Chasing a Bounty {open}

[Aurora]

Aurora scowled as she dodged trees, on foot. Here her wings would not be an asset, instead getting tangled in the branches. She could hear the target moving steadily deeper and she sighed, pressing forward as she kept her footsteps silent. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a tight braid and Chance was ghosting along at her side as a fox, keeping track and darting up to find the ways.

The target obviously knew where he was going and that was what annoyed the angelic more than anything. Of course, running from a member of the Assassin's Guild was never a wise idea in the first place, the deaths tended to be more drawn out and painful than if you accepted your fate. "Really? Why here of all places?" she muttered for the umpteenth time as she dodged a tree root.

Under the canopy it was twilight, there was little sun but the assassin knew that the sun would be setting soon and the swamps were not a fun place to be, despite her ranking and her skill. Hearing him move further away, she groaned in annoyance as she picked up her pace, tracking him. Of course they wouldn't have sent someone else and she was starting to think she should have just asked.

[kuloki]

Golden eyes twinkled between fine, frayed locks of handsome white hair. A figure was leaning against a tree, one leg normal while the other was bent and almost pushin against the tree. He could hear the pursuit; one man whimpering, the angelic running after him. They were running towards the gap in which the tree he was leaning against was next to. He waited a few moments, before turning around.

Facing the tree, he jumped high into the air, before sending a powerful roundhouse kick to the top of the trunk. The tree instantly collapsed, slamming into the man and crushing anything below the heart. He gasped, blood exploding form his open mouth as his eyes became slack. The powerful being dropped down, winked at the Angelic with a friendly, flirtatious smile, before dropping down to the man's face and digging his claws into the man's neck, slicing it clean off.

Oh well, Kuloki thought, he did the job for the Angelic, even if it was slightly more messier than usual. He licked at the blood which splattered around his mouth... the sweet liquid was like chocolate to the vampire lord.

[Aurora]

Aurora stopped short as she watched him, her arms crossing over her chest in a huff as she recognized the figure, even if she couldn't place a name. She hadn't worked with him before but knew he was a member of the Guild. She almost pouted a bit when he stole her kill but shrugged it off, stepping lightly onto the tree trunk, as if to morbidly examine the remains.

"Did you have to make it so messy?" she asked, arching an eyebrow as bright blue eyes peered up at him. "I'm sure just spinning around and stabbing him would have worked as well. And he ran," she said, finishing it with another pout as she kicked at the remains, uncaring if her boots became bloody.

[kuloki]

The vampire grinned at the assassin. He had seen her before, but he preferred to stick to the shadows so only the head guildmaster saw him. Of course, he took note of all of the hot chicks, in beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the golden glowing eyes of a happy bloodsucker.

Oh dear.

Before he could respond, Kuloki felt something harden against one of his hips. He closed his mouth for a second, looked down as if telling off that something, before continuing. "Eh, I could have made it less messy... but I don't think a pretty lady like you should hve to chase an annoying prey like him," He said with another wink, his eyes flickering green. He yawned, before standing up. "Kuloko von Harnet, in your pleasurable company." He said, with a wink, as well as flashing his fangs.

[Aurora]

"If that was how it was, I would have never made Master Assassin," she said, blue eyes flicking back up to look at him before shrugging. "Oh well, I guess you can report it now, and take the proof back," she said sweetly, giving him a bright smile before turning and calling her shifter back to her.

Chance scurried over to her, assuming the form of a chipmunk and scurrying up Aurora's leg and settling on her shoulder, fixing the vampire with an odd stare before chittering and yelling at Kuloki. If he could, Chance would be waving a fist in the air, telling the vampire not to hit on Aurora.

She laughed lightly, petting the shifter to calm him down. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Kuloko and finally learning your name," she said with a grin as she turned and began to head away from the bloody mess.

[kuloki]

Punching yourself in the groin really isn't a clever thing to do, especially when you have super strength. However, as soon as the girl had turned away he did so, because that thing was playing up even more now. He bit his lip to stop himself shrieking, but collapsed to the floor for a moment, before hopping straight back up again and sending a burst of weak healing magic to numb the pain.

"Hey... weird pet chipmunk you've got their," He said sarcastically, flipping him the finger as the girl walked away. She wouldn't be able to see - or rather, that was the plan. If Kuloki could talk chipmunk, he'd have death threatened it by now. However, his immature girl detector was already on to the ladie's curves.

