The Sting of Voulnerability

Jane had parted from Marina and Akima an hour or so before, she wasn't particularly sure on the time, she had simply told them she would return to the Tavern and grab a room a little later. Not that she could remember much, she was rather delerious from the green alcoholic drink she had been consuming with the twins and was now walking aimlessly in the forest, she just needed some time alone to think.

Deep down, Jane knew it was dangerous to be out here alone but at the same time... she felt exhilerated by it, the need to prove to her father she wasn't as useless as he accused her of being.

Jim sped through the forest, trying to get away from Alice and all of her expectations. His mind was still confused and he ached from te never ending hunger that plagued his body. The need to feed was ridiculous. Absolutely so!

His nose twitched in agitation as his nose picked up a wolf scent, there was somethig weird about it though... It smelle off and not completely like wolf. There was something a bit more subtle but he didn't care. He went after it.

He sped after the scent until it was overwhelming. He stalked the moving food item. He couldn't wait, he jumped out, tackling the wolf smelling body to the ground, exposing his fangs in an act of dominance that he had learned. His eyes blazed red for a moment until he realized that he talked a woman who reaked of wolf.

He closed his mouth, making a confused face at the brunette under him.

"What the hell are you?"

Jane was still wondering in her dazed state when she was flung to the ground, taken by surprise and feeling voulnerable, she spared no thought before identifying him as a vampire. She grabbed a wooden branch from beside her and jabbed it into the arm of the male before moving out from underneath him and backing up against a tree.

"Excuse me?" Jane uttered breathless as she gazed down at him, she was still delerious but could clearly make out what he said and wondered what on earth he meant. "I'm a werewolf..." She blinked slowly at him, looking down at him curiously with her large blue eyes.

Jim was beyond confused with the scents. She smelled absolutely pretty yet like a mongrel. It was disgusting yet enticing. He shook his head only to find his arm Impaled by a tree limb.. Not a big one but it still hurt, a lot.

"What the hell you just stabbed me with a tree!" Jim yelped out, back peddling away from the girl that announced herself as a werewolf. He grunted as he pulled the wood from his arm. He started chanting a few words of pain before shutting his eyes to let the wound heal on its own. The hungry gnawe at him, not liking the wasted energy to heal.

"Well I had to improvise considering you came at me and I was lying on the ground, what did you expect me to do?" Jane panted, getting her breath back, still leaning against the tree for support. The alcohol worked against her as it made the forest spin, but it also gave her courage and brought out her fiesty nature. She almost smiled at the sight of the vampire in it's weakened state, not so stupid now dad, she couldn't help but think.

Jane knew not to run, he would wonder why she didn't turn and giving away that she couldn't would give away her weakness to early on in the gameplay. She really was quite intelligent and with every thought, she became more angry with her father for suggesting otherwise.

"Didn't mean to attack you! You smell like wolf and I assumed animal! I'm not a bloody serial killing monster." Jim snapped out, watching the emotions that courses her face. Either she wore her heart on her sleeve or something was inhibiting her coverage of said emotions.

"Jesus, you act like I was going to kill you! Obviously I wasn't if I didn't gnaw your neck off." Jim felt snappy today and Jame was goig to feel the brunt of it tonight.

"Your a vampire and I assumed you would therefore be a bloody serial killing monster," Jane rolled her eyes at him, realising he wasn't all that dangerous, she now casually approached him and checked to see how the wound was healing. Reaching for his shoulder, she picked out a little of the remaining branch gently so the skin returned to normal. Like he had never been impaled at all.

"So then, Mr Grouchy," Jane smiled inwardly, the alcohol really was beginning to affect her now, she wasn't afraid of him at all and had begun making silly remarks. "Why didn't you kill me?"

Jim would have snarled but he held it back. She seemed to be less and less afraid of him. Great, but he suddenly didn't care all that much. His eyes looked at the brunette as she took the few straggling pieces of wood from his arm. He was thankful, but not enough to voice it.

"I might be a vamp, but it doesn't mean we're all alike. I didn't say you're a bloody mutt mongrel thing." Jim wasn't exactly the best person at making come backs. Actually, he was probably the least able to do such things...

"Why didn't I kill you? I don't kill people. Again, not a bloody serial killer. I eat animals, you smell like a dog. Thought, 'Oh hey, I might actually get to eat and not be a bloody outcast by my society.'" The vampire exaggerated, of course. Saying the second half in a mocking tone that was all too common in jokes.

