At first glance, the caves are more like mildew filled crevasses in a mountain side, surrounded by dense forest, than anything remotely impressive or recognisable as habitation. But once Serena had become accustomed to the layout and memorised her way around, she found that it was far more beautiful and intricate the deeper one adventured into the mountain. The coven she was living and training with were more akin to a town of citizens living amongst ancient ruins carved from the rocks and protruding from within the cave walls themselves. It was a slice of perfectly preserved history, but with a current working community interlaced throughout. She had been given a room of her own in the heart of the citadel, that was in close proximity to the castle, the town and the soldier's quarters. Her days consisted of patrolling the grounds and carrying out basic guarding duties of the citizens with the other soldiers, maintaining her weapon skills and hand to hand combat training, that finished with her lessons on her vampire side of her hybridism. So far, she had succeeded in mastering her basic vampire abilities, such as speed, strength and shadow blending. However, the one ability she could not seem to fathom or activate was her shapeshifting ability. Most powerful vampires are able to shapeshift into one animal; this particular animal can be chosen through a deep personal desire or connection, or it can develop based on an individual's needs at the time of activation or their intrinsic personality traits. It was assumed by the elders of the coven that, as Slasher is a hybrid and therefore very powerful, she would be able to achieve this; however, as very little is known regarding hybridism, it may be that this simply may not be possible for her to achieve, as she technically already has an animal shift in her Lycan form.
When she first arrived to the coven, she was guided through to the palace like a prisoner; she was restrained tightly in wrought iron chains and surrounded by half a dozen soldiers that guarded her with one-part fear and another part distrust lacing their features. When she entered the entry hall leading to the throne room she was pushed harshly through the doors and into the gothic styled room. Thankfully due to her own strength and quick reflexes she was able to remain standing rather than falling ungracefully towards the feet of the man seated in the throne. The man carried an air of aged sophistication and experience but looked no older than thirty-five whilst still carrying a spark of life and mischief within the depths of his eyes. But the aura that he possessed was dangerous and filled with death, that was impossible to overlook or ignore.
"Aaahh Slasher I presume?!" He asked her with a curious look and a genuinely friendly demeanour. It baffled her and made her feel unsure how to react.
"Remove these restraints at once. She is a special guest here for guidance." His presence and words contradicted each other greatly so she hadn't a clue how to behave. To be safe, she stood still, compliant and didn't utter a word as she studied every person in the room carefully and remained on high alert. She let her subconscious listen carefully to what the baffling man was explaining to her regarding her stay and her responsibilities, whilst the forefront of her mind was memorising every detail of the room and the men present, as well as taking a mental note of any potential weapons, exits and other useful aspects that may be available if needed. Before long another man entered the room, rather loudly and aggressively. He rushed into the room with urgency and purpose but slowed down immediately and bowed respectfully when he was a few steps away from the man in the throne.
"You may rise. Thank you for joining us. Slasher, this is Owen Nightshade, my grandson, general of our army, and your instructor."
"I see." She answers so as not to appear rude, but without giving much away to anybody present. She observes the man stood a step-in front of her to her right, but she could not discern anything helpful or specific from him, other than a broad anger and contempt towards her and the current situation.
He glances arrogantly over his left shoulder at her, and with a sneer he asks, "This is the hybrid?! I don't understand the problem or that she could actually cause any damage to anyone."
"Watch your tone Owen, we don't need any problems here."
"Very well, Your Highness."
"Come then Hybrid, I have other duties to fulfill, more pressing than babysitting a delinquent mongrel." He threw these parting words towards her as he strode out of the throne room, expecting her to follow behind. She growled lowly to herself, but biding her time, she followed him around obediently, for now.
Her training started hard and dark; stripping everything away and leaving her bare, treating her like a newly turned vampire, but they also wanted to put her through the vigorous testing they force upon their elite soldiers to determine what she is capable of and how her training should be structured. She has been here many months now, but her blood lust can still present a problem during strong negative emotions such as anger or rage. Over time she has become more controlled during hunts and training, able to focus her ravishing hunger and vengeful anger into her fighting and training, making her a formidable opponent, reverting back to the general she was before.
A stirring of movement on the ground beside her pulled her from her deep thoughts and back to the present situation. His dark eyelashes fluttered open and golden amber eyes looked sleepily up to meet her dark blue and red ones. "What are you thinking?"
"I was revisiting our first encounter; we have developed a lot since then. I certainly did not expect to be in this particular situation with you."