Oh man.

He wanted this one. However, he knew it wouldn't be easy. Fellow assassin's didn't fall for others, and hypnotising her would be, A) Hard, and B) At the same time too little of a challenge.

"May I be so lucky that I may have your name?" He asked, putting the thing between his legs.

[Aurora]

Aurora grinned and reached a hand up, fingers calming down the shifter. "Oh he's not a chipmunk, he's actually a hawk. He just prefers the chipmunk form because he's harder to catch," she laughed as Chance shifted back to his original form and let out a piercing cry and stretched his wings out, clearly not backing down from Kuloki's distaste for him.

"And as for my name, it doesn't matter because you won't get me into bed with you," she stated flatly, looking over her shoulder at him, eyes blank and one eyebrow arched as she looked him up and down, shaking her head.

"I see no reason my name concerns you, Kuloki, you can learn it yourself when you report to the guild. There aren't many angelic assassins out there and I'm the only one affiliated with the guild," she teased as she blew him a kiss, rather enjoying this little game.

[kuloki]

The vampire glared at th eagle, his head morphing into a wolves for a second. He growled, making it his personal vendetta to give this shifter a war. His head morphed back to his normal form, and he spat out a piece of fur from his mouth, before sticking out his tongue and tryng to rub it free of any hairs.

At the 'You won't get me into bed with you', the vampire grinned. This would be oh-so fun when he eventually did (he was quite sure he would) but right now he put on a sad face, his eyes flickering blue. "Oh..." He said, using the best of his acting skills. He turned away from the angelic, and grinned.

"Gotcha!" He yelled out, turning around and grabbing the kiss in the air. He winked, before catching up to her.

"So... who was that guy I crushed?" He asked, in response to the 'report to the guild' thing, raising an eyebrow.

She'd be pissed when he realised he just crushed the man or a laugh, not knowing if he was in fact the target or not... but oh well. As well as flirting with girls, the vampire also loved to piss them off.

[Aurora]

"Jean-Claude von Hemmerschlenkle," Aurora replied, propping a hand on her hip as she surveyed the mess. "Wanted for treason, robbery and murder," she continued with a shrug. "And be sure to spell the last name right, sweetheart, or you'll be docked pay," she added with a coy smile and a wink, rather enjoying the game.

Aurora wouldn't sleep with just anyone, after all, she had her own love interest that was currently residing with her and the vampire did nothing for her. She'd admit he was attractive, but it took a bit more than that to get her into bed and being a cocky flirt wasn't it.

Shaking her head and pulling her braid out since the mission was completed, she let the hair spill around her face and shoulders in a golden wave.

[kuloki]

Kuloki shrugged at the docked-pay threat, grinning wryly. "I don't think the employer would know how to spell that, let alone pronounce it," He smirked, before bending over and scraping one long finger-nail across his chest. A cut opened, before healing almost instantly. He sighed, before standing up straight again.

"So, miss angelic assassin who won't tell me your name," he smiled, golden eyes glittering, "Would you care to go into Shempii for a drink, before I apparently have to go and report this for you?" He finished sarcastically. He hadn't even asked her if she wanted to drink to get her drunk and awareness down; he just wanted to actually get to know her before continuing his light-hearted advances.

He stopped, eagerly awaiting the answer. Why, all of a sudden, had he become so wanting of company? It had happened in the past five years, he'd found himself craving the attention of friends, not just admiring lovers and fearful targets. He wanted friendship and love now, not just lust and hate, anger and fear. Was the vampire lord going soft?

Probably not. Changes were happening to his body, even he was aware of that; it always happened in the autumn, in the month of his self-proclaimed Reverstar (one of the stars shone more brightly during this period of time, and so he dedicated it to Rever).

He locked his hands together and curled his fingers, half-hoping she'd say yes so he could actually try to get a friend. He'd even started writing of his sadness in a journal, which was unexpected; Kuloki was hardly literate.

[Aurora]

Aurora fixed him with a steady gaze before shrugging. "Why not as long as you keep your hands to yourself," she said, the threat not so idle because of their situation and who they were. Aurora had a thing about people she didn't know touching her, and it usually ended up in them losing the part of the anatomy she was touched with.

