Your Time's Run Out. Time To Pay Your Debts

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

Aura was beautiful. She had a full head of blond hair and her father's expressive eyes. The doctors had been amused at how her eyes changed colors... But only once did she see a beautiful amber color to her beautiful daughter's eyes... And that was when Nix had first held her. Her little girl had the most perfect skin Phoenix had ever seen in her life. Aura was so small, so fragile, she was almost afraid to hold her own daughter.

She had been gone from Sevanni's home for a week now. She was going to fly to Paris and then have her baby, but it wasn't safe to travel so late in her pregnancy and, lycan or not, she didn't want to take the risk in losing her daughter. So, she had the baby in a New York hospital, and they let her daughter come home with her the next day. She hadn't went back to Sevanni's house, instead she used her money to get a hotel room for her and Aura. She couldn't bring herself to do what she knew she needed to do... What was best for her daughter. Aura wouldn't be happy growing up around a bunch of vampires... And Nix wouldn't allow that anyway. Living around vampires, and being human, was never a very good idea... And she would not risk her own child in such a dangerous way.

She had spent the next several days in the hotel room with Aura, spending the last little bit of precious time with her daughter that she could... Because, soon, Nix would have to leave her daughter... and she had no idea when, or if, she would ever see her again. She wanted to memorize every detail of her precious little girl. And then, when the day came that she would have to get on a plane and take off... Nix had to use every ounce of will power she had in order to do it. To get on the plane with her daughter and fly off to Paris.

She had went to the pack house when she was certain no one was home, carrying her sleeping daughter in her hands. She went straight through the door, and right to Kat's room. She couldn't bring herself to look towards Damien's room, wondering what had become of him over these last few months. She laid her sleeping daughter down on Kat's bed in a tiny little car seat, placing all the clothes, diapers, booties, and everything else she'd bought for Aura on the bed beside her. Last, she laid a small envelope on the bed beside her daughter's things, that would tell Kat everything she needed to know.

The last thing she did was the hardest. She turned her eyes towards her sleeping daughter, and suddenly her vision was blurred, tears sliding down her face. She didn't make a sound though, just stood there and watched her daughter sleep, humming quietly the lullaby her mother had sung to her when she was a child: Save in my Arms. That only made the tears fall harder. She wouldn't be able to keep those promises, and that was harder to realize than anything else was. She bent down and kissed her daughter's forehead, breathing in her sweet scent and gently running the back of her knuckles along Aura's cheek, soft enough to not wake her. "Good bye, my baby girl. I love you, and that's why I'm doing this... I hope you'll understand someday. My baby... My little Aura Jessabelle Rogue." And with that, she turned and quickly walked away before someone could come home... Or she could change her mind.

She was on a plane three hours later, heading back to New York. She slept the whole way, exhausted from the stress of the last couple of days. She dreamed of her daughter all the way from Paris to New York, and she woke up not crying, but smiling. Yes, there were tears on her cheeks as well, but it made things a little easier knowing that her daughter would be loved and safe in that house... The pack needed to hear the laughter of children. And Aura wouldn't be alone, either. She would have Kat's pups to play with. And Kat would keep her safe and love Aura as if she were her own. Yes. That thought made her feel somewhat better as she stepped out of the airport and into the taxi seat.

It didn't occur to her that now that she wasn't pregnant anymore, Sevanni would be able to punish her for what she's done lately, not until she pulled up to the house. Her heart started pounding in her chest, and her back started hurting. Suddenly she could feel every scar on her back, put there by Sevanni. And now, she was probably going to suffer the same thing. Or worse. Sevanni was most definitely not known for being gentle, and she had a feeling that things could be sooo much worse for her than before if Sevanni was in the mood to play his games.

The sun was just beginning to set. Another fifteen minutes, maybe. She walked into the house quietly, deciding that she had better get this over with. She knew he wouldn't be happy about her being gone for a whole week, either. One of her rules was that she had to be home at least every other night. Well, that one had been broken... Then again, what rule HADN'T she broken while she has been here? She walked up to his study, knowing her would come straight there once the sun went down. There was no need to delay this. She sat down at the chair across from his on the other side of his desk, bouncing her legs slightly and biting her lip, her nerves getting the better of her. She wouldn't show him that though. As soon as Sevanni opens the door, all her jittery movements will stop, and she will have the same cocky attitude as always, the one Sevanni knows and oh so adores.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

A couple of days had gone by without so much as a check in from Nixie. Her bed had been made, untouched, so he knew she hadn't slept and left because the sheets had been changed daily and her comforter washed as well. Everything was so impeccably kept clean. The same things were laid out, and after being notified that she had purchased a ticket to Paris, he knew that she must have given birth. Finally. Relief flooded him. He had a suspicion that she would leave, venture off and have the child, and release it to others she knew would take care of it. That wasn't his concern. His concern was her coming back. If she had changed her mind.

That's when he had sent Marcus and Callahan to go see about it all and make sure she was not only safe, but would make her departure from Paris and head back to the house. He'd gotten word hours ago that she was on her way back to new York with no connecting flight, a straight route and she would arrive home just before sunset. His nerves were calmed then. Knowing she was coming back showed him that she understood the damage that would ensue should she fail to show her face.

He laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling as the chestnut candle flickered it's ominous glow, dancing shadows occupying his mind as he thought about everything that was about to happen. Planning certain things was more in his favor rather than the spur of the moment, but only when it came to things such as the events that were about to take place.

He heard the door shut from below, but he didn't opt to move. not just yet. He needed a minute to muster up his nerve. That damn gypsy had fucked his whole being up and his body still lay down below the house in a coffin of sorts. How ironic that it would be a coffin. Sheltered from everything else, Sevanni's form would be safe there. It lay just in the floor under Emi's abode, she would most certainly not let anything bad happen to his body. Not when she adored him so.

