iliana amaranth

She's habitually paradoxical, a parallel perpendicular;

The fae woman never strayed too far away from her saviour, quite certain that he was her safety net. The dark charming prince with those invisible lures that had ensnared the woman so thoroughly. She wasn't even aware of their presence and even though she was distinctly aware of the potential return of a baleful crimson demon who might have waited for them. The silvery pools of her trusting eyes still remained watchful for him. He had uttered a threat... and Illy assumed words to be truthful things. She felt like a doe, alert, wide-eyed like she could do little else but be aware and flee.. Or linger even closer to Sebastian. She was blissfully unaware of how fast vampires could be, that running would only be a desperate act of futility.

Yet still.. within that very vehicle with him, she was safe, she was sure of it. He brought out a calm in her that felt odd. She was always racing. It hardly felt like something that should have been natural. The pale-haired fae peered out the darkened windows, feeling very much invisible to the outside world, she liked it. At least for the moment, while she was finally able to decompress from the loud pounding of music within that building.

It was the inquiry of where she wished to go that saw her visibly perk up. She could go anywhere? She could only think of a very shortened list as her nose wrinkled in the deep state of contemplation, when the answer was so very simple. She'd already known. The forest. The perfect place where she knew she'd be safe, deep within the tangle of trees that stood as impervious as Sebastian's guard that might as well have been a battalion to her. Although, Iliana was quite certain... he didn't need them. He had... protected her just fine. Maybe he kept them because they were his friends. She did not contemplate that thought for far too long when she announced where she wished to go. The forest in which Mr. Crow (the raven) would have roosted for the night, or where the creatures seemed to meet like a secret society she was a part of. Every night they had something new to say.. Or to request of her like she was their queen. She found it more like the request of friends and she hardly minded. They always had something to say, to tell her. Animals were not as quiet as one may seem. Yet, she found such comfort within their presence. Purpose with being able to understand and help them when she could. She did little to tamper with their laws, rather respected and welcomed it all the same.

Long lashes seemed to quiver as she stared at her polite companion, her hands folded neatly within her lap. He was fancy, maybe she should be too. He seemed terribly confused by where she wished to go. She nodded, her head bobbed upwards and down with gusto and clear confirmation.

After a short moment of contemplation, he agreed... He did ask her where she wanted to go... and she told him. Surely it would all make sense once she showed him and in all actuality, she was certain it would only confuse him more. Regardless, the quirky little creature was nothing short of pleased when Sebastian concurred her wishes. She was used to the various levels of confusion she prompted in people along with their various reactions that only sometimes bothered her.

The vehicle began to move off into the winding night. She felt a little unfamiliar with the sensations of driving even though it had not been the first vehicle she'd been in. It might as well have. It felt so new! Maybe it was Sebastian that made her feel that way. She wondered and mused over the complexities or just how terrifying the highway seemed to be. Maybe she just needed wings to fly. One day if her wings would ever appear. Maybe she was just one...cursed without. Yet that was far from her mind as the lone question drew to the surface. Sebastian was so very patient as always and listened intently to her, or so it appeared to be. She seemed to value that within her new companion and that had little to do with that secretive pull.... He was like a black hole and she was happy to flutter close to him. A butterfly so close to a vortex she did not fear. She declared that much which earned her a smile. What a dashing smile that concealed the sharpness of his fangs.

Illy soon began to fidget as her net question entered her mind... voicing it along with her thoughts of him. It felt easy to say what was on her mind to him... but then again... he was the perfect predator and she the perfect prey. He appeared disarming, so easily like he slipped on a second skin. It was impossible not to believe that his motives weren't as pure as she. How was it that his smile could peel away any worries? Or his touch be so reassuring? And his words enveloping in such elegant sincerity? It was like he was everywhere.. How did he project himself like that she wondered? Not that she minded. He was like a blanket even though his skin felt so cold. The coldest thing about him, she was sure.

She questioned her scent, that comment he spoke of clearly stuck within her mind. She could have gone on about any number of things. In fact, she had a hard time simply sitting there that she began to fidget. She would have normally bounced from one foot to the next before him and yet she managed to settle herself, having found herself a roost beside him. He had a wonderful scent! Night even with all its terrors was one of her favoured times.. Well.. before... that thing happened. At least enough time had passed that she was no longer jumping at her own shadow. She asked rather curiously, with large wide, trusting silvery eyes.... What did she smell like? He'd said.. He could smell her and she very well couldn't smell herself. Unless she smelled bad.. But she had bathed earlier that day, didn't she?... and her clothing was fresh.

