Lilliana sighed softly. It felt like they had been walking forever. She knew better, but the day had been tiring. Hideaki was gentle though she could tell he was hurting a bit more than he let on.

Hidaki had spoken to Riven about this mystery girl he carried on his back. Riven informed him of her name's meaning. It was odd. She was a beautiful thing, and every fiber of him felt alive when he carried her like this.

Abandoned on her birthday...

What a way to spend a day centered around you. He'd went ahead and told Riven to get a few things for her including a small pretty cake. No use in letting the day be a complete waste. Right? At this point it seemed like a futile effort,  but he would try.

He could feel her misery, and he wanted it gone. 

"So... are we there yet?" She asked.

He shook his head busting into a slight chuckle. " Almost. Almost." He assured her. He picked up the pace a little wincing and turned the corner. Sitting pretty much right there in front of them was his den. Or the house he called his den.

Half of the house was under ground and the other above. It was always a comfortable temperature, was fully plumbed, and inside was beautiful. He adored his home, and something inside hoped she would to. His stomach churned.

Why should he hope she liked it? He didn't recognize her as his mate. Did he? Hideaki sat her down, " Here we are. It looks better inside. Trust me. "

She smiled softly. It was charming. Lilli nodded to him. " Okay.  So start talking? What the hell just attacked us out there? Where are we? What am I? Wh-mph" he put his hand over her mouth.

" Inside first. You did say you would help me out right?" He asked sort of smirking, " I'll explain while we get settled. " he promised.

Lilliana blushed a little, " O-okay..." she agreed. The thought of her hands all over him flooded her mind. Clearly she was having a harder time with this whole mate hormones thing than he was. Though she wasn't aware of it.
She took a breath to steady herself, and followed inside.

Hideaki made his way in, and downstairs with her in tow. " Your room is over there to the right, mine is on the left. " he pointed from one side of the hall to the other.

" Bathroom is right next to your room, and is connected. I just didn't want that room. Not sure why before you ask. A small library is upstairs. The kitchen, a half bathroom, and living room are upstairs as well. " He said entering the large bathroom. It had a nice shower, a rather large tub, and large counters with a toilet and sink.

He motioned for her to follow him. She swore she saw a smirk still sitting on his lips.. She blinked trying not to stare as she followed him. Everything was nice.. much nicer than she thought it would be. Her adoptive parents were well off. She had nice things, but this was otherworldly nice, and it felt more homey than anything ever really had. He sat down on the side of the tub, and pointed to the cabinet while taking his shirt off.

Lilliana gathered stuff to try to clean his wounds a bit. Some peroxide, a few cotton balls, and some bandages.

Hideaki sighed roughly, and relaxed after finally fighting his shirt off. He hadn't realized how sore he was. It was rare for him to feel this sore.

Well, it wasn't normal for him to feel so many emotions at once around on person either.

Not... not anymore.

He hated that he did, and yet he missed it and craved it as well. She was close, and her scent filled his being. It was unlike anything he had ever smelled or felt. He found her hard to resist, and yet he forced himself to resist.

He wasn't a wolf. Or a vampire.

No he was a fox. Graceful and composed.  He never, never, lost composure.

Except now, Hideaki was close to snapping, and doing God knows what ever he pleases to this beautiful girl. He breathed in steadily, trying to relax while she cleaned his scratches and scrapes from the Darkness. " Easy Lilli.. please. " he hissed quietly resting his head on her stomach.

"Sorry. Sorry. I'm trying to be easy.. That one was deep. " she chewed on her lip the whole time. He was hard to be around. Not that he was overbearing.  He just set constant butterflies off in her belly, and it didn't help that he rested her head on her actual belly while she took care of the rest of his wounds. She just tried to breath right and focus.

______

"I think I'm about done. " she said softly before dabbing at the last deep cut on his lower back. Huh, so he does have a tail... she saw it, but just barely before he sort of started to sit back up straight. She had to move back. If she didn't,  he was taking her with him over his shoulder.

It would be so easy..  just pick her up.. waltz out of the bathroom..... She moved back a little, and snapped him out of his fog. He finished sitting up, and glanced at her. "Thanks. Still sore, but I'll live. " he smiled a little. " Come on. We'll go upstairs and get something to snack on while we talk. " he took her hand in his and started to lead her.

Hideaki let her hand go hesitantly. He hadn't meant to take it. He walked on upstairs, and to the kitchen. Good, Riven had already left what he asked him to. " I know it's a really ruined day.. but I asked Riven to drop this off. I figured it would be a nice snack. " he said with a little smile.

