Once upon a midnight dreary;...

[gabriel]

[/b] July, 2010
Time Frame: Early Evening
Place: Troll Market, Trading District
Status: Open

Stars. Burning spheres of gas and light spinning around a dark core of matter that is slowly consuming the star’s energy like a parasite. Gabriel had seen many stars fall in on themselves and become black spots of fury with an ever devouring hunger that cannot be sated by either space or time. Gabriel had also seen many stars being born and, like a proud mother, she can still remember their births as if it was only yesterday. Her creamy white skin can still remember the blue heat of the first great explosion of the universe. Goosebumps raced up her arms as she remembered that time gone by…lost. She reached out into the dark and let her fingers brush over the object before her so that it might spin around and she opened her eyes again. She was staring intently at the dark bronze lantern in the shape of a multipoint star. The air jingled with the sounds of bell-like wind-chimes. The flickering golden light of the flame at the lantern’s core shone out through many variegated holes that had been punched into the metal to allow the light of candles and burning incense to shine through. The spots of light traveled through the air and over Gabriel’s pale face. She was staring at the lantern as if it was a miracle being performed, or as if she were a child seeing this thing for the first time. Her long and inquisitive fingers brushed playfully at the scarlet red turning tassel at its base, making the lantern spin again. This time the open front shop owner noticed the angel’s activity. The great grimy beast trundled towards her, shouting in the gruesome but ancient language of his kind for her to leave his shop at once. The presence of this fragile but imposing woman was unnerving to such dark creatures. Gabriel scowled fiercely, her bright brown eyes flashing with distain, as she drew back from the shop, away from the enraged animal. The shop owner wasn’t satisfied by simply frightening her away. He moved forward and waved his six dark blue arms until Gabriel was shoved away even further by force. The sharpness of the troll’s push winded her and she could hardly keep her balance as she gripped at her ribs. Gabriel almost fell backwards into the bar seats of a traveling café that was serving its troll customers in the street. The growing disturbance was causing a crowd to gather and Gabriel was suddenly struck by real fear. She didn’t want to cause any trouble, not today.

Bowing her head she knelt down on the ground and coughed to loosen her aching muscles. The troll seemed satisfied to see her display of pain, which confirmed that this unnerving creature that looked like a slight human female but moved like a stalking bird of prey would stay away from his shop for good. With Gabriel on the ground the troll market had returned to normal. It was common for creatures to be crawling on the filthy ground here and the trembling pale girl was one among the many. Steam gushed from a freshly opened pot of something that smell awful and probably tasted just as bad, sending a shockwave of surprise up Gabriel‘s back. She stood up slowly beside the troll feeding station, brushing at the dirt on her clothes casually. Her white tank top was ruined by muddy stains from the troll‘s hands and stinging purple bruises were growing beneath the surface of her skin, but this all could be hidden by her black leather jacket. She pulled the outer garment close around her front, ignoring the fact that the back of her jacket was a ripped and tattered mess that let in quite a draft. Gabriel ran her hands back through her shortly cropped blonde hair, styling it unconsciously into a smooth cap of flaxen hair that glittered even in the dim lighting of the troll marketplace. The shopkeeper of the troll café wasn’t opposed to new customers and was already shouting at Gabriel in some odd form of Chinese. He seemed to think she was deaf and was offering her a bowl of some noodly substance that had floating dark grubs in its broth. Gabriel wanted to gag, but she masked her disgust and nodded politely as she waved her hand in refusal. The chef was angered by this and slammed his instruments down on the counter. His eating customers, both trolls and humans, all jumped slightly in shock but returned to eating almost instantly after the loud disturbance. The odd little dwarf started grumbling irritably about ingratitude and human scum. Gabriel moved away quickly to another part of the market, she didn’t need to start another disturbance here or else she might get noticed by something truly unsavory.