After ten minutes the sun broke from the earth and he sat up in bad, moving legs over the side and resting hands on the side of him. Moments later he managed to throw on some clothes, a pair of socks was all he needed, not like he was going anywhere anyway, so he would stay in the comfort zone for now.

As he walked out into the hall he caught a glimpse of Dariens form flash by the hall. No doubt he was onto his chores. Since the library was off limit, he was sure Darien was most displeased about it, so he had to take to his own little set of books in his room. No scuffle had come from him and Psi yet, but of course it would happen eventually and then he would have no choice but to remove Darien and give him his freedom of having his own room.

Feet trailed over the carpet lined stairs, the wooden banister untouched by masculine hands as he made his way down to the study. Marcus had been at the bottom and greeted him with a gentle bow of the head. Marcus was one of his latest men of go getters. Replacing Hyde. He was lucky to find such a man as he, a Jason Statham look a like who could do things no vampire, werewolf or human could. Vanishing into things as if he were a magical creature. Which he was, but Sevanni had never seen him use his powers. He wasn't a vampire, which meant he could go out in the light at any time, however, he was more prone to being out and about in the night.

"In your study Sir." He spoke English tones as a hand motioned down the hall. A thank you was passed out in Marcus's direction and he rounded the stairs and made his way to stand in front of the study door. He could smell her already. Keen senses missing that odor already, and soon that scent would change. No longer would she smell of a weremutt, but of himself with hints of her own lingering scent.

He had been scolded. Lashed out upon by his fathers hands while in exile. His brother having to share in the action as did his mother. They weren't actual family, but of the first vampires, they had been family through blood. They wanted him to create more from their line and he had protested with each vanishing lash. The pain seething through his body before cast into that single room where he spent out his lasting months.

He would do it on his own terms, and his own terms meant when he was ready. He ached to have nix free of those mutt bindings ever since her and Tarus had fallen in love, but what he had failed to realize, was that he wanted her for him. That was the reason for wanting her change to approach. He was after all a greedy man. But he took care of his lovelies.

That hand reached out, opening the door with a turn of the knob, moving into the study and closing the door behind him. Blond strands could be seen from out of the chair in front of his desk, no words given as he moved toward her. How good of his dear Marcus to bring his things up from below.

"Stand up." Was all that spilled from lips as he moved toward the side banking cabinet, opening the steel case that held the familiar whip he had used on her last time. Metal made, painful. She would bleed for him, and by demon she would make a sound. Slow motions were made as his hand pulled it out of the case, letting it crackle to the floor, he marched over to her and let eyes view her stomach. She would most likely be without the worst of her labor pains, nearly healed if not fully, but she would endure more pain now.

He strode up to her, grabbing her by the neck and turning her to face the desk, kicking the chair she had previously sat in off to the side and without word took hold of her shirt and ripped it clean so that her back was openly exposed to him. Scars still visible from the last time this had happened, and this time he refused her mouth to be spitting anything in his direction. He moved so he could take hold of her jaw, grasp it in his hand and make her face him. "Spit, and I'll make it worse. Mouth off, and I'll double the lashings. Are we clear?" He spoke through gritted teeth, seering from everything she had done thus far to piss him off.

He let go rather quickly, pushing her face to look forward before moving back behind her at a good distance so the long whip could reach and sting her back with it's tip. His arm swung many times left and right. Cross ways to draw long x's across her back. Trickles of blood began to sprout, letting dabs of blood drip down onto the small of her back after following the lines the whip had given.

Twenty-six lines drawn over her back and she had taken it with perfection. Granted the torment she felt inside, but he was relieved to get it out of the way. A few drops of blood had dripped from the tip of the whip, onto the plush carpet which made him a bit mad. Now it would have to be cleaned or replaced. Blood was just something you couldn't quite get out fully. He had learned that the hard way.

The whip fell to the floor, his head tipped forward, looking down at it before he lifted eyes to view his deeds. How proud he was to give them, how proud of her he was for taking it. Again, he motioned toward her, placing a hand over her left hand, lifting it from the cherry wood desk and turning her slowly to face him. His hand moved to lift her chin, eyes meeting what should have been hers, but he hadn't said a word. He simply leaned in and kissed the end of her nose before swiftly letting her back sting as his arm was placed behind her, lifting her in his arms.

As reluctant as she would be to the gesture, he was sure she was glad to not feel that whip any more. He moved toward the door, opening it with an available hand before moving to fold under her knees from behind. Passing through the door and making his way toward the stairs.

Intentions on bringing her to his room had failed him tremendously. Now she had her own, different from the house they had previously stayed in. Nix had spent only two nights in that room after the move, but her belongings had been kept how she left them. Nothing was ever touched or moved.

The door had been open from earlier, which made it much easier to carry her through. And he did. Straight way to the bathroom where a warm soothing bath was drawn for her by his own request. Nothing was placed in the water as it would sting those wounds, but he did allow some Epsom salt in it. He had heard it soothed things that were pretty tender. A sore back, a bruised body after a hard work out. Surely she would be okay with that and it wouldn't stink whatsoever.

He let her body lower, feet touching the floor, letting her arm(s) fall from his so that he could let her stand on her own. Her top torn could be replaced, she still had his card of course, he had told her to keep it in case anything happened, and Sevanni moved over to take a large white fluffy towel from off of the shelf near the counter. Passing it to her in case she wanted to hold it in front of her.

