The Hunter

[Angelus]

As I got out of the water I looked at the young woman and couldn't think of a thing to say. I stood there for a second before I turned my back, so that she could get dressed. I stood there for a just under a minute until I heard the young woman say, "Okay, you can turn around now and tell me why you jumped into the pond that I was taking a bath in?"

I turned around and the first thing that I noticed is that she looked beautiful and there was something else about her, something that he couldn't quite place his finger on but something that seemed to scream at him. He cleared his throat and said, "Ma'am, my name is Thomas Kingston and I was having a sleep in your field- excuse me for that when I was attacked by someone who has been wanting me dead for a while. I luckily got away and tried to find a place to hide when I saw this pond, when I got here I was shocked to find you in it but I still had to hide so here I am."

The young woman looked at me and smiled but said nothing, leaving me to stand there; the water dripping off of me and my clothing wondering what was going to happen to me.

 

[Isolde]

Diane

I smiled up at him as he removed my tunic. We really did make good partners in and out of bed and, for some reason, he was willing to accept that I could never be truly his. Not as long as Thomas roamed free and alive. As long as the killer of my family breathed, I would be totally given to the thought of vengence alone.

I kissed him again and my arms went around him.
"Enough about those two," I said when I pulled back,"As long as we work together than Thomas doesnt have a chance."

I drew him down onto the bed and I stroked his cheek.
"On that day I will finally be able to start healing this dark heart of mine and then maybe there will be more that I can give you."

 

[sex-maniac69]

Stryfe:

"That gives me another reason to want him dead with a passion,but your right no more about them," I slid down her now bare chest resting at her breasts,kissing all the flesh I saw.I reached over and pulled a rose out of the vase by the bed.Starting at her lips i slowly ran it down her body...

 

[Celestiale]

I shook my head, clearing it of this strange 'haunted' feeling that I was experiencing. My smile faded as my mind processed what he had just told me..."...I was attacked by someone who has been wanting me dead for a while."

Is he a thief? A murderer? Surely nothing so bad as that?!

Another wave of deja-vu enveloped me, and I stumbled backwards as I was bombarded by small pieces of a memory that was not my own. His eyes...deep love...flames everywhere..."Alexissssssss!".... It felt as if someone was pounding an ice-pick into my skull! I crumpled into a heap on the ground murmuring, "Papa...Papa...", before I finally lost consciousness.

I awoke a few hours later to find myself bundled securely in a bed that was not my own. It was barely light outside and my eyes adjusted to the dimness quickly. I lifted my head and looked around, suddenly feeling very trapped and afraid.

 

[Angelus]

I heard a noise come from the guest room and walked quickly over to the room to see the young woman sitting up on the bed, looking around in fear.

"There is no need to be afraid, ummm."
"Samantha, and if you want to attack me then you will be sorry, my father is very rich and powerful in these parts, he will-"

I began to laugh and the woman, Samantha looked at me- anger and shock clearly on her face. I sat down on the bed which made her move her legs quickly so that she was hugging her knees and said, "Samantha; you don't mind if I call you that I hope. I am not here to attack you, I brought you to my home because you fainted and I did not know where you lived so I brought you to the only place that I knew you would be safe."

I then stood and said, "If you would like to join me for something to eat there is some food that I have prepared downstairs but if not then I can take you back to your home if you would be so kind to tell me where that is."

 

[Angelus]

As I walked down the stairs to the kitchen something kept on nagging in the back of my mind. There was something about this woman that was so familiar. I couldn't quite place what it was but it was there. I walked into kitchen and got some food together before I placed it on the table and then walked into the pantry.

While I was in the pantry I heard some footsteps in the kitchen and then some more go back up the steps. When I walked back into the kitchen I looked at the table just to see that the plate that I had placed on the table was gone and smiled as I got something to drink for myself.

I then walked into my private room and sat down on the couch, looking out of the window and contemplated what was going to happen tonight. Were Stryfe and Diane going to try and kill me again, or was it going to be someone else and what was I going to do if this woman, Samantha was there?

 

[Isolde]

Diane

OOC: Sorry about my erratic posting. Lets see if I cant move me and Stryfe along.

