelt another vampire. Thought that I would check it out." Kieran wasn't the curious type normally, but he liked to check things out. If it didn't catch his attention, he would move on to something more interesting. Right now though, she was interesting. It was rare that someone of his physical age would appear and the thought that some vampire was actually in the same situation as him, thrilled him.

To her comment about not hanging around with other vampires, he shrugged. "You do know that we aren't all bad right? I mean the Enashe and the Nephim are pretty laid back and they won't bite your head off unlike the Tarepha and Ishak who are on the crueler side of the vampire lifestyle." He paused and wondered something. "Have you been to the casino yet?"

"Well..." If he was just scoping about... That was okay right? "You... You won't tell anyone I'm here right? I mean... I like hanging out here, it's safe and I don't hurt an of the students or anything." She said, as if in a promise.

Ama shook her head as he asked if she'd been to the Casino. She really hadn't been anywhere in the city but the school and the mall. She liked hanging out there on rainy days. And she enjoyed going to classes and making new friends. It was like her life had never been interrupted. Except... her parents already thought she was dead.

She fidgeted a bit as he spoke about the different covens. She really didn't know much about them really... But she knew of one that he didn't speak of. Maybe... maybe they weren't here...

"What about... The Amman?" Her voice was a whisper, her dark brown eyes wide. "Are... Are they here? I think that's their name... They... They killed my coven off, they're really the only other ones I know of..." She was hesitant as she spoke, not sure how much she should tell him. What if... What if her other coven had been so horrible that they'd been hated even here?

Kieran frowned as he looked at her. "I won't tell anyone I promise." He wondered what she was afraid of. It was perhaps weird for a vampire to be afraid but when there were degrees and varying levels of power and age, fear for a young one was very possible unless they were with their sire or under the protection of an older vampire.

He nodded sensing her fear. She was afraid of the Amman, which was unusual. The Amman were a sort of law enforcer, a bit like the police and they ensured that the law was kept. Many of them were over the two thousand year mark to be able to protect vampires from the being discovered by mortals. "Of course the Amman are in this town. All five are represented here, because the leaders of the covens live here. You've just walked into what many vampires dub the vampire capital of the world." It was true in his mind, the five leaders each controlled their part like rulers and they knew how to ensure that the balance wasn't disrupted.

When she mentioned the destruction of the coven, he winced. He did feel sorry for her, but the Amman didn't kill needlessly. If vampires died there usually was a reason for it. "I'm sorry to sound this way, but if the Amman killed them off, it was possible that they had gone to an extreme which most of the vampire community find disruptive. The Amman stepped in and took care of it." He hesitated. "I'm sorry that they are all gone."

She trembled as he said that the Amman were indeed here... Not just them, but the heads of all five covens. Had she known that... She would have never come here. Knowing that now she should probably leave... Find a place that was all but devoid of vampires... A place where she could live without fear...

"I... Well I don't know... They didn't treat me all too kindly... But they could have just killed me outright. They could have done worse things to me..." She murmured. It was what she'd been telling her self for the past few years. And it was true wasn't it? They'd never actually forced her to do anything... She could have chosen to starve if that was what she really truly wanted. But she wanted to live, and well, they just didn't make it too easy for her.

"I don't know what they did... I was kind of a captive..." She said with a shrug.

"Well... I... I uh better go... I..." Her expression was distracted, trying to think of places that would be safe for her to go.

"Do you know where the covens usually aren't?" She asked hesitantly. "I... I don't think I should stay here too much longer." She bit her lip, thinking of how she could get so far away with her things. She couldn't just steal a car and she certainly didn't have the money to buy one.

Kieran saw her shake and frowned. What vampire was afraid of the coven leaders? Granted the leaders had done a great deal to help the vampire community and they could be dangerous, which is why when you were near them you had to be careful. That was to be expected though. If she was running from either of them, no matter where she went they would find her. It would only be a matter of time. He was surprised that she had landed smack dab into the city where all leaders would be present. Then again she was so young.

