Vampiric Interdiction

[31] The Discovery

From a distance Villahr might not have even realized it was her. Decked out in all black, head to toe, her beautiful face hidden from the world, it was hard to even tell she was female — apart from her distinct biologicals that gave it away and the familiar scent of one of her fruity fragrant body-washes.

As he stepped closer, accidentally stepping on a twig and cracking it beneath his boot in the process, Karolinna’s head swung back. Out of habit, and instinct, the elna ducked behind the closest tree and was sure to be very still, but then realized soon after how unnecessary the action was.

He’d always been a stubborn child, and to make up for the fact that he wasn’t like the others in his family, due to his mortal heritage on his mothers side, he was quite dedicated when it came to his studies. Most of his power came from deep within, from his core, and very little effort was needed to call upon it — like his ability to sense feeling with a single touch. Before he met Karolinna he hadn’t known anyone else who could do this. Apparently it was a rare gift.

Apart from the blessings of the magical like that were engrained in his very being, all else that he knew had to be taught to him and practised frequently. Unlike Karolinna who didn’t see the need to waste her time with such things — spoiled, ignorant brat — Villahr did what he could to integrate his talents into his day even for the most trivial of tasks. Anything that would help to strengthen them.

Villahr took a deep breath of fresh air. It felt cool and surprisingly soothing when it coated the inside of his lungs. He tried to hold his focus to the only thing that was keeping him from standing out like a prison inmate fitted with a bright yellow jumpsuit hiding in plain sight. 

In his minds eye, the fare male could picture a translucent film, kind of like a great, big bubble, surrounding him. Like a two-way mirror, he could see out of it but no one could see in. It reflected everything behind him over top of it like an incredibly realistic painting, and as long as the blonde he was spying on didn’t come close enough to break Villahr’s focus — chances are she would never notice he was even there.

Villahr watched as Karolinna settled herself comfortably at the foot of a tree just a few feet from the pond. She was staring up into the sky, as he had witnessed her do from the window in her room on many occasions. Sometimes she would even reach out as if to touch it, and it was in those moments that he almost wished he could take her out just so she could try.

He watched for several moments, crouched behind the tree, keeping his distance. Karolinna would look back now and again and it almost looked as if she were staring right at him, but then she would turn away a short while later to continue drinking in the moon.

He had tried teaching her the spell he was currently casting over his entire body and a good foot or two of ground around him, but Karolinna lost interest in very little time and they never picked it up again. In this moment he was glad, because being pure of blood, unlike him, would have made it terribly easy to throw out a net of energy, catching him in a heart-beat where he sat in the dirt.

Karolinna certainly had the basic means to do a great deal more things than Villahr could ever even dream of doing, but her laziness took precedence over all her other “talents” and so she never developed the mental strength. Probably never would. Which in this world was not the best idea, even if she were to remain cowering in her home for the rest of her days.

There’s a sudden crackling in the trees not far from where Karolinna sat. Villahr was pleased that at least his friends reflexes were toned, noticing she got up almost immediately, fangs bared.

It was instinctive for Villahr to jump up and run to Karolinna’s aid, which made staying put an almost impossibility. Fortunately he managed to keep his cool, and his attentions on both cloaking himself from unwanted attention and on the rustle in the woods.