Night Gathering

The moon was high, sending her shine above the city. Arianna walked the streets, her figure straight and tall. Her chin held a little high, almost in an arrogant way. However, she was only this way around low ranking vampires. She was out gathering some herbs for a new substance she was making, she had been having trouble with it because it always wanted to explode. She sniffed the air lightly, taking in its scents. She recognized a few of the vampires in the area. She knew that this is where Valdemar came from but she wasn't here to hunt. She would make sure to point that out if he threatened but she always tried to be on good terms with the other vampires.

Valdemar's eyes burned with hatred as he swept back into the city. He had just been to the manor, after being told that Ishmeal had been slaughtered. He was ready to rip every throat out that he could find, mother, father and daughter. His teeth gritted together as his fist found the stone wall, the stone broke away upon impact. He moved his hand back down to his side.
He knew there were vampires around here, some that didn't come from the area, but he didn't care.
The anger was bubbling within him too much to care who was near by.

Arianna craned her neck up, hearing something crash. She knew of Ishmeal's death and she knew of Selene. They both shared the same passion for singing but Selene wasn't shy about it. They were friends but had not seen each other in awhile, she had been kept busy with her alchemy. She picked up an herb on the ground and inspected it carefully. "Perfect." She said, placing it in a pouch and searching the bushes for more.

Valdemar looked up to the night sky. He warned him. He warned him so many times. He warned her to stay away from him. Now she had no-one to blame but herself when he ripped out her unbeating heart and stuffed it down her throat, before ripping it out along with her throat.
He rolled his neck. A distinct smell then crossed his nostrils. A snarl escaped his lips as he disappeared only to appear in front of Arianna, placing his foot onto her hand with the herb in it. "Where is she?"

Arianna was about to grab another one when she felt the foot slam into her hand. She hissed and glared up at the person, only to find it was Valdemar. "Who?" She asked, pulling her hand from under his foot and stepping back a few steps. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she watched him. She knew Valdemar was friends with Ishmeal.

He watched her, he didn't waste time. His hand found her throat as he pushed her back against the wall. "You know who I'm talking about, tell me where she is." he hissed to her, his eyes burning into hers. "You're her friend. At the very least you'll have heard where she's gone." his head tilted to the side, but not taking away from his sheer presence. "Don't make me ask you a third time or you wont be able to answer."

Arianna dropped her pouch and her hand went to his on her throat. "I haven't seen her in almost two centuries. What makes you think I would know now?" She snapped angrily. She slowly slid her hand under her dress and reached for the dagger strapped to her upper thigh. "You kill me and the Empress will hear of it." She pointed out.

His free hand grabbed hers, forcing her to drop the dagger. "Who said I'd kill you?" he said as he slammed her head back against the wall. "You have a lot of vampires visiting you for your.. alchemy." he spat the last word at her. "Some of them will have heard where she is. She left the manor. Such a clever girl." he said before he released her throat, turning his back to her. He spoke to her over his shoulder. "You will tell me where she is and I will kill her. Her and her husband, if her daughter gets in my way, her to."

Arianna hissed as he grabbed her hand, the last man to reach under her dress like that died. It wasn't a pretty death either. "I live in isolation, you of all know that." She pointed a finger at him. "Unlike you, I won't betray my loyalty to others." She said, narrowing her eyes at him and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Valdemar snarled slightly before spinning around and striking her across the face with the back of his hand. He gripped her hair in his hands as he turned her head to look at him. "You will tell me where they are! Or you will be begging for a stake through your unbeating heart, beleive me." he laughed slightly, but no amusement reached his eyes. "Tell me where she is."

Arianna's head went to the side as his hand connected with it. She snarled and reached up to it before her head was in his grasp. She bared her fangs and let out a hiss. That was his answer, she may be a bit arrogant but she would never betray her friends. She hit him in the chest with her fist, trying to get away from him. "Fuck you!" She snapped.

Valdemar recoiled slightly as the fist found his chest. He then slammed his foot into her knee, snapping it. Within seconds he was sat on her chest, pinning her arms by her sides. "Betrayal comes second nature to you." he said lowering his gaze to her. "I know that better than anyone." he said with a snarl. "If you tell me where I can find her, I'll do you a favour. I wont kill her daughter. No doubt you'll be her next guardian. You being such good friends and all." he smirked slightly, but the menacing snarl was still in his throat.

Arianna winced as she felt her knee break. Only to hiss again as he sat on her chest. "You already have my answer, Valdemar. Why would I trust you? You fail and fail again to show your loyalty." She said angrily. "Like I said, I haven't seen her in nalmost two centuries." She said again. "Wipe that smirk off your face." She snapped, then arched her back. Trying to throw him off.

Valdemar's eyebrows came together. "Why should you trust me?" he took her face into his hand. "You're the one that betrayed me! This is your redemption. You have no loyalty. You never have, so why start now?" he hissed to her. He tightened his on her face. "Tell me. This is your last chance."

Arianna narrowed her eyes as she starred into his. "I never betrayed you, Valdemar. You were blind by your paranoia." She hissed as he tightened his grip on her face. "I always was loyal to you, until the very end." She said calmly.

Valdemar laughed but still the amusement didn't reach his eyes. "This is your chance at forgiveness Arianna. This your chance for me to forget about your betrayal and disloyalty, I will leave you alone completely if you just tell me where she is." he said as he released her face once more, a frown playing over his lips.
"I loved you, Arianna. You know how difficult that is for our kind."

Arianna tried to keep her emotions under control. She simply shook her head. "I don't know, Valdemar. Pester me all you want, I don't know where she is." She said before looking away. She remembered the time, if her could have beat it would have. It had been a long time before anyone had made her feel like that. "Yes, I know how difficult that is..." She said, turning to look at him again.

He stood himself up from her, turning his back on her once more. "I have to find her. I have to find her for Ishmeal.." he rubbed the back of his head. "We're lustful beings. It take a hell of a lot to bond to another. I thought.." he turned to face her once more. "I thought you were the right one to.. But you betrayed me!" he hissed to her. "I'm going to find Selene and I'm going to kill her." he pointed a finger at her. "Don't you dare get in my way."

Arianna sat up, moving her leg a little bit. Her knee had healed and she stood up, brushing the dirt off her dress. "I never betrayed you Valdemar!" She snarled. Her lip switched but she soon calmed herself.. "You know me." She said with a slight smirk but then it disappeared. "I always get in the way." She growled out the last part.

Valdemar walked back over to her slowly. "You took my trust and threw it away. You slept with someone else." he said as his eyes narrowed, his hand stroked her hair gently. "You have no idea how much I loved you." he said a faint smile finding his face. "You made me so happy. When you shattered my heart.. you.. you changed me." he said as he removed his hand. He turned his back on her once more.
"Please, don't get in the way. I can't kill you."

Arianna closed her eyes as he stroked her hair, she missed that touch. "Valdemar...I never..." She stopped, it was no use. She knew once he had an idea in his head, it was impossible to get it out. "If I shattered your heart, then why didn't you kill me?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. She was curious, it wasn't in his nature to let those that had betrayed him live. Of course, she hadn't betrayed him.

Valdemar's hands swept through his hair. Aro had told him what she'd done. He didn't believe it but Aro had proof of it or so he had managed to convince Valdemar of. "Because no matter how shattered it was, it still belonged to you." he said as he looked back to her once more. "It will always belong to you." His hand found the side of her face, stroking it with his thumb.

Arianna sighed as he put his hand on the side of her face. She reached a hand up to his and placed it over his. She gently stroked it, she knew he missed her touch. He knew she missed his. Aro, that little bastard, he had put the lies into Valdemars head. So like him, and now they were in this mess. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, then opened them again. Her eyes were soft and calm yet cautious.

He took her hand into his, cupping it in both of his hands. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly, closing his eyes as he did so. He missed her so much it hurt. He released her hand then and opened his eyes. "I'll find her. Just please, promise me you wont get in the way.." the hatred he had before had some how diminished, his love for her was like water pouring onto a fire.

Arianna watched as he took her hand, she could have cried when he kissed her hand. She missed him so much, if she had a pulse it would be pounding for him. "Valdemar...you may not like me saying this, but hear her out first. I know for a fact that she didn't cause his death..." She said carefully, moving a little closer to him. Even she couldn't help Selene from him, but she hoped this one time he would listen.