Rikter gave pause for just a few seconds, thinking about how best to explain matters. “The other vampires want you dead … at least some of them do or they wouldn't have sent the assassins. Only my brother needs to be dealt with. The others will become free willed and while some might think to use you in their schemes it will be far too late at that stage.”

If he had meant that she would be awakened by that point he did not say though it was implied. “Things may get a bit hectic, even intense, at least for a night then everything will settle down.”

He did not explain matters in depth returning to a more relaxed state. They traveled from that tower, the forest growing more visible in the distance prompting him to address their recent ordeal once again. “If you are worried about life returning to normality keep in mind that Adalstan's brood is spread throughout Europe. Most will return back home only here for their get together at his command.

“You will be protected, I can attest to that. It may still be a few days to get this all sorted out so think of this as a mini vacation. Sadly we'll have to rough it since there was no time to really grab much and our things were taken to our next destination or what would have been next after the tower.”

They would have to make due more or less. At the forest Rikter seemed to study the terrain, search for signs and advance further resting at one stage. He had a good deal of energy, despite his wound that he insisted was healing but he did wish to locate a lake or river to clean up at first.

“Afterward we'll search for some shelter if that's alright with you. I have a feeling about this place from what I read myself at the tower.”

She found his words only moderately reassuring. Only his brother needed to be dealt with, he said. Did that mean he intended to kill him? Was it really that simple? Would killing Adalstan even be simple? Surely Rikter would have done it before now if it was an easy feet. His brother was either too strong for him or his conscience had been. She didn't voice her questions aloud though. She was afraid she didn't want to hear the answers. All she said was, "I hope you are right..."

She followed him the rest of the way into the forest in pensive silence. He said they would have to rough it tonight, sleeping out under the stars with hardly any provisions. She found the idea less than desirable but she didn't complain. It wasn't as though they really had a choice. He suggested that they clean up by the river and she agreed. She had been wearing the same clothes for two days and traveling through a sewer, a graveyard and now a forest had left her feeling more than a little bedraggled. Still, she was aware that Rikter was still healing so, once they reached the river, she asked him if he needed any help. "I'm not a healer of any kind but if you need help cleaning because of your injuries..." Even if he was a fast healer the injury was bound to still be bothering him. "Can you take off your shirt without hurting yourself? I can help..." She had been reaching out to help him out of his shirt then seemed to realize how forward she was being and blush. "Ummm... that is, if you'd like.... I understand if you don't want me to..."

He grinned as she caught herself like the other day. His back was sore and despite being able to manage the garment it would have been way easier with assistance and he was not about to knock aside any from her. His motivations had differed from his brother, she had not been a pawn in any scheme he had.

What he had planned had been something he would discuss with her if the time had been right, and it was for her benefit, not his. He did not let that awkwardness set in for more then that acknowledging grin. “If you wouldn't mind.”

The shirt would be no good. It was bloody and had a hole in it now. Nell would find that the wound wasn't as big as she expected. Through his back, through a lung and out of his chest. Both wounds were smaller then a coin but the circumference of blood around each showed that it had been larger.

There were a few grunts he made when shifting this way or that as the shirt had been removed. The blood on him was dry and there was a bit of a awkward pause on his part before he smiled. “I would help you but you know,” he grinned indicating the difficulty he had with his own shirt. It seemed to her he was more sore then anything seeing that the wounds were closing. There was no scabbing at all since the healing process was quick and there would be no wound left by the end of things. To heal this rapidly after a punctured lung was amazing, even a short time after incurring it he was able to fight off two assassins.

"That's probably for the best..." She said casually as she gently wiped the dry blood around his still closing hole in his back with the cleaner parts of his ruined shirt. She had to wet it in the river first and it was cool on his tender skin. Her hands were soft though and she was being careful not to press too hard. "My gown is a tad more complicated than your shirt and a good deal less comfortable. If you helped me out of it I might not be able to convince myself to put it back..." She stopped again, eyes widening when she released what she was saying.

Oh God, had she really just said that. She was thankful that she was behind him this time so he couldn't see her blushing again. She had to stop doing that. "Ah, right... I'm afraid I'm stuck with this gown for one more night in any case. Umm... are you going to be warm enough tonight without your shirt?" Could immortals catch cold? She wondered as she stared at his bare back. She had remembered needing to cuddle against him for warmth last night in the crypt. He'd seemed plenty warm then but he'd had a shirt and no injuries to heal. Plus, they'd been sheltered from the wind and weather. "Even if the weather holds we are probably going to need a fire. Otherwise it's going to be a very chilly night."

Of course he did not miss what she said. He even turned his head to glance over his shoulder but was unable to get a good look at her. So he faced away again. “Who says you have to put it back on? Unlike me I guess you can freeze to death. I can freeze to death too, I just don't stay dead as soon as my body warms up I come back.”