IC: I laughed and pulled the flower from his hand. "Not this time, Lover," I said as I pulled him down to the bed beside me and proceeded to divest his clothes and mine. Our lovemaking was just like our lives, hot and turbulant.

After it was over, I lay panting in his arms. "One day," I murmured into his chest,"Some day soon. I promise."

 

[Celestiale]

I sat upstairs alone contemplating my situation. If word ever got out about this, my reputation would be ruined for sure. How could I have been so...so...fragile?? I mean REALLY, fainting?? How absurd! I chastised myself a bit more as I ate and tried to convince myself that those images (memories...??) I had seen in my head must have been the result of the shock I experienced in meeting Thomas.

I quietly made my way down the stairs once again, stopping by the kitchen to wash my plate. Thomas was nowhere to be seen. Gingerly I stepped into the nearest hallway and stopped when I found a small room with a lit hearth. There he sat, deep in thought, and I felt my heartbeat quicken as I watched him. What was wrong with me??

He's probably some perverted maniac who stalks and molests innocent women!

I let out a small incredulous giggle that did not go unnoticed, and he turned to smile at me, my presence breaking his distant train of thought.

"I...I need to go home." I said with as much conviction as I could muster. "Will you please escort me?"

 

[Angelus]

I got to my feet and walked over to where Samantha stood and said, "Of course I will, all you have to do is ask."

I walked over to the cupboard near my front door and opened it then pulled out my long coat and my sword which I quickly placed into its holder. I turned to Samantha, "We should be off. Your mother and father will be getting worried about you and I don't want to give them any ideas when I show up with you so I will take you as far as the main path and then leave. I have your honour at stake miss."

Samantha looked at me as if trying to figure out what type of man I was but I don't think that she could as I was everything to everyone. Even I didn't know who or what I was as I had been everyone over the years of my cursed existence. I then heard a noise beside me and looked at Samantha who was standing beside the door.

I quickly rushed to opened the door and then walked over to my horse which I brought around to the front of the house. After I helped Samantha up I rode down the roads until I came to a large house that was near the fields where I had met her. After I helped her down I said good day to her and then rode off but that wasn't before I felt the presence of one of my kind.

I quickly stopped my horse and ran to where the presence was strongest, drawing my sword as I did. I then rushed through the trees, my sword at the ready but quickly lowered it when he saw his oldest and dearest friend standing there, a smile on his face.

 

[sex-maniac69]

Stryfe:

After it was done.I pulled her to me and we fell asleep.My dreams filled with hate and revenge...

 

[LittleRedDevil]

He was asleep, and it was time to start the game. I faded into his dreams, but they were more like nightmares. He was a haunted soul, and I was there to find his weakness. I knew he loved Diane, and that cut deep. Maybe it was time for him to experiance real fear. It was probably something he hadn't felt in a very long time.

I manipulated myself into a faceless executioner, and before me was Diane, her head on the block. My eyes glowed red as I looked at Stryfe. He tried to get to Diane in time, but he was rooted to the spot. I swung my axe high in the air, and her head rolled to land at his feet.

I was thrust from his dreams with the force of a hurricane as he came awake. It had begun, I would probably drive him to madness before I ever got close enough to do as Goddess had bid me to do. The game had begun.

 

[Angelus]

I stood there in shock, "What are you doing here?"

"Now is that any way to speak to an old friend, well a very old friend," the man said as he got to his feet and drew his sword.

I slowly drew mine and looked at my best friend, "Roger. You are the last person I expected to see here. The last time I saw you you were fighting Alec De Rocas and you fell off that rope bridge. I thought that you were dead."

Roger walked slowly towards me and then took a swing at my head which I blocked easily. He then took a step to the right and as I turned my sword to that side he swung his sword to the left, taking me completely by surprise. The next thing I knew was that his sword was at my throat. I looked at him and said, "I would rather keep my head if you don't mind."

Roger laughed and after he slid his sword back into its scabbard moved quickly and gave me a hug.

"So, old boy. What have you been up to, the last thing I heard was that Stryfe was after you. That's nasty, whatever happened to him?"