Holding her oversized black jacket close around herself, Gabriel strolled slowly through the streets. She watched the people, beasts and monsters move by her without a second glance. As long as they were busy, Gabriel was just another traveler. It was only the occasional perusing shopkeeper or playing troll child who noticed her and guessed at what she was. A fallen angel walking like a common peddler through these filthy streets was a rare sight indeed, but then again you could find almost anything here in the troll market. Gabriel’s shoulders flinched inward as if she’d been burnt by their gaze when she caught sight of a curious glance. She was already so ashamed of herself that she didn’t need any more pressure to add on to the weight already on her own winged shoulders. Her thick military boots stomped across the ground, her heavy heart was punched low inside her chest and she could hardly breath. Gabriel didn’t even know why she’d attempted to take a casual walk in the marketplace on her own. Such decisions on impulse often confused her, but she was too proud to admit that she might be just a little crazy to find the company of mystics and trolls more comforting than a pleasant walk through Central Park beside blissfully unaware human beings. Gabriel sighed heavily and tried to forgot her faults. She concentrated on the growing pain in her chest and she almost moaned aloud. Hopefully nothing was broken…

People started brushing passed Gabriel roughly the deeper she went into the market place. The activity of the trading district was picking up now that the light of day was burning low on the horizon and the lanterns were being lit. Soon this place would be a madcap world of confusion as the darker creatures of the fantastical realms came out of the woodwork. Gabriel found herself flinching painfully on occasion as larger people bumped into her without noticing, mumbling apologies. She would have made a space for herself on the road if she didn’t want the attention such an act might receive, but fate had other plans. A gnarled and grotesque creature came charging up the street, intent on his destination until he felt the aura of something pure and sweet. He turned to look at Gabriel and his jaws almost fell open in awe as he realized what she was. Gabriel noticed him as well and had stopped in her tracks, huddled as she was. Her back began to burn and she yearned to let her wings fly free and wide, filling this street and frightening the beast away from her, but only her eyes responded to his furious stare. Her deep brown orbs burned hazel, flashing with intensity. The beast made his riposte to her veiled threat by stepping towards her on his cloven hoofed feet. The rush of his foul breath in her face and the fear of being discovered caused Gabriel to stumble backwards and she fell in a heap over an upturned basket. Her cry of surprise rung out in the street like a bell and a few heads turned in her direction. Gabriel’s ribs vibrated with pain and she was scrambling to find her feet again. The horned beast was leering over her on the ground, the beads and human bones in his waxy black hair clacking together ominously… Gabriel was angry and afraid. She didn’t want to fight, it would make too much of a mess and she’d never be allowed back in the market if she started such a ruckus now…[/size][/ul]

[sam]

The fiery heat of moving bodies and constant action drilled on Sam's nerves, his skin like heated coals as he made his way through the market masses, swaying on his feet and glaring at anyone that could smell the beast that lurked under his skin. Today he roamed the streets out of boredom rather than blood, his appetite curbed in the half moon, though unpleasantly pricking at him as it loomed ominously, a reminder that he would soon run wild in the dead of night. He gruffly pushed this ill feeling away, distracting himself as he watched a vendor sell woven blankets and polished figures while incense swirled and caught Sam in a tide of foreign and pleasantly spicy smells. He swayed with the crowd, pausing to watch the trolls and creatures around him with no intent other than to think, studying everything that passed him by with vague interest. How could he ever return to the human world, there he was a wolf among sheep, their blindness to the real, true world around them sickening to Sam. But here, here he was simply a small fish in a big pound. He was a predator among his own kind, beasts could match him in a fight here, even kill him if they were big enough, but in the human world, he had to pay mind just to keep from not hurting people. A heavy sigh struck him and he continued to lope meaninglessly through the mass, hands struck deep into his jacket pockets as emerald eyes scratched the surface of the crowd.

Suddenly, there was commotion. It rippled over the passersby like a droplet into a pool of water. Sam sensed fear, smelled the sick slab of it over the walking bodies. And over that, something smelled different, not human, not troll. It dug deep into his skin like a needle, and he was instantly drawn to it. He pushed forward until he stood at the edge, eyes suddenly hard as steel as he viewed the scene before him. A girl faced a horrendous horned beast, the fear scent dripping from her along with that other, unfamiliar smell. But he knew it then, staring at her with burning eyes that flashed gold for a second, and his neck hair stood on end. The pureness, the angelic glow that floated off her and affected every dark beast that haunted the streets at night. The creature must have sensed it too, and it provoked him as it now did Sam. His first venture to the market had blessed him with the meeting of a holy woman, and now, he had again run across the path of an untainted and pure creature. He watched her, stock still, as she let out a cry and fell back, trying to get away from the horned beast that pursued her. No one in the crowd moved to help her, all of them either eager for a dispute or not even glancing this way. Sama'el blinked, feeling the hatred well in his chest, wanting to burst free and take his human skin with it, a rage that consumed him and wanted to watch the innocent girl be slaughtered. The deeply rooted malice for such Divine creatures fought to control him, but all Sam could see was his father now, looming over his weak and human blooded mother, and it made his eyes burst into golden flame.

He pushed forth to the girl's side, standing slightly in front of her, his eyes even with the horned monsters, menacingly defiant as he watched the slightly amused look on the creatures face turn to puzzlement as it breathed in and caught the inhuman scent from Sam. Sam didn't flinch as the awful smell of rotted meat and sour breath churned over him, he watched the creature ponder over this as it sniffed and eyed him with curiosity. It knew that Sam was kin to things that loathed the good and purity, knew that Sam was holding down a caged beast under his cool demeanor, it could sense it in the blazing heat the raged off Sam's skin, and the pounding of Sam's own heart that he could not control. Sam pretended to not notice the thing's disgust as he spoke warningly, "She has not done you wrong, leave her be, before someone gets hurt." He tensed, raised his chin, and swayed on his feet. He may have resisted the urge to harm the girl but he would feel no guilt for striking down this creature that stood in front of him. Sam glanced back over his shoulder, catching the girl's brown eyes, he nodded his head, looking over her to make sure she was okay. It hurt to look at her, the aura invisible but something that touched his skin in gentle waves of good and light, making his inner demon roar and rage while the human part of him cringed from anything so holy and blessed.

He turned back to the creature and it laughed, thrusting its face close to Sam's, grinning it growled something in the language of its kind, presumably along the lines of threatening and goading Sam was sure, for the creature did not leave, and didn't look like he intent on doing so. Sam was silent, and it struck the creature as rude and even more enraging, for the horned creature spat at Sam's feet, and shoved him with a deformed and clawed hand. The touch had an instant reaction, Sam's heart leaped into his throat and a snarl crashed through and spiked high above the sounds of the market. He rushed the creature and slammed him hard in the nose with a fist, knocking him back and dazing him. The creature shook his head, clutching his face, looking at Sam with bewilderment as he took a step back. Sam glimpsed the three large slashes that darted over the creature's nose and watched crimson fluid drip freely from them. Sam stared wide eyed at the creature, looking down with terrible fright to see his hand clawed and bloody. The creature was bewildered and furious, his fear rolling off him in waves, but the rage consuming that fear faster than it could hold.

Sam was shaking, his whole body trembling. He was terrified, but not of the creature, but of himself. His skin was a living thing, and it bundled and flexed over his muscles as it begging to tear. Sam winced and stiffly drowned his fear as he stared coldly at the creature, trying to calm himself down before he did something terrible. He didn't want to change, he knew that even if he did strike down this creature, he could very very easily go after the girl as well. It was a risk he wasn't willing to take. The crowd all murmured and most had taken a step back at Sam's first strike. Some of them left, not wanting to get mixed up in the scuff, while others waited for something else, something more exciting and blood rushing, to happen. Sam winced as he felt the claws slide painfully back under his nails, the calm finally edging into his body, chilling the feverish skin. But anything could set his off for good, and he watched the creature with callous and hungry eyes, not wanting to, but secretly wanting to, as he waited.

[gabriel]

[/I] Just as Gabriel found her footing again, the man glanced back over his shoulder at her. Their eyes met as she stood tall but only came to just a few inches above his shoulder. His eyes were a deep greenish brown, or were they the color of yellow gold?, but something wild and something monstrous was inside of him screaming for its release in waves. He seemed trapped in this situation by some mysterious unknown, just as she was tied to this earth and was the object of hatred for both the beast and this man. Gabriel was also struck by the depth of the strange man’s dark presence and his frightening eyes. Her heart skipped a beat as she remembered such a face from a time long forgotten. Something about him reminded her of that little boy she saved at such a terrible cost…

