Topic: shivers and terrors (pm to join)

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny's mouth was dry, her palms were sweaty, and she felt jittery. Every single instinct was screaming at her to leave, now. Everything she had ever learned about survival said to turn around and leave.
Right now.

By sheer force of will, she settled into a booth by herself, ordering a cup of tea and looking round the room. Subconsciously looking for all the exits, all the ways out. And an excuse.
Some reason to leave.

Stop it, she told herself.
Stop being a baby. A wuss. A scardy cat.
Thats right, Ginny was scared.

No.

She was terrified. Her hands shook as she lifted her cup to her mouth, almost spilling the hot liquid on herself. Her eyes darted around the pub, glancing at everything. Fast. Too fast.
Ginny felt sick. Maybe she should have told someone?
Who?

The only one she should have told was Xaver.
And if he knew of whom she was looking for, he'd have never let her out of his sight.

The pretty redhead bit her lip as she thought of her husband. Something was different about him lately. He wasn't exactly sick...more like, not right. She worried about him. Because she had no clue what was happening to him.
Which was why she was here, in all her pregnant and vulnerable glory.
To speak to the one person who may be able to help her find out what was wrong with her husband.

His brother.

[Xaver]

A low, off-key whistle sounded in the quiet undercurrent of commotion in the small tavern, moments before a dark-haired figure padded across the solid flooring. He did not walk through the doors, the enormities of black feathered, red-tinged wings folded easily over his back far too large to fit through a normal sized door for a man. He simply appeared. No stirr of magic or breath of disturbance to promote his arrival.
Feathers barely twitched as he stole across precious ground, lean muscle twitching both anxiously, and in anticipation, beneath the jacket of an odd leathery, silky material, that was literally two pieces that zipped at the front, but was only zipped half-way over a pale, naked, well-defined chest, the back part entwined by laces at his lower back - not hindering any mannerism of flight, in any way.

He was a handsome man - tall, fit, and blessed with looks even other angels envied. He had been said to be as good looking as his twin brother, at one point - but the blessings, the humor, the life.. they were lost upon the raven-haired male. Lost in silver eyes that were more hazy than clear, and laced with the line of sanity that he tiptoed on.

He breathed in deeply, nostrils flaring as he drug in a scent that was all too familiar.
He bowed down, stopping, his face only but a few inches from the redhead's cheek as he sucked in another breath.


"You've the scent of my brother all over you, Human."

Xences grinned, wickedly, his lips stretching as he bared even rows of teeth that were, though healthy, far sharper looking than they should have been.

"Has he been all over you?"


He gave a hoarse, uneven giggle.

[Ginny Weasly]

When he spoke, so close to her, her hand jerked, causing the cup to spill onto the table. Ginny forced herself to stop shaking and set the cup down, turning her head ever so slightly so she could see the face that mirrored her husbands, and yet was so different.
The eyes, mostly the eyes.
Not the color, but what was reflected in them.

When Xaver looked at her, she saw life, warmth, honestly and love.
When Xences looked at her, all she saw was animal instinct.

And her own instinct was still screaming to run away.
"What do you think? We are married."

Ginny looked away from him, busying herself with mopping up the spilled tea.

"Have a seat, Xences."
Her voice was crisp with the effort of keeping the terror from it. But she thought she did an ok job at it.

What was she doing here? Her heartbeat was racing wildly. Why had she come here? She should have stayed home. This was so dangerous. Xences...for Christ's sake...he had said he'd kill her someday.
Was she so stupid as to walk right to the slaughter like a sheep?

"I'd like to speak to you."

[Xaver]

Ginny spilled her drink as she retracted in surprise at his sudden appearance, and Xences didn't withold an almost gleeful, entirely mocking laugh.
His wings twitched slightly as he shook his head, his gaze probing - searching.
Flickering over her, until his empty gaze settled on the swell of her belly.

"An event I was not invited to."

He giggled airily, and moved across the table, settling into a chair, wings and all, his gaze not once moving from her stomach.

"As with a few other tinsy winsy precedented events."


Xences's gaze slithered up the length of her front, and when finally settling on her eyes, all forms of false amusement faded into the nothing that had become both his heart and soul.
"We speak. What price?"

[Ginny Weasly]

Honestly, did he expect an invitation? Ginny frowned at that. She and Xaver had laughed at the very thought of inviting Xences. It had been laughable, then.
Because Xaver had been with her.

She felt so very vulnerable.
Especially when she realized Xences was looking at her stomach.
Her hand went over the enlarged part of her body, as though she could protect the baby inside simply by doing so.

