Barry
"I always have an agenda, Eliza." He said simply and set the parchment down. Unscrewing the ink pot, he dipped the quill into it and unrolled a thin roll of parchment. As he wrote he began to chant in celestial and then begin to write, the ink turning from black to gold as he inscribed mana into the words. Once he was done, he repeated the process three times- ignoring Eliza all the while. When at last he finished, he sat back and tilted his face up to look at her. If he stood their faces wouldn't be far apart, and his tired grey eyes were still sharp and as cunning as a wild foxes. He studied her face this close and was still amazed at her beauty. Not once did the thought cross his mind about her strange anatomy. 

"I've written three binding seals. I'm going to fill one of these with my blood and give them to you. It will not open until you've met the terms we agree upon." He said, getting up and letting her examine the writing as he begins to tourniquet his arm and prep the needle to draw his blood. 

"So, lets talk about those terms." He said, still watching her. Noctis had painfully realized that something had changed, shifted when he'd seen her- truly seen her. He couldn't get her off his damn mind. It was like Esme all over again, except Eliza was capable of giving sultry looks that made the slumbering Dark Rose roar within him. It was a weakness he could not have. It was a weakness he wanted to experience so desperatel- **GAH**. His damned mind was supposed to be his own, not enslaved to a beautiful vampire woman who just so happened to have something to sympathize over. 

"My first request is that you leave the Onyx Crest and head to the Far Spirit Wood that borders a town in the Capitol called Marsalus.." He said, pulling the leather belt tighter to make his veins pop further on his arm. Noctis had some experience doing field medic work, enough to save a man from bleeding out or stitch a wound. He'd never quite gotten the hang of healing magic. "I think s

He could use your assistance- there is something that haunts those woods that is beyond Unseelie Fae. I don't know if you will be the one to do it- but perhaps you can help her uncover some of what she has buried. Visit her and *Try* To play nice, and the first seal will break." He stuck the syringe in as he talked, not seeming nervous she might lunge at his blood. At least that game was over between them- there would be no more physical attacks now. 

"My second term is for you to leave Esme early should your children be in danger." He said, now he wasn't looking at her. He had essentially given her an out. By any means if she'd gone to the woods and needed to leave early to help her kids, the deal would break and the blood would be unaccesible. However it seemed he had stopped to think of that possibility and had given her a way around it. "If your kids do not need you, the second seal will break when the first does." 

He drew blood, deep red with only the faintest swirls of delectable gold. She'd smell the rich O- and the swirl of celestial power in the blood. He was right, the second the blood left his body she'd smell how potent it was even more so than before- the smell was just hidden behind his mortal flesh. 

"And the final seal... Is that you and I meet again. I meant what I said Eliza Tenebrian. I've seen you, and despite what you think I don't see a monster or a trophy- but I will have you all the same. I am a selfish person, I value my dreams above others because I think they will do more for others in the end. That includes you." What he meant by *Have* Was not clear if he did not mean as a trophy or a pet. 

"Questions?" He asked as he deposited the blood into the vial and once it was full of the rich contents, he began to wrap them in the seals.
Reginald
Eliza's eyes peered at Noctis as he began to unroll the parchment. Unconsciously moving closer to him to get a better look at what he was writing. Her expression was pensive as he began to chant, Eliza had heard all kinds of language but this one was new, it was an unknown magic. Eliza's eyes then shot open with shock as Noctis spoke once more, of terms- *Of a deal*.

The Far Spirit Wood... She had heard of the place in fairy tales. Local folklore of the area told of seelie fae that roamed its woods, and of the horrors lurking within the shadows of the trees branches. Her interest piqued when he spoke of Esme, so this woman was the *Twilight Witch* She had heard the name. The locals feared the woman, spoke of her kidnapping children, bathing in the blood of men and stealing the bodies of women- admittedly Eliza liked her style, she respected a fellow powerful woman capable of instilling fear in the hearts of man. 

Eliza's expression shifted to once of shock, and bittersweet happiness when Noctis spoke of his second term. Her eyes dancing between his pulsing veins of beautiful ichor and his beautiful grey eyes. She was shocked to hear her families well being were in her consideration, the fear that she may have misjudged the man washing over her like a thorny blanket of shame.

Eliza had to stop herself from pouncing on top of Noctis as he drew blood from his arm, she licked her lips as she smelt the familiar scent of her favorite O- drenched in the heavenly aroma of Ichor. Her lip quivered as she watched the scarlet drip from his arm, her fingers clenching into her palm so hard they drew blood. The smell was unlike anything she could have ever imagined, so much more intense, complex than it was when they first had met. 

Eliza stared at Noctis in disbelief, as he stated his final term- as well of his desire... For her? His words were painfully familiar to her as they were something she often said to herself. She had no choice but to respect his ideology, it was one

She shared with him. More often than not did Eliza make decisions without her covens input, to her the fate of their family was best kept in her grasp and nobody else's. But his choice of words alluded her judgement, how exactly did he *Want* Her... She chose to gloss over this detail as she raised her hand to tap her bottom lip with her pointer finger as she went into pensive thought- and then the corners of her mouth rose into a small grin.

"I think you made your terms quite clear, but what is it you *Want* Of me Noctis?" 

A few painfully intense silent moments passed as she stared at the vial of delicious nectar as Noctis wrapped it in cloth before shooting her gaze back to Noctis. Eliza then leaned close to the demi god, her face slowly getting closer to his until their noses nearly touched. She then used her left pointer finger to gently turn his face to the side as she leaned close to his ear and softly whispered.

"Do *You* Have any questions?"
Barry
Noctis watched her think and process the agreement. It was clear that she'd accept, and he felt relief flood through him. He hoped that relief was only because it meant she'd continue to be useful and all the work he'd put into her already would pay off. However... That third term he'd set still lingered in the air between them. What was worse- she was *Aware* Of that too. 

As she began to lean close he had to throw up every wall he had, every defense, every shield and every ward. She came closer and closer and her scent caught him, it was the same as before and yet even in that sickly sweetness of death there was something more, something that rugged at him to pull him closer. He repeated in his head that she was a vampire, they were designed to lure in their victims. 

Her eyes so close to his, all he'd need to do was tilt his head forward a tiny bit and her ever inviting lips would be his, he could experience her tongue and then her arms and- 

"No." He said simply, rising so that he his chest pushed into hers and she would be forced to step back. They were still face to face- he didn't dare risk turning his head away to expose her neck. "If the agreement is set then you can leave tomorrow night. You'll have quite the journey ahead of you. You can keep what payment you've given for the month, your deposit will stay with the crew." It took all his effort but his face was the perfect and relaxed face of someone entirely uninterested in her proximity. Really he wanted to tear the entire room apart with her- but thoughts of the flesh were the easiest to ignore. It was the desire to sit and listen to more of her voice and get her to look at him with those gentle hidden gem of eyes once again that was killing him. He pushed the vial of his blood, now sealed and impossible to break open early- and stepped past her towards the door. 

"When I can.. I'll send pigeon to Marsalus. Reply if you find time." He said stiffly, resisting the urge to turn back towards her, to walk

Closer and have her face so close again just to breath her in.