He moved behind her, admiring his work, wanting to lick those wounds. Quite literally in fact, but she had loathed him incredibly that he was sure she would react violently. Still he hadn't spoken, but allowed delicate fingers to lower the now damaged top from her upper frame. Drifting hands moving to release her from the lower. Sevanni had seen her skin before, never sensual areas that a woman had and men admired. It wasn't a perverse thing, not then. His mind had been far from it, but of course it was always nice to view and admire more so than he had.

Feet unveiled and he guided her to the tub. Stepping in the warmth and moving behind her after she settled in. He would care for her then and always, a large soft sponge like loofa moving into his hands, dipping into the water and drawing streams of warm water over her back. Letting her adjust to the harshness of it so it was more soothing than not.





Word Count
1907

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

She heard footsteps coming towards the door, and his scent entered the room before he could turn the knob and enter. She immediately stopped her nervous fidgeting and sat perfectly still, motionless as a statue, not even breathing. She didn't look to him when she heard the door open then close, simply stared across the desk.

Stand up. She stood up slowly, turning her head to follow his motions as he walked across the room to a box, pulling something out of it she had hoped to never see again. Of course he would use that one on her again. It was quite possibly the most painful one he had. Oh yeah, this wouldn't be a easy punishment, not at all. She had pushed too many buttons, perhaps she shouldn't have tried to kill him in his sleep? Oh well, too late to think about those things now. Now it was time for her to bleed. "Do you get a kick out of ordering people around?"

She didn't get a answer, but instead he walked up to her and forcefully turned her head to the side, facing towards the front of the desk. She heard him kick the chair to the side and she gripped the desk tightly in preparation. She knew what that damn whip felt like tearing through skin, and the only thing she was looking forward to was the punishment to be over. She felt cold air against her back as Sevanni ripped open her shirt, exposing her back. She could see the same image he saw, she had looked at it in the mirror many times before. Now those scars would have more to match.

He grabbed her jaw and pulled her face to look at him, and she quirked a eyebrow at him, wondering why he was delaying this. Spit, and I'll make it worse. Mouth off, and I'll double the lashings. Are we clear? She gave him a sarcastic smile, flashing white teeth at him. "Clear as glass." As soon as the response was out of her mouth, he pushed her head back to looking towards the desk and moved around behind her, starting her punishment.

She managed to keep quiet for the first 12 lashes, and then the pain became too much. Not only was he breaking open new skin, but also going through some scar tissue as well, which made it all the more painful. That was when she started screaming. But she kept herself standing up, her hands gripping the wood on the desk so hard that she could feel the wood splintering in her hands. Sweat poured down her face with the effort it took to keep standing up straight, but her pride would not let her fall to her knees. Not in front of him. Never in front of Sevanni Black.

After 26 lashes that were more painful than she could ever describe, it was finally done. She didn't hear the whip whistling through the air anymore, so she knew it was over. She was left there panting, sweat dripping from her forehead, tears of pain brimming in her eyes, though not enough to spill over. Her blond hair was hanging loosely down around her face, her arms shaking with the effort to hold up her body weight, she was afraid that if she put her weight on her knees she would collapse.

Sevanni walked over to her and took her left hand into his and turned her to face him. She could feel the blood dripping steadily down her back and she shuddered quietly. When he kissed her nose, she blinked twice, but before she had time to say anything, he placed his arm over her back and lifted her into his arms. A loud gasp of pain hissed through her teeth and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck to keep the pressure off her back. She didn't say much other than a weak "I can walk ya know..." but other than that she kept her mouth shut. She wasn't entirely sure that statement was true, so she left well enough alone. She could smell Emi's scent and a few other's, and for some reason she couldn't make herself look at any of them, so she hid her face against his chest like a coward. At least, that's what it made her feel like, and she didn't like it... Not one bit.

When he lowered her down to her feet inside her own bathroom, she wasn't sure whether to be shocked or not that her bathtub was filled with water. Sevanni was acting very strange today, and she didn't know how to react to that. She knew how to handle Sevanni as he usually was, arrogant, pig headed, a royal pain in the ass all together... But he was being different now, for some reason, and she was raking her brain to find the catch, to figure out why.

She didn't even bother with the towel, she was a lycan, nudity was a part of life, and besides, it wasn't as if he hadn't seen her naked before. He had forced her to shift in front of him once in order to even be allowed inside. She wasn't ashamed of her body. Plus, it would be a shame to get the fluffy white towel bloody. She watched him closely as he lowered her jeans to the ground, her moss green eyes watching his facial features closely, paying attention to see if he got any perverse pleasure out of this. To her shock, he didn't. Or, if he did, he sure in the hell was good at hiding it. She was wary of this Sevanni... She didn't know how to react to him being... Nice, almost, considering the scene that went on downstairs.

She padded gently towards the tub, taking each step with great care. She would have to be very careful over the next few weeks to make sure that she didn't tear her back open again once it started to heal. It was a bitch not being able to heal like vampires could. She lowered herself into the water slowly, her teeth gritting together when the water washed over the bottom tips of her wounds. Her hands gripped the edge of the tub as she hissed quietly, the water from the sponge held in Sevanni's hand pouring over her back. At first, she wanted to cuss him like a dog, but there was one problem. She couldn't figure out which damn explicative she wanted to call him first. But slowly the warm water began to soothe the burning ache in her back, and her muscles slowly relaxed.

She looked up at him, her moss green eyes flashing with suspicion, her hair framing her face and falling down her chest, providing a partial cover. "Why? Last time you beat me, you barely let anyone come in to stitch me up, and now you're in here, taking care of me personally. I don't get it." She was confused. Her voice wasn't harsh or filled with the usual bite in it, just curiosity and confusion. And if there was one thing Phoenix couldn't stand, it was to be confused.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

Her head turned for eyes to look up at him as he steadily let the water cascade over her back. It seemed to be working because the strain she held in the muscles of her back had simmered down. That in it's self had made him relax a bit as well. Not having to be on the aware side that she would attempt to hit him.