Gabriel was at a loss for words, but she could only stand still and wait for something to happen. She didn‘t have to wait long. The monster who had been so curious about this fallen angel walking amongst the damned was now intrigued by the lycanthrope in his way. Gabriel was revolted by the beast as it stepped into the man‘s face and spoke in his fowl language of things even more disgusting. It was an insult to be sure, whether or not this man understood the words being spoken to him or not. Gabriel hissed quietly as the beast sought to do something unforgivable, since the man remained unmoved by the beast‘s insults. From under the beast’s long horns, its dark eyes darted to Gabriel and flared with visible anger as it realized it was being thwarted from reaping vengeance upon its chosen heavenly prey. The animal then spit at the man‘s feet and the black liquid squealed like live acid on the cobblestone floor. Suddenly Gabriel jumped out of the way as the monster pushed the dark man back towards her. Gabriel felt a sympathetic twinge in her own aching ribs as she watched the action happen in slow motion, unable to do anything to stop it. To Gabriel‘s shock a vicious snarl ripped from the man‘s throat and he charged the insulting beast, slashing at its face with a large clawed hand. Gabriel‘s pale white fingers shot upwards to her lips in an attempt to kept herself silent as she watched the scene in bewilderment. Her temporary protector seemed a lot stronger then his opponent in his moment of rage, but that might have only been with the element of surprise. Gabriel‘s whole body shuddered once and then fell still. She caught the scent of battle as blood spilled out of the horned beast‘s face and the man beside her felt a rush of adrenaline. Since she was standing at the lycanthrope‘s back, he was unable to witness the fearsome glare Gabriel was casting at her injured enemy.

Then she looked to her defender‘s state and saw him vibrating with fear and horror. He was fighting to regain control of himself as the wolf inside fought to break free. Gabriel stepped closer to him in a moment of weakness but in that moment she could not find any words or action on her part that might convey her gratitude for his help and her sympathy for his situation. She understood it far better than he could ever know. Movement in the corner of her eye distracted her completely and she turned to see the furious beast preparing itself for another charge. Its nostrils were flared and she could almost see the heat of its foul breath on the air. Blood was dripping from its lips as it roared like a pouncing lion. Gabriel’s heart was racing and she knew there was only one way to settle this score. Gabriel stepped in front of her former defender, as he had done for her. The beast laughed insanely as he lunged forward in triumph now that his prey was within reach. Gabriel closed her eyes and when they opened she was radiating the full power and presence of her race, but she was tainted by a strange darkness and fury. Her eyes were deeper than the depths of hell into which she‘d cast many of this animal‘s kind in the past. Time seemed to stop for a moment as the beast halted its attack and stood still to listen. Gabriel spoke in the beast‘s own language, which sounded like rubble falling off a cliff face, “You will leave this place now. You‘ve caused me enough grief and this is not the place to initiate combat”. The beast was completely confused and infuriated by being thwarted from tasting an angel’s blood for a second time. It would not be thwarted again. The beast raised it claws high to bring them crashing down on Gabriel’s head, but she stared up at the impressive beast and simply smiled as she said in English, “I wouldn‘t have done that if I were you”.

Gabriel knew the consequences of this moment, but was willing to bare them just this once. She could not let someone else fight her battles. Whispering an ancient spell she raised her hand like a flash of lightening and placed it boldly on the beast’s brawny chest. Gabriel’s whole body felt like it was on fire and she screamed as the beast was reduced to a statue of ashes that blasted apart like a star burst and scattered across the street and onto the windowpanes of a glittering shop. Gabriel had used a spell that was one of the few weakness of such a powerful beast of magic and she could thank the BPRD’s extensive library for knowing it, but such spells had their costs. A normal human would have died performing that spell, but Gabriel was made of sterner stuff. At the moment of impact her angel’s wings had erupted from her back. The massive raven black feathers stretched out like opening arms greeting the moonlight above before Gabriel slumped down onto the floor. The shop owner, that was now in the dark inside his shop, opened his front door with a jingle of bells to see his windows blackened with soot. Gabriel swayed forward as she tried to fold her wings inward again but was too weak to do so. Her back was weeping blood around the thick structure of bone where her wings connected to her body. She tried not to vomit as she moaned aloud. Beyond the rushing sound of her rapid breathing she could hear the shop owner shouting at the street for evidence of who ruined his store. She needed to put her wings away, quickly, before she passed out and any more attention was drawn towards her. Gabriel concentrated hard and after a few moments her crumpled wings disappeared as she cried out in agony. All that remained on her scarred pale back was dark red blood and an inky black substance around the V shaped wounds. Since her oversized leather jacket was already ruined from previous wing flights, Gabriel knew she at least had something to cover herself with. The tattered remains of her tank top only remained in place because of the blood and cold sweat that was making the fabric stick to her skin. Gabriel rolled back onto the floor with a heavy grimace so that she could look up at the sky, but there was nothing but steamy pipes and stone caverns.

