Game On

Chapter Thirty-Four: Blood In The Air

Sean moved closer to put a hand on Mark's arm, trying to comfort him. Mark placed a hand on his hand but turned his head to avoid looking at him. Standing behind one of the chairs now, Mira rested are crossed arms over the back and told them coolly. "Don't look so grim. You can still use heal potions to keep your health up. You just... have to be careful. Or... you accept it." Sean dropped his hand from Mark to snap back. "Accept it? He'll hurt players!" Mira stared at him blankly, before turning her eyes to Mark and casually informing him. "Be thankful that you look as you do and will remain so permanently. My son didn't have a chose in his appearance." Sean winced, staying quiet as she continued lightly. "Vampirism isn't a curse. Unless you choose to think of it like that. Yes. You'll need to feed, but don't we all feed on something? Is a liquid diet really that bad?" Mark locked eyes with her, uttering out with peaked interest. "I'm listening."

Mira leaned more on the chair, before answering simply. "Your first feeding is always... difficult. Even normal babies suckle hard and greedily at their mothers the first time. They don't know how much their bodies need to feel full. So, they eat till they get sleepy. It will be the same for you." Mark straightened up to his full height, allowing Mira to add with a shrug. "Baby snakes are far more dangerous than their venomous parents because they inject all their venom on the first victim. While adults learned to kill with very little venom injection in order to save some for defense. Do you understand?" Mark nodded, then asked curiously. "You're saying if I stay this way. I'll be able to live normally?" Mira nodded, telling him warmly. "You don't HAVE to kill your prey. The vampire bat merely licks a few drops from its victim and leaves content. The victim is none the wiser to the interaction, because it learned to do it quick and painlessly. You could learn to do the same." Sean hugged himself as he slipped in cautiously. "But he'll become a Draugr. Sunlight will-"

Raising a hand, she told him seriously. "Sunlight doesn't kill Draugr. It merely keeps them from regenerating health and saps all their powers. Only if he is killed by silver, feeds on a being of divine light, or takes damage from some holy weapon or magic will he turn to ash. Otherwise... they are VERY hard to kill. Trust me." Flashing Sean a smug grin, she added a little devilishly. "You should know. How is Archie by the way? Did he taste something that didn't agree with him?" Sean paled, then blurted out nervously. "How did you know about that?" Mira kept her devilish grin, prompting Mark to state out flatly. "Did you send him to our room?" Mira's eyes slowly drifted to lock with Mark's, before she answered without flinching. "Yes. He was becoming a problem, and I couldn't deal with him without painting a target on my back. So... I made him your problem." Her eyes darted back to Sean when she added curtly. "You said you wanted to help me. Good job. Only three more to go."

Mark looked at Sean in shock, causing Sean to stammer out. "What? No. Wait. I said that I needed time to think about it! I didn't agree!" Mira shrugged, telling him lightly. "You didn't leave me a choice after Archie saw you leave the breakfast table after me. I had to tell him something... and the opportunity was perfect for me." Taking a step toward her, Sean snapped out quietly. "Mark's condition is YOUR FAULT!" Mark moved closer, only to stop when Mira lifted her hand from the back of the chair to rest a silver short sword on the seat lazily. Staring them down, she simply told them. "Yes. An unfortunate accident. But as I said... you can use this as an opportunity yourself... or be like them and claim it is a curse that excuses you from being a cruel bloodthirsty monster. Your choice. Pick your side." Sean looked between them, while Mark blurted out. "What will you give us if we help you?" Mira's fingers tapped the handle of her sword, telling him coolly. "What do you want? To be vampire? A werewolf? This silver sword? Or perhaps... the Rune Eyes that he offered you but can't deliver to you."

Sean exhaled heavily, telling Mark softly. "We've already killed Archie..." Mark kept his eyes on her, retorting to him coolly. "True. But we can always expose her." Mira lifted her chin, calmly replying. "After I helped you understand what you are?" Neither of them said anything, prompting her to ask seriously. "Answer me. Are you on my side or not? Because if you're not... You'll have to kill me." Picking up the sword, she stepped out from around the chair and took a defensive stance. Inhaling deeply, Sean stepped out in front of Mark, whispering to him quickly. "Mark, I want to help her." Mark's eyes lowered to meet his with concern, but Sean added curtly. "After our fight, I went to the cemetery. I saw the kids. They are not as aggressive as we thought. They are just kids... Scared kids that don't understand what they are. Please, Mark? Trust me." Mark clenched his jaw briefly before asking in a low tone of voice. "You went to the cemetery... alone?"