He answered her question either he was kidding or he revealed that he could be hampered by it. Immortality could be hampered, he died and came back but there were all sorts of things that could be done to slow or hamper the process. Like being chained to a rock and dumped in a lake coming back to die, by the hint she got if true he wouldn't keep coming back to die but come back when conditions improved.

“I'll manage. There's a cave not too far from here if I remember right. My memory served us to get to this point. We'll have to gather up some wood but we'll have a fire. My memory of the map I looked at is good enough at least it has been thus far. It's not the best weapon for it but that pistol will allow me a chance t hunt, I'm not sure though since I'd have to get closer.”

He was warm to the touch. A bit sore but good. She managed to clean most of the blood away with his shirt and she could see that he was no longer bleeding despite the open wound. Almost as if his body diverted blood from the region as it repaired itself.

“I'm not really good at the survival stuff, setting fire without the means, hunting and fishing. I can memorize things quicker, at least images, so ...”

He paused, turned around and faced her. “It may come down to body heat.” He grinned apparent that he was harping on what she said earlier despite the soreness he endured.

She felt her blush spreading at his suggestion. She'd be lying if she said the idea of sharing body heat with this gorgeous, half naked man didn't excite her. She stared at the wide, muscular expanse of his bare chest and felt herself smiling. Oh well, if he was going to flirt too then why should she be embarrassed about it. She met his gaze and asked playfully, "You've lived as long as you have and learned nothing about starting fires?"

He picked up on the delay and where her eyes lingered. Returning her smile with a smile it could have been arrogant on his part or playful but in either case he allowed her to decide which. “Oh, you know that I'm pretty good at setting fires. Just not those sorts of fires.”

He took half a step toward her not needing to go far. Strong hands set upon her hips, his eyes cast into her own as his face moved closer to her own, closer still but slow enough where she could draw away. His hold had not been particularly strong either. Whether his thoughts had been on just a kiss or beyond that had been impossible to say, not that they had ever really been in an ideal condition for long. There was a sewer, a crypt and the best one of all a forest. Briefly their was a carriage and tower.

She felt her heart rate pick up as he closed the distance between them but she did not move away nor stop him when his hands settled on her hips. She was curious to see what he intended to do next. She quirked a brow at his answer and shifted her gaze from his eyes to his lips. "I know you ignite a flame but can you tend to it? It would be very irresponsible to just leave it burning without quenching it."

They were no longer speaking about setting fires in a typical sense. “I think so. It has been some time since I got to practice but you never truly forget.” The lifestyle of a vampire hunter had to make it tough to form any sort of lasting bonds it appeared. A family and such did not seem likely under normal circumstances but with a fellow hunter or huntress pending one's preference an unusual bond could form.

Unless he had meant to imply life prior to his role as a hunter. Whatever the case he did conclude with a kiss, his lips finding her own. His hands remained there on her hips as his lips traced against her own. There was no tongue but neither was their any hurry to brake that kiss either. It was quite clear that he was waiting on her instead of taking such bold steps himself or had been slowly working up to it.

She didn't shy away from his kiss but raised up slightly to meet it. It was remarkably gentle. Perhaps he was afraid to push her. She broke from the kiss and frowned up at him. "We shall be at it all night if that is how you nourish your fires." She hadn't realised the duel meaning one could take from her words. She simply meant to goad him into kissing her more passionately. "I'm not a schoolgirl, Rikter. You don't need to be afraid of overwhelming me."

He took her words with a smile. Hands still upon her hips he worked her back until she could go no further. Being a forest there had been no shortage of trees. He winced a few times as he moved mainly when lifting his left arm up but he didn't mind. Having her against that tree he kissed her again, stronger then before.

While his left hand remained still his right brushed up then down her side. His tongue even advanced this time into her mouth playing with her own. By the time his kiss broke his hand lifted high enough to brush against the curve of her left breast briefly before dashing back down. It may have even seemed that that contact was accidental if it had not been for the way he was gazing at her, gauging a reaction but not stopping. His hand moved back up from her hip a little slower. Unless she stopped him his target would be reached where he once more made contact with her breast.

This time for longer, his contact deliberate as he moved in for another kiss. Only this time when he broke it his face remained close to her own. “I meant what I said earlier about getting this off … well not without ruining it and seeing that or options for clothing are a bit scarce ...”

Again he watched her, read her, his hand remaining there and even daring to give her a bit of a squeeze.

He seemed to take her at her word as he pinned her up against a tree before bending to give her a real kiss. She found it terribly erotic, the dominance of the gesture. It was different than thrall that Adalstan had over her. This arousal was real and even when Rikter took control and moved her where he wanted her, she still felt safe. Like she could trust surrendering to him.

She felt his hands on her hips. His good hand crept upward as he slipped his tongue into her mouth and she moaned approvingly. She returned the kiss, greeting her tongue with his. His fingers brushed the curve of her breast and she felt her nerves drawing tight in anticipation.

Then, suddenly his hand was gone and he was pulling away from her. She lifted her hands to grip his arms, afraid he'd withdraw completely. She shot him a pleading look, as though begging him not to stop. He seