Path to Redemption

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

Pablo stopped moving almost immediately as Lucia wrapped her arms around him. She could hear him seem to sigh softly and it almost felt like he relaxed into her. The girl felt something like a shiver run through the young man; but she didn't know what to make of it. On a previous night, the Hybrid might have believed it was because Pablo was happy within her arms. Now, she wasn't so sure.

Cocking her head to the side to look at Pablo as he tried to gaze at her, Lucia frowned at his words. When the Werewolf tried to slip out of her hold, the girl held him closer, bringing her elbows in tight and putting pressure on his neck. Adjusting her stance, Lucia placed one of her boots on Pablo's instep, pushing his leg out, forcing him into a wider, less stable stance so he would have to rely on her hold to remain upright. "I admit, my knowledge on Eastern philosophy is somewhat lacking." There was no strain in her voice, she was holding him firm, but felt comfortable maintaining such pressure. Pulling the Lycan in tighter, Lucia sighed, disappointed. "It's a shame... I was growing quite fond of you."

Brushing aside some of Pablo's hair at the base of the neck, with one hand, the girl couldn't help but feel a strong amount of regret toward the young man and whatever friendship they might have had. "You, perhaps, would not be sad to see me die; and I suppose I cannot fault you for that..." She spoke softly into his ear, "Yet, I think it would be wise to consider your situation right now. You have no allies here, Pablo. Except for me. My mother's reign has come to an end. I am Queen now; and it would be beneficial for you to remember that." Lucia watched him solemnly, her crimson eyes falling to his neck. "Victor is strong; he was able to bring My Father to his demise. Yet this will not be my end. I did not come here to perish; I will not allow it; and you are going to help ensure that." Pulling down the scarf around Pablo's neck once more, Lucia could feel her fangs grow longer.

[Pablo]

"Lucia! Let, me go. "Pablo grumbled as he continued to struggle in Lucia's arms. She pulled him in closer, holding him tight, while pushing his leg out to throw him off balance. At another time he would have remained still, docile, and even know there was an inclination to. The comfort he felt with Lucia was present, his stomach fluttered at how close he held her, and even when her words almost made this sound like an execution he felt safe with her. She wouldn't hurt him, well at least she wouldn't kill him, and any injury save from one made by silver was superficial, he would heal quickly. Still he struggled, mostly for show, knowing no amount of force he could muster would break her hold. He grunted, as she pulled him in tighter. "Lucia, I'm still fond of you." He said, quietly, sadly.

Lucia's cold touch on his neck made him shiver once more. His gut again, told him to remain still, he knew what was coming, it was inevitable, but as Lucia spoke once more, it reminded him why he was struggling. "Lucia!" He said incredulously. What was going on in her pretty little head to make her think, that he would want her dead, after everything they'd been through. She was his only ally here, that stung true, but he could never see her as his Queen, he could not allow that. "Lucia, you don't understand, I don't hate you, but I can't let you have this. The pack will fight back, my friends will fight, and some of them will die, and it'll be because of you, please!" He pleaded, once again feeling Lucia's hand as it further exposed his neck. "Lucia, I could be helping Alena right now. You gave me the key, but I wanted to see this through with you, I wanted you to come back with us." He said, trying to pull free, putting up a noticeably increased amount of struggle, before suddenly jutting out his backside into Lucia, and dropping his weight, in an attempt to fall onto his legs.

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

She could feel her fangs lightly graze the Werewolf's skin as he struggled in her arms; not enough to break flesh, but enough to taste him. His was a taste the girl had quickly become enamoured with. Lucia tried pulling him in tighter, ignoring his words for now, until he pushed into her, dropping to the ground. Anticipating the warm, metallic flood of Pablo's blood in her mouth, her grip loosened enough for him to slip away as he knocked her off balance and fell to the cold ground. Reaching out to try and get ahold of him again, Lucia wrapped her fingers on the young man's pants, but as he kicked off the ground and away from the Hybrid, he slipped through her fingers once more.

An unexpected grin covered the girl's face, her fangs showing, as she sat, now on the ground, on hands and knees, looking after Pablo. His words finally seemed to catch up to her, and something strange tugged at her from within her chest. It was enough to give the Hybrid pause, but not for long. Pushing up onto her feet, while still keeping her knees low to the ground, Lucia crawled quickly after the Werewolf, clambering easily through the snow to catch up with her pet after a few meters.