Kieran simple blinked as he looked at her. "You were a captive? That was probably the first thing that went wrong with your coven. No mortal or immortal should be forced to do something against their will. Freedom to all." Whether that was what the covens agreed on or not, he didn't care. He simply knew that he would go for that, it was probably something to do with his Scottish heritage. Or perhaps he had simply seen Braveheart one too many times.

Kiieran shrug his shoulders. "As a matter of fact I don't know. I'm an independent, there are their headquarters which are pretty well laid out, but the one that I would avoid is the Sinister Puppet. It belongs to the Tarepha and they aren't always friendly. Besides that, I doubt that the vampire leaders stay at home all the time. Vampires rarely do, when we can go out, we usually do." She had to calm down or she would go hysterical. "Don't worry about them, if they didn't kill you the first time, they probably won't. Unless you do something really bad, I mean something short of revealing the vampire world to mortals."

"I... I would have stayed... Even if I was alowed to leave... I don't have anywhere to go... My parents think I'm dead... I don't have any friends or family that can take me in..." And now her one place that she'd felt safe was no longer the haven she thought it was.

As she tried to think of where she could go, her face became lost, like a child who's parents had moved on while she'd been looking at something in a store. She didn't know where to go, what to do.

A soft whimper escaped Ama's throat as the fears truly began to sink in. She was alone, more alone than she had ever been before. There was no one who could help her... There was no one who could do anything for her.

"But... Even if they let me live... There... There are others who won't like me... Who won't like what I am... Someone... If..." Her words were obviously fearful, and her breath, though not needed, was coming quick and shallow. Had she been human, she probably would have hyperventalated.

Ama wavered slightly, her legs feeling weak. She leaned against a metal colum and slid down, pulling her knees to her chest. She just wanted to be human again... She just wanted everything to go back to the way it had been before she'd been kidnapped...

Kieran felt pity for the younger vampire. At least when he was young, he had had his sire and grandsire to help him. He wasn't left out in the dark or all alone. That was probably the most difficult thing about being on his own, the loneliness and not knowing if you'll meet someone that might change your life. "I'm sorry to hear that. You have to realize that many vampires don't have family or friends to turn to. We mostly muddle on our own."

Kieran snorted. "There is always going to be one person that won't like you but you try not to dwell on it. If you need a place to stay I have an extra bedroom in my apartment that you can borrow for a bit if you like." He wasn't going to push her, but she had this lost look on her face that made him want to help. 'Also while you're staying with me, I'll make sure that no one hurts you." He didn't have powerful friends but he could ensure that she would stay safe.

if she had been human she would have been close to passing out, because of the way she was breathing. "Are you going to be alright?"

But she didn't want to be alone... She didn't want to just 'muddle on' as he'd said. She wanted to live again. At school, she had friends. There were people who liked her, who knew her name and wanted to talk to her.

She wanted that, needed that. She didn't want to lose the connection with the real world, she didn't want to get absorbed by the dark underworld that she had seen of the vampires. Mostly it was just hear fear of the stories she'd heard, knowing the way she'd been imprisoned.

Ama looked up at him as he heard the offer for a place to stay.

She bit her lip hesitantly, not sure if it was a good idea for more than one reason. "I won't be able to go to school though..." She murmured. She would just suddenly disappear to them... No one would know where she was and though teachers might not notice, but other students would..."My friends... I... I don't want to leave them." She murmured.

And they couldn't hurt her eather. She was stronger, faster and besides, they didn't know what she was, they weren't going to hurt her because of it.

She frowned though, looking down as he asked if she would be alright. "I... I don't know... I never wanted this. I just wanted to die really. That's why they changed me. Cause I jumped off of the ice." She mumbled.

Kieran simply looked at her. "Well about the school,thing, do you honestly think that you can spend your entire life here. People will eventually notice that you don't know age. You can't spend the rest of your life here, no matter how many friends you have. You need to go and spend some time outside of here." Eventually her mortal friends would move on, but she wouldn't.

