Once again he reached out a hand for her. She laid hers in his. Without doubt, without fear. Despite knowing who he was.

Lifting her sword Mayura held it hovering over the palm enveloped in his hand. Shimon rose his eyes to hers and saw her nod.

After taking a hold of the hilt he swiped the blade over her skin and drew blood. The thick liquid slowly poured out of the small cut in her palm. A buzz ran through him which was pale compared to the desire to lick the blood. He wondered how it would taste but the thought scared him at the same time.

She asked, "And?"

"I feel no change," he replied.

"So you need to do it like –," she wavered off.

"Perhaps." He bowed his head bringing it to her wrist. He rose his eyes again to hers. Mayura stared at him, mouth opened, red cheeks as his lips connected to her skin and his teeth sank into it. Slowly, he sucked her blood, making sure not to scare her while holding her gaze. He heard her harsh breathing, felt the accelerated pumping of her heart and tasted the rush of blood. Instead of fear, the air was heavy with heat. Before he would be enticed too much, he tore away, stopping whatever occurred between them.

Then he felt it in his chest and jumped, taken aback. He felt it again as her blood flowed through him: The knock of his moving heart. And for the first time since ages he gasped and felt the air filling his lungs. He sucked in greedy breaths and pressed a hand to his chest. His lips formed into a smile as his lungs tasted the fresh air and blood warmed his limbs.

Suddenly he felt the beating grow slower. The air grew thin and more pale in taste. Then there was nothing left and he felt as empty as he had never before. His eyes skipped to Mayura who looked at him wide eyed in expectation. He uttered, "It worked but was not enough."

Without saying a word, Mayura rose her hands to the bow fastening her blouse around her neck. Her quick fingers untied the red tie. Her eyes stared unwavering back at him, before she leaned her head to the side presenting this time her neck.

It seemed like he was more reluctant to continue than she and he swore to himself not to take too much before he leaned in. This time he could not deny himself a short lick to the spot where her pulse was, moistening and softening her skin before he once again entered her skin with his sharp fangs.

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The feeling as he sank his teeth into her was divine; pleasure rushed through her and she struggled to hold back a moan. She wondered, if it was like this with every time a gorger bit someone to prevent resistance. But perhaps she was meant to feel like this for him. Was it her fate to feel this deeply and self-destructively about him?

Mayura tried to suppress the fast beat of her heart, her watered mouth and the tingles running up and down her spine. And yet these emotions running through her while he took what she was giving him could not be compared to when he had smiled all of a sudden.

Here she found herself, unable to deny him even though she felt her power starting to drain. Even when she began to feel dizzy she could not pull away.

When he finally released his hold on her, she tumbled on her feet. Weak and tired but oddly contented.

The sound of a gasp, followed by a chuckle made her blink her eyes open.

There he was, smiling wholeheartedly with a gentle glimmer in his eyes as he stared at his own hands, the fire of the lantern framing him in a warm glow. She hummed, pleased at the sight. In the end they have both defeated the monster and retrieved the man behind it.

She wasn't sure what to say, which words could suffice and so she simply reached out. She wondered if his skin would feel warm now.

But before her hand got into contact, his face twisted. Gritting his teeth, he bent forward and pressed a hand to his chest.

Shocked she watched him fall. "Shimon!"

"Urgh!" He groaned and curled up his twitching body, clenching the shirt above his chest into a ball.

Mayura fell to her knees next to him but did not know what to do.

Helplessly her hands hovered above him as she watched him writhe in pain.

No!

Freeing his soul was supposed to stop the monster, not Shimon!

This was unfair! Hadn't they fulfilled the legend as best as they could?!

She pressed her hands to the ground. Grass stuck out of the gaps between her fingers.

Angry tears filled her eyes as his body jerked a few times. Her breath hitched when he stopped moving altogether. Her sight blurred as she scanned his form for any movement. Her fingers balled fists, squeezing blades of grass. Damn it all.

She had fulfilled her part of the legend. She had stopped the monster. Yet, there was nothing to cheer about. The gods had won their centuries old game.