Pushing harder off her feet, the girl reached out, grabbing one of Pablo's ankles, bringing him close enough to wrap her other arm around his waist and tackle him to the ground. "I thought you insisted you weren't volunteering?" Wrestling with the Werewolf beneath her to turn him onto his back and pin his arms down, Lucia smiled at Pablo. Crimson eyes gazed down at the Lycan, long hair falling over her shoulders. the chain of her necklace peaked slowly out of the neck of her dress as she bent forward, sinking her teeth into the crook of Pablo's neck and shoulder.

[Pablo]

Pablo lunged away from Lucia, relieved, or rather surprised to have escaped her hold. She'd taken her time, teasing him; he could feel on the back of his neck where'd shed scraped her teeth, giving him the opportunity. Though it didn't really matter it did it? The girl would catch him in a second or two. Still despite that knowledge he ran, his scarf, unraveled, slipping from his neck, he instinctively reached back for it as it fell, turning his head in time to see Lucia crawling after him. Well that was emasculating, she didn't even need to get up onto her feet to catch him. What chance did he stand? Her cold hand circled around his ankle while her other grabbed him by the waist, he fell hard to the ground eating a face full of snow, and then another as Lucia climbed onto his back.

He kicked, and squirmed, trying to roll over, his back to the girl was no way to fight back. It seemed though that she wanted the same. She flipped him over, sitting on his stomach, pinning him underneath her. "Lucia! I said no!" He shouted, his hand reaching for her face, the other to her chest in an attempt to shove her off of him. His hands barely made contact before they were grabbed by her own, and held down tight besides his head. Pablo looked up to the girl, smiling at him, and for a moment he ceased to her resist. His eyes met hers, there was something about her crimson gaze that made his stomach flutter and send shivers down his body. He wanted this, to be close to her, closer even, but that meant giving her want she'd wanted, after she'd lied. Resting though, it was clear, like this in his human form was hopeless. She was too strong too fast, and the only way he could escape was if he shifted, and that would only escalate matters further. This was happening, but still he struggled once more, squirming and trying to pull his hands free, if only for show. There would be another opportunity to escape, and there were far worse experiences than Lucia's bite. His sight fell to the key around her neck, and then back up to her, just as she bent forward and plunged her teeth into his flesh. The lycan gasped, a slight twinge of pain as her teeth entered him, his struggles coming to an end at that instant. His extremities went numb, and a pleasant shiver seemed to pulse from her teeth into him. His body went limp beneath hers as a soft grunt escaped his lips.

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

The struggle Pablo put up made the girl laugh quietly. She knew he was genuinely displeased with her, and that he wasn't playing, but Lucia couldn't help it; she was kind of having fun. Despite the fact that he had tried, however poorly, to get away and slip into the night, the Hybrid was finding it difficult to stay upset with Pablo or focus on the battle to come with the young Lycan pinned beneath her.

By draining his blood, Lucia hoped to leave the man weak enough that he wouldn't be able to attempt another escape while she was preoccupied with Victor. Then of course, there was the effect his blood had on her. Not only did it fill her body with a warmth she didn't think feasible, but the amount of life and energy and strength that seemed to flow through after taking from Pablo was a Hell of a power trip, the likes of which she only elsewise felt when entangled with Dane. That, and she couldn't complain about being able to get closer to Pablo...

Something seemed strange as the girl sunk her teeth into the Werewolf. She could feel his body relax as she drank from him, and it occurred to her that she felt extremely warm. It wasn't his blood warming her from the inside; it was his body warming her from underneath, and it felt incredibly comforting and kind of intoxicating and.... Did she just groan, or was that him? Lucia's eyes shot open and she looked over at Pablo, her fangs still buried in his neck. No, that was him, although it echoed some of the bliss she was feeling. Had he always reacted that way? She knew now what that sound implied. A light fluttering sensation tickled the girl's stomach; he was loving this, wasn't he? For a moment it felt like the background disappeared; it didn't matter where they were, who was in the vicinity or what she'd come to do. Releasing her hold on the Werewolf's wrists, Lucia wrapped one arm around, under his body, gripping his shoulder to pull him closer.

The heat seemed to increase until it felt almost overwhelming; and that's when Lucia stopped taking from him. She was enjoying this. A lot. This... wasn't right, was it? No, it felt right; but it didn't seem fair. Dane had her love, he made her feel like this. She couldn't deny her attraction to Pablo, but she felt immensely conflicted. Reluctantly retracting her fangs from Pablo's flesh, the girl pulled away slowly, looking down at the Werewolf, kind of confused. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but remained silent, instead wiping the blood at the corner of her mouth away with her thumb. For a moment, the Hybrid didn't move, just sat on top of Pablo, her hands resting on her thighs, watching him. When she spoke, her words sounded cold; she no longer smiled, "If you try to run, I will chase you down and make it so you can no longer move." Letting that sink in for a moment, Lucia placed her left hand gingerly on the Lycan's chest, while shifting her posture. "Don't leave me." She watched his eyes; though she wasn't asking, her last sentence came across more desperate than she'd intended. Sliding off Pablo, Lucia sat beside him on the cold ground. The difference in temperature surprised the Hybrid. Compared to the warmth of Pablo's body, the ground was so cold it nearly hurt.