"You have to have a life outside of the school, explore the vampire world. That's the only way you can adapt to this life. You can't always run from it. You perhaps didn't want this life, but now you are part of it. So stop whining an being so uncertain it won't do you any good. You may be a child forever, but you can't act like one, forever." She had to wake up and smell the fresh night air. It wouldn't do her any good to keep being uncertain. Vampire were know to take advantage of younger vampires and he would make sure that she didn't fall into that trap.

"They won't! They'll... They'll just go off to college, grow up and forget about me. That's what always happens anyway, so why would this be any different?" She said defensivly. She didn't want to meet vampires. They were only going to hate her. They'd pick on her and beat her...

Even this one right now was doing it. He was berating her, calling her weak and pathetic for wanting to cling to her humanity.

"I don't want to be a monster!" She nearly screamed. "That's all vampires are! Monsters! I don't want to kill people! I don't want to hurt them! I do the best I can with what I have and I'm happy now! I have friends. Freinds that I like to be with!" And she didn't want anything to change.

Crimson tears started to flow down her face though, because she knew he was right. How long could she try to keep up this charade? She was going to hurt someone eventually, one of her friends. Even though she could resist, mostly because of fear... She would hurt them one day and then she would lose everything.

But he was still being mean. She wasn't hiding anything from herself. She knew what she was and what she had to do. She wasn't afraid of it either. Just afraid of hurting her friends.

"Where am I gonna go huh?" She sniffed. "Sure you say I can stay with you, but I don't have money to pay you. I don't look like an adult so I can't get my own place. I can't just be alone in the world. And you don't seem to want me around." She hmphed. He had seemed nice at first, but if that was just a front, she didn't want to be around him.

Kieran snorted. "Obviously. You don't have to be a monster. Why is it that young vampires always believe that becoming the monster is the only option? It isn't. There are other options, there always is. Take the Enashe for example they cling to humanity by being resourceful. They opened a casino to interact with mortals."

Did she honestly think that all vampires kill their prey or hurt them? "Not all vampires hurt the people they feed from. Some do kill and enjoy giving pain, but not all of us are the same. Some don't even hunt and drink dead blood, other such as myself ensure that the person i feed from will feel only pleasure, others again get blood pets." He himself had one, though he had vanished off the face of the Earth. kieran knew that his blood pet was alive but that was the extent of his knowledge.

"You honestly think that all vampires are mean don't you?" He shook his head as he stood up. "Some vampires are kind and I'm not offering because I want something in return. I offered because I could and because you seemed to need a place to stay." He looked at the floor beneath his feet. "i wasn't trying to be mean, simply trying to make you see the truth of your predicament. it was perhaps cruel and unkind, but it worked.'

He paused and looked at her again. "How did you manage to stay this long in school if you aren't even registered?"

She frowned thoughtfully as he spoke of a coven that wanted to interact with humans and not hurt them or abuse them. It was an odd thought to her of course because she'd never heard of a group that did that, but then again, the only group she'd known was her own.

"The vampires I knew... They held me captive in a cave of ice. They did some sort of rituals. I can... I can kind of remember them, but I couldn't feel anything I don't know what they did to me."

As he talked of how he only let people feel pleasure a look of longing crossed her face. Pleasure... She'd never really felt that with anyone or anything. Happieness, sure, but nothing more than that.

"It's all I know. You don't understand." She bit her lip slightly, then shook her head. He didn't want to hear her whine and complain. He wouldn't want to hear her moap about her life. He wouldn't care...

She looked up as he asked his question. "Huh?" She blinked slightly. "What do you mean? Oh..." She gave a little shrug. "I dunno. The teachers and the other adults, they just kind of forget about me. Like I'm not even there. It's not like I'm invisible or anything, they just ignore me. But it's okay cause I don't want them to notice me. Just my friends." She gave another shrug.

Kieran wanted to smack her, yet he refrained from doing so. He wasn't a violent vampire. Instead he looked her up and down. there had to be a way for him to make her be more alive as a vampire. She seemed to need a little bit of direction. Perhaps staying with the Enashe would help.