"But, yeah. What do you expect walking in a forest by yourself anyway? Don't you have a keeper of something?"

"I think you really need to loosen up grouchy," Jane smiled and laughed a little at his words, he really took himself way too seriously. Or maybe that was just the alcohol talking. "What is your real name anyway vampire?" She looked at him in wonder before deciding to introduce herself to him aswell. "I'm Jane."

Jane tried to act normally with him, she wondered why she didn't actually hate him like she did most vampires. Though she realised it was something he said, something which had twinged at her heart strings and it took her a moment to discover what it was. Then she found it.

I might actually get to eat and not be a bloody outcast by my society.

Outcast from society. Now that she could understand. Not being able to transform was one of her biggest burdens and it lay heavy on her heart, she supposed Jim's must feel similar. Knowing what is moral yet been torn between that and what is expected. Jane frowned, this wouldn't help prove anything to her father, her next actions would probably seem stupid to most, but she always thought with her heart; a trait earned from her mother and she did so now.

Jane ripped the sleeve from her top and held out her wrist, she looked at him blankly for a few moments before speaking. She wasn't shaking or scared, she was being fearless and wanted to help. Being an outcast from society was the worst thing of all.

"Drink." Jane gestured towards her arm. "You can tell your fellow vampires you hunted and killed a human, when they recognise from the redness of your eyes that you have indeed consumed human blood, they will believe your story. You will no longer be an outcast and I shall be your blood bank." She stated the idea simply, she didn't know if it was solely knowing the feeling of being an outcast that made her help the vampire, or that it may take her own mind of her father but either way, she was doing what she was and she stared bravely at him.

"Please," Jane looked at him encouragingly, hoping that final word may urge him into action, she wanted to help him. "Please drink."

"-Tt- I'm Jim. Or Pet. I prefer Jim." The vampire sighed out, watching the female werewolf carefully. Something felt... off about the situation. The smell was weird and reminded him of someone... someone who he could remember and it was driving himself up the wall at the moment. Sweet and airy... but the other was dirty and smelt like a barn. The two fragrances should never touch but here they were... driving him up the wall.

"Well... Jane." Jim started out, losing his voice when she practically went off the deep end. She wanted him to feed off of her? No, that wouldn't do.

"I can't... I just..." Jim couldn't think of a word to describe a why as to why he couldn't drink of her. His mouth watered at the though but his mind screamed no at him for wanting something.

"Look... this isn't just about food or whatever. This is something higher than that... I can't justify in lying. Actually I really suck at lying... Jane, it's... it's a really good offer but..." But what? You're a chicken? Alice would be proud and you'd have a higher standing in society? What could be wrong? She's practically giving herself to you... Jim took a step back, looking at her wearily. Should he do this? Could he do this...? No, it was impossible... wasn't it?

"Jim," Jane smiled warmly. "Please let me do this for you," She leant her wrist closer toward his fangs and she mantained steady eye contact with him. "I can't explain myself without letting you know one of my own secrets, but... You'd be doing me a favour by letting me help you." She nodded, he would, by letting her help him not be an outcast to society, it somehow made her feel like less so of one too. Like she could do some good, she could help in some way.

"Then take it, take my offer," Jane nodded, urging her wrist closer towards him. "Blood is your way of living and I wish to help you live. Live from me and I shall be happy to have saved your life form." She wondered why she had associated this particular vampire with the idea of living and then she realised what it was, it was because he still mantained human qualities most vampires lose when they turn, he still had a sense of morality and to her that made him human.

"You are moral Jim, moral and kind. I am guessing if the positions were reversed, you would actually do the same, so let me help you." Jane continued to attempt to convince him, to lure him to taste her blood, to free himself from the constraints of his society.

"Jim, please, drink."

Jim took a shaky breath, not that he actually needed to breath of course. The the feeling was enough to settle his nervousness. His mouth felt dry as his hungry tried to lul him into performing the action. His hand moved, caressing her wrist.

"Jane... I..." I what? Can't fight it? Jim just opened his mouth and bit the wrist. The warm substance of life oozed uncomfortably into his mouth. It tasted different from animal blood. It was purer and richer. And had a light quality to it. He... he enjoyed it. And it scared him but he found himself unable to stop. Everything just... felt better. Clearer, something like he'd never had to deal with before.