[Pablo]

The young lycan closed his eyes, sinking into the feeling of euphoria that overcame his body. By now Pablo had learned to not fight it, there was after all nothing that he could do, his extremities seemed unwilling to move, and it was perhaps the most pleasant sensation he had experienced. His stomach fluttered as another wave surged through him, and then the world around him seemed to give in. It felt like he was floating, free from the restraints of his physical body, alone with Lucia. He felt the vague feeling of the girl pulling him towards her, he wanted to respond in turn, and wrap his arm around her, but he could not muster up even the slightest movement. The bond between them, he could feel it grow. Only Lucia could make him feel this way, and though she was technically killing him, slowly, the fact he trusted her not to spoke for itself. His skin began to tickle, and then as he opened his mouth, in an attempt to speak, it was over in one fell swoop.

So soon? He though, his senses dulled, he became aware of only the ground beneath his back, and the pressure on his chest from sitting on top of him. Pablo heard her words, slowly opening his eyes he smiled. "Lucia, I don't think I can even move my feet." He tried, moving his feet, looking up to the girl who stared down at him with an icy glare. Still though, despite the coldness in her eyes, the red glow was mesmerizing. What was wrong? Why wasn't she happy? It wasn't till he spoke again, desperately, that he had remembered what had occurred the past few hours. Lucia had taken back her promise, she intended to conquer his kin, and if need be execute Alena; and he had fled, in an admittedly poor attempt to return to Oslo before her. He sat, as Lucia slid off him. His felt light headed, and weak, turning to her, he cocked his head to the side. "But Lucia, you said you were going to abandon me." He tried to stand, his feet gave in and he fell once more face first into the snow." He glanced up to her. "What choice did I have?"

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

The cold ground beneath her was a shock to the system. A look of discomfort passed over the girl's face for a fraction of a second as she resolved herself to remaining beside the Lycan. Better she adapt to the consistency of the cold, than return to the warmth temporarily only to have it ripped away.

Watching Pablo as he spoke and tried to move, the Hybrid made no initial attempt to help him up, until his legs gave way beneath him. Hesitating slightly, she sat up and reached out to him after he fell, grabbing him from under the armpits, pulling him onto her lap. "You should probably focus on staying warm, rather than eating snow." Wrapping her arms around him, Lucia rested her chin on the Werewolf's shoulder, staring out into the night for a moment. There was hardly a moon to be seen, but with little light pollution coming from in town, the stars reflected brilliantly on the white snow, giving the area an other-worldly sheen to it. Something like a sigh escaped her, and the girl finally spoke again, "Abandoning you is the last thing I want, Pablo." Her voice was soft, and in its absence, an unnatural quiet seemed to settle in. "I just don't know what to do."

[Pablo]

Pablo felt weak, quite literally drained of his strength and life-force, he was quite content to lay there quietly in the snow. Despite the strength he lacked, he felt good, a light headed, and perhaps a bit delirious, but it was not all a bad feeling. Lucia's voice was prominent and clear in the quiet of the night, it took a great deal of effort to process her words. He smiled, why did he need to focus on being warm? He felt quite warm at the moment, maybe hot even. It was all the clothes he was wearing. For the life of him he could not remember why he'd worn so much when he was quite accustom to the cold. There numbered more than a few times he'd managed in the snow completely nude. "I'll make you eat snow." He mumbled quietly under his breath, allowing Lucia, as if he'd have a choice to pull him onto her lap. The lycan opened his eyes once more as Lucia shifted him, he was greeted by the light show above, a million stars all dancing in unison, the galaxy saying hello. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach as Lucia rested her chin on him. He rested his head against hers. Lucia spoke again, his ears twitched.

The young lycan was happy, there was indescribable sense of comfort he felt within her arms, and he was glad to share this moment with her, alone underneath the starlight. Yet, Lucia did not seem to match his demeanor. She sounded unsettled, why was that? He remembered they'd argued, he'd tried to convince Lucia to run anyway with him. He felt a pang of guilt. He tried to take her from her new life, one she was happy with, it was obvious. Pablo had seen the joy in her eyes, as she revealed to him, she knew of Viktor's whereabouts, and again as they spoke in private of her dreams. She was happy, when she'd never been before, not living in isolation among his kin, and he was out to ruin everything for his sake. That wasn't fair for her, when all he had to do was remain by her side. "Lucia," He spoke softly, his voice a quiet whisper. He leaned back, resting his head against her shoulder, whispering up into her ear. "There's something I need to tell you." He tried to twist around in her arms, but lacked the ability, and instead flopped limply to the side.