Phoenix had beautiful skin. As much as he hated to admit it she was making his reasons for taking a liking to weremutts a but more. Regardless of how people would feel about it, he had been smitten with Nixie for a long time. As much as they hated each other, could they ever consider something more? More likely not. Nix would never cop to such a thing as that. It would have been like taking a dagger into her own heart to even prevent such a thing, but he wasn't sure it was impossible.

"Why? Last time you beat me, you barely let anyone come in to stitch me up, and now you're in here, taking care of me personally. I don't get it." Maybe it was madness to even attempt it but this would be his only option if he couldn't do what he had originally wanted.

His left hand reached forward, pulling strands from her face to reveal her more clearly, letting blond locks fall just behind her shoulder. He was ever so solemn, calm, his demeanor had changed soon after he dropped the whip.

If he could have held her like that in his arms, perhaps he wouldn't be so interested in causing havoc among others. Emiste would forever be hurt and perhaps never want to speak to Sevanni again. As much as she loved him, he hated Nixie to no extent.

"Last time....I hadn't come to a conclusion about you and I." Spoken softly but loud enough to be clear. Perhaps he should keep his words stored inside of his mind and locked away forever. Venture the conversation in another direction. "Do you wish for me to not tend to you?" Spoken rather disapointedly.

His head turned away from mossy greens, his right hand dropping the sponge lightly on the side of the tub where he sat for it to return to her back. With the most sensitive ease he had viewed those fingers moving over the slashes in her skin. The outside of the tears touched with trickling fingers.

"I can fix it for you you know." He spoke once more, turning eyes and head toward her to view that face again. "You could drink from me......and these will mend......" The scars would fade and he would have to trace invisible lines of what use to be. So he placed the offer on the table.

He dared not mention her giving up her child. He knew it was a painful thing. If anyone had tried to deny him Imogine or Mallie he would be devastated. She wouldn't find out about Inora as long as she kept her mouth shut. She wouldn't find out about Shaden unless she suspected and brought it up, but that had been a big what if. What if they ended up together and suspected something. Not as if it would happen often. Thus far it had been one time.

Everyone had stood outside of doors upon hearing Nix scream in that room as he gave her those lashings, finding a couple sitting on the wood floor and looking up to watch as they moved upstairs.

Sevanni had wanted her though. He wanted to treat her better than any woman he'd ever been with. Many would be filled with confusion, anger, hatred. His own kind would call him something out of turn. Everyone knew he hated werewolves, but it was high time for some conformity.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

Her thoughts turned to her daughter Aura... What was she doing right now? Had Katra found her inside her room? She had told Kat that she would be her child's godmother, and she meant what she said back then, before Sevanni came back into the picture. If anything were to happen and Nix would be unable to care for her child, Kat was to step in and take her place as best she could. Thinking about Aura hurt. The one thing she had ever wanted was a child... And then she finally got her wish... And she had to leave her when she was just hours old. That knowledge hurt her more than Sevanni's whip ever could. Those wounds were only skin deep... These wounds that she had placed on herself went so much deeper than that. She had to blink away tears quickly before they had a chance to brim up in her eyes and fall into the water and make a tell tale ripple.

Last time....I hadn't come to a conclusion about you and I. Nixie's eyes flashed slightly, quirking a silent eyebrow at him in question. What in the hell had gotten into him since she left? Well... Really, since she came to be here this last time in general. He had been... civil during this whole time... Even when she tried to kill him... She didn't know what the hell was going on, but it just made her more and more confused with each passing second. "And what conclusion would that be?"

But, he changed the subject on her... And it was one that she really didn't want to talk about... Not in the least. Because she really didn't know how to answer that question. Did she want him to take care of her, or leave her be? She didn't know for sure. She raised her hands out of the water in front of her and pressed her palms to her face, hiding her eyes from him. What was wrong with her? She should have been spitting like a hell cat at him, telling him to get the fuck away from her, to stop touching her. He had to be playing some kind of sick game she hadn't caught onto yet... But she couldn't make herself do it. She knew only too well that she couldn't tend to her back herself... And the only other person in this house she knew was Emi... the others she didn't know, and she would be damned if she would let Emiste come anywhere near her.

I can fix it for you you know. She snapped her head up to look at him, wincing silently when the sudden movement sent a stab of pain down her back. She had been prepared for it though, even as she made the sudden movement, subconsciously she was mentally preparing for the pain that she had gotten so used to the first time Sevanni had punished her. She focused her eyes on him, about to ask him what the hell he was talking about when he continued with his sentence. You could drink from me......and these will mend......

The first thing that went through her mind was instant revolution. The offer to drink a vampire's blood was no appealing to her whatsoever. But, of all vampires, Sevanni's blood... No, definitely not something that she would look forward to. How could he possibly suggest that?! Had he went completely mental in the week that she had been gone? Surely he would know her answer to such a ridiculous suggestion as that one.

However, before she could come right out and deny his offer with a more harsh comment that was necessary, she began to think... The wounds would heal... She wouldn't have to go through the pain again, and she wouldn't have to carry these scars that marred her back. Her skin would be back to the same smooth satin that it had once been... She wouldn't have skin raised up and marred in scars... But still... Drinking a vampire's blood in order to achieve this... Could she stomach that?