"He is still chasing me but now he has an old lover of mine as his partner. I have gotten away from them a few times but I don't know how long I can keep getting away from them."

Roger laughed, "You haven't killed him yet. What is wrong with you?"

I looked at Roger and said, "I think that we should go to my place and discuss it there, don't you think."

"An excellent idea."

With a whistle Roger called his horse to him and then the two of us rode to my home where we went to the kitchen, opened up a bottle of cognac and began discussing very old times.

 

[Angelus]

"So, whatever happened to that lovely woman Diane. You two were perfect for eachother."

A shudder went straight through me when Roger mentioned Diane's name and I looked him in the face, "Who do you think Stryfe's new lover is."

Roger began to laugh, and bang his hand onto the table, "For as long as I have known you you have had trouble with woman. What drove Diane away, was it Alexis again."

"Yeah. I don't think that she could compete with a ghost," I said as I sat back and took a sip of the cognac.

Roger looked at me, a solemn look on his face, "Why should they have to Thomas. You have been holding a candle for your lost love for three hundred years. It is time to let her go or you will live the rest of your life alone."

"I can't Roger. She was my one true love and I have the feeling that I will meet her again."

Roger then gave an exasperrated sigh and sat back while taking a sip of his cognac.

 

[sex-maniac69]

Stryfe:

I woke in a cold sweat.Nightmare.I would never dream that on my own."Lily," i mumbled under my breath."She wants a war,she'll get one," isaid.The next time I see her,she dies I thought.I looked over at the sleeping Diane.So beautiful,I leaned over and kissed her cheek.She sighed and I wrapped one arm around her,being careful not to wake her and went back to sleep...

 

[Isolde]

Diane

I had woken early and bathed and dressed before Stryfe had risen. I was strapping on my sword when he rolled over in bed and looked at me. The thought crossed my mind that he looked like he hadnt slept at all last night.

Sitting up straight in bed, he said,"Where do you think you are going?"

"Dont worry, I remember my promise. I wasnt going to go anywhere without you. I thought you could use some extra rest though. I heard you wake in the middle of the night."

As he dressed I told him what I was planning. "I am going to go back to that field that I found Thomas in. He was there for a reason. A person does not just lay down and nap in a field unless he is close to a safe place. Especially an Immortal. I figure we should find something pretty interesting around that spot. Maybe even our man."

 

[Celestiale]

Papa had been quite concerned and it took a lot of cajoling to ease his troubled mind as to my whereabouts. My story had been as close to the truth as possible...without the addition of Thomas. I didn't want to cause my father to have a heart attack, but the truth was, I was infatuated with the dark man who had come bounding so wantonly into my life. I wasn't ready to talk to anyone about him, I needed time to think.

A sudden knock at my door broke my concentration and I realized that I was smiling at nothing in particular. "Yes?" I called out. "Who is it?"

"It is me." Answered Papa. "May I come in?"

"Of course, Papa!" I laughed, rising from my settee to open the door.

He smiled and kissed me sweetly, taking my hand and leading me back to the small sofa. We talked and laughed for a good bit about trivial things before the inevitable topic of my "future" came up. Papa was never one to insist that I find myself a husband, but I knew that he longed for grandchildren in his twilight years. I hated to disappoint him so...but I was not ready, and the available men around me were so domineering. I told him that I would be sure to accept more social invitations in the near future and that seemed to hold him...for now anyway. He left my room smiling and mentioned that he would bring up the day's mail when it arrived. I smiled and closed the door behind him.

Oh Papa...I know that you want what is best for me, but I cannot become someone's domestic slave just so that you can have your grandchildren...

My thoughts wandered back to Thomas, and I sighed softly. Why was he so inviting to me? A heedless man who so crassly defiled me! I began to laugh at that and reminded myself that he did turn away at my nakedness, and that he also took care of me when I fainted. I still could not believe that that had happened! And his voice, so familiar and comforting...his eyes, so thoughtful and full of passion deep within...his hands, so firm and strong as he helped me up onto his horse...I lost myself in the daydream.

A few hours later I found myself sneaking down the back staircase once again, past the servant's quarters and out into the sunlight.

Surely a little walk will do no harm... I thought to myself as I headed in the direction of Thomas' home.

