She stood closer to him, and waited for what seemed like an eternity. Then, brush could be heard moving and rustling as something drew near.
"And why...should I...help you." the voice could be compared to an old door hinge, rusty, as though it had been abandoned for ages until someone finally used it. An old wizened man appeared at the edge of the woods. Long brown robes hung from his bent, frail body. His beard was long and white, and he leaned heavily on his staff, his weathered hands gripping it tightly.

Taking in the sight of the man he wasn't sure what to think.
He paused, pondering the question, was there a reason?
''If it is gold you seek, I fear you may be disappointed, I am not rich by any means. Name your price in exchange for your help''

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"What would I...do with gold anyway? Perhaps something more precious." his eyes moved to Nienna, and she had no idea what to think. But once glance at Niko, and she was compelled to do it. "Yes," she stepped forward. "Anything for him to walk in daylight again. Anything to help my husband." he sent her a look of slight amusement.
"It is not you I test, but your husband that needs to pass. I need to know I can trust him, a vampyr wishing to walk in sunlight is not a normal occurrence. You see my worries."
The old wizard seemed to have caught his breath.
Nienna knew what he meant. A vampyr who sought to walk in the sunlight could have an agenda.

Niko was not sure what to think. What exactly did the wizard want? He was compelled to stop Nienna, but something held him back, confusion maybe?
''What would you have me do?''

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"Telling you would defeat the purpose." suddenly the old man's hand shot out to Nienna, his magic pinning her against a tree. She gasped, and struggled, yet it was futile. Even her own magic couldn't fight this. She felt a stinging burn on the side of her neck and she gritted her teeth, hissing through them as a good sized stream of blood trickled from a cut there.

He was shocked at the wizard's actions. His eyes flashed red as he saw Nienna in pain. He was about to lunge for the wizard when an odd feeling came over him. His eyes were drawn to Nienna, his body trembling slightly.He looked at her, his eyes red. He fought with himself to overcome the feeling.
''Release her'' he said through gritted teeth, not moving for fear of losing control.

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Nienna watched him with wide eyes, she hadn't thought she would see him like this. The wizard watched Niko carefully, before making a slightly deeper cut below the first, causing now more of a stream of blood. Nienna's eyes rolled back in her head at the pain. The old man was crazy. "Fight it...Niko, fight it." she growled out, seeing now what the old man was doing.

Niko saw what was happening to Nienna, it took over him. He launched himself at the wizard ready to attack, but with a movement of his hand, Niko was thrown back hitting a tree and landing next to Nienna, forced to come face to face with his test.
His eyes were red and he felt something odd shift in his mouth.He turned and some blood fell onto his leg. His eyes closed with the effort of not acting upon his urges. The smell of the blood began to take over him, he could hear Nienna's heart beating at a frantic pace.
He stood up and rushed to her, planting his hands either side of her, his eyes glowed red and he was trembling with an emotion he could not quite define.
He saw not his wife before him, but a thirst he was dying to satisfy.

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She watched, horrified, then her eyes got even wider as Niko was above her, his eyes glowing red, fangs at the ready. "Niko! Niko stop!" she cried, her heart beating faster, sending more blood surging from her neck. "Niko, you know me!" she tried again. The old man watched them both still, his grey eyes not missing a thing.

As she spoke he barely heard her words, the only thing on his mind was the blood that was continuing to flow from her wounds.
He moved, until he was inches away from her, his hands moved to caress her face, her fear making the appeal of her blood even stronger. He lowered his face until he was mere inches from her neck, trembling with anticipation. His fangs lowered to bite down on her neck, and the next moment, Niko had disappeared into the woods.

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She began to tremble as he got closer, and lowered his head. She braced herself for the piercing pain, yet none came. He had suddenly disappeared. She was released, and her hand came up to cover her wounds, the blood seeping through her fingers. "Tell me he passed..." she gasped to the old man. "We shall see tomorrow morning. Do not worry about finding me, I'll know. Go back to your cave, there is nothing more you can do here." she knew he was right, and got up, slowly making her way back to the cave where she cleaned the wounds, then she climbed up to a shelf and lay down, falling asleep as though under a spell. Her thoughts ever remaining on Niko, as she slept, and consciously praying he was alright.

Niko did not look back as he fled from the scene. So close, too close to losing control.
He let out a strangled yell and began punching a small boulder, his knuckles simultaneously bruising and healing. He stopped, breathing heavily. He wanted to know if Nienna was alright, but was not sure he could trust himself.
He ran and within a few minutes, he found himself back within sight of their camp.
Approaching cautiously without a sound he got close enough and listened. He made out the sound of her heart beat, faint but present all the same, he let out a sigh of relief.
He saw the sun beginning to rise, he panicked. Should he enter or flee somewhere else? Without much time to act he entered the cave, sitting down as far from her as possible, the smell of her blood still faintly alluring him.

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She stirred slightly, her dreams had been troubling. Images of Niko in trouble had plagued her mind all night. She turned on the hard rock surface, forgetting to lay her bedroll underneath her before she fell asleep had caused her some bruises. She groaned, not yet ready to open her eyes. Partly from her sore, stiff body, and partly from her fear of Niko not being there, or being there and something being terribly wrong with him.

Niko heard her stirring and did not move, not knowing what to do. He moved back and hid in the shadows, watching fearfully. He knew what he had almost done the night before, he could never take it back.
Niko could only sit, watch and wait.

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She opened her eyes, sensing a presence. "Niko?" she rasped out tiredly "Is that you?" she sat up with another groan and glanced around the room, not seeing him on first examination, then she saw him deeper in the shadows, and she painfully climbed down from the ledge. Nienna carefully and cautiously approached him "Love?"

Niko's eye followed her as she began to approach him. He did not respond to her words, he only gave her an apologetic look. How could she still approach him?
His eyes dropped to the floor.

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