Everything was still spinning, but she remembered who had come to save her before. She looked over where the lycanthrope might have stood. She was smiling in such an odd way, as if this was perfectly normal for an angel to be fainting from blood loss after using a dangerous incantation. She tried to wave her ashen hand but it just fell onto the filthy floor with a light thump, her white fingers curled inward like the dead legs of a spider. She swallowed back the spit and bile that was choking her before she tried to speak, “I’m sorry you had to get involved… at least…you don’t…have to worry…about him anymore”. Gabriel had to breath deep between phrases as she spoke to her would be defender, if he was even standing there at all. She laughed cruelly at herself as her body started to shiver violently from her rapidly dropping body temperature, “You don’t even know my name… How impolite of me to not introduce myself before ruining your evening”. Gabriel knew she was getting delirious, but words were slipping out of her mouth whether she wanted them to or not. Her body was too weak to move and her brain was flooded with fear and confusion. She was quite noticeable, laying there in the middle of the street covered in blood. She’d assassinated a demon in the middle of a small crowd. It could have been worse. Gabriel’s sweet voice dropped down into a faint whisper as she said, “Don’t worry about me…I’ll be fine in a little while”. Her face flinched suddenly as sharp pain started to attack her on all sides like little pins being dropped onto her bare skin. She had to keep breathing. She needed to concentrate. Gabriel opened her eyes and stared up at Sama’el Lovelace as if he was the center of her world…[/size][/ul]

[sam]

Sam looked over to the girl as she stepped closer, his breathing ragged but suddenly calm under the grateful and sympathy ridden gaze that the girl drew him with. Rain over flames, he breathed out in a heavy sigh, knowing it wasn't over yet, but he was still here, Sam was still here, and that's all that mattered. His violent hazel eyes soothed to rippling water, but struck back into terrible shades of gold as his head snapped back to glare ruthlessly at the creature. It huffed and roared like a bull ready to charge, and Sam prepared to face the thing, tensing hard and slowly crouching like a predator awaiting the rushing dance of its prey. But to his horror and shock, the young woman pushed in front of him, blocking the path between both beasts. The laughter was a demons tune to Sam's ears, and he couldn't help but shout to the girl, trying to warn her away as fear gripped his cold eyes, fear for her, for the heavenly being he had strived to protect. But, too late, the monster leaped, hooves crashing off the hard ground. But it froze mid stride, and Sam blinked in surprise as a rush of power and strength rolled off the girl, and he felt the wolf inside shrivel away and cower as her voice rose above the noise of the crowd. It was the creature's own tongue, but Sam could sense the warning in its tones. She was brave, and for a good reason. She wasn't as fragile looking as he had thought, her voice told of the strength that resided within her small form, and Sam respected that. But the creature did not. It raised a menacing handful of pointed claws, its blood-lust contagious as Sam watched stone still from behind the radiant and courageous maiden, his heart inches from touching his tongue as time slowed in his vision. Human heart pleaded for her safety while the beast begged for her destruction, a rage that tided his eyes and slunk throughout his form.