She followed him honestly confused by him. He was into her one minuet, and the next pushing her away and rushing off. This guy had more issues than she thought.. then again who wouldn't living here? She had quite a few now herself.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she entered the kitchen. He had a cake brought out? It wasn't lost on her; it made her cry really. The nicest little detail of the night/day for her. A pretty light white cake decorated with a light pink boarder and a few purple roses. " Thank you... it means more than you know. " she whispered.

He felt an overwhelming desire to hold her and tell her it was alright, but he didn't.  Instead he cut two slices, giving her the roses and all,  and sat down at the table. " Come on.. I guess I should start at the beginning. When we were gathered up. ."

________

" When it began I was out tending a garden. " he chuckled a little, " Seems silly now.. but I heard my other half scream. Rage flew through me.. and pain. All I could remember was that. I woke up later on already here. Sounds boring huh! However I was fortunate that I wasn't awake to fight back, many who were didn't make it.  " he shuddered..

" By other half you mean.." she had felt a pang of longing.  She knew what he meant, but she needed to hear it.

" Yes. My mate. My lover. " he said softly before clearing his throat and taking a small bite of cake to give himself time to continue. He noted Lilliana taking her time as well. Picking at rose petals, and slowly eating them.

" No one got along at first. Witches casted constant hexes and spells,  vampires chose whoever to feed from, wolves ripped shanties and people apart on hunts, incubus and succubus did whatever to whoever. No laws.  No rules. No don'ts. It was all an effort to kill us off.

Thinking we couldn't come together to feed ourselves and build people up. They were wrong. Every once in a while they dropped more and more. Some of us went out to find them, decide If they were good or if they were going to reap more havoc. We disposed of the bad apples ourselves." He paused to let it set in.

They killed the troublesome ones? Seems extreme...then again being rounded up is extreme. Maybe it was for the better. Still doesn't sit right, but who am I to point fingers? I was dropped off here too.  The thought really didn't sit right. Yet it made sense. Especially for the time period given that it really was hundreds of years ago.

"In time we called for a meeting of all kinds. We formed a treaty,  and made peace. Most of us at least. Others continued  to be rotten to the core.  Killers at heart. "

She could see the history practically bounce off of his eyes as he told it. Lilli remained quiet and ate her cake to let him have his time.

" Anyway.. during the beginning we had two of the most rare creatures living here.  To great dragons. Ceril, and Zera... Zera was a wonderful kid. She was just that as well, a kid. She was a very powerful kid though. Ceril was quiet and reserved. He didn't talk to many people.  It seemed like the more he observed creatures turning on one another.. The more reserved he was. One day he wouldn't come out at all. No one knows what happened to him the girl he took up with. He loved her deeply, and she him, but he just distanced himself. . From everyone.  Everything. Zera said to give him time. He would come around. Well, he didn't.  " he stopped suddenly his hand bunched up so tightly his knuckles were white.

" We shouldn't have let him be alone so much. Ceril... one day, he killed his girlfriend. That was just the start of a shit storm that turned into a living, mythical, murder storm. No one knows for sure what really happened. We assume he was so filled with guilt that he snapped completely.  His power began to grow. He was shrouded in darkness, and within an hour, so were we. The town above was consumed. People taken. Creatures formed in the shadows so dark you could easily tell them from shadow. It is terrifying to be in. They rip and tear at you until they hook you and take you with them. Things that go in don't come out. We've learned that. Zera pleaded with him to stop. She tried over and over, and she was the only one he refused to kill. To stop him she grabbed him, and flew into the sky. That poor girl used her full power, to banish them both for the time. Or so we guess. " he sighed and ran his hands through his hair before continuing,  " Its a touchy history, but it's our history. We caused Ceril to break. A god-like being, a pure being, and we exposes him to a darkness so bad.. that he couldn't contain it or process it. He couldn't see the good, so he had to purge it all.

Zera disappeared,  Riven lost her. He liked her. A lot. They were young together in a way. He wasn't the same after that. He got better, but you can tell a lot is missing. He hits on girls, but he won't sleep with them. He won't even feed on them. " he shrugged slightly. "He barley feeds at all. "

She listened taking it in. Nothing seemed real about it, but she knew better than that now. Even for a dream this was rather detailed. " ... I.. can't honestly  think of anything to ask or say.. Its a sad story.. a bad thing to have happen. I can see why you all went underground. Or wherever we are. "

He nodded, and stood. After putting his plate in the sink he turned around. " I.. I'm going to bed. You should to. That stuff is for you. Take a long bath, get cleaned up, whatever you need. Riven always seems to know what people need. No worries. " He turned walking to the steps hoping to avoid the question of mates all together. Hoping she didnt know what it felt like or what happened.