She was quiet for a long time, running her fingers through her long blond hair which had fell down into the water, the tips of her hair getting wet from the water. She chewed on her lower lip for a long time, nearly making her lip bleed she bit down on it so hard. Finally, she met her eyes to his and swallowed hard. "If it will keep me from having these scars... Then I'll do it... Even if I'm not too fond of the idea." She said, reaching up to move a strand of hair behind her ear, hoping she could make herself go through with this. This might be her only chance to keep from carrying these ugly scars for the rest of her life.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

Sevanni had gone about ignoring her question about his sense of conclusion. Not that he couldn't tell her, he simply didn't want to. Or, admit that it was the wrong time and wrong place for such that was his own truth. The bad part wasn't keeping the known facts to himself, it had been what he had offered her. All in all it wasn't really the best laid plan, however, as much as he enjoyed seeing his own workings onto others, especially Phoenix, he knew that eventually she would have to be fixed. Fixed so that he didn't have to constantly see how much damage he had done to her.

There were times when he laid in bed, unable to fall asleep in the light of the sun's hours of showing it's rays through the curtain of clouds, and thought about letting his hands drift softly over the strips of scars he had placed upon her skin. It would be sad to see them vanish from flesh, but he knew that she couldn't last long without letting her tongue slip or her actions take no heed to his warnings. She would end up with more. Eventually.

She was thinking about it. He could tell that much. Should she? Shouldn't she? Nix was still partly human and human's had such incredible ways about themselves. The indecisiveness. Shakspearian to be's or not to be's. It was all so philosophical. Rediculous. Then she had said it. She went there for selfish reasons, and as much as it killed her to do it, she wanted to be perfect again. everyone wanted to be perfect again.

"If it will keep me from having these scars... Then I'll do it... Even if I'm not too fond of the idea." It was too bad wolves couldn't conform to the blood of a vampire. He would have drained her then and there and forced her to drink from him. Become what he was all for the sake of humility. Her humility. But he wasn't Hyde. He didn't force those things upon other people because he knew that not only was it completely messed up, but it had been done to him without an explanation, even afterward, when they told him why, they took away his humanity and left him dangerous in the end.

A curt little grin etched the corner of his mouth, rolling up his left sleeve, lowering slowly as if he were about to give a transfusion to someone. In a way he was, but it wouldn't last long. She didn't need so much for something so simple, but the key element had been this; She was going to have his blood inside her. Strumming through veins of her own blood. Re-energized by his own dead supply of life's element that would regenerate her skin to become new again.

"Go ahead...." He started as the other hand drug his other thumb nail across the length of his forearm, causing blood to sprain from his own skin. If it wasn't taken in sooner than later, the wound would close, and she'd be shit out of luck, for he was only giving her a one time deal.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

She couldn't believe that she had actually agreed to drink a vampire's blood... Not just any vampire's blood, but his. If it had been Ali or Rose, she wouldn't have been nearly as wary about it. But she didn't know or understand his motives. Why would he willingly make himself bleed for her? It didn't matter that the wound would heal in seconds. That was not the point. The point was, Sevanni never did anything simply to help someone, especially her... Unless there was something in it for him. The only thing keeping her from commenting on her thoughts was the fact that if she pissed him off, she knew damn good and well he would take his offer back, and she would have to live with these scars until the day she died.

And there it was! The grin she was expecting... Well, she had been expecting a smirk or something, but still, same thing. It was arrogant. Like he got just what he wanted somehow. That grin really chapped her ass and she had to bite down on the inside of her cheek to keep from growling at him. Why did he have to be so... Arrogant?! He pulled up his left sleeve and offered it to her, taking his nail and cutting the skin.

Go ahead... She hesitated for a long second, her eyes jumping back and forth from his face to his arm, blood sliding down his skin. She knew the wound would close soon, so she swallowed once and placed her mouth over the wound, closing her lips so that the blood went into her mouth instead of flowing down his skin and began to swallow.

It didn't taste as bad as she had thought it would. She moved her right hand out of the water to grab his arm, gently pulling it closer to her, swallowing, waiting for him to pull away, telling her it was enough. It was oddly easy to take her mind off the fact that she was drinking vampire blood, her mind began to pay more attention to what the blood was doing to her body than what she was doing. The pain slowly eased away and faded into nothing. She wondered what her back looked like, whether there would be any trace of the lashings what-so-ever. Sevanni could think her vain all he wanted, she didn't give a damn. She had become ashamed of her skin, having to throw out most of her clothes because they showed some skin on her back. If this worked, she wouldn't have to worry about that anymore...

[HIDDEN EVIL]

Maybe forcing someone against their will was the only way things could get done these days. He had forced so many people to do things they didn't want to do. Phoenix wasn't any different. As she placed lips over his skin he could start to feel the pulls from her mouth. His blood lightly flowing from vein to mouth and his blood entering her own. It was just the thought of her having his blood inside of her that made him the most satisfied. Why? Because she hated him so much that no amount of bittersweet darkness could ever lighten her path about the idea.....Unless.......

His hand reached into his pocket, fingers popping off the orange cap that covered the needle. "You're going to make a wonderful vampire." He said ever so softly, tenderly. As he caught the pause her eyes darted toward him, but before she could say or do anything his hand lunged forward and stuck the syringe full of sedatives in her throat. Seconds should be the time. Seconds and he would find himself catching her from falling back into the water.

Arms caught her before she could, arms taking her as he had earlier in the night, lifting her from the tub after leaving the needle on the side of the tub. Some droplets of blood had dropped into the water, just barely touching skin as he lifted her from the tub. It would be like a flash reaction.

Flash

Footsteps moved down the stairs as he carried her nude in his arms.

Flash

The darkness of the basement steps, blond hair hanging over his arm, leading through the lit hallway marred with stone and cement. Overhead lights heating the path in circular spots to the floor.

Flash

The bright light hitting skin as the sterilized room had been revealed. Set up to how he needed everything to be.