"Listen, I wasn't trying to be mean, I simply wanted you to wake up and realize that being a vampire isn't all bad. There are some good things. For example as you age you gain experience and powers, I think that that is a plus and also you can control your hunger so that you don't kill anybody." He hesitated as he looked at her. "I think you need to remember what is was like to be a child. like playing games like hide and go seek and tag. They're fun and more so if you are a vampire."

He grinned, remembering fondly when he had played with a mortal, it had been fun. "Would you like to meet some other vampires, like the Enashe? They aren't dangerous and there are mortals everywhere. Their base is a casino, it's hard not to miss it." He was making an offer, she would have to eventually be part of the vampire lifestyle. She couldn't shy away from it forever.

"I never played those games. It was always too cold to play outside for long where I lived. Well now it doesn't bother me, the cold I mean." She said with a shrug. "I can feel it alright, but it just doesn't make me shiver or anything."

She listened, but frowned, as he talked about meeting others.

"I... I dunno... I think just one's enough for now really. I... I dunno if I want to meet more. Not now anyway." She gave a shiver, obviously now not from the cold.

"I know I seem weak.... And yeah, I guess I am. But I don't think I was meant for anything like this. It... It doesn't seem right to me. Just seems off." She didn't know what else to say. She was tempted to take his previous offer of a real place to live, but she knew she couldn't deal with meeting too many other vampires at once.

Maybe she should tell him this... Maybe she should let him know she wanted to go with him... But then she realized something.

"What's your name?" She asked, tilting her head slightly,

Kieran wanted to nice, desperately so, but some vampires did annoy him. Why were younger vampires always bemoaning their existence? It wasn't like they were alone in there situation. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands of vampires had gone through the transformation. Their was at least one of them that would know the way she felt.

"I know what you mean by that. It felt off to me as well the first day that I was a vampire. My sire was always doing things before thinking. Which is why he turned me before realizing that I was too young. He didn't want a child vampire and his own sire threatened to kick his ass if he didn't take care of me." He shrugged his shoulders. "Eventually I went off on my own."

He gave her a grin. "My name is Kieran." He took a few slow steps toward her wanting her ti\o get used to him. "And what is your name?"

Her face twisted slightly as he asked her name. She wasn't sure which one to give. It wasn't anything new at all though. She never knew what to call herself. She loved her real name. It always made her heart soar to hear it, especially when her mother and grandmother said it. It was like it was magical to her, but to others, it sounded ridiculous. It didn't offend her, she knew that a lot of people just weren't use to the language.

Shaking her head quickly Ama frowned. "Sorry... My mind can wander sometimes..." She muttered, noticing that he'd moved forward. She tensed for a second, but made herself relax as an attack wasn't coming.

"Umm... Well the name my parents gave me is Quamainq Amaruguru." The complex sounds seemed to roll off her tongue. "But it's down in records as Ama Wolf. It's kinda hard to pronounce my real name so I usually go by Ama anyways." She was hardly able to keep the grimace from her face.

"You..." She wasn't really sure how to say or ask what she wanted to without seeming stupid or weak, but she wasn't sure she could. "How did you keep yourself from just... Ending it all? The thirst... The emotions, desire... I hunger for so many things that it nearly drives me crazy sometimes..." She shuddered slightly.

"You said there are some that make humans feel pleasure? Does... Can a vampire feel pleasure when feeding too?" Now that she'd found someone to ask questions, she had to ask something that had been bugging her for weeks. "I... I was feeding from a boy... And I just wanted him more and more... Not just his blood either." She looked away in embarrassment and would have been blushing scarlet if she could have. "I'd just never felt that before. I was afraid." She gave a little shrug.

Kieran watched her, his eyes somewhat concerned for this much younger vampire. He went to the edge of the building and sat down, allowing his legs to dangle down. He wanted to think over his answers before giving them to her. "There was a time where I thought that my life was officially over and i wanted nothing to do with the vampire life. My sire and grandsire were very gentle with me and explained to me that being a vampire wasn't an end but the beginning of a new journey and they were both right." he shrugged his shoulders. "The thirst, the desire will never leave and will always be a part of you, but you can learn to control it. Most older vampires do."

"Many vampires feel pleasure from simply drinking the blood and sometimes it overwhelms them. In a sense the pleasure you feel from drinking blood will sometimes make you want more than the blood. You'll want their body, maybe their heart or soul. Often we stop at the body." He turned to look at her. "Ama, vampires are sexual creatures by nature which is why we often give pleasure to the mortals we feed from or feel pleasure when we feed." He hoped that that would help her out, he wanted her to understand what she was and not only be a vampire because she hadn't been given a choice.

If she could have blushed, she would have. "Oh..." She nodded slightly. "Well... When I was with my coven... They always made me... Do things with them when I was starving. Before they let me feed. I didn't mind, I didn't care because I was so hungry..." She murmured. She'd never actually had an enjoyable partner before. The men she'd been with were simple animals, wanting relief and nothing more from her. And in truth, she'd needed the same. The first year of her existence had been uncontrollable thirst... Raging fury and hunger that she'd never felt before.

But now to know that she would always feel like this... That burning thirst... That hunger...

As he spoke about it, it really didn't help her calm herself... In fact mixed with his scent, the strength she felt from him and the way he looked at her... It was hard to fight. Hard to the point of nearly impossible.

"You... You said I could stay with you... Are... Are you okay with that?" She asked, her dark grey eyes looking up at him almost longingly. "Would you mind if I stayed with you? I... I can tell my friends here that I'm moving... Going to another school..." Yes, that would work. And she would still be able to see them sometimes. Go to the movies or the mall with them like normal.

She stood up and moved closer to him, almost in arms reach, but not quite. "I think that it's best if... If like you said, I start acting like what I am. Have someone to help me."

Kieran watched and noticed a definite change in her scent. It was a mix of things so you couldn't put a single emotion to it. but the hunger was there as well as something else that he recognized. It was want. He didn't know what she wanted, but he figured that eventually it would come out. He would simply have to be patient, that wasn't one of his strong suites.

"Of course I'm okay with that I'm the one who offered you to stay with me. It would simply be cruel of me to offer you to stay with me and then to retract it. I don't feel pleasure on making others suffer. I'm not a Tarepha or an Ishak. They would do anything to make you feel good, only to take it away from you." He was on the kinder spectrum of vampires, he talked with vampires that he thought needed direction, he consorted with mortals, he even had his own blood pet.

He stood up and held out a hand towards her. "We could go now if you like. It's across town, but we could get there in a few minutes. I know a shortcut, well not quite a shortcut, but I know how to get there quickly. I believe that it is faster than running." He waited patiently with his hand outstretched, knowing that in the end she would put her hand in his.

Hunger? Desire? Want? Weren't they all the same thing? And hadn't he just said that they had to... control them? She swallowed hard as his scent washed over her again, he was so close now. Her muscles were tense, as if her body wanted to fight or run from him... No... Not run. But... But it wasn't fighting either. She didn't want to fight him.

Ama nearly cried out in frustration as she tried to push everything away, push everything out of her mind.

But her face remained emotionless, her body quickly relaxed in a few seconds as she pulled herself together after her short falling-apart.

"I like to run..." She murmured, her hand slipped hesitantly into his and they were off, running into the night, running together but with him leading. Ama didn't know where he was taking her exactly, but she didn't care. She was eager to be with him, no matter where he went.

Kieran started off at a run, knowing that she would full well be able to keep up with him. He ran fast, going around people knowing that all they would see would be the blur that he and Ama created. he kept running for a while until he saw a large shadow that belonged to one of the largest buildings of the business district. He angled towards it and as soon as they were both covered by it, he vanished into the shadow dragging her along with him.

They appeared only seconds later on the balcony of a tall residential building. He released her hand and pulled the door of the balcony open, slipping inside and inviting her in. It was a beautiful three bedroom apartment. The balcony door opened onto the living room that was all in colors of cream and blue. It was a astyle that eh called his own. 'so what do you thibk/"

Following him closely, not wanting to lose him for even a second, she froze when they stepped into his apartment. His scent overwhelmed her, pushing at her, making her control slip away ever so slightly....

But his voice brought her back to reality, and she realized something... There wasn't a scent of a female around. Interesting.

