Repent: Gwyllomay of the Darkness (1.5) (MANUSCRIPT)

-CHAPTER 6- Eris Bathory, Part One (re1)

    "Wh- What do you mean 'you only wish you were pretending'?" Grace's right eye twitches.

     Truly, a measured response from such a delicate woman. She's fragile and soft. Her hands look... so smooth as they hang over the grass from her broad, succulent shoulders. Mhmhmhm. 
     "I mean what I've said. You've found me out, Temple Agent. Good job. Unfortunately, I don't hunt humans anymore. It's not my thing. It lacks... true class and honor." I chuckle, the night's breeze dashing through and over me. 
     "So you know about 'Temple' then?" Grace puts her right leg sort of behind her left. 

     Oh my. What is she about to do? It looks like quite the defensive stance, in preparation for something, perhaps. Then again, there's also a twinge of dancing about it. I take it she's danced quite a lot tonight. 
      "That comes as a shock to you? I'm about 700 years old, you know. I think you should understand... I've seen a lot of 'temples' come and go. Your organization, however, has stayed through the test of time. T-E-M-P-L-E. Tru-" 
      "Trust, Excellence, Maternity, Prosperity, Loyalty, and Efficiency. The doctrines of condition which we adhere to... in order to slay monsters like yourself."
      "Grace," I shake my head, my smug chortles dying down to a stern frown. "I am what I am. A vampyre. But I'm telling you, I do not care to bring agony to humanity. Anymore." 
       The woman blinked. "So you're... a 'changed man'?" 
        I nodded slowly, my eyes lowly taking in her every movement. "You could say that, yes." 
       The woman teased up the back of her hair once more and ran her tongue across the inside of her mouth. "Well... we'll see what Temple has to say about that. You can come quietly, if you're such a cooperative beast these days, or I can make you come with me to where the base of operations is. There, my master will decide if you're fit to be a proper and functioning member of our society." 
        I hold my arms out to my sides, then quickly brace the right side of my face with one hand. I run the front-side of my ebony locks back, my eyes wide and mouth straight. With the other hand, I pull on the collar of my shirt. 
       "I haven't been to the base of Temple in so long. It would be a nostalgic pleasure. Nonetheless, why can't you just leave me be?" 
       "Gwyllomay, you're a vam-" 
       "Right, right. But you're judging me for that which I am, not who I am. Tell me, graceful Grace, who's the real monster here?" 
        The woman blinked, dumbstruck. She seemed... confused. Her gaze fell in stark repetition from me, to the dewy grass around us. What a card, this lady was! Her hostile stance was now completely bereft of any foundation to stand on. Those six little words of virtuous condition clearly couldn't propel her forward enough in a social scenario like this. She was clumsy... and this sudden vulnerability about her made her so... adorable. 
        Clearly, she was beauty... and she was literally grace. Grace. Such a fine name for such a fine dame!
        Her bottom was also quite fine, as well as her-
        "WHOA! Hey guys, whatchu up to?"

         The alarmed, as well as alarming, voice of Daniel bopped through the chirping, nightly climate.
         "Oh! B- Brother. We were just... talking... about-"
         "Youuuuu don't neeeeeed to tell m- me, sis." Daniel held a brown, glass bottle. "You were flirtin', weren't ya? Needed to get away from all the sights and cramped sounds of the big party and come out hhhhhere... to this dainty little p- p- portrait of a prairie, uh? You gonna fuckin' smooch or what?" Grace's brother hiccupped a tad as he spoke, his rose collar bobbing over his neck. 
          "Well, although I've complimented Gwyllomay in the past with quite the passion to me... I'm not going to just 'smooch' him! I don't think we're really good for each other." Grace pushed a stray hair of blonde behind her ear.