He was frozen still as everything went by in a blur. The creature fell in a column of black ash, the girl screamed bloody murder into the sky, and black wings burst forth from her back, their hues of the never ending nights without star or moon. Sam stared, his heart hammering, going so fast it hurt. Heat fled from his skin for a second, and his head cleared to open skies, he felt human, whole blooded human, for a split second before the wolf crept back. He shook his head, clearing away the bewildered and shell shocked numb as he watched pain cross the girls features, and she crumbled. He snapped to attention, crouching down beside her, reaching out and gripping her smooth and perfect shoulders in his hands as he tried to steady her. He kept glancing at the silky black wings that towers over them, a little wary of their holy meaning over him. Sam didn't know what to do, he held onto her, stubbornly refusing to just stand by and watch the girl reel and sway with pain and exhaustion, whatever she had done to the creature must have almost killed her. Sam didn't flinch when the wings folded back up to wherever they lay hidden on her body. Her cries made worry crease his face, Sam instinctively clutched her firmer but didn't move to do anything else, afraid of his place by her side. He removed his hands slowly as she set herself down on the hard ground, and he practically tore his jacket off as he noticed she was bare and cold. He quickly laid the burning hot jacket over her, tucking it in around her sides like he would a blanket. He looked up at the people that slowly moved away from the scene, knowing the excitement was over. Sam glared at lingerers, daring them to come closer, his shoulders broadening and his eyes flashing murderous golden in their direction. They left in a hurry at that, and he growled under his breath at the few odd looks some gave them. Aggression was a cover for the softness he was showing at the moment, an action that was not rarely shown.

He looked back to find a beautiful smile on the girl's face, and feeling slightly awkward, he turned his eyes away from the milky chocolate of hers, afraid the anger and blood hungry rage still lay in his eye's depths. The light thump of her hand against the ground startled him slightly, his discomfort increasing as he watched her. Not used to human interaction, well really, any interaction, he was lost at what to do. Of course, he wouldn't leave her side for the world, his protective demeanor already shining true as he sat like a well trained guard dog by her. In the heat of battle, he was fine, cool, calm, ready for death to come knocking down his door. But afterward… He would rather fight than talk to put it simply. Her voice eased him back from thought, and Sam chuckled coldly. "You needed help, I was there.." He said quietly, as if he hadn't really had a choice in the matter, that it was a job of his, something he had to do. Concern streaked his face, and he couldn't keep himself from leaning over her as she began to shake violently. He quickly laid down beside her, the worry firm upon his facade as he pulled her closer to him, the overwhelming heat of his own skin something that practically melted him in these summer months, but would chase the girl's chill away in an instant. The hesitance to touch a strange vaporized over the blaze to help her, keep her safe. "My evening wasn't going anywhere good anyways… I'm Sam." Usually raw and angry voice was clear as a pool under a moonlit sky, his voice steady, soothing, even comforting to this fallen angel. Holding her close to his hot chest, he wasn't bothered by the fact that they were in the market, laying on the ground, with creatures gazing over them curiously as they passed by. He paid them no mind, intent on what he owed this girl. He could have taken a beating from the creature, could have let it vent upon him and let the girl escape without a scratch. But she had taken his place as the human shield, and now she was his responsibility. A fallen packmate to part of his beastly mind, a favor he owed to the part of him that would never admit to being kind.

He tilted his head at her whisper, and he puzzled over her words for a moment before invisible knives struck the girl hard. His own heart picked up speed, but he kept his face calm, for her sake, he needn't let her see his own distress. The wolf wrapped his arms around the girl and tried to draw her pain away, the space between them closed by Sam's determined strive to fight this angel's torment. Something deeper than his bestial hatred for anything pure and good, it was engulfed by his human heart and by the person he used to be so many years ago. His weakness, his soft spot in Armour of steel. No matter how his heart had hardened, how far he had plunged into the madness that was the cursed moon and the transformation that stole his sanity and called for blood, he would always be that dark knight. Her eyes scared him, and he couldn't suppress a flinch under her gaze that seemed to look right past his emerald eyes into his tattered heart. The fragile dove he held was in terrible agony, he could only hold onto her and hope that the comforting thump of his steady heart would drive those demons back into the dark and save her from any more cruel daggers of pain.