Her entire manner changed for the moments Xences looked at her stomach. She seemed almost like a cat, eyes narrowed, ready to hiss to get him away. And then he met her eyes, and she found her fear again.

"What price?" She repeated.
He meant what would she give him?
Everything had a price. She hated that.

"What do you want?"
She winced, that was probably the worst question she could have asked.
Where in the world did all her negotiating skill go?

Oh yeah, that kind of thing only worked with sane people.

[Xaver]

"Nothing big.."
Xences tilted his head slightly, mocking innocence with a grin that could bring a shudder to the devil.
"I want, for payment, but only one small thing."

He leaned over the table, jacket covered forearms pressing against the rounded edge, and his large and variously scarred pale hands folding. He upturned his laced hands, creating a crude bowl shape.
His silver gaze gleamed, unblinking.

"Xaver Aleksander's necklace. The match to Kylie Marienne's. I want it, in its entirity."
His eyes darkened, hardening as his jaw flexed, almost impulsively.
"Or you get nothing."

[Ginny Weasly]

Xaver's necklace?
The one he had given her to wear years ago? Well, actually, Kylie had given it to her the first time. And then Xaver had given it to her.
The necklace that expressed his feelings?

"Do you think if you see his feelings, you may have some of your own?"
Ginny couldn't help but jibe at him.
She did fear him, yes. But she also hated him. And Ginny was known for her big mouth.

Ginny thought about what he wanted. What would be the harm in giving the necklace to him? Xaver couldn't wear it, it was made of gold. And she kept it locked away in her room.
Plus, in giving up something so trivial, she could possibly be gaining what she needed to know to help her husband.
"Fine."

The necklace materialized in her small hand, wound around her fingers and glinting in the dim light of the pub. She showed it to him, then pulled her hand back, onto her lap.
"But you don't get it till you tell me what I want."

[Xaver]

Xences's silver gaze narrowed as she retracted her hand, the glittering gold piece returning out of sight as she drew it back to the safety of her lap. Or out of sight upon her lap, anyway..
All he had to do was pounce, right then.. Tear that pretty red hair from her head and-

"Fine."

He flicked his tongue over his upper lip in a sharp, agitated manner.

"..And, pretty.."
His nostrils flared as he sucked in another breath, shaking his head as he let it out, his lip curling slightly.
"Feelings are only for the weak. Your husband should know that, after all the time, ours."
His glare bored directly into her eyes.
"Seeing his feelings when he's caged, hopeless, and basic..? Mmm.. So much better than seeing the emotions on his pretty face."

His gaze glittered, wickedly.
"We birdies don't respond well to cages."

Xences giggled - a wretched, hungry sound.

"What do you wish of me, Human? What can I.."
His sneer all dark malice and intent, Xences folded his arms over his chest, and leaned back into his chair.
"..Assist you, with?"

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny realized she had to choose. If she didn't give Xences the necklace, there was a large possibility he would still go after Xaver. And the way things were looking now, Xaver wouldn't be up for a fight if it came down to it then.
But, if she could figure out what was going wrong and fix it, Xaver had a chance against his twin brother.

"First of all, my name is Ginny. And I do appreciate being called by it."

'Human' sounded too derogatory when he said it. Ginny forced herself to keep calm, and snapping at him like so helped. She played with the necklace in her lap while she forced herself to keep his gaze.

"As for what I want, it's even more simple than what you want."
Self-consciously, she tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear, "I only want to know why my husband seems...off lately."

Ginny knew he would understand her question. There was no doubt in her mind that Xences had been keeping tabs on Xaver.
No doubt.

[Xaver]

His gaze was unforgiving.
"Even if you were not my sister-by-law, or however they call it, I will call you what I wish."
His mouth quivered, bemused at a joke that perhaps only he saw.
"Else, was not part of our agreement."

Xences followed her every motion with a gaze that remained constantly quick, and every bit slightly off.. His silvery orbs tracked her fingers as they stowed a lock of her curious hair behind her ear, then her lips as she spoke, her nose, then her eyes.. Constantly agitated.

"Off... Not quite himself..?"
His gaze moved to where he knew she kept the necklace.
"Too sleepy, too fatigued, too slow?"

Xences tapped his foot, and shifted, a grin splitting one side of his mouth.
"Very simple, Ginerva Molly Weasley..."
His tongue flicked over his lip.
"And it's not even my doing this time. No drugs, no razors."

His head tipped, inquisitively.
"Tell, did you like his pretty haircut?"