Flash

The Serum. Held up in the light with masked eyes, his hands covered in latex gloves. Eyes looking over it before looking at her as she lay there under a crisp white sheet.

Flash

Patches over her chest with little clips attached to the monitor. The sound of her heartbeat lifting from that heart monitor, and as her body adjusted, he made everything else ready.

Flash

A twist of the nozzles.

Flash

Sticking her arm there in it's center with a needle. A transfusion line on the other side.

Flash

Blood creeping through tubes. One phased out of her body, the other inward as she was filled with new blood.

Flash

Everything had been removed now as she lay there sleeping steadily under the bright lights and high sedatives he had given her. She would understand soon that it was best for her. For them. All in all, it was going to be a wild adventure.

Flash

Sevanni looked over her facial features as eyes began to flutter open. He had taken her upstairs to her room, dressed her in one of her sleeping attires and covered her up with the blanket. Due to it being so chill in the house, he didn't need her catching a cold in the process.

Ready or not, he was going to do it. Only now had he pulled down the blanket as eyes started to move as if she were in REM sleep, his hands lifting her light and now fully mortal body, all known elements of being a weremutt now past due. He held her close in his arms, moving strands of her hair from her face and pushing it behind her so her neck was clear of any interference, and as whispering words were murmured out, he was drawing his mouth closer to the flesh of her neck.

"Everything is going to change."

Achingly those large fangs cracked through and stretched out K9's with such yearning to break skin, the risk of having her even try to slip away a bit strenuous on the mood but he had sunk those fangs so deep into her throat that her heartbeat was like an echoing grail sent to beseech all things deadly and dark.

Her blood had been like a strenuous hold on him. Intoxicating. Like alcohol you would be so honored to taste. Letting it engulf him in every seemingly possible way. Who would have thought it was so divine? Never in a thousand years had he had anything like it, but then again, she was a gifted woman.

But then her heart started to slow and as much as he hated to, he had withdrawn himself from that which he was taking, and cut himself whilst he had the nerve, forcing the skin of a strong vein to her mouth. "Drink from me.......Drink from me or die.....You know how this works.......and you will be apart of me for the better." Slipping skin between lips. Even so much as a drop would brim her periless to deny. Partially parted lips looked on as he watched, if this was a last resort, for anything, ever, it was a damn good one.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

Movement caught her eye, but she didn't really pay any attention. His blood made her feel stronger, better. She was concentrating on the taste, savoring it. She didn't pay any attention to Sevanni Black, at least... Until he spoke.

You're going to make a wonderful vampire. Now that got her attention. Her eyes darted up to look at him, finally noticing the needle in his hand. She didn't know what he was talking about. She couldn't become a vampire. She was a lycan and that was that. And she would fucking kill him if he even so much as tried. She has lived her whole life as a lycan, and she would be damned if Sevanni Black would take her wolf away from her. She went to pull back but before she could even make a sound of protest Sevanni had the needle shoved into her neck, injecting whatever it was into her.

"Don't..." She didn't get a chance to finish as her brain realized that he had loaded her down with sedatives. She tried to fight off the effects, and if he had given her a normal dosage she could have, but he didn't. The sedatives took over her mind, wrapping her in a warm fuzz and carrying her off into la-la land.

She was buried under what seemed like a thousand pounds of sheer blackness. She was swimming in a sea of it, no way to tell which way was up, down, left, right, or sideways. But she felt no pain, had no worries. It was actually.. peaceful. Was she dead? No, not dead. Sevanni wouldn't have killed her, not like that. It was too swift, painless. And if Sevanni enjoyed anything, it was inflicting pain on others.

It was then she felt something... A kind of uncomfortable pain in her neck. She began to rise up out of the sea of black, back into her own mind. Slowly, Sevanni's words came back to her, and she began struggling against the darkness even more, pushing herself up, back into consciousness. What had he done to her?! She reached for her wolf, the other part of her being, planning on shifting and attacking Sevanni for whatever he had done to her. When she couldn't reach the mind of her wolf, couldn't contact her, Nix began to panic. She felt something press against her lips. For whatever reason, she couldn't make her eyes open, couldn't really move.

Drink from me.......Drink from me or die.....You know how this works.......and you will be apart of me for the better. Panic shot through her. Had he done it? Had he really found a way to turn a lycan human?! She wanted to kick, scream, bite, hit, anything to get him away from her. She could feel her heartbeat, feel how weak it was. She knew his words were true. Drink or die. What kind of a choice was that?! She wouldn't drink. She wouldn't. If she died, then so fucking be it. But she absolutely refused to swallow one drop of his blood.

However, even that option was taken from her. Once the blood touched her tongue, her body was not her own. She could feel herself swallowing automatically, desperate for the taste of it, the life it offered. Even while her mind screamed at her to stop, her body payed no attention, self preservation too high up on her list to ignore. Her body wasn't going to willingly die.

Her strength began to come back in small measures, allowing her to lift her hands, grasping his forearm, holding it to her mouth as she took longer, bigger drinks of his blood. Her mind had shrunk away from what was going on, devastated at what she would become. Devastated at the loss of her wolf, the only thing she had ever had to really count on throughout all her years of being alone. She had lived pretty much her whole life as a lycan. She didn't know how to be anything else!

[HIDDEN EVIL]

His fangs had slid partially inward, the suction she suddenly held to his arm after a few moments had caused his mouth to form a smirk, partially parted lips urge that look of being full of awe and a dash of being turned on. He could feel the heat form over that area, his ches moving up and down with invisible breaths.

He let her take a bit more of his blood than he should have. A lot more than what Aubrey had taken after her change, which only meant Nixie would be a bit more than what she was. Not that there was any comparison to the two women, far from it really, but there was a threat that lay within the level of consumption.