[gabriel]

[/size][/ul]

[sam]

A sigh passed through his form as slowly the heavenly dove's heartbeat returned to normal, his head tilted to the side as his ears caught the gentler rap of the pace without even having to press against her chest. His breathing calmed from ragged to semi-normal, his nose twitching as the smells of the market finally returned over the heavy intake of oxygen from the few frightening moments that he had received trying to protect the girl. His senses returned to full gear now, being held back but now flowing about his surroundings. His eyes still kept on the girl, but his head twitched ever so slightly at sounds of shuffling feet and ringing bells, various things clinging and knocking together, a troll's young cub crying for its mother several yards ahead of them, a growing mumble of a passerby. A small part of him took comfort in the distraction his animal senses provided, something that could clear away his heavily readable eyes from this angel's view. She was studying him in a way that made him nervous, uncomfortable and exposed under these circumstances. He wouldn't let her in and the harsh light returned to cover his face in a mask that eh hid behind stubbornly. Sure, he would throw himself into the fit of danger for the girl, but he didn't have to be nice about it. No one said he had to be, and he took his carefully softened heart back down into himself, under the walls of ice and darkness, back where it belonged. Hidden. Safe. She might not be human, but that didn't mean she knew anything about him. Didn't know what it was like. And he wouldn't let himself fall again, break down again. Never again. So while his face remained solid and strong, he was already quickly trying to patch up the kind light that shown through the cracks of his invisible armor. But he couldn't hide the relief that she was okay, no matter how hard he tried it was there as he watched her look upon his battered mug. And what happened next he couldn't have predicted, no matter his incredible senses.

She shifted her arm out from under his jacket, her small hand brushing his chest and he barely breathed as it lifted into the air, its delicate and pure milky white stark and bright against the colorful backdrop of the market square. He glanced over to her face, eyes flashing, brutal, cruel, fangs drawn back behind his lips in a reflex as gold crossed the jade eyes like fire, burning up quickly before dying just as fast, returning to hazel. Her intense stare was matched, unwavering as her hand moved forward. Seconds stretched, his own heartbeat the only sound his ears could consume. The beast under his skin tensed up as soft moonlight danced over the rough and painful scars, the marks he had received for loving a human girl, for wanting something that he could never have. A punishment that had taunt him so many lessons, had given him so many reasons to forever distrust and loath the human kind, while at the same time hate and despair at what he truly was. Her touch flooded back memories of the only other girl that had touched him in a such a way, and he could not hold back the slight twitch as he instinctively moved away, but he froze before he could pull away from her fingers and let that angelic hand drop. Like a wild animal being stroked by man for the first time, he was captivated by her voice and held still, not wanting her hand to leave, not want to scare her away for the violent and rampant beast that lurked within his thrashing heart. But pain, torment all graced his hard features at her voice, her concern swept over him and he cringed, and then iced over. "My father… He didn't like my interactions with a human girl, and so, he punished me, right before I ended his life." All the chill of his dark heart seeped in his quiet voice, and he didn't seek comfort in her soothing, curious eyes, but only stared back through a wall of stone. He could not blame her for asking, humans would if they got near enough, and only a few years ago did he remember a young human child prod him with questions. It hurt to answer, hurt more than when he first received the mark, he could sense she understood such pain, could see it on her body as well as see slight understanding in her piercing eyes, and that gave him more agony than anything. The weakness he showed now burned his flesh hot, and sent a single terrible shiver down his spine, and yet he didn't remove her hand, didn't flee like he knew he should have. Instead he fixed her with a wary, even stare, warning her of where she stepped, with an untamed wild animal so close by her, even if she belonged to the heavenly realm above.

Her hand danced over the scar, her fingers softer than silk as they brushed over the rough and ragged flesh that reminded on that side of his face. She didn't seem deterred or scared of him, and he calmly watched her through slightly curious eyes, knowing that anyone normal, a human, would be warded away from such ugly brands upon his facade. He lifted his chin as she traced his jaw, and he flared his nostrils and breathed heavy, snuffing the air out of habit, maybe trying to scent why she was doing this, why she was taking such interest in him even though he risked himself just because. Because.. she was there, he was there. It wasn't out of thought what he had done, just action, something that everyone else had lacked in those moments when anyone could have been the hero. But it was him. He had stepped forth, saved someone that didn't need saving, someone that he should have taken one look at and turned the other way. That's what his father would have done. But he wasn't him. He would never be him. Shaken from his mind he knew he had been staring intently at her, and he glanced away quick before looking back, hearing her voice like wind chimes tune darting up into the summer sky. Her name was Gabriel. Locking it tight into a mind that rarely forgot anything, he spoke, low, like a rumble of dying thunder, "You are.. welcome. " He blinked the worry from his eyes, looking away from her to the dark crowds, away, so far away, from the too human eyes. "You didn't have to step in front of me.." He murmured, still regretting letting Gabriel do something like that. Even if she had destroyed the creature, it had almost destroyed her. And Sam could have stopped that, just let the creature beat its anger out on him, and wait for it to either get tired or bored. One would have had to come sooner or later. And Sam would have lived, would have picked himself up faster than Gabriel, and would have been alright. Being unbreakable was one of the perks of being a murderer on full moons, unless of course, he wanted to die. Not that he did. But he thought about it often. Too often for it not to be a slight prick at his mind's edge.