 

[Angelus]

I looked at Roger and smiled when I saw that he was asleep. He could hold his drink but with the age of the cognac that he had drunk it was amazing that he was not dead. I slowly got to my feet and walked to the main door and sat down on the chair that was there, wanting fresh air more than anything right now.

As I sat there I thought of the young woman Samantha. She was beautiful, of that there was no doubt but there was something else about her- something that was familiar. As I sat back I closed my eyes and listened to all the sounds around me.

 

[sex-maniac69]

Stryfe:

"No,Ill go with you," i said worried that lily would go after her.I quickly dressed with my sword,we headed out...

 

[Celestiale]

I walked lazily through the field of blooming flora, every day brought more and more beautiful flowers to the field's that skirted my home. I picked a few here and there, placing them randomly into my long, wild hair. I found the small pond I had bathed in and kneeled before it to gaze at my reflection, my thoughts wandering to Thomas once again. My cheeks turned crimson as the images of yesterday floated through my head, and I looked away in embarassment. In the distance I could see two figures moving slowly towards me, one was slashing at the fawna with a sword.

Now who could these people be?! I wondered, for surely it wasn't Thomas, neither of the two's stature fit his.

I stood and watched as they slowly came closer, folding my arms across my chest, an uncertain smile on my lips.

 

[sex-maniac69]

Stryfe:
we came apon a young woman while we searched.Human."What do you two want," she asked."Yes,Im stryfe and this is diane and we are looking for thomas kingston,"I said...

 

[Isolde]

Diane

I rolled my eyes and elbowed Stryfe in the ribs. Turning to the woman, I smiled. "You must forgive my friend. We are urgently seeking this Thomas Kingston."

"You see, he is a murderer. He is especially dangerous because he does not seem like he would do something like that. He woos women and, when they discourage or dissapoint him, he does terrible things."

I fought the tears, but they came anyway as I remembered my family. "I know for I am one of his victims. I spurned him and my family ended up paying for it. He killed them-everyone and then he tried to kill me too when I happened upon the scene."

"I wish to bring him to justice and prevent this from ever happening to anyone else again." Smiling at her again and wiping away my tears, I hooked my arm through Stryfe's and pulled him along-glaring at him as he stared at the pretty girl.

 

[sex-maniac69]

Stryfe:

"Something oddly familiar about her,that why I was staring love," i told diane.I remembered the girl that he left diane because of.I turned and smiled at her...

 

[Angelus]

I decided that I needed a walk and grabbed my sword then walked away from my house, a tune in my head. As I walked along I smiled at everyone and they smiled back. I was in good spirits, my old friend Roger had shown up unexpectedly and that was always a good thing. As I walked along I got a thought of the woman Samantha and wondered what she was doing now but then I wondered where the thought had come from.

I had been walking for a while when I came upon the fields where I had first met Samantha and got the shock of my life when I saw her standing there with Stryfe and Diane. It couldn't be I thought She can't be in league with those two. Why did this have to happen to me.

I knew that Stryfe and Diane would be able to sense me so I came out into the open and called out, "If you are looking for me then I am over here!"

I then turned and ran off down the road, knowing that they would be after me.

 

[Isolde]

Diane

I felt it a moment before I heard his hated voice. Quickly, I turned to the woman and said,"Quick, hide and don't come out. We will deal with the murderer. Find someplace safe and stay there."

Then to Stryfe,"Come on! We can't let him get away. Today is the day that he is ours."

With that, and against Stryfe's warning about going after Thomas by myself, I took off down the road in pursuit.

"Oh, no you don't, Murderer," I said through clenched teeth,"Today my family is revenged."

 

[Angelus]

Thomas

I turned off the road and ran into a large group of trees, hoping that that would slow the two of them down. As I moved deeper into the trees I heard Diane's voice shout out, "Come back here murderer, I want justice for my family!"

I stopped and looked back puzzled, trying to figure out what she was talking about but I knew that I had made a mistake as an instant later she appeared, her sword in hand and I had just enough time to pull my out and block the blow that would have taken my head off. I looked at her as she took another swing at me and said, "Why are you doing this?"