Being Brave When All You Wanna Do Is Run - OPEN

"Yeah, it did seem to pass fairly quickly for me considering." Anya said smiling at his words as she wondered how old he was. "Sometimes with someone who's lived a long time things like that pass like the blink of an eye." She looked at him then froze at her own words knowing how it sounded. "I'm not calling you old though sir. I didn't mean it to sound like that, It's just I've never met a lot of vampires" She shut her mouth and knew that she would of blushed if she could. She felt so embarrassed by her words and felt like a child caught doing something their not allowed to.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Grimm, despite the circumstances of our meeting." Anya said as she watched him take out the IV then pack it up. Carefully she began to sit up, first she rested on her elbows for a minute then was able to sit up completely. She left her legs on the table just in case she felt woozy and ended up feinting on the vampire. Hearing his question she shrugged her shoulders and said, "I've tried tracking his scent but he evades my attempts at trying to talk to him. I know that means if I get closer to him that I'm signing my own death away. I have to know though, I have to know if why he chose me and why he wants me dead." Looking him her eyes anxious and hurt. "So far since I've been a vampire, it has felt more like a curse to me. I never know what I'm doing and If I'm going to live to see the next day. I'm scared, I've never been scared of what was out there until I was turned." Anya said her voice wavering slightly at her own words.

"Sometimes with someone who's lived a long time things like that pass like the blink of an eye." Orpheus smiled, ticking his head as though to say you're telling me. Her immediate rush to fix her phrasing caused a short laugh to escape Orpheus' lips, a laugh only used when trying to warm a potentially icy situation. "Don't mention it - I'm much older than you can imagine." He lifted an eyebrow, quirked a lip, and then lifted his glass to his lips, allowing the liquid to trickle down his throat, effectively putting any talk of his age to and end.

He watched her as she settled, gently appreciating her youthful form, though his paternal gaze did not betray this under-the-surface analyzing. The vampirism ensured he did not age normally, and that he had an unusual amount of strength and athleticism for a man who seemed fifty. Still, life had a way of even making near-immortality tiresome. It was all too bothersome, too monotonous.

As she spoke, he stood, his legs straightening up beneath him and carrying him across the room as he went to refill his glass of wine. "I'd offer you some," he explained, "but it's best you just let the blood work its way through your system unhindered by anything else." As he poured his wine, swirling to see the lighter glints that revealed the blood-infusion, he soaked in the words of this young vampire.

He had long needed an older female vampire to be a positive influence on Finn, to help her remain positive on her superiority. He had his chance. "I wonder..." he said, speaking carefully as he turned to look at her. "I have influences, contacts... Would you like assistance with your problem?"

Anya nodded and smiled softly knowing that she shouldn't mention his age at all. Hearing his laugh made her relax as she looked around the room. The she decided to see if she could put her legs over the edge of the table. Doing so she felt no dizziness or light-headed, smiling she stayed like that facing him fully. She watched the way he moved and thought that he moved with grace and agility but she made sure she wasn't looking when he turned around. Nodding at his explanation then began assessing everything her limbs without moving.

"I don't know much about being a vampire except what little information I heard. I know only the basics to help me survive. I was wondering if you could help me learn the rest," Anya said looking at him her voice steady and sure. "If of course it doesn't put you at any trouble. I don't want to be a burden on anyone I just want to know more about being one."

She listened to his question and thought about it as she bit her lip softly. "I don't want to hurt him I just want him gone and out of my life. I don't want to be hunted and constantly in fear of my life because someone will kill me otherwise." She bit her lip again then decided quickly, "Can your contacts just make him leave? I wanna be able to walk around without fear."

Orpheus finished off the wine and felt the rejuvinating powers of the blood-infused wine working its way through his system. It was his own design, and he was very proud of himself for having created such a strong strain. Not only was the wine itself impeccable, aged to perfection and the right amount of flavored with strong alcohol content, but the blood was absolutely pristine, harvested from young victims with hearty veins. He set the glass down and, when he turned away, one of his house elves appeared, gathered the glass, and then disapparated once again. Everything in Orpheus' life was pristine.

He approached Anya and held out a hand to take her wrist. When she complied, he set about checking her vitals, thinking she might be fully recovered. As he checked, he said, "I would be happy to intervene. I hope you don't mind but my curiosity is itching. I know most vampires in the country, and I cannot think of who might do this. I hope to entertain an audience with him, just to understand his methods. I am very protective of my people." He looked her in the eyes. "Would you be willing to permit that?"

(slight godmode, hope you don't mind. I can edit if you do)

Anya watched everything around her with curiosity and a slight bit of confusion. Seeing him finish his drink and seeing a house elf she cocked her head slightly. She hadn't seen many house elves so when seeing his she looked at it curiously. When he walked up to her she and he held her wrist checking her vitals she stayed absolutely still. Anya did wonder though how someone would get the vitals of a vampire if they were dead and didn't have a pulse.

"I don't mind at all, mine is also itching to know who it is. By all means, I don't want to harm him at all. I just don't want to be hunted any longer. My brother can probably give you the picture of him if it helps you in any way. I don't want anything to do with the man." Anya said softly looking back in his eyes. "Yes I will permit you to do that. I just want to be safe for once in my life and not have any fear." Then she began to wonder if he would be protective of her too but she pushed that thought from her head immediately. "I hope it isn't anyone you know, that would be horrible to know that of someone." She said softly knowing that it would be horrible of her if she knew that.

(No i don't mind )

((He's feeling her blood flow, just btw, not pulse. He's a very old vampire, so he has some tricks. haha))

Orpheus nodded, thinking it over. "We may need some items from you that have your scent on it, just to lure him out. To ensure we get him agitated so we can figure out exactly what is going on with him." He was formulating the plan. "And I don't want to hurt him either. Our blood is much too precious to be needlessly spilled. But if he's going to go around attacking our people, he may need to be neutralized. I have a daughter to think about, after all." And an agenda.

Her last sentence almost humored him. How ironic, as it was the very mantra of his life. Even his dear daughter didn't know the worst of him - though few did. Not yet. They didn't understand how very important it was that he carried out the business he had set out to do. There were always stronger races and weaker ones, and there always needed to be a ruler. Between humans and vampires, there was little question of who was more powerful.

He smiled at the woman, releasing her wrist. "All seems okay, though you may want to stay the night, just to ensure you get enough blood and you stay healthy. You are welcome here, and I'm sure my daughter would love the company. I'm afraid my business partner and I aren't suitable conversation partners for a fifteen year old."

Anya nodded at him saying they needed things with her scent. "Will that work though? Just the clothes?" She asked wondering if maybe she should suggest that she walk the street for a little bit. "Maybe if I walk near where he usually is but not close enough for him to grab me. You could follow just in case and then you can determine what you can about him. Would that work better? I don't think it's anyone he's attacking, it seems like he's only interested in coming after me." She said looking at him and she knew that it was the truth because his scent was only around her home.

Anya nodded at his logic and knew that if she returned to the apartment that he would come in. "Okay that sounds logical considering what happened to me already." She said as she slid off the table but kept her hands braced on it. Letting go she swayed slightly and decided to grab back on the table. "Guess my legs are still a little wobbly but that's understandable." Waiting until she was more steady she let go but didn't wobble at all. Breathing a sigh of relief hoping that her legs would continue to hold her up.

Just as Orpheus had hoped, she volunteered to be apart of the scheme. He had not wanted to put her in that position and think he was not concerned for her welfare, but he knew that the plan definitely had apparent holes in it when it was stated in plain language. "I definitely think that would work better," he said, tilting his head as he assented to the plan. "I didn't want to just put you in that position, but if you feel comfortable with it, I can assure you that no harm will come to you, and that we will be able to confront this problem head on."

Orpheus strode over to her and held out an arm for her to steady herself on. He led her out of the room and carefully steered her immediately to the right, so she would not continue down the hall deeper into the basement-dungeons. He led her up the stone stairs that would lead into the pantry and into his pristine, marble kitchen. As he did, a house elf appeared and Orpheus said, "Fetch Fiona, please."

He turned to Anya and smiled warmly. "Fiona will help you get situated. There's plenty of rooms. If you need anything, please let a house elf know." He smiled.

"I'm comfortable with being apart of this, I know of a few places that he might come. There's only one I know for certain that he will come to. It's my house, I know that he will come there without hesitation." Anya said looking at Orpheus. "I know that I'll be safe with you considering, you had all the chance in the world to end my life."

Taking his arm to steady herself so she wouldn't fall, she let him lead her upstairs. When they entered the kitchen her mouth dropped open. She fell in love with his kitchen immediately and took everything in. "Your kitchen is amazing. I love the marble, it's really pretty." She said remembering that her counter tops were not all that pretty more functional then anything.

Anya nodded at her words, "Thank you Orpheus for everything. You are very kind," She said smiling softly at him.