In and out those fangs had stretched, playing see saw in his mouth as the urge to continue and the urge to pull away had filled his being. Finally he gritted teeth after softly speaking, "No more." Defiant little Phoenix, urging onward with both hands and hugging his arm close.

Sevanni formed a fist, straining his arm and taking a handful of her hair to pull her away from him as he pulled his arm away from her mouth. A little sky filled hiss whispered out through that throat, stretching fingers out and clasping them back to a fist again. Within moments the cut would fade away with the blood as if it were a magical thing. She was going to go through that pain that all newlings had gone through. Dying, being brought back to life as an undead soldier of darkness.

A small grunt let out of lips, he looked down over her after his hand let loose those blond locks and he couldn't help but wonder what would become of her. She would be pissed off, that was for sure, but being apart of Sevanni and the power of the blood within him was the most deadliest thought of them all.

"So eager......and still consumed with hate and fear." He ran a soft hand over the top of her forehead and moved stray strands over the top of her head as he spoke to her with a softness he had never shown too often. Especially to her.

"Tomorrow will be a big night to a new start...." She could writhe all she wanted, and go through the notions, but he would stay for as long as she needed him to as she transformed

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

That night had been hell. She would have rather taken the lashings again, at least those didn't last as long. She didn't know which she had been more afraid of, the thought that she was dying for good... Or the thought that she would come back from death. What would she do then? What would she do without a wolf? Without everything that was familiar to her? She would never again be able to shift, never be able to run through the woods with such freedom and carelessness ever again. Yet another part of her had been wrenched away from her. She was certain Sevanni would not see it that way. He would see it as doing a service to her. She would never see it like that... Would she?

No matter how many times she tried to yell at Sevanni to go away, to leave her alone, he stayed in the room with her, a sentinel watching over her transformation. It didn't take her long to accept the fact that she wasn't dying as she so wished she could at that moment. But she was becoming a vampire. She buried her face into the pillow and kept as quiet as possible, making small noises of pain every now and again when it became just a little too much.

And then, finally, the pain stopped. Though the pain was gone, it was replaced by something else, fatigue. She was so tired she didn't think she would even be capable of moving. Also, there was a burning in the back of her throat, and she knew only too well what that was about. She was a vampire now. Of course, she would be craving blood. She did her best to ignore it though, not wanting to say anything to Sevanni. She was pissed, that was for certain, but too weak to say anything to him, none the less do anything.

She kept her eyes closed, not wanting to look at anything, just lay there, possibly forever. She knew Sevanni would not allow that though, but that didn't matter to her. She had at some point rolled over from her back to her stomach and buried her face down in the pillow. She pulled her legs up to her stomach and simply laid there, eyes closed, trying to ignore the persistent burning in her throat, demanding her attention despite her best efforts to ignore it. It was going to drive her completely insane. She placed her hand against her throat, pressing against it in a attempt to ease the discomfort.

Even though she kept her eyes closed, refusing to look at anything, she could tell her senses were enhanced. Where as before she had better senses than a regular human, now all those senses were magnified. She could hear things going on downstairs as if it was happening in front of her instead.

"You bastard." Her voice was rough from the dryness in her throat, but she tried to put as much bite into her words as she could, considering how tired she was. "Where do you get that you have the right to turn me into this?"

[HIDDEN EVIL]

Alright so he sat there in a chair, a book in hand that had been brought to him. She had grown so violent while out in her dark visit to hell and back that he opted for the safer option. Sitting by and making sure she would be fine. He didn't want to give her a look into anything so strong about himself as she filled herself with his blood, some things were better left hidden when it came to her.

Idly by he sat, reading that book and already making his way to Chapter twenty-six when she had rolled over for the last time into her pillow. Eyes lifted up from the book, hands moving to close it so he could stand and place it where he had been sitting. Moving to the door and sending Annaliah to get something to better help Phoenix.

A hand to her throat, surely the hunger must have been filling her by now. It had felt as if she were holding back from it whens he should have been embracing it. If she could wait, he could wait, but only for so long before she would go insane with madness from it.

"You bastard." Spoken dryly as he averted his eyes back to her, making slow paces toward her so nonchalantly. "Where do you get that you have the right to turn me into this?" A sly grin, oh if all of Sevanni could be there with her right then and there he would hate himself completely, but now it was the inside of him that had his time to shine. No more reluctance holding him back. All those parties, socialism and boring fights. It would be time to spread his wings and fly.

A pout was raised over lips as he looked her over. The mark slipped away, perhaps soon after, and now that she had been refreshed of all things unbearable to look at, she was timeless in her own way, but that bitchiness and boldness was what drove him to the brink. "My dear....." He spoke so soft and without care as if there were chuckles made of feather hiding behind those words. "I am Sevanni Black......" A soft chortle of air pushed out of parted lips. "I can do whatever the hell I want." A sinister grin sent in her direction, his right hand moving down over her throat as he turned to the side and took refuge on the side of her bed, not with a harshness about that grasp, but it was a bit heavy.

"Isn't that throat parched by now?" A smirk as he tilted his head to the side, letting a soft hint of a smile bear over lips. "Thirsty? Want something to quench that thirst? Fill that hunger?" Almost as if he hissed the words out with urgent curiosity. She could have a meal, because the knock at the door had made it so.

Sevanni spoke out, Annaliah bringing in a nice piece of prey that Phoenix could have a first taste as a vampire. Like babies first meal. How sweet. "Look.....a virgin for the virgin." The tip of his tongue pressing against the left tip of his upper K9, wishing even he could have one of those.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

My dear.....I am Sevanni Black......I can do whatever the hell I want. She snarled, turning around to look at him, sitting up on the bed, moss green orbs glaring daggers at him. If looks could kill, Sevanni Black would be a dead man. But, of course, if looks could kill, she wouldn't be in the prediciment she was in at the moment. He would have been dead a long time ago.