Her head jolted upwards as an idea struck her mind. If the gods – She frowned. She had to try at least. Insecurely she started speaking, "You gods. Do you hear me?"

There was no reaction.

She tried again, "If you hear me, come out and save this man's life!"

Again nothing happened.

Disappointed she shook her head. How come the gods were never there to help?

Rising her sight to his body, she looked at Shimon's face. It was still twisted in agony. Crawling on her knees she changed her position above his head and carefully put it on her lap. His skin was warmer than it had been when they had touched for the first time but it was colder than it should be.

Out of nowhere she heard something growl. Whipping her head around, she looked into the direction. It was coming from the forest nearby. Her heart trembled. Barely she could make out the shape of the first row of trees.

Her eyes swiped from one side to another as she searched for the source of the growl. Then she saw them. Two glowing eyes stared at her from the forest. She gasped, frozen in shock.

The thing broke cover, leaving the undergrowth. Soon a shape framed the red eyes of the beast. It was a wolf.

She held her breath, anxious and paralyzed. Her sword lay too far away and having Shimon's head bedded onto her lap gave her no chance to get onto her feet fast.

A beat of sweat ran over her temple as she watched the huge beast close in, prancing on its paws until a few feet divided them.

Then it leaped towards her.

Mayura rose her arm in defense and squeezed her eyes shut.

She held her breath.

Nothing happened.

Confused she blinked her eyes open but saw nothing.

"Amawaka girl," Someone said from beside her with a sensual voice. Whipping her head around she saw a cat sitting on Shimon's chest with its tail swinging gracefully. "Do you wish to prolong this man's life despite your family's ancient strife?"

The cat's snout wasn't moving. Nevertheless Mayura could have sworn the voice came from the cat.

Unsure if she was just imagining things, Mayura swallowed and stuttered, "I-I do."

"If you choose it to be your concern, you ought to offer a bargain in return," the thing answered.

Chewing on her lips Mayura wondered, if this was another game of a god. But just as she throught this the cat's face scrunched up as if it had read her thoughts. Regulating her breathing, Mayura asked calmly, "What do you want me to do?"

"You'd need to share his fate and, once again, pick up your blade," the cat replied. It's tail whipped up and down once.

Mayura knew she had to be careful and so she inquired, "What is his fate? What do you want us to do?"

"To atone for his sin in murdering his own kin and to pay for every evil deed, he'd have to hunt his breed," the cat announced, its voice having lowered a notch.

Unbelieving Mayura shook her head at the quest. "The gorgers? You want him to kill his own sister and brother? It wasn't his choice to become like this. It was a god's doing. You just want him to clean up the dirt you gods are responsible for."

"He had challenged destiny, when he'd played with a god to extend his sister's time. Against nature's laws he had sought for fraud and committed a crime."

"This is unfair," Mayura murmured in defeat. She wondered if this was what Shimon would want, being again a pawn of fate in a game gods designed.

The cat purred. A broad grin formed on its face. Mockingly it chimed, "Every man lives by what he chooses. Yet, nobody wants to bear the weight of what he looses."

Irritated Mayura blinked.

With a puff it vanished.

"Wait –" She raised an arm but the animal was long gone.

Beneath her Shimon groaned, "Mayura?"

She gasped and looked at him. His blinking eyes fell shut again but he lifted a hand in search for hers. With a sob she reached out for it.

She swallowed bitterly on the tears constricting her throat as she lowered her forehead to their joint hands."I am sorry, Shimon," she whispered, overwhelmed by the burden she had bestowed on both of them.

An owl howled through the night. Yet, Mayura saw nothing as she looked towards the screen of darkness luring outside the cover of the lantern's light.

Theirs was a legend fulfilled but the rest of the story was a new destiny tailored by the gods. Their fate bond together once anew.

As she waited for Shimon to regain full consciousness, Mayura stared off into the lonesome night. What lay ahead, was left in the dark.

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A/N: And the curtain falls! That's it with the first installement of this story. Thank you for reading! It has been a joyfull ride as always! Please, leave a comment and/or a vote before you go. Thanks!^^