Jane swayed as she felt the fangs break into her skin, leaning against a nearby tree with her free hand for support as he began to drink her blood. It was a strange feeling once one got over the intense pain, the sucking of the blood from one's body wasn't painful in itself, just physically draining, like it was lulling you to sleep. Or at least, thats how Jane currently felt. She fought it though, fought the lulling to fall into unconsciousness and become prey to Jim. For starters, she wouldn't let him carry the burden of her death.

"J-Jim... stop now," Jane murmured, her voice rather faint as she tried to pull her wrist from his locked grip. "Jim..." She whispered as more and more blood was drained from her body. She glanced at him with panic in her eyes, hoping he would stop but she had no energy. No energy. She needed to snap him out of it, she tried to think how. He was moral... Moral... Moral.

"Jim, you'll kill me!" Jane forced herself to shout those words which hung in the air heavilly and rang around the forest. Her eyes grew sleepy and she could no longer support herself fully, it was Jim's locked grip that kept her upright. "Jim. Stop now. Thats enough. It's alright. Stop..."

Jim could hear something talking to him, but the blood's smell, taste, and feel just controlled him. He hated it but couldn't get enough of the sensation. He felt the hand trying to pull away and just gripped it more tightly in his hand. It wasn't going away, not yet.

"Jim, you'll kill me!"

Jim immediately let go, his brain snapping out of it lulled feeding trace. He took a step but as his eyes burned. He almost tripped as the world felt lightly and sharper than it had ever felt before. It was confusing, his pupils dilated as he tripped over nothing and fell flat on his ass. His eyes flickered with something akin to pain but he didn't acknowledge it.

"I told you... I... I'm sorry I uh... h-here!" Jim quickly sped to a standing position before in an instant he was flush against Jane, ripping a hole into his wrist.

"Blood for blood... it'll help you heal, just don't die or..." He let the air settle with the mythology of it all. All species knew how you were turned into a blood sucking monster.

He just had to hope she wouldn't die.

As Jim broke his hold on her, Jane fell to the floor next to him, she was breathless and bleeding from her wrist but couldn't accept his vampiric blood, she couldn't risk it and her father's face when she told him... she'd rather go through the pain of healing slowly. She was still drowsy but she just needed rest. She'd rather die than risk becoming a vampire, not that she'd tell Jim that. Jim was stronger than her in that respect, he had the strength to carry on when he had nothing. Her eyes became drowsy but she lifted her arm up in the air to stop the blood futher draining out of it, claiming hold of a low swung branch.

"Jim, I can't," Jane shook her head when he offered her his blood. "I'm a werewolf, and we have all heard the myths of what a werewolf bite can do to a vampire." She shook her head, she was putting his life before hers, perhaps. Then again, she had a decent chance of survival if she managed to get some rest. "I'll be okay, I just need a bandage and sleep."

Jim jerked back, forgetting that piece of information.

"You haven't turned and tried to attack me... why?" He had to ask, something didn't sit right with him, "And just keep your arm above your... your head and please try to stop the blood." Jim's hungry was gnawing at him once more. The blood was right there, bleeding and it was distracting. He couldn't... my God he couldn't try to, do this...

"I need... I need to leave." Jim stated quickly, stumbling to his feet, trying to get away from her, trying not to her her more than he already had.

"I'm sorry, my God I'm so sorry." He slurred out for a moment, before getting a grip on himself.

Jane didn't need to answer Jim's question about not turning, he was already jumping about with different thoughts due to his trying to stop his longing for her blood.

"Jim, just leave, its alright. I will be fine, it will do neither of us any good if you can't control your hunger, it will be alright," Jane nodded, repeating reassuring words to him so he would hopefully leave. She didn't like the idea of being so defenceless alone but if Jim took hold of her arm again, she would most likely die. This was the better option.

"And Jim, don't feel guilty, I asked this of you, it will be alright," Jane forced a smile before tearing off some of her lower dress and bandaging her arm with it.

"Goodbye Jim." She whispered.

"I'll... I'll check up on you, later." Jim slurred out, before disappearing from her sight. He just needed to go, somewhere. Somewhere where he could freak out and not have to hide it all...

Miguel.

He moved towards where he knew the male to be at sometimes, for the most part.

He left Jane alone to her own devices.

The fight itself was nothing knew, rather his mind was thinking of the fight with Charlotte, the fight with Pocahontas, or the more recent right with Dean.. He wouldn't tell. He had taken his leave from the room, the cave, and headed back into the forest. He couldn't find Jane in her room, and he doubted she would be anywhere he hadn't looked in the cave.

He headed toward the town, having run half the way in Steele's form, changing back in the forest. He bothered to put clothes on in the forest, simply because he didn't want to stumble into anyone in the forest naked, for fear Pocahontas was still there and would have the mind to kill him if she saw him without clothes. Rather for fear somebody else might see him, or he would catch a cold like last time.

He stopped when he smelled of the air. He was holding onto his side for most of the trip, but not he let go. He took in the scent with a smile, realizing it was Jane's. He wondered what she was doing in the forest, but was glad she was. He gasped when he followed to scent to where she was. He rushed to her side and bent to his knees. "What happened baby?" He was used to calling her pet names, normally to bug her, but this time he was just worried and wanted her to relax.

Jane had been resting for a while when she saw Sinbad appear, she had just been about to try move, she was still weak but knew she couldn't stay there for much longer. When she saw him, she desperately wished she had began to head back to the Tavern sooner... how would she explain herself? Oh, I let a vampire drink my blood and he drank too much...? Like any of them would understand.

At Sinbad's worried words, she simply smiled and leant her weight on him to get herself upright. Once she was stood, she sighed, still feeling weak and leant back against the tree, probably best to take it slow. She was safe now Sinbad was here anyway. Or was she? It was then she noticed Sinbad's own wound.

"What happened to you?" Jane frowned slightly disapprovingly, guessing the cause was some fight with a human he had tried to kill, but also slightly worried. "And don't worry about me, just a slight encounter with a vampire, but it was my fault really, I kind of asked him to drink from me." Jane sighed and bit her lip, she really shouldn't have got herself into this mess. "It's a long story, I'll explain later." She sighed with a smile. "I'm actually just glad your here for once," She teased and poked him gently in the stomach, avoiding his wound.

He watched her rising, his eyes studying her movements, she still seemed weak. He put a hand on her arm, helping her relax against the tree, then his hand dropped to his side. His other hand was put behind her, so he could rest upon the tree as well, his weight relying on his hand. He didn't mind being so close to anyone really, but with Jane, it was more for pleasure, not simple though... something more.


He looked down at his wound and moved away from her a bit, removing his hand from the tree. He placed a hand on his shirt, pulling it up to reveal the pulled stitching where a small knife cut could be seen, sewn together by simple threads. "It was nothing... I had a run in with-" He cut off his words when she explained how she got her own cut.

His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He quickly brushed back her hair, revealing her neck. He narrowed his eyes... Nothing?.. He then grabbed her wrist, moving it over to reveal the bite marks. Sinbad's body shifted and slumped in a worried manner. "Jane!" He spoke with a deep concern, then closed his eyes, putting his lips down upon the bite marks. He kissed her wrist, allowing his lips to linger there, then he dropped her hand from his grasp. "You know you're not supposed to get hurt right? If anything ever happened to you... if I found the person that hurt you... I'd hate to think of what I'd do." He narrowed his eyes in a concerning, but warning manner.

"Just... be more careful... please. I know you can't turn into a wolf yet, but that doesn't mean you're not one of the best fighters I've met. You could kick my tail any day, so just- Just don't let them hurt you next time." He searched her eyes for answers.

Sinbad edged ever closer to Jane and helped her by placing his hands in tender places, she almost protested but bit her lip and prevented herself from doing so. He was only trying to help and she was betrothed to him after all, she had to start making some form of an effort, and besides... it was quite comforting having him there.

"Thank you," Jane smiled and gently carassed his cheek, but only for a brief moment before withdrawing her hand and supporting herself without his assistance, everything was still spinning from the alcohol and she was still weak but it wouldn't do to appear so. "Funny how both our wounds appear to be nothing," Jane mused and laughed a little to herself, they were both obviously trying to get away without explaining their incidents fully to the other.

When Sinbad brushed back her hair, she flinched slightly before understanding he was looking for the bites, in the next few seconds, he was clutching her wrist and had found them. "I know!" Jane sighed frustrated and the fact she wasn't 'supposed' to get hurt, until she realised what he meant. He was just meaning he cared, she frowned slightly, feeling bad for briefly snapping. "I know, I'm sorry. It wasn't his fault. I just, I wanted to help him... He was so weak and he said he felt like an outcast... So I offered him my wrist. I just wanted to help him feel more like a part of his clan," Her eyes began to water slightly so she looked away, not been able to face Sinbad when she was feeling so down. It was only the alcohol that was limiting her ability to hide emotion.

"I'm sorry it's the alcohol," Jane wobbled a little, beginning to feel a little dizzy and sick, she supposed it was the mixture of alcohol intoxicating her blood and the fact she didn't have much blood left now. As Sinbad said the final few words, she smiled and her eyes cleared. "Thanks," Jane smiled. "I appreciate that comment, coming from your arrogant self," She laughed, teasing him some more.

Sinbad must have been weak, he thought to himself about it, he didn't always show emotion. Then again, she must know he was pretending? And he was... wasn't he? It didn't matter either way, this was the way he was supposed to act, correct? He shook away the thoughts for a moment, now focusing on her words. He took a deep breath when she explained her actions, "He was an outcast? Or was it you?..." He asked, raising an eyebrow. He knew too well that Jane seemed to not belong sometimes with the fact she was only human.


Of course, for some reason, Sinbad never found that strange. Perhaps it had something to do with the past, something he kept hidden. He moved back a bit and ran a hand through his hair uncomfortably. "Look Jane, just because you can't physically become one... doesn't mean you're not a wolf. Sometimes our most basic traits are not on the outside, sometimes their hidden deeper.." He was looking at the ground now, seeming to quote words of wisdom he had heard before. His face then dropped to that of surprise, before returning to his normal smirk. "I mean look at me for example, these good looks come from my wolf form." He winked.

Sinbad then frowned when he saw her eyes water, so he put a hand to her cheek, just as she had done to him. He wiped away one tear that had escaped it's chambers. "You're loved by our clan, isn't that enough to know you're one of us?" He questioned, then took his hand back. "Right, the alcohol. That must be the reason you're not slapping me yet and saying 'Sinbad you perv!' " He mocked her girlish voice for a moment, trying to make the moment lighter.

Jane flinched some more when Sinbad managed to pinpoint her weakness, though it wasn't like everyone in her clan wasn't already aware that she felt awkward at least, about not being able to turn. She was about to speak but paused as she listened to his words, well.. they were rather comforting.

"I think the argument with my father earlier hit me harder than I thought," Jane frowned before explaining herself as she realised Sinbad wouldn't know what she meant. "I ran off when he mentioned me being stupid and not able to turn." Thinking over it, it really wasn't the most mature response, but his words had really hurt her. "Thankyou though, I feel much better now." She smiled at Sinbad and wondered to herself if he was actually at all like this with anyone else.

"You know Sinbad, you aren't half bad," Jane smiled and nudged him in the side. "If I had to be betrothed to someone, I am glad it's you." She glanced fleetingly at the sky to avoid eye contact as she said those final words, even with alcohol, she struggled to say them. She laughed lightly at his final statement. "I'll leave the offensive comments for the morning," She teased.

Sinbad's teeth clenched when he heard about the fight with Dean. "I'll kill that-" He cut off when he realized his fingernails had dug a bit into his skin. He blinked, then took a deep breath, he hated getting angry, but he wouldn't explain why. He shook his head, "Funny stuff, I actually came out here after a fight with the man myself, I knocked him a new pair of teeth for you though." He smirked.


Sinbad's jaw dropped slightly when she spoke those words, he then smiled a bit and ran a hand through his hair once more. "Well, I would say the same, but I'm probably only marrying you because you're the hottest wolf in the pack." He shrugged, pretending to be honest. He then grinned at her comment of telling him in the morning, "Does that mean I'll be the first thing you wake up to?" He questioned playfully.


Sinbad then chuckled and rubbed her arm a bit. "Hey, you know you're beautiful right? Crazy wild and reckless, but beautiful." He shrugged, "Stay here crazy wolf, I'll go get you some water...And preferably a stronger drink...But not too strong, I don't want you running off in the middle of the night to let more vampires feed on you." He pointed a finger to her in warning, then he chuckled and shook his head, walking toward the stream.