* SURVIVOR

Curious eyes wandered around the ballroom, attempting to pinpoint on a specific target for her to go over and bother. Relief relaxed her muscles when she heard Emira’s whistling, saving her from having to befriend another boring person. “Emira, hi,” she exclaimed as she returned the kisses. “You know, this is deceiving.” She took the champagne flute before further elaborating on her words. She ran her eyes up and down Emira’s beautiful dress. “You look pure and innocent, but we know you are neither. Gorgeous, though. Wouldn’t expect anything less from you.” At her question, Reyna scrunched up her face as she withheld information. “You are the lucky person.” With the other empty hand, she linked her arm with Emira’s. “Even if I did, you are right, I would hide them. I can’t have you hogging them, and plus, I’m greedy. You have your trophy husband to feed on, no? Speaking of, where is he?”

Something is eating her. He can see it in the impatience, in the way her emotions seem to sway on a knife’s edge waiting for a reason to change. It worries Luke, long after his touch seems to soothe it. “Overthinking is a very useful trait in my line of work, we aren’t all blessed with the same…” He doesn’t know the word, not in English, and shrugs. In the same way his touch soothed her, the strength in her hug made him smile. It amuses him how she can lift him without effort or hesitation. “The same ability to survive against the odds as you do. You’re a survivor, Emira.” He doesn’t know what he is, but he’ll try to be the same.

Emira moves to the balcony, and Luke stays in place, watching her back with a fissure of worry. “My mother is a cockroach, so I don’t know if it would be so easy, but if anyone can try, it’s your coven,” he says, shrugging, because he hasn’t met them enough to know everything. It’s the one thing he and Emira don’t really discuss. Luke frowns, finally stepping over to the balcony and leaning his elbow on the edges of it nearly a foot away from her. “I don’t know what to expect from your coven, you are quiet about them beyond the basics. The only thing I know is they are a part of your life.” Sometimes, he doesn’t even know if she really likes their presence, or whether she’s as lost without them as he is without his mother to run from.

He arches a brow. “Unfinished business has you tied in a knot?” he asks, somewhat disbelieving, studying her out of the corner of his eye. It seems easier to have this conversation without looking at her, well aware of how easily he’ll crack to her expression. Luke heaves a sigh. “You know there’s next to nothing I would deny you,” he starts, at once unsure of how to venture on, but he knows he trusts her. Trusts her to know her limits, and handle her business without a paranoid wolf butting in. Luke finally looks at her, expressing the worry that he’s, until that point, masked with humor. The distance remains. “Is that what you really want? You know as well as I do there’s no such thing as backup in our world.”

“Mhm...” A survivor. It’s been what she’s doing her whole life and it was all she’d ever known. It took everything she’s got to be where she’s at and having to share that with someone like Luke should help with putting her guard down. However, it seems like till this day she still had some things to work on seeing as she couldn’t bring herself to be 100% honest with him. “It’s worth a challenge if you and your cousins fail.” Nothing like a little murder for hire to do the trick. Her gaze became fixated on the scenery, avoiding any eye contact with the werewolf to prevent him from worrying. It’s all she seems to be doing, when it’s the last thing she wanted to do. “I know...” A wave of guilt consumed her as she understood he was trying to help her. “Sometimes it’s for the best to leave it at that...I just...” Her voice trailed off as she stood there with a troubled expression, especially since she knew she should be honest with him. 

He doesn’t question how Emira gets them out of Lethe - frankly, until he heard about some people’s struggles, he didn’t realize there were issues going in and out. His own habits are largely uncontested, but Luke figures this is connected to his contract with Hugh Stewart. Emira’s business with her coven is more important than any side eyes they get from the council along the way, and he won’t leave her to face it alone. Studying the thoughtful look on her face, Luke decides to interrupt her, knowing she’ll worry about all of this until it’s done. If it’s ever done. “I did,” he answers, a smile budding on his lips at the way she wraps him into her arms. “And you can’t change my mind on this, my place is at your side however I can be for things like this.” She has a way of making him feel safe and solid in way no one else does, and as he trails his fingers over cheek gently, he hopes to do the same for her.