Ama nodded in answer to his question. "It's better than my place." She said with a smile. But it was tight, forced as she fought her self control, a fight that she was losing rather quickly as she found herself moving closer and closer. She was kind of thirsty, but that wasn't why she hungered now. It was the strong scent of a male vampire, her body knew the scent well and this was how it reacted to it. Being in his home, surrounded by his scent...

Well, the smart part of her wanted to run away. Wanted to run as far as she could so she wouldn't ever smell him again, wouldn't ever want to do what she couldn't help but doing now.

Her movement was jerky as she tried to resist them, tried to resist moving closer and closer. Her hand reached out, caressing up his cheek. Her fingers were in his hair before she realized how they'd gotten there and she managed to pull away, nearly falling back onto the couch. Turning sharply she lept away, now half way back to the door to run, her eyes wide with fear.

Kieran watched her and could sense a subtle change in her scent. He recognized it well. His grandsire often produced a similar scent aroudn his own sire. At first it had puzzled him, until he mentioned it. Both of them had looked properly embarrassed and had explained it to him. He now understood very well what that a subtle change like that meant.

She was obviously reacting to the fact that this was his place and his scent was everywhere. Being a vampire was already being difficult on her and her natural instincts were overriding her human common sense. When she caressed his cheek and her fingers got into his hair, he didn't move or try to stop her.

When she lept away he watched her with calm assurance and a touch of confusion. Wondering what to do, he undid his hair, letting it fall over his shoulders. It was passed his shoulders and look like rays of sunlight. "What are you afraid of Ama?" He needed to know if she was going to be alright and if she would flinch every time he was nearby.

He didn't move, which was a good thing, just stood there, looking at her slightly confused but understanding.

Afraid? Yes... She was afraid... Of everything. Of him, of her feelings, of this life... She didn't want any of this. She didn't want to want him. She didn't want to be a vampire...

Holding her breath kept the worst of the eagerness at bay, as she couldn't smell his scent.

"Everything..." She whispered, her eyes expressing that terror, her body tensed. But She couldn't fight any of it. She couldn't fight him, the world or her own nature. At this truth she slumped, sitting at the foot of the couch, her eyes were dead, staring at the carpet. "Part of me wants this... Part of me needs it... Needs-" She hesitated, her eyes flicking up only for a millisecond. "needs you... But I don't. I don't want any of this." She risked taking a careful breath so she could speak again. "I want you... You have no idea how much I need you." Her words were nearly a moan of hunger.

She felt horrible though, because it wasn't him specifically that she wanted. Any man would have done. Any man who'd be able to satisfy her would have been just fine by her. It wasn't love... She'd never really loved anyone that way. Never had the chance. "It would be wrong though... To use you... Just like I was used. I don't want to do that to anyone." She murmured as she realized what she was thinking.

Kieran eyed her and tried to decide what he would with her. He didn't mind her staying here but if it would make her jumpy and fidgety simply by having his scent nearby, it probably wouldn't work. He wanted her to stay, he wanted to help her understand who she was and what she could do, but this wasn't going to work out. Unless she used him and frankly he didn't see it as her using him, but more as a mutual agreement of interest. She was female and felt some attraction towards him and he had to admit that he did find her attractive.

He took half a step forward and then stilled again. What could he say to ease her terror and her fears of who and what he was as well as who and what she was? "There is nothing that I can tell you, that can ease the way you feel and this is my home. It is entirely natural for my scent to be everywhere." He hesitated before taking a step towards her. "I am willing to help you with those urges if you like. I know that you don't love me and I don't love you, but I do want to help you and that means with everything, including this." He reached out towards her, his hand palm up. He was giving her the chance to make the decision of staying with him or turning around and walking away.

"I know... It's... It's not you I'm scared of..." She whispered, looking up at him wide-eyed.

His hand moved towards her and she watched it for a moment. But then her face pressed into the palm of his hand, nuzzling it eagerly. She nibbled at his fingertips then and then began to rub her cheek up his arm. "Don't make me leave. I'll do anything...." She murmured. But then again... Maybe if this was some sort of 'agreement' then she wouldn't be using him.