Sebastian moved slow, deliberate and smoothly while she was entirely distracted by her own mind. It was like he feared she'd fly away if he moved too fast and she might have. His hand, far larger than her own turned her hand over so her wrist faced upright. She allowed him, her knees shifting to face him. Did he... see something? She looked down to her wrist curiously and back up at the blue eyed prince when he brought that fragile wrist toward his nose. She hadn't been smelled like that before. It felt near animalistic. That's what it was. It was like. It didn't even disturb her to watch as his nose brushed across the delicate veins beneath her skin. How thin that skin was there.. As delicate as she was. She could hardly help but watch, no gape at him. How gentle he was like his words were soft and brushed against her skin, tickled it even. Well? How did she smell? She was entirely engrossed by him! No one had ever done this... before. In fact... very few beings had even touched her. She had no idea why her heart began to thud.. Or why she felt the desire to look away or why her cheeks seemed to flush. When suddenly his eyes changed colour.. Darker.. Like a dark blue velvet. How did he do that?? But before she could say a thing.. Before she could get him to look her in the eye to see for sure that what she had seen wasn't a mirage... he spoke.. And when Sebastian spoke, you listened. There was something about that rich accented voice that made her imagine those words were tangible... like they had feeling and taste.

Flavour? He said flavour? Wasn't that something you could taste? He thought she smelled tasty? He looked at her like she was something to eat... and yet she simply thought he was simply interested. His lips parted like he might take a little taste. His fangs brushed so sweetly against her milky skin. Oh... was he going to bite her? Did she want to be bitten? Isn't that what she was so scared of? Yet... if it were as gentle as he was being.. How could it hurt?

Her mouth went dry as she swallowed her own heartbeat surprised she didn't pull away. It was suddenly the only thing she could think of. His teeth on her wrist. Her cheeks blushed a beautiful pink. That was a compliment she was sure! "Your favourite flavour? What is that?" She giggled unable to think that Sebastian would ever mean to hurt her. "I think I sound delicious." Should she even say that to a man who might actually.... Want to eat her? What an entirely strange feeling. He was like a wolf then. A wolf and she was the deer. He held her like that for a little longer as he slowly but surely dropped her wrist as she cradled it within her lap. How curious she became of those fangs. She couldn't help it. It echoed within her metallic eyes. Could she see them? Would he let her see them? She bit her lip as if unsure how to ask him of this unusual request.. Her lips parted and was just about to ask when they pulled into the parking lot at the park. The exact entrance. This was it!

She felt almost reluctant to leave the warmth and safety of that car. It was inexplicable. But still, she could have burst through the door.. Felt the crisp air fill her lungs like she'd held her breath for far too long. She looked down that dark entrance into the mouth of the forest. She knew her way without sight. Could even avoid trees with her eyes closed.

How tempting it was to run into its familiar embrace... to lose herself within it. But part of her felt tethered to the prince. Like she didn't want to leave him behind. She didn't make out the words that were exchanged with the driver, she was far more curious if she heard a familiar call or.. If some creature was looking for her.. Yet it remained just as quiet as ever.. Before she saw Sebastian drew out of the car and into the empty parking lot he was bombarded with an invitation to join her.

He agreed and that was all she needed to grab his hand and pull him along that pathway leaving the car and his guards behind. They were alone. Truly for the first time.

"Do you ever accidentally bite yourself? You know with your pointy teeth?" She seemed almost bashful to ask him about his fangs as though they were taboo to talk about.

She moves through those trails, using the manicured way for as long as she could, a mercy to the man who was probably not accustomed to the uneven ground of the forest floor. She had never seen anyone that looked like him roam these parts. Unlike her, she moved like she was used to such terrain as she wove through trees much like the creatures that inhabit it. She didn't need to look down at her either. They could be trusted. " The nice part about being out here.. Is that you are never really alone even though you feel like you are." She spoke before she dropped his hand to point up at the owl who was just above their heads, watching them with indifference. Their mere eyes watching him when he'd been watching them seemed to offend him on a molecular level causing him to rustle his feathers along with a singular hoo, take off soundlessly into the night. No doubt watching them from some other mysterious peak from a much farther distance. "Even if they are a bit rude." She added. "He insulted my sweater and your shoes." She indulged him, shaking her head as if talking to a bird was an entirely normal thing.. Well at least to her it was.. To a stranger with no insight to her ability.... Maybe not so much.

"Not all of us can be born with feathers." She huffed before carrying their jaunt into the tangled woodland.

The silvery fae then inclined her head and cocked slightly to the side to take a glimpse of the man.

"I am sorry for making you leave... your club. You didn't even get to dance, did you?" Or maybe the prince couldn't dance at all. In which case she would keep his secret forever.

barefoot in nightgowns, that's how she dances in the rain;