The way she looked up at him makes his smile falter just a little. “It’s not a vacation I want, just…” Luke sighs, his hand dropping from her face to rest on her hips. They had talked about the future before, about wishing for an after, and now that it’s so close, he isn’t sure what to do with it. “You know me, overthinking is a personality trait unless I’m doing something reckless,” he teases, deflecting with humor, a lopsided smile on his face. “Your coven is probably the most reckless thing I’ve confronted in a while, too, why did they drag you out here this time?”

“Good.” At least Luke got rest, out of the two he would need it most considering it wouldn’t make a difference if she did, especially since she was already physically dead. Emira then pressed her lips into a thin line and sighed, in fact she was going to argue with him on it until she felt him touch her cheek out of affection. This calmed her down as she just stared at him, the kind of look that meant that she was going to let it go for now. 

Arching a brow, she waited for him to finish. His ‘after’ was up in the air and she could feel the exhaustion that she hugged him some more while rubbing his back for comfort. “Just not enough.” she declared at first. “You wouldn’t be Lukyan Sokolov with the overthinking dear.” She then leaned up for another kiss before pulling away and moved some strands of hair away from her face before saying, “You’ll figure it out.” On the topic of her coven, it did make her blood boil and so as a means to cool herself off she walked towards the balcony and leaned against it as she watched the Seattle scenery. “They’re a league of assassins from all walks of life, what did you expect? I’m pretty sure they could annihilate your mother if they could.” 

location: undisclosed location in seattle

time: afternoon 

Leaving Lethe temporarily was a struggle, but both Emira and Luke managed to make it happen. Truthfully it was luck, but then again she did receive a warning from Delilah, at which the vampire refuted by saying that she didn’t have proof for most of her accusations and assumptions. It did cause some tension between them, but the assassin did her usual cheeky smile and assured her she’ll be back to Lethe by end of day tomorrow. 

Currently in Seattle, she was sitting on the balcony of their hotel room lost in thought while staring aimlessly at the view. It wasn’t until she felt Luke’s presence behind her that she snapped out of it and looked over. “Slept well?” she inquired. “You know you can back out at from this.” She’s been nagging him since he found out about her situation, but she kept at it knowing that he was getting his life together. It wouldn’t be fair to fuck up that flow for him. Getting up, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her chin on his chest as she looked up, “It’s annoying assassin business and I’m okay if you just rest here...I know how much you wanted a vacation. It’s not much, but it’s a start.” 

“Blessed as hellfire.” The dead did more good for her than harm. With her disjointed memories, she felt like she was suffocating in a muddy death, but the shades washed her troubles away, reintroducing clarity to her tired mind. “Feliz año nuevo…” She sighed and rested her eyes away from Emira, finding something more interesting in the distance. “They talked enough, but they seemed more interested in magical artefacts. Did you manage to use your surrogate Chucky?” Although she wasn’t the woman she was before, she kept up a few habits unconsciously. She collected rarities and of course, some of them were of the magical variety. 

“See, I’m a great friend, that haunted doll came in handy, no?” She smirked at Emira. “I felt that you two were a match made in heaven. Needlessly aggressive and trapped by circumstances. Ah, but worry not, sometimes these things need aid from outside forces. Hope is not lost.” Zanna chuckled.  

“Now only if you could burn into dust with said hellfire.” muttered the assassin before breaking out into a smile. Emira would not only be able to breathe easy, but she’d correct the mistake she made by keeping Zanna alive. “Of course they’d mooch off of you.” At the mention of the doll the other vampire had given her, she shook her head and in a nonchalant manner said, “I re-gifted it. Shout out to the soul who had to deal with it.” 

“My arrogance did? Of all things? How does that work?” he asked, brows arched, a little bemused. He almost made a joke about his good looks, or any number of qualities that could have drawn her attention, but he silenced them, focused instead on watching her face, as if he might read the answer from it there without betraying how interested he was in the answer. A smile tugged at his lips. “Appreciate it.” A little too heartfelt, a little too fond, fuck, but it was too late to take back and, well, Luke didn’t regret the sincerity.