She stood slowly, her cheek pressed first against his chest, then his neck. Tilting her head she moved her arms around his neck. "Only if you want me..." She murmured. "I won't use you... No one deserves that." But her lips were kissing his ear, nibbling on the lobe as she'd done with his fingertips.

Kieran was slightly amused. It had been a while since he had been with a woman, he did miss it, but he would never go on a rampage to satisfy that urge. He was a somewhat peaceful vampire that preferred to dole out friendship instead of pain or fear. It was simply the way he was, very closely resembled a Nephim yet he had his own style. He was friendly and preferred friendship over a relationship, but he was still a man who enjoyed having a good time.

He wrapped one arm around her waist pulling her body closer. She was already nibbling at his ear, so he leaned towards her and started to kiss he neck, nipping at it with his fangs, not hard enough to draw blood but enough to cause a small amount of pain that would quickly turn into pleasure. He may look young but he was an expert in the pleasure department. He knew that every woman was different, but he also knew that many enjoyed the same touches and some liked when the men was a little bit of aggressive, not enough to actually cause pain, but enough to show a semblance of danger.

Smiling as he pulled her closer, Ama nuzzled at his neck. "You can do whatever you want with me..." She murmured. "I'll be okay." And that was the truth. She'd been through a lot in her life and she could survive more if need be. And she owed him, if she was going to be staying she had to pay someway, and if he was okay with it then so was she.

Ama froze as he bit her neck, not expecting the act. Her instincts took over as a tremble ran through her body. He was probably a more aggressive lover... Maybe like the ones she'd had before. For those types... It was just better to let them do what they wanted. The pain would fade, the injuries would heal. She'd recover just fine.

She shut her eyes tight as he kissed aggressively at her neck, keeping herself from fighting to get away from him. It was harder, knowing she had a choice and wasn't locked up in a cage, but if she wanted a place to live, she'd have to endure whatever he did to her. She could survive it after all.

Kieran had never considered himself as an aggressive lover, but he did know that not everyone enjoyed it. He paused, his mouth less than an inch over her throat and placed a gentle kiss without any biting or nipping. He wanted her to be as comfortable as possible and someone who was as stiff as a board would not enjoy all that he could give.

He moved his head back and looked into her eyes. "You don't like being bit." It wasn't a question, but more of a statement. "What do you want me to do? This is as much for your pleasure as for mine. I want you to enjoy yourself." He wanted her to let go of all her reservations, wanted her to let the vampire side of herself out. It would be a wild night but only if she let go of everything. He leaned towards her and placed butterfly kisses along her jaw bone. "Tell me, dear heart. Tell me everything you want and desire." His voice breathed into her ear, with the softness of a whisper and the promise of a wonderful night.

Ama shook her head as he spoke. "No... Not really... I... The only ones I've been with weren't the nicest." She murmured, looking away ashamed. "It just brings back memories is all. Not ones I like either."

Her body relaxed again as Kieran kissed her jaw gently, almost as if he was hardly touching her. This was what she wanted... Someone who wanted her to be happy, wanted her to actually enjoy the moment.

"I... I don't know. I've never had a choice." She murmured as he asked what she wanted. Well of course he wasn't talking about in life, just now. Besides, she couldn't ever have what she really wanted. "I just want someone to want me happy though..." She whispered before she turned into his lips, kissing him gently. She wanted strength... But a strength that was controlled, used for good, not bad. "That's enough... Just knowing you want me to be happy..." Well of course and not be too aggressive, but she figured he knew that now.

"You're not like any other guy I've been with Kieran... I know you won't hurt me... That you don't want to hurt me." She almost shivered as she said the last, remembering the men in her coven. "It's so different for me. I don't know what to do." She said between kisses, relaxing against him again.

Kieran understood. He wouldn't be aggressive with her, everything had to be carefully choreographed in a way that she would enjoy everything that he did to her. He wanted to make this night unforgettable and as pleasurable as possible. "Then I won't bite and nip, I'll find other way to set your nerves on fire." There were other ways, most he had learned and had used, always surprised at the effectiveness of such gentle touches.

He grinned as he returned the soft kiss of her lips, putting a touch more pressure, without becoming overwhelming. He wanted to show a touch of strength without becoming overpowering. He wanted her to want more, not to stiffen in his arms in fear or a painful memory. Neither of those would accomplish anything in his book.

He gently took one of her hands and turned is so it was palm up and brushed kisses across it, before heading up her arm and returned to her face kissing her cheeks, jawbone, nose and mouth. He took a small break and gave her a small smile. "Do whatever feels right, it usually is."

Her body curled around his delicately as he made his way back to her lips. The kisses at her arm had made her skin tingle, and she just wanted to be closer to him.

She nuzzled at the crook of his neck with a soft murmur a she broke it finally. How long had it been since someone cared about her? She wanted to feel protected and secure, to feel as if nothing wold ever scare her again. Ama wanted to curl up in his arms, feeling his body against hers just holding her tight.

"Kieran..." She whispered. "Can you hold me? I want to feel your arms around me. I don't want to leave them." She told him. She didn't want to give up the kissing, the touching or whatever else was coming next, she just wanted him to hold her.

Kissing him gently, Ama began to undo the buttons of his shirt, running her hands along his chest.

Kieran wrapped both arms around her, one closer to her waist and the other on her back. He moved his kisses back to across her jawbone and left them light and playful as he went to her neck. He kissed her there repeatedly and then sucked gently without biting or nipping. He had to remind himself that she didn't like the aggressiveness that usually came with the vampire tendencies, therefore he had to keep his own vampire side under wraps. It wouldn't be a hard thing to do, but he would manage.

She didn't want to leave his arms? That was fine with him, because he had no wish for her to go anywhere. She was going to stay nearby for at least the next day and he would make sure that every little wish that she had would come true. When her hands skimmed his bare chest, he let out a low growl. It wasn't a sound meant to frighten or to scare, but one that showed renewed interest and a touch of affection.

He shifted his hands, slipping them underneath her shirt not to pull it off but to be able to touch her skin and feel the softness of it. Soon, he knew that clothes would come off, but right now he would have to relish the feel of her skin at his fingertips.

She relaxed as he held her close, kissing along her skin gently. Ama's eyes fluttered shut and she murmured softly. She liked that he let her touch him. That it was almost as if she were in charge... But then she stiffened automatically as she heard the growl in his throat, felt it in his chest.

She pulled her hands away before she could control herself, realizing a second too late that the growl was not a threat, but an encouragement.

Ama felt foolish at once, and she would have pulled away if it weren't for his hands on her body. She forced her body to relax again, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry Kieran..." She whispered, nuzzling at him. This was hard for her, to trust someone again. Now that she knew she could say no, now that she didn't have to do things she didn't want to do. She didn't know how to behave when she was in charge. She was so use to having to do what anyone told her to.

But... But she wanted this. She needed it. Her body ached to be held, to feel someone who cared about her.

If she could have cried, she would have. Tears would have been falling down her face if only she was able to make them. Slight tremors ran through her body as she pressed herself against him. "I'm sorry I'm so broken..." She murmured. "So weak... I can't even do something I want without being afraid..."

Kieran continued to kiss her, soothing away the fear and confusion that she might feel at the new sensation of being in control. It would be hard for her and different to be so on top of things. His control has slipped when her hands had touched his skin, which was why he had growled. His vampire side had been dominant for only that split second, but he had felt her pull away, not that she would go very far.

He lifted his head to look at her face and knew that if she had been mortal she would be either crying or holding back tears. He released her and took on her hands and tugged her gently towards one of the couches. He sat down on the couch pulling her straight onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You are not weak and I can say that I don't see you as weak person." He shook his head and then pressed a kiss to her temple. "You are not broken. You are simply looking for your place in the world, like everyone else." His voice lowered to a whisper. "I refuse to see you as broken, because you aren't. What I do see is a beautiful, young woman, that might need simply some affection." He was more than willing to give that to her.