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

The light from the stars above was beautiful, breath-taking, even; the prettiest thing the girl had seen in recent memory. Yet Lucia couldn't seem to focus or appreciate it as much as she would normally. Holding Pablo tight in her arms, his head resting against hers, the Hybrid remained silent, her thoughts racing.

While likely only a short moment, the silence felt much longer to the girl. Finally, she felt Pablo begin to stir in her arms. His voice, while quiet, came out clear, catching her attention immediately. Frowning, Lucia relaxed her grip as it seemed Pablo was determined to adjust how he was sitting. Watching him begin to fall with the sudden freedom she allowed him, the Hybrid caught him as he began to slide to the side, steadying him once more against her. Moving an arm beneath his legs, Lucia helped turn him in her lap, so he could face her a little more easily. He sat across her lap now, able to lean to the side against her if he chose.

"Pablo, don't." She sounded defeated. She didn't want to talk; at least, she didn't want to talk about what she figured the Werewolf would bring up. Lucia just wanted a moment of calm before facing Victor; a task, she hated to admit, which was probably beyond her capabilities. She was angry. Angry at Victor for taking her father away; angry at her father for leaving; for being in this position right now. But mostly angry, cause she was scared. Victor wasn't to be taken lightly. For a long time, many years, she'd thought about how it would feel to rip him apart; and now, on the brink of doing just that, the levity of the situation seemed to be sinking in. Victor, alone, had managed to kill the first Vampire. He wouldn't be alone this time. It took a great conscious effort to remind herself that she wasn't alone either; and that Dane, who had the utmost faith in her, had defeated Victor. Part of her wished Dane could be here with her now. Mostly, she wished her father were here.

Tucking those thoughts away, trying to bury the fear, Lucia looked at the Lycan in her lap. He was pale, but insistent as ever. "I know what you're going to say. I know you don't think I'm handling things the right way. I know you'll do what you have to. To save my mother." A quiet sadness seemed to color her features, and Lucia looked back up to the sky. "There isn't much time before I will face.. Him. Please, can we just sit?"

[Pablo]

The lycan was limp in Lucia's arm as she aided him in his movement. Painfully aware of the hand underneath his leg, he leaned or rather father against the girl once she wrapped his arms around him. Pablo stared at the side of her face in quiet admiration, listening to the words she spoke. They were all wrong, he wanted none of that, no it was quite the opposite." Lucia, you don't understand." He mustered his strength once more, managing to sit up right, he turned his body, dragging a leg across Lucia so that he face her completely. Once more his strength seemed to give in, and he fell against her, catching himself by wrapping his arms around the hybrid. He was close to her, as close as they'd been just moments ago, Lucia grappling with Pablo ontop of him in the snow.

Warmth seemed to settle in to him, it seemed to radiate from Lucia. For the little time he'd known her, she was the warm one. A smiled creased across his lips, though he could not say why. He brought up his hand, and trailed it across her cheek. Her skin was smooth and supple, her hair soft, as he brushed it back behind her ear. He leaned up, speaking quietly to her. "I'll stay with you." The words felt blasphemous as they escaped his lips. What fate was he sealing himself to? A life among vampires, continued damnation by his people? What choice did he have. He wanted to be with her, despite everything, and there was of course the quiet thought, that they were all doomed anyway. Without Alena, the lycans would fall, not without a fight, but it would not matter much. His stomach fluttered. Not when the enemy was perfect. Lucia's pedigree spoke for itself, and it showed in her beauty, that was not to speak of her mind. She'd manipulated Pablo, and Alena to this point, perhaps under Dane's guidance, but that only mean she knew to listen to her advisers, it showed wisdom. She'd pain in her life, but still she was joyous and playful at times, like himself, they were meant for each other. He could not leave her, and he'd do anything for Lucia, as long as she'd asked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take you from your life. Lucia, you're all I have, and I want you to be happy." He held onto her tighter. "And you weren't with the lycans. Just promise me, please, spare my kin, as many as you can. Let me warn my friends, and let me- let me talk to Alena. I'll convince her peace is the only way please." He bowed his head against her shoulder. There was something he was forgetting. "And Geir, you can let him go. You don't need him, you have me now."