His own wine sat in front of him, mostly ignored for a few moments, but the shift in her expression and the shift in tone was reason for him to take a drink, too. “Doubt anyone lives a life how they expect to live it,” he pointed out, an unspoken question at the end. Is this what she imagined? A date at a place they only knew because they had broken into it? Luke didn’t consider romance as something in the cards for him, nor did he consider anyone important to be a permanent fixture in his life, but here she was, sitting in front of him, someone he couldn’t quite imagine living without anymore. She spoke, and he nodded his head in agreement, a little slowly. “I know you are, I know what I’m getting into, and, well, if we’re putting our cards on the table…” He trailed off, head tilted. They had spoken about it before, about his life seemed to be heading on an one way track ending in heartbreak, and he didn’t relish bringing it up. Wouldn’t, in fact, and continued on a different track. “I know what you are, and I know who you are. My double life is a lot less eventful than yours, but I’ve got one. Feels fake. Both of my lives, actually, none of them feel real. But with you? I feel real with you.” Real, and like someone who was capable of reaching for something he hadn’t ever thought he deserved. It was at once too open, and very freeing to admit that what he felt for her went beyond the casual. Luke drank again, for a moment to think, and then the drink was sat aside, ignored, and his eyes fixed on hers. A boring life with him, and that was more than he thought he’d ever have. “What do you want? This life, I’m exhausted of it, yeah, but you… I don’t want to decide for you, too. That’s not fair, and you deserve to have a choice.”

“Oh babe...” Dark hues narrowed in on him as she stared intently at Luke. There was actually a lot of things she liked...if not loved about him. While she was known for not having a heart, he only saw the side of her that was only reserved for him. “If it helps I have a list of things about you, but that should be spoken behind closed doors.” It’s not that she’s shy about it, it was more so something that was personal and not fit for the setting. And so, she smiled at his appreciation and nodded, “Anytime.” Swirling her glass around, she eyed the crimson liquid and listened. He had a point, while many had expectations of what they want, it was obvious too that things sometimes don’t go their way. It’s why the saying goes: expect the unexpected and their relationship was just that. She didn’t come to Lethe to find love or a companion, she came here on an agenda, a lengthy kill list and a means for more fortune. However, she was beginning to think differently all cause of the man before her and the certain relationships she’d built from Ruslan to Reyna and Dru. 

“Real.” she repeated softly as she looked away. Placing her glass down, she sat up straight and clasped her hands together before resting them on the table. The more he spoke, the more Emira’s lips widened as she finally let out a genuine smile and fixating her gaze on him. “I don’t know what I want.” she finally admitted. “Being a part of this coven and an assassin...it’s all I know. Although Ruslan keeps telling me I’m more than all this, it’s not something I can stray away from. It’s easier said than done.” She was bound to the coven in more ways than anyone knew, especially when her sire gave her life. “But...” Her voice trailed off as she felt herself relax in his company and it suddenly hit her that for once, she was being completely true and honest to herself when it came to someone else. “I want to have a life with you, even if it means leaving all this behind at some point. I like what we have and I like being with you...For starters you’re hot, but that’s already a given...You make me laugh and underneath your attractive arrogance, you’re absolutely patient with me and you know what to say and do when I’m not myself.” She paused as she realized she was spewing out her feelings for him and so she pressed her lips into a thin line, taking a moment to see if all of this was worth even saying. “If this is what love is, then I love you and I don’t see myself being and feeling like this with anyone else. I honestly wasn’t going to admit all this but...” She picked up her glass and took another sip a she shrugged. “Who knows what tomorrow or the future holds. I might end up getting what’s coming for me...but I truly am grateful to have crossed paths with you in all my immortal years of living. I like how we turned out, so you’re not so bad Sokolov.”

Luke held his silence for a moment her declaration, his eyes locked on hers, and then he let out a slow laugh. “I don’t know if I can say that with a straight face,” he admitted, and it was more truthful than he wanted to admit. Any other situation, any other environment, he could lie about anything, but it was more difficult around Emira than he realized. She made him want to tell the truth, and he shook his head. The two of them were truthful, in so many as people like them can be. He shook his head and smiled before her squinting could turn to worry; it was a jest, nothing important. “Hang on, are you doubting my ability to be… low arrogance? You don’t trust me at all clearly, I wouldn’t ever doubt your resolution.” The smile lingered, to show he was serious.

The waiter interrupted him before he could finish his comment, and he waited for him to deposit glasses of wine in front of them and leave before he continued. “Greed is probably why I’m still in this mess.” Truth, albeit it strays into the topic they are trying to avoid. “You know, I don’t know if we can avoid talking about stuff like that for long. Do you do anything with your life other than that?” And yet, he no sooner finished talked than it occurred to him that she did. Architect, and friends, and a life, and he frowned, momentarily taken aback to realize he, mostly, only had random hobbies. “My life is very boring compared to yours, Emira,” he declared.