" Why does it sp... no.. why does it tingle  when we accidentally touch? " she asked softly. " I mean.. it doesn't do that with anyone else... It feels like I'm numb but.. I can't describe it. " she sat confused, waiting for an answer staring at the small bag of stuff Riven had left.

She stopped him in his tracks. Damnit.  " I.. I can't say Lilliana. I really.. won't say. " he said glanced his shoulder. Out of everything she was told tonight, she had to ask about mating. He was in no mood to even elaborate his own feelings on it.

She couldn't be a mate. At least not his.  He hadn't known people to find a second mate in this life. He left with a huff, went down to his room, and closed the door to be alone. He just needed to be alone.

Lilli felt annoyed. He wouldn't answer. So what she felt earlier, and all through the night, was real? Tingles, butterflies, sensations and all. Yet, he wouldn't talk about it. She finished her cake, washed the plates and silverware, and grabbed her things.

Her bag was in her room. " Oh wow.. they managed to bring it.." She smiled, and sat everything down on the bed. It was beautifully made up,  as was the room. She liked it. Riven knew what he was doing apparently.  He'd brought her everything from soaps  to some extra clothes.

The tub ate her whole, and she loved it. The bathroom was steamy, the water hot, and the soaps she was brought smelled awesome. Lilli sighed slipping into the water. What a long day. Hours of driving, being left alone in an over grown forest, meeting creatures she thought no longer existed, butterflies in her stomach, being attacked by something, a cake, a nice bath.... all that was left was a really comfy bed and heavy sleep.

" I highly doubt I'll be sleeping heavy.  Maybe not at all.. " she sighed talking to herself. It wasn't that the bed or room would be an issue. She just..Her mind was full of things above sleep. Like why had the people she called parents for so long suddenly changed towards her. They didn't shed a single tear when they threw her out.

What was she? What made her so bad that they expelled even her, a normal nineteen year old girl, out of the human world for good? She slid under the water to scrub out her hair, and was it as well. " Good enough for the night... " she muttered dragging herself out. Reluctantly she dried dressed.

The bed was soft. Silky sheets and a heavy blanket. Oh, it was amazing after a bath. She'd managed to dry her hair at least before crashing into it. The den was cool, and the blanket kept her just the right temp. She smiled surprised she was slipping slowly into sleep.

Hideaki bolted up right. He was sweaty and panting. He felt like he just ran a damn marathon. He dreamt of Zera fighting with Ceril in a dark castle.

Why though?

Where were they?

He also saw someone else. Someone with long light brown hair, and a glow of a goddess.. just like Lilliana. What the hell was she doing in this dream? This was years ago. Hundreds at that. He shook his head, and against his better judgment went to check on her.

He found her asleep, soundly so, and it was a mistake to come in here. He was so close to her. His mate. His beloved. Whatever any creature wanted to call her.

Much like the wolves he wanted to make her his.. to mark her like the vampires and wolves did.  Like foxes did. He felt his primal urges trying to kick into overdrive.

He was hovering over her, drawn by strings unknown,  wanting to be tied to her. All he needed was a sign she wouldn't be against it, or him. Just one sign, and she could be.. no.. would be his.

His breath was rough, and he fought himself very hard not to do it anyway. Prying himself away, he went back out the door, and closed it tight. " Get ahold of yourself. "

She let out the shakey breath she had been holding in. He didn't notice it.. he was to busy trying not to do whatever it was he wanted to. She knew he wanted to do something to. It was written across his face, in his eyes she imagined, but mainly she felt it. Lilli hadn't dared to open her eyes.

It was a pull so much stronger than anything else she had ever experienced. She wanted to give into him, and if he'd asked her to in that moment, she would have. It was scary this influence.

She hadn't even been in love before, but this she imagined felt a lot like it. It was sudden, and it so far kept knocking her flat on her ass. It was so hard not to call out for him to come back, because she knew he would in a heartbeat. Somewhere in her heart she knew he would.

It took them both forever to go back to sleep. The night was long and restless. Just like the Darkness lingering around Darkville.