His hand remained on her throat, and she had a violent urge to bite him with the new fangs that were pushing at the inside of her bottom lip, the terrible burn impossible to ignore. Isn't that throat parched by now? Thirsty? Want something to quench that thirst? Fill that hunger? He smiled at her, and as soon as the words were out of his mouth, there was a knock at the door.

She had tried to keep her eyes from the door, knowing exactly what would walk in. Sevanni would try and force her to feed from a human. Well, tough luck. She wouldn't. That was one thing that he couldn't make her do. Though, no matter how hard she tried to keep her eyes on Sevanni, they were pulled towards the door like a gravitational force was surrounding the human male. Immediately her body stiffened, her mouth watering and the thirst rising to a almost unbearable intensity... She would not feed from this human... She would feed from animals... Almost immediately, the thought of feeding from animals made her stomach clench in a hard knot. She had spent her entire life with the conscience of a animal being a part of her, and half her life in the form of a wolf... How could she possibly even conceive of feeding from animals? Humans... She had never considered herself a human, growing up in a pack life. And the male looked more than appealing.

Look.....a virgin for the virgin. Phoenix's eyes glanced towards Sevanni quickly before darting back to the male. He was tall, at least six inches taller than herself. Though, at only 5'5, she was used to people being taller than her. She tilted her head slightly, her blond hair falling over her face, hiding one of her eyes as she studied the brown hair, golden eyed male for a half second. She allowed her body to react, and before she even really knew what she was doing, she was standing beside him, her eyes moving to his jugular, seeing his skin move slightly with the flow of blood coursing through his veins. She glanced over at Sevanni quickly before crossing the two inches that separated them, grabbing his neck with her right hand and pulling him down to her, her fangs sinking through skin. The fist drop of blood that touched her lips put away all doubts in her mind. Sweet... Innocent... Delicious. She held him in a firm grip, keeping him from moving. If he struggled, Phoenix didn't even notice, a low, primal growl rumbling through her throat as she drank from him, daring anyone to touch her or the male.

[HIDDEN EVIL]

He admired her sense of wanting to envelope him in death, of course it was the obvious reaction from her that he had expected, but she wouldn't be able to separate herself from feeding on the mortal race. After all, she did have his blood within her now and he was as carnivorous as any animal could have been. Ravenous with his food, having an insatiable appetite. How long did she believe she could hold out for?

It hadn't been too long. At the glare she had given him he had started to chuckle darkly, unable to keep himself from smirking at the very idea of defiance. Fortunately for her and her appetite, she had glanced the boy over once again. His hand started to slip from her gentle little throat and before he knew it she had let her given talents be expressed, for she had went to him within a blink of an eye.

Sevanni had seemed confused, but of course his head turned to view her standing there by her dinner. Eyes drew up to view, watching her facial expression and his. Then before he could part lips to speak words she had already dug her fangs inside the boys mouth. The anguish on his face so evident from lips and brows and that forehead that creased lines of worry that he was going to die.

Sevanni stood, feeling so humble when she growled out from that throat of hers, using caution and moving toward her side with ease, eyes watching over her and Annaliah was gone from the room, awaiting her cue to have the room cleaned.

"You must stop before the final failure of his heartbeat......" He could hear it throbbing in his head, slowing down with each intake of his blood she took. A did chuckle. In fact he was on the verge of laughing when her mouth withdrew from his skin...."See....that wasn't so bad now was it my darling?" A snarky grin given in her direction, loving the primitive energy she emanated from that body.

"I think there is hope for you yet." Amused and thrilled he had let out a serene smile, his head raising for his chin to rise and he couldn't help but view how appealing she truly was. At least now she had been different, the same old Nixie, but a better and new revised edition.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The sound was a musical tempo sounding in her ears, vibrating through her entire body. It was the most wonderful, elating sound she had ever heard in her life. Her entire being seemed completely focused on that sound.

Thud. Thud.

The sound was growing slower, weaker. She focused harder to hear the faint thudding, savoring the rich taste on her tongue. Her eyes flicked over to Sevanni when he rose from the bed and walked towards her. Her first thought was to protect her meal. The boy was hers, and he would not take him. She kept her eyes on her makers face, a low growl of warning escaping her throat. He made no move to touch her or the male she fed from, however, simply watched her, a approving smile on his face.

Thud..Thud.

You must stop before the final failure of his heartbeat..... She closed her eyes and savored the last mouthful that she would have from him, pulling away gently and letting the body fall to the floor. The hunger had eased, though was still there, only bearable this time. She felt drunk off of the rich liquid, a giddy kind of high, almost. Adrenaline pumped through her from the stolen blood, filling her senses with it with such intensity that she shook lightly from the force.

See....that wasn't so bad now was it my darling? Sevanni asked her with a chuckle. She opened her eyes and looked at him, not being able to stop her own answering smile, still savoring the experience of her first, highly potent, meal. I think there is hope for you yet. Was it wrong of her to want to agree with him? To actually enjoy the taste of human blood? Those thoughts were what should have been in her mind, tormenting her... And she tried to to remind herself that she had just taken a human life... But couldn't really find it in her to care. Not now, not when the thrill and adrenaline rush was still coursing through her.

She lifted her right hand and moved her index finger over the bottom of her lip and her jaw, removing the thin line of blood that had trickled from her lips. She stared at the crimson liquid for a long moment, her moss green eyes alight with a kind of sadistic awe. "I never thought that I would have enjoyed that..."