Emira genuinely laughed as she understood the difficulties in keeping a straight face for said statement. They’re one of the last, if not far from, law abiding citizens. They followed their own rules, made everything bend by chance and somehow they either manage to succeed or have luck on their side. “No pressure.” she teased with a playful wink. Pressing her lips into a thin line, Emira turned her head away innocently and shrugged. “But your arrogance is what attracted me to you.” she mused. “Just cause it’s you, I’ll allow an exception and have a bit of faith.” 

When the server arrived with their wine, Emira immediately took the glass and proceeded to sip it. Tilting her head, she listened attentively to what the werewolf and remained silent while she took his words in. There was a turn in their conversation as she could understand where he was coming from. Sighing softly, she leaned against the back of seat and shook her head, “Your life isn’t boring Lukyan. Your life isn’t where you want it to be.” However, she knew it’s easier said than done, especially with the circumstance. Clearly it was about time the two open up a little more, especially with what relation they currently have. “You do realize I live a double life right? Further, I have no fucks given at this rate if people were to find out what my true intentions are. But with you...” Her voice trailed off as she was trying to find the right words. Again, he left her speechless and she simply stared at him before having to break the silence. “You knew who you were getting yourself with and yet, you still stayed and accepted me on the whole. So to be honest, if a boring life is what I’ll have, then a boring life is what I’ll take...I know you’re exhausted of this life Luke and I don’t blame you.” 

There was no use to dwell on the past. In fact, Emira hated how Lethe rang in the new year, but that was nothing new. Although her past literally came to haunt her, she kept busy, distracted even until the goddamn spell or whatever wore off. While many faced trauma to the incident, the vampire on the other hand saw it in a same shit, different day perspective.

It did inspire her though...

It was easy to find a specific individual. With heightened senses, their scent and a small ass town, you were bound to cross paths with everyone more than once. To Emira, she avoided this person on the daily, for the sake of not killing her of course. However, today was going to be different. 

Today, Emira was going to say hello to Zanna De Varona—without any acts of violence. The thought brought a proud smile to the assassin’s features as she stuffed her hands into her coat and approached the woman she despised so much. “De Varona.” she greeted. “Happy New Year.” Tilting her head to the side, she kept their distance at arms length and asked, “Did the dead bless you as you entered 2021? Hopefully, they weren’t as chatty and touchy feely as the ones I’ve encountered.” 

“I cannot. The little one already loves you.” He said softly, as he watched the piglet set herself onto his daughter’s lap. They would become friends, or at least, that’s what he hoped. If she didn’t want him to be in her life, then maybe this little one could keep her some company. “A girl… I had the vets checked her to make sure she’s healthy.” He smiled softly at her. This wasn’t a conventional gift, but he didn’t see Emira as the type of person to enjoy the mundane. 

“I do know. I can’t stop you from your hobbies.” Ruslan knew that she liked to kill and that she was skilled at it. She could do something else, but he was sure that she was addicted to the thrill of it. He only wished that she found power somewhere else. Too bad he couldn’t make the decisions for her anymore. “Kaia thought the piglet was a smaller dog. She wanted to play. Kodiak enjoys company…” He turned his gentle gaze to her and gently shook his head. “I want another chance… and if not that, then one last peaceful moment.”

“Erks.” Ruslan may have a point, but Emira refused to give into the thought. It was a piglet and she was going to house it till it finds a new home. After he confirmed the gender, the vampire glanced down at the animal and grinned. She’ll do wonders, that’s for sure and whether Emira feeds her the dead would depend on how she wants to care for her. “Mmkays, thanks I guess. She won’t live with me though, I do share the space with Sokolov.” And she wanted to respect that. “Maybe I’ll get a pig-sitter till I figure out what to do with her. Did you have a name for it? I don’t want to confuse it.” 

“Language. The piglet is very sensitive.” He replied. Ruslan was being serious, but he knew that she’d say what she want and do what she wants. His daughter was disrespectful but fiery and a part of him was proud of the person she became. Not all of her was ‘bad.’ “No, I do not joke about this. I thought that you would like this present.” He thought about giving her a weapon, but she was probably used to getting those. He wanted the gift to be personal and useful to her. Maybe this piglet could become a good friend to her. 