She pushed a hand through her hair as Chance became a chipmunk once again and scurried down her body into a small pouch on her hip, more or less pouting because he wasn't getting his way. The animal shifter hated the swamplands and always wanted to leave, despite Aurora pointing out he could not go with her.

Grinning before turning on her heel and beginning to walk back to the direction of the city, she called over her shoulder. "And you can call me Aurora."

[kuloki]

The vampire assassin smiled, quickly catching up to walk beside her. His eyes flickered golden more brightly now; before he was a vampire they were naturally hazel, and you could often see that behind the mood colour if he wasn't in such a strong mood. However, now he was in a better mood; maybe he had a new friend!

"Aurora... it's a pleasure to finally learn your name," he said kindly, no hint of sarcasm or dislike in his voice or expression which he used on most people. He then turned to the east; the city of Shempii was in that direction.

"C'mon, we could get back to the city faster if you climbed on my back," he said gently, stopping. After all, speed was relative to the vampire; she would feel as if they were walking normally, and yet trees would be flying by and the water wouldn't have time to claim the vampire.

[Aurora]

Aurora arched a delicate eyebrow, shaking her head in amusement. "I'm perfectly fine walking, besides it isn't quite nightfall yet and if I really have to get somewhere, I'll fly," she said, blue eyes dancing with amusement that was mostly at the vampire's expense. Of course, she wouldn't say it aloud, she had no reason to.

"And Chance gets nervous enough as it is when he's a passenger, dearie," she said with a light laugh as she continued walking, taking her time through the swamps, mostly to annoy the shifter who was chittering at her as he stuck his head up and front paws out of the pouch on her hip.

[kuloki]

Kuloki nodded, turning back to the small, swampy clearing. He decided to roll up his trouser legs slightly, just so they didn't get all that dirty. He didn't really mind; his feelings weren't so acute now he was becoming an elderly vampire; banish the thought, he said to himself wryly.

Eternal youth didn't make you necessarily as immature as you were when you were blooded, after all.

"Is Chance your travelling partner?" The vampire asked, glancing at the eagle-chipmunk-animal shifter. It seemed to be as intelligent as one of the sentient races on Yviex, judging by the personality of the creature. After all, he did seem protective of his dear Aurora. Kuloki struggled to hold back a snigger.

"Well, lead on," Kuloki sighed to the angelic, placing his long hands into his pockets.

[Aurora]

"Chance is my other companion," she said lightly. "I've known him the longest and he comes with me on all my bounties that I let him," she said as they climbed over a fallen tree. It looked a tad less graceful for her when the two of them were side by side in comparison, but it was still more graceful than a human.

She pushed her loose hair off her shoulders to trail behind her back as they continued their journey, reaching the city in little time. "And quit trying to harass him. I can guarantee it will not end well for either of you," she said as she pushed Chance's head back into the pouch from where he had emerged to glare at the vampire.

When they emerged from the swamps, they got no strange looks from the townspeople, used as they were to people coming and going from the swamps during the day. Had it perhaps been full night, they would have been questioned or even dragged off for answers.

[kuloki]

Kuloki sighed as he entered the town, murky water dripping from his clothes. He'd have to clean them later. Bloody swamps! He kicked the ground, and a small brick flew from the area and smashed through the window of a house. Oops.

"Eh, Aurora, I think there's a inn that way..." He said, pointing to the side whilst an angry, middle-aged house wife looked out of them shattered window and looked around for the culprit. The handsome vampire grimaced and ducked, before taking a steep right towards Cypree Inn, grabbing the cute blonde by the arm and dragging her towards it, wary of the angry housewife wielding a broomstick like an axe.

"After you, my lady," he said courteously, much less like his previous flirtatious self.

[Aurora]

Aurora glared at him, disapprovingly as she shook her head. Who knew that vampires could be as much trouble as little kids? That was the damn reason she planned on not having any, if she could help it. When he grabbed her arm, she let out a small gasp and stumbled slightly to keep up with his longer stride. "Really now? Was that necessary?" she asked, arching an eyebrow in amusement.

She caught her stride and walked next to him, blonde hair flowing with her movements. "You are such a child. No wonder no one wants to work with you," she said, tapping a finger against her lips.