He smirked at her hungrily, "Nor I with you, Hybrid." She responded to that with a simple but effective punch to his arm and a playful glare on her face. His eyes changed to a challenging glint as he chuckled deeply and reached for her, grabbing her wrists and pinning her back down onto the ground, with him hovering over her. She stopped immediately as she felt the atmosphere change from casual innocence to heated hunger.
"We must stop and attend our next training session." She argued as she nibbled her lip in anticipation, and her heart rate increased whilst watching his eyes darken into lust.
*Sexual scenes*
"Any strenuous exercise is training." He replied desperately before he captured her lips in his, moving them with his as he nibbles them and inserts his tongue to taste more of her. Their breaths become ragged and mixed together as their activities begin to heat up again. He travels from her mouth to her neck, kissing and biting gently into the delicate skin there at her jugular, and then travelling across to nibble her earlobe. A light moan escapes her lips as she desperately tries to pull him closer to her, needing to feel more of him. She wraps her legs around his torso, pulling him nearer while he gently bites at her pointed nipples. She drags her nails, that have begun to sharpen, down his muscular back; he arches and gasps as she feels his bulge awakening. He moves his mouth down her stomach, trailing his tongue along her porcelain skin until he reaches her sensitive female mound. He gives her slit a long a purposeful lick, teasing her already swelling glands with the tip of his warm tongue. He slips his tongue inside her, sending a jolt of pleasure through her body. He kneels back up and positions his hard length at her opening, feeling the moisture of her readiness for him, and then pushing inside her torturously slowly. But then his speed begins to increase, and he starts to enter in and out of her hard and fast,reducing her to moans and whimpers as he puts his full strength into it. He slams into her, grunting deep and sexily as he gives it his all. She can feel his climax building inside her, pushing her over the edge of her own impending one.
*Sexual scenes end*
Slasher's P.O.V.
Many of my days and training sessions now end in a form of hungry sexual activity with Owen. Although he is my instructor and we made it our mission to send each other to the hospital wing, if not an early grave, on a regular basis in the beginning, much has changed now. We grew to respect each other and discovered that we were each individually rather good at what we did and could learn much from one another. As our training sessions and combat practices became more intense and challenging and we realised that we could both handle ourselves well, then we discovered that we each had a tension that needed releasing, in more ways than just fighting. Soon our natures took over and solved the problem of our build-up of sexual tension and desire that we held between us. Due to my past experiences I am not eager to settle down and commit, this is simply an enjoyable lustful release for the both of us. As Owen will one day rule his subjects as King and will have a suitable bride chosen for him one day, he is in no desperate rush to court seriously. Furthermore, even if I were to wish for a future with someone important, we are unsure what to expect.
As a vampire I would unlikely have a soulmate waiting for me; due to the fact that only three vampires throughout the entire world in a thousand years have every had a soulmate, and that it is broadly believed that vampires are dark and demonic creatures with a very small and basic soul. As a werewolf, or to be more specific a Lycan, then it would be a definite guarantee that I would have a mate out there that would be my other half and we would be deeply connected on an entirely different level. However, in the werewolf community it is expected that you would discover your inner wolf and shift for the first time during the peak of puberty. Following this you would then either discover your mate themselves in person or a pull towards finding them would present itself, between sixteen and eighteen years old. Unfortunately, my hybridism, unusual circumstances and age difference in discovering my wolf side led many elders to believe that I would be a rare case where I would not have been given a soulmate. So, I do not see the need to dwell on my long and lonely future or wait for something that will never come. It would only be a weakness, an obstacle, something that could get me hurt or killed anyway.
Owen and I dress and ready swiftly for the tedious day ahead; that was to consist of more training and preparation for the battle, that was inevitably going to take place in the near future, involving the many covens of the vampire world. A repetitive bang bang BANG startled us from our silent tasks, we glanced at each other in shock and embarrassment due to the possibility of being caught together. I glanced around the training arena, that we had been laid upon only moments ago in a very compromising position, for somewhere to hide so as not to be discovered. However, our concerns were immediately forgotten, when a terrified voice behind the door called out for Owen desperately.
"General Nightshade! Are you present?! Prince Owen! Please Your Majesty this is an emergency!" The young messenger begged frantically.
We rushed to open the doors and demanded information instantly. In only a few seconds, all three of us were using our vampire speed to race through the castle's grounds to reach the throne room.