“The little one is not a bacon pig, but the tiny thing can grow to eat your enemies.” He lowered the piglet to the bench and smiled softly at her. If she hadn’t violently attacked him yet then maybe she’d take his peace offering. “Please take this gift. Kodiak and Kaia are too excited around the little one.”

“Like yourself? You should keep it.” she retorted back before taking a seat next to him. “Present?” she repeated. Why the hell would he gift her this...cute yet absurd thing. The piglet began to waddle over to her before oinking her way onto her lap. She wondered what Lukyan would think if she brought this home. If he was as feral as his wolf counterpart, then probably food. Sighing in defeat, she scooped it up into her arms and held it up. “Did you neuter it or some shit? Do piglets get neutered? Spayed? What is it? Boy? Girl?” 

Luke laughed. “You might be on to something. It’s a crime, and neither of us are the type of people to break the law.” He stopped, blinking as it occurred to him how little lawbreaking he did these days. Except shooting Katia, and plotting the murder of his own mother, and– oh, never mind, he did his fair share, just less than normal, and he shrugged. “Well, maybe a time or two. And hey, I don’t need an ego boost, what kind of–” and there it ended, covered with a feigned sigh. What were they? He didn’t know, they never discovered it, but they were here, together, and that was enough. His eyes drifted to their twined fingers, a pleased smile on his lips at the small, soft action. “New Years will be here before we know it, my resolution is to be more positive of course. And my other one is to be less arrogant, but that just seems unlikely.”

Hm, not a bad idea, he couldn’t complain about the idea of spending more time with her. “Oh, did I forget to mention that? I thought it was common knowledge I want you all day, everyday,” he teased her, brows raising up. If their lives were more settled, Luke would see about a place together, but the idea seemed farfetched when they hadn’t talked. He studied her, taking in the aimless expression on her face. Holidays were different for people like them, maybe someday they would be able to see them even a quarter of lightly as other people. Luke grinned, nodding. “Can’t imagine we’ll keep the chaos promise, knowing us, but we’ll give it a try, it’ll be worth it anyway. A holiday with you is a well spent one.”

Wagging her finger at him, she nodded to his words and declared, “We are law abiding citizens of Lethe.” It sounded absolutely foreign of her to say that, but she was able to sell it with the confidence she was holding. Arching a brow, she stared Luke down at his abrupt response. “What kind of what?” she inquired while squinting at him. Whether he was reluctant to answer or not was on him, after all he wasn’t much of a talker and she understood that side of him. “Wow new year, new you?” Her tone held some disbelief, but she smiled warmly at him and nodded. “Baby steps babe, maybe do the positive thinking first. Your arrogance is a part of you. I’m sure you can’t shake it off.” 

Emira couldn’t help but laugh at his response as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He always knew how to make her feel good and further he constantly had the ability to genuinely put a smile on her face. “Mmm, I see. Someone’s greedy.” she mused. At his acceptance, Emira leaned over the table to plant a chaste kiss before sitting back down. “Anything is possible if you just believe...Or something like that right? I’ll make it worth it, trust me.” 

Date: 12.31.2020 Setting: Outside Irving Plaza Time: 3:37PM

He got scared. Ruslan knew that Emira celebrated Christmas, even if it just meant participating in the sales, but he couldn’t bring himself to approach her then. She was angry at him and she could hold grudges. It was a trait that they shared, much to his dismay, but he was going to try anyway. As explosive and volatile as she could be, he doubted that she’d cause more trouble on a day like today. 

Ruslan raised the piglet and quietly spoke to the little thing. “Emira is difficult to get along with, little one, but she will take care of you well.” He gently patted the top of the piglet’s head and took a seat on a bench, hoping to spot the vampire. When he saw her around, he called out to her. “Don’t ignore me…I have a present for you.”

@emira-birsen​

Emira did a good job at avoiding Ruslan for the time being. She needed her anger to subside and not have the need to kill him. So she held grudges, but it’s not like it affected her in any sort of way. She can go on without another person cause at the end of the day, she lived this long and came this far that it didn’t matter what others thought of her.