I Can't Get the Vampire Rogue to Romance Me

Chapter 7 - Sanctuary! Sanctuary!

"Okay, that's okay. Take slow, deep breaths through your nose," Evangeline said, patting the still pale looking rogue, who until a second ago was having a tirade and look so cool doing it, on his back.

Valerian straightened, not acknowledging her hand, but not shrugging it off either. He wiped his mouth and kicked dirt over whatever it was that came out of his stomach. She didn't care to take them in, either, knowing what she knew about him... that he was... he was...

Dammit. I did know a little bit ago, she thought. She kept reaching for those thoughts, but it was like they were behind a barrier she couldn't quite get past.

Sighing, he looked her over, then glanced at Hagor. "You'll have to excuse me. I don't usually comport myself like this." He then bowed elegantly. "I am Valerian. I don't suppose you happen to be a cleric are you?" he asked.

Evangeline shook her head. "No, sorry. Just a run of the mill rogue."

"Oh great," he said, straightening up. "Not ideal." He held up his hand. "No offense. And you," he pointed toward Hagor. "What are you?"

"Just a run of the mill druid," he said, smirking as he crossed his arms.

"Well, at least you will have survival skills. That is of some use in this current environment."

"Hey! I think I was pretty useful getting you out of those ropes," Evangeline chided.

"You didn't succeed," Valerian noted, pleasantly.

"Oh yeah," Evangeline remembered.

"Indeed. I had to do it myself, while also tumbling, catching myself, and escaping with my hands behind my back. Trust me sweetie, I have the rogue skills covered. You're just redundant at this point." Valerian grinned as he bragged.

"Oh really?" Evangeline shot back, arching her own eyebrow.

"Look, I'm sure you are very good at... whatever you do from wherever you come from... and it's not like we can just change party members at this point. But I'm interested in our continued survival so it behooves us to be practical about what we are and are not able to accomplish."

"I think she's right," Hagor said, pulling the attention back to himself. He gestured at Evangeline. "What she said earlier. These collars are keeping us together. Watch."

Hagor turned and attempted to walk away. And he kept going, and going.

"Is... he leaving us?" Evangeline said.

But then Hagor came up short and was tugged back when he got to about thirty feet from them. "This seems to be the extent of how far we can get apart," he shouted back.

Valerian threw his hands up in the air. "Well that's just peachy, but... but why am I linked with you two?" Then he leveled his eyes at Evangeline. "Well? You seem to know everything that's going on. How do these things work? How do we get them off?"

She shrugged. "I don't know actually," she admitted, "Right now I can barely think. My head... it's like I got a headache but without the pounding pain, you know?"

"And how did you know about the dragon attack before it happened?" Hagor asked as he returned to stand closer to his new companions.

"I... It's hard to explain," she said. Then she held up her hands. "Look, I know that's a lame answer, but it's the only one I got at the moment. Something is... not quite right with me. I'm having a hard time thinking."

Then she shook her head. There was one thing she did know. "And first things first, we need to get these collars off."

"And yet that seems easier said than done," Valerian noted as he tugged at it.