[Open].:A Laughing Wolf And A Crying Cat:.

[{Kraftmektig-Hauk}]

Jacob looked up to watch Nex. Then he gently grabbed his father by the back of his shirt and dragged him to the safety of the sidewalk. That wasn't an easy task, considering the fact that he was still trembling with fear and blood made his hands slippery. Laying him comfortably, being careful with his head, Jacob left his father's side.

"Nexilia?" he asked gently, kneeling down beside her. Wiping the blood off of one hand by rubbing it against his dark jeans, he slipped one finger under her chin and gently lifted her head up.

He smiled softly, brushing a tear off of her cheek. "Hey, don't cry," he said soothingly. "He should be okay. There's nothing to cry about now." He wiped the other side of her face with the back of his hand, then gently brushed away the blood under her nose.

"Sorry about that," he said, gesturing towards the smudge under her nostrils. "I didn't know any other way to get you going." He took a quick glance over his shoulder at his unconscious father.

"He needs to be cleaned up and put back at home. He doesn't remember what happened when he passes out." He flashed her another smile. "So I'm in the green now, as long as he stays out for some time. I can feed him a different story when he says he's lightheaded."

Jacob was already running things through his head. He had become quite practiced, and now his imagination could drag up a thousand things at once.

[Rose~Thorn]

Nex shook her head, turning her face away from him. "Go on without me. I'll c-catch up." she whispered, knowing she was lying. She had no intentions of ever seeing Jacob again. It was too dangerous. She didn't know when she would get too thirsty. Just being around anyone with blood made her edgy. 

Turning her distant gaze to Jacob, she whispered "Jacob...I'm not coming with you. I-I don't think it will work." she stopped, it sounded like she was trying to break up with him. She started again. "I don't even have a heartbeat or pulse anymore, Jacob. I'm not even alive. No blood courses through my veins, none that belongs to me anyway." Nex watched Jacob's father's aura. It was a steady white. He'd be fine. "I can't control myself. If i get hungry, I attack any living creature near me. I almost killed your father. That may one day be you, and I'm not going to risk it. Y-you're too important to me. I could never live with myself if I..." Nex stopped. She couldn't finish that sentence.

Standing, she brushed her jeans off, and folded her arms in front of her chest. Her wild hair was in her face and she managed a small smile. "Do you have a string I can borrow?"

[{Kraftmektig-Hauk}]

Jacob's smile dropped as she stood. This girl was the first person in By he had taken the time to meet and get to know a little.

Humor was something they needed now, and she dredged up their first one. Tipping his head to the side, Jacob smiled. Pulling up his sleeve, he pulled off one of the three hair ties. "What happened to your scrunchy?" he asked. "Or are you just trying to steal from me?"

Standing up, he motioned for her to turn around. She had a lot of hair. That must be a pain to put up, he mused. He gently stroked her hair from her face and bundled it neatly together on the back of her head, smoothing out the few bumps of hair with his fingers.

"Sorry he was ripping on this earlier," he said softly, tying her hair up nice and neat, tightening the ponytail gently, just like his sister taught him. She would sometimes need help with her hair, and since she had no other sister, she would ask Jacob. Jacob was never one to say no to time with her, so he took each lesson on being kind to hair and putting it up.

"There, now it should stay under control," he said softly, taking a step back to allow her some personal space. He could understand her not wanting him around right now. She was uncomfortable with his scent.

Your blood scent, his thoughts reminded him darkly.

[Rose~Thorn]

Nex stiffened as Jacob put up her hair, holding her breath. Her shoulders relaxed as he moved away and she dared a breath, through her mouth. That was worse. She could almost taste the blood, she'd stick with her nose. She gave Jacob a small smile, but it never reached her eyes.

"Jacob, I'm not going to change, you know. I'll always be this strange hybrid, a monster. Things will never go back to normal. I'll always be an outcast. It won't work. You need to understand that." she said, watching his rosey, needy aura swirl around his body, reaching towards her. She knew he didn't want to face the truth. But he needed to. "There are so many other people you can choose over me, plenty of nice Shapeshifters. You can do so much better than me." Nex continued, glaring down at her feet. "I won't forget you, though."

Nex swore under her breath as her eyes stung. Her eyes were watering and soon silent tears were streaking down her cheeks. She was amazed she could still cry, no heart or blood meant she was dead. And the dead don't cry.

[{Kraftmektig-Hauk}]

Jacob listened silently, his eyes shadowed over.

At last, he put his hands in his pockets. "I know you can't change how you're bred. I'm not saying you should. You're half and half, oh well. But I know you aren't going to stay thirsty all of your life." He smiled slowly. "And I hate other shape-shifters. Shape-shifters tend to be cocky around one another, and that's not me. You're not a monster because of your race."

He looked over his shoulder again at his father's resting body. "You make yourself into a monster over a long period of time, not in one night. My father has been a monster for a long time now, but he didn't get like that in a day." He turned back to Nexilia with a weak smile. She was looking down.

How he wanted to just have her trust him! "Nexilia?" he began, "I know I really stink to you and all, but..."

He took a quick step towards her, wrapping his arms around her. His shoulders naturally lifted when he made the gesture, so his neck wasn't exposed to her. He gently pressed his cheek to hers, closing his eyes for a second.

"You're no monster, Nexilia. Different doesn't always mean monster. I know that you're a good soul. I've seen it several times today." He smiled and gave her a gentle squeeze, knowing she would be able to feel his cheek tighten with the motion.

"You're a good friend," he murmured into her ear.

[Rose~Thorn]

Nex pulled Jacob closer to her, holding her breath. She could feel the warmth of blood moving through his body, and the familiar feel of a heart beating against her chest. For just a moment, Nexilia could almost pretend she was normal again. Until she inhaled. Drawing in his familiar, comforting scent, Nex realized she would always smell his blood. Her fangs sank through her gums and Nex pushed Jacob off of her, backing away. Covering her mouth -- where the elongated canine teeth protruded out of her mouth, against her bottom lip -- she looked at him with fear in her eyes. Just by breathing, she had gotten close to hurting him.

Removing her hand, exposing the long white weapons, she turned her face from him. "Jacob." she whispered, wishing he would understand. "I almost bit you. Because I breathed.Unlike common belief, Vampires need to breath too. I can hold my breath longer, but I won't be able to forever. Just breathing around you does this --" she pointed to her fangs -- "and this ends up in a bite. It was a miracle I managed to push you away, because trust me, a new Vampire is always hungry. I will be for weeks, months."

She turned her back to him, tears falling down her face. This was the first day she had cried in years. And it seemed she had been right in Middle School, once she started she couldn't stop. She wrapped her arms around her body, hating how cold she felt. She missed the familiar beat of her heart. She wanted to be normal again. She wanted to protect Jacob, but he was making it pretty hard. "Stubborn dumbass..." Nex muttered to herself, with a seemingly bitter tone that just hid a gentle, fond note.

Nex's shoulders shook as more tears came out, and she longed for touch. But she couldn't get that close to any living thing. It was so dangerous.

"Jacob, it's over. You need to let me go. I'm dead, but breathing." Nex whispered, more to herself than him. She needed to convince herself just as much as him. And there was only one way to finally get it through his head.

Without saying anything, Nex began running. Running away from Jacob, from that cruel man she almost killed, away from the place her dark secret was exposed. She couldn't stay there.

Why does it hurt so much to leave him? Nexilia asked herself, and that stupid contradicting voice in her head answered. Because he's your first and only friend, who -- no matter what you think -- doesn't care who you are.[/b]"

Nex nodded and turned sharply, pulling the hood of her jacket up. She figured Jacob would follow her, but she hoped not. She could always hope. So many girls could love him more than I could. He just needs to understand that.

[{Kraftmektig-Hauk}]

Jacob stumbled slightly as she shoved him off, his eyes filled with concern for her. "Nexilia," he murmured, but she already was running from him.

"Nex!" he shouted, but she didn't look back. Growling softly, he took off after her, and took to the sky as a hawk. He watched her carefully, gliding easily after her. He could go much faster than her, no matter how hard she was trying.

Banking to the side, he flapped his wings a couple times, going further ahead of her. Then, pulling his wings to his sides, he dropped like a stone, taking human form at the last second and landing in a crouch.

Perfect timing, he realized, bringing his hand to his face. He sank his canine teeth into the soft skin of his wrist, feeling the skin crack open. Wincing in pain, he felt blood touch his lips.

Springing forward, Jacob tackled the young woman to the ground, locking both of his legs around one of hers, using his body to pin her. one of his hands cupped her shoulder, being sure she couldn't lift any part of her body from the ground.

"If you're so hungry like you say you are," he growled, shoving his bleeding wrist towards her mouth, touching her lips, "feed, dammit."

Jacob bit at his lip for a second. "You need to understand that I'm not going to hate you because you're a half-breed. You're the only person that I can call a friend, and I don't care what happens to me, as long as I can make you see that. Drink from me. Please," he added, his voice cracking as he held down tears of desperation. He thrust his wrist closer to her, clenching his fist, causing blood to ooze from the wound. His blood dotted her mouth and chin as it dripped from him.

"Drink," he said with more force.

[Rose~Thorn]

Nex held her breath, staring in horror at the wound in front of her. She couldn't. Not from Jacob. She might not stop. But she didn't know how long she could keep her predatory instincts at bay. Against he will, her nostrils flared catching the scent of blood. Her dull gray eyes began to turn brown, then rusty, until finally ending in a blood red. Her pupils shrank and locked onto the dripping wound in front of her. Slowly, one by one, all of her human thoughts and emotions fell away. Her mind was left naked, only hunger and determination left. Her last humane thought was what if I can't stop? before her Necromancer side was shoved away. Replaced by a predator.

Without thinking, Nex drove her fangs into the wound, piercing through the already ripped skin. She needed a hold, and a way to get more blood than that pathetic wound would allow. She quickly sucked away the small stream of blood oozing from his wrist, and began to suck the blood coming from the wound her fangs made. She swallowed and the warm blood running down her parched throat briefly kickstarted her heart, and she gloried in the feeling of living again. Blood was pumping through her veins, even if it wasn't her own. For these few precious moments, she was alive.

Too much! some part of Nexilia's mind screamed at her, and she halted in drinking for a moment. How much had she had? She couldn't remember, but she felt full. But I don't want to stop. she whispered in her mind, and the rest of her body agreed. She couldn't stop, she couldn't lose this feeling of living, or the taste of blood. It was glorious.

[{Kraftmektig-Hauk}]

Jacob gave a loud yelp of pain as her fangs sank into his skin. His body was screaming to pull away, but he forced his arm to go rigid and stay in place. But as his pain began to melt slowly into pleasure, he relaxed against her, giving in to the feed.

Biting his lower lip, Jacob watched through half-lidded eyes as his friend sucked at his blood. He would let her go until she was finished, or until he began to feel like she was killing him. He would be okay for another minute or so.

Suddenly, though, she switched from his pre-made wound to the puncture wounds she had made with her fangs. His pleasure skyrocketed, and he let out a loud moan, his hold on her shoulder painfully tight. His whole body stiffened as he held down another moan, and he squinted at her, watching her carefully.

She paused.

Jacob knew that she was full now, but he couldn't pull away right now. It felt too good!

Fool! She's killing you! his mind screamed, and Jacob jumped to his right mind. Grabbing onto her jaw with the hand that had been on her shoulder, he pinched tightly and pulled her jaw open. He screamed in pain as he quickly ripped his hand free from her mouth and slapped it to his chest to hold down some of the bleeding. He pinched one eye shut in pain, panting heavily.

"No more feeding," he told her firmly, cautiously bringing his wrist back to her, still holding her jaw tightly in his grasp. "Seal it."

[Rose~Thorn]

Nexilia felt herself ripped away from the wound and she growled, a feral, wild sound in the back of her throat. Her mouth was dripping with blood, her full lips stained a ruby red, her pale cheeks flushed with his blood. Her red eyes narrowed at the stupid man holding her, merely a human with an attitude because he could change shapes. Play-doh can do that, too. And it's not a threat. She chuckled softly, similar to her growl, deep in her throat, smirking at him. She grabbed his other wrist, the one holding her jaw, and ripped it off of her, twisting it in an odd angle. Her dark eyes probed his, daring him to try stopping her again.

"I follow no orders from a mere Shapeshifter." Nexilia spat at him, then smelt his still bleeding wound. She glanced at the wound, and felt something in her still heart break. The blood drained from her face and she let go of his wrist, gasping. Quickly holding her breath and licking the wound, she pushed him off, scrambling a few feet away from him.

"Oh dear God, no." Nex whispered, covering her face with her hands. The memories came back to her. The pleasurable feeding, then he tried to stop her. She had growled at him, laughed in his face, and was planning on draining him. Even though she was full. She just couldn't stop.

"Is this how I'll always be?" she whispered to herself in horror and shame. She wiped the back of her hand on her mouth, wiping the blood on her jeans. Crumpling to the ground, she raised her fist and punched it hard into the cement. She only winced slightly as her flesh was ripped open and her fist plunged into the concrete. She pulled it out of the inch hole she'd made, and watched in horror and amazement as her bloody hand healed before her eyes.

Tears sprang to her eyes and she dared a glance at Jacob, and a sob escaped her lips. She's just drank from him. And had no intentions of stopping. She had been nothing more than a wild animal. A hungry and cruel wild animal. How could Jacob ever think she would go back to normal, she would always be like this. Much too strong, too fast, and too impulsive. If a wound opened before her, she would immediately try to suck the kid dry.

"I'm sorry..." Nex whispered, not meeting Jacob's eyes. She clenched her fists and jaw, burying her face in her arms. She had just done the thing she had sworn not to. She had attacked her best friend.

[{Kraftmektig-Hauk}]

Jacob screamed as his wrist was twisted painfully. He took a glance down at Nex, but didn't move his hand in the slightest. He had learned that any jerking motions might break his hand. He had nearly done that once when his father was teaching him how to fight, but his father had quickly let go when he tugged, explaining it all to him.

Jacob let out a gasp as he was shoved away, landing on his side with a soft oof sound. He quickly pushed himself to a sitting position as she fled to the far wall. He was about to get up, but decided to stay put as she pounded her fist into the ground.

"Nexilia," he said softly, "it's okay."

Lowering his head, Jacob allowed his body to shift into his mountain lion form. Keeping low to the ground, he shuffled to her side, and gently pushed his nose under her hand until it was on top of his head. He was careful to stay away from her upper torso, wanting her to be as comfortable as she could be.

"Nexilia, you couldn't help it. Don't apologize. You're my friend, I forgive you."

[Rose~Thorn]

"No, it's not okay." Nex whispered, her hand moving slowly along Jacob's head, taking comfort in the soft fur. She closed her eyes, wanting so badly to be near Jacob, but not willing to risk it. Her knees trembled slightly, but she stayed standing. "You may forgive me, but I will never forgive myself. That was horrible. I growled at you, for crying out loud! she yelled, glaring at the opposite wall. She remembered everything. The sexual feelings she had during the feeling -- Nex felt her cheeks heat at that thought. She wasn't sure if she was visibly blushing, but she figured she was, using Jacob's blood to replace what she lacked.

Nexilia sighed, wishing Jacob would stop making this so hard. "Jacob, why can't you just say goodbye? she asked, not looking at him. "Why do you have to make leaving so hard?"

[{Kraftmektig-Hauk}]

Jacob rumbled a soft purr as Nex gently stroked his fur, closing his eyes instinctively as she neared the side of his head, to his cheek. He could recall a time when his mother would stroke him like this, since she was always refusing to shift from her human form.

Jacob suddenly let out a low growl in his throat, pulling his lips back in a snarl before taking a step back and shifting up to his human form. "And now I've growled at you," he said, smiling lamely.

He gently took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. "Look, Nexilia," he said softly, knowing that his wrist was still bleeding, rivulets of blood streaming down his hand and fingers, "I know I'm just some weird kid that you were chasing for fun and asked for something to get your hair from your eyes, but in my eyes, you are the person who actually came up to me. My dad's taught me that I shouldn't get to know people because of heartbreak and the fact that all friends die."

He glanced down at their hands, realizing that he was getting blood on her hand. "But, you seem different. You cornered me and forced out something that I had wanted to say to someone for so long that it was painful. And it felt so good to get it all out; about my mom, about my dad, about my life - it felt so good!" He squeezed her hand with the word.

"And I know you think I'm just a stubborn ass, but I really feel a connection towards you. You hid me from my dad, you stayed when you could have run, and you wouldn't let my dad hurt me. I only know one person that's alive that would do that for me, and that's my sister."

Taking in a deep breath, Jacob closed his eyes for a second. "What I'm trying to say is..." he trailed off. Then he quickly shot forward and kissed her cheek. "I think this case was a love-at-first-sight deal."

[Rose~Thorn]

Nex's eyes widened as Jacob kissed her cheek, and she gave him a small, sad smile. How she wished she could be like him, not care about the fact that she was a vampire and a Necromancer. How she wished she could just let herself get close to him. But it hurt her. And so did this. Knowing he loved her, and having known for a while she shared those feelings, but wanting to let go, say goodbye, to protect them both. But as she thought about it, she realized she couldn't say goodbye. Not to Jacob, no matter what happened.

"There you go again, giving me another reason not to leave. I want to, but I honestly don't know if I can." she said fondly, giving him another small smile, but this one a much happier one. "Jacob, I --" Nex stopped abruptly, staring down at Jacob's bloody hand. Wishing briefly for the quick beating of her nervous heart, she raised his wrist to her face. She paused, just waiting for a bad reaction, but realized nothing happened. It must have been from being full, and Nex felt hope. Maybe she could live normally, as long as she stayed well fed.

Saving these thought for later, Nex brought the bleeding wound to her mouth, sliding her tongue over the tears in his skin. She pulled away and watched as the skin stretched together, growing more tissues and fusing together. Soon his wrist was fine, just covered in blood.

Pushing his bloody hand away from her, before she could smell too much blood, Nex looked up at Jacob. How was he not repulsed by any of this? She was. Everything about this grossed her out, the sexuality in all of her bites, the fact that she drank blood to live, and that she had to spit on wounds to heal them. She had done each of those disgusting things to Jacob, but it didn't seem to disgust him. 

Grinning a full-watt, happy, smile, Nex spoke the words she'd wanted to say ever since asking for a string. "Jacob, I love you."

[{Kraftmektig-Hauk}]

Jacob felt the muscles in his legs strain as she brough his wrist to her lips, but he remained stunningly calm, knowing full well that she was not going to hurt him. He sighed softly at the satisfying pull of his skin as it healed itself over.

At those four words that left her mouth, Jacob broke into the widest grin he had ever made, and cupped her cheeks with his hands. He quickly pulled her closer, and pressed his lips her hers, closing his eyes. His hands ran over her smooth skin, down her neck, down the back of her shoulders, pausing at her mid-back. He gently pulled her closer to him, pressing her slightly shorter body to his.

Pulling his lips away, Jacob rested his forehead to Nex's with a soft sigh. "I love you."