[gabriel]

[/I] Gabriel remained silent once more, lost in Sam’s wild eyes, and remembering who it was he reminded her of. The pain of heartbreak was almost more agonizing than the burning sensation running through her veins. Sam had brought her back, for a few moments, to that fated time when she chose to betray her God to save the life of a boy who didn’t deserve to die without a cause. Sam didn’t deserve to be hurt in any way while saving a woman, an angel, who was the object of derision in heaven and hell itself. Gabriel almost believed she deserved to be broken and torn asunder by the demon who had spotted her. In that moment when she stepped in front of Sam to take her rightful place on the battlefront, she felt that it was her duty to keep him safe. Since it was he, out of all the men and intelligent beasts around her that night, who decided to display a sense of mercy towards her. She answered Sam calmly, her voice dipping back into the still rough place where her scream had made cracks in the strings of her vocal chords, “It was my duty. I could not let you be harmed needlessly. It’s one of my faults I guess…”. Gabriel felt some of her strength returning and since Sam probably wouldn’t enjoy spending just one minute more with her than necessary, here on the Troll Market street, Gabriel decide to try and stand up. She shifted her weight and winced as the cobblestones beneath her moved deeper into her naked back. Gritting her teeth she pushed Sam‘s jacket back into his chest as gently as she could, while rolling onto her side. Pulling her legs up under herself, she tried to stand up with what little strength she had, but it only caused her to almost fall back on top of Sam. She pressed a hand hard against his chest to stop the forward motion and support her trembling limbs. “Sorry...” she muttered, feeling the racing tenor of Sam‘s heart beneath her fingers. There was no going back now. New aches and pains were flooding her system and she had to keep moving or risk surrendering to the agony.

One heavy boot slapped upright onto the cobblestones and then the other. Sam was moving with her but she couldn‘t bring herself to raise her eyes above the downward tilt of her head. She managed to stand up on her own, but as her spine articulated again a twisting vertebra made her lips wrinkle as she fought off a whimper. On her feet, the pain rushed downward, away from her heart and back into the joints and limbs that were still covered in blossoming purple bruises. Her back would be black and blue, along with her ribs, but thankfully all the cracked bones had been reset. Gabriel hugged the long man sized waist of her torn jacket tight around herself. The safety blanket of the warm leather‘s long and heavy sleeves made her want to smile. Maybe one day she‘d get herself a new one, but until then she‘d always have this jacket to remind her of her present and protect her from the elements. Her back was a different story. Exposed and covered in blood and ash, dirt and flecks of broken stone, it looked like she‘d been through a fox hole or in the trenches of the first world war. Gabriel shivered as the air touched some still damp patches of open skin and her thick scars. Gabriel had to lift her head, but as she did so a loud crack whispered on the air and through her bones. A quivering hand shot up towards her neck and she cradled the long and graceful appendage as she rolled her head from side to side so that some of the tension might be released and her head wouldn‘t feel like it was falling off. Gabriel sighed shakily, “There, that‘s much better”. She turned to look up at Sam. It felt strange to be shorter than someone for once, but her neck could do with some of the exercise it needed to hold her head up high. She smiled weakly, a cavalier gesture, “Might I walk with you on your way? There must have been a reason for you to be here in the Troll Market. I‘d hate to hinder you from that purpose and I could use a pleasant walk”. Gabriel started to slide her feet forward but only managed a weak limp. It was better mobility than she expected to have. She tried again and stepped forward without hesitation but it ended in a tender stumble as her ankles threatened not to hold up her light weight just yet…[/size][/ul]