[Ginny Weasly]

She said nothing of his comment about what to call her. A useless power struggle, a waste of energy and time. He assessed Xaver's current condition, confirming what she had thought all along. He had been watching.

"Tell, did you like his pretty haircut?"

Ginny's free hand jerked, as if she were moving to reach across the table and slap Xences across his face. But she didn't. She wanted to, horribly bad. But she didn't.
Instead, she gritted her teeth, allowing her anger to push away her fear.

"Honestly, I thought it made him look more like you."
She frowned, "Which means I hated it."

She tightened her hand around the necklace, as though squeezing it would give her strength.
"If the answer is so simple, then why don't you just say it?"
She wanted her answers so she could leave.
So she could get away from him.
As far away as possible.

[Xaver]

Xences bit down on his tongue as his upper lip pulled back, quivering as a peal of harsh gritty laughter sounded in the base of his throat. He had really no care in the world what Ginny thought of him, his pleasure simply being in that he could evoke a reaction from her. As much as with his brother, her emotions were both fun, and facinating to him.
It was all a game, after all, to him.
He wanted only to tear apart..
To dissect.
To figure out what made the freaks so different from him.

It was all a game.. And there was a prize at stake..
The rules had to be abidden, just until he got his hands on it.. Or had to put his hands on her..

"Breeding with and marrying to a Fallen are two different things entirely."
Xences quipped a dark, pointed grin.
"Breed.. And you get mixed blood spawn."
He snickered.
"But marry... Those oathes are eternal. And by them, you both are bound to a sort of... Contract, if you will... Woven at the time of the Fallen's birth. Wedding vows to a Fallen are the single most important thing we will do. Call us romantics."
Xences couldn't help a small giggle, twitching even as he did so.
"We never give vows until we are absolutely certain. Which is why it is very rare, basically unheard of, for a Fallen to settle down within the first few centuries or so of his life.. When the oathes are made and over, both parties are then bound together. For eternity."
He smiled, unevenly.
"Which means you're stuck with me, too, forever!"
He shook his head, and actually backtracked.
"Meaning.. That you will both sacrifice and gain. It is different with every couple. But that is why, also, it's not common for Fallen to mix with you Humans. We don't put our powers at stake, sure.. But sometimes our immortality. Which isn't worth it, in my opinion."

Xences blatantly yawned, bored with the story, slouching back into his seat, his gaze boring over the table, knowing she had the necklace just there, clenched in her hands.
His mouth twitched, almost exasperatedly.

"Your simple answer, is that your Xaver Aleksander is in the process of change. Which is making him deliciously weak, in the process. Sacrifice and gain. You should notice some differences too, eventually. Maybe not until after you bore your half-blood."


He hated being bored.. And talking like an adult, even.

"Now, prize?"

[Ginny Weasly]

Ginny looked down at her hand which clasped the necklace so tightly and swallowed the lump in her throat.
Xaver was being weakened.
And it was because of her.

He was losing his immortality, and it was because he had married her.
She ignored Xences attempts to annoy her, hardly hearing them.
She ignored his request for his prize.

"So this is my fault?" Ginny raised her eyes to meet his, trying to see if she could read the truth there. She bit her lip, "And there is no way to take it back?"

She didn't want Xaver to have to give anything up for her.

[Xaver]

His eyes gleamed, the taste of her uncertainty and fear almost as complete in his mouth as the hunger that drove him, wanting more.

"Oh.. Sure. You decided to marry the stupid fool."
Xences grinned, loving her anguish. Wanting more..
Feeding off of it.
"There is no way to take it back. It's like selling your sad little soul to the devil, and getting my bastard brother's soul in return. You give. You receive. Wager?"

He pulled a face, the family term bringing a sour taste to his mouth.
"A decent enough exchange, I'd guess."

Xences stuck out his hand.
Waiting for his payment, in his own uncivilized manner.

[Ginny Weasly]

"I'm afraid the devil himself doesn't want my soul."
Ginny muttered the words to herself, unable to ignore his hand.

Slowly, she slid out of her seat, still holding the necklace. Knowing he wanted it gave her a secret sort of pleasure. Because, if even for a moment, she held power over him. She played with the golden chain, frowning as she looked over it.
"You really are an idiot."

Teasingly, she held the necklace over his outstretched hand as she spoke, "Pathetic too."

She dropped the necklace into his hand, shaking her pretty redhaired head slowly.
"You claim you hate your brother, but the truth is you need him. Because if i weren't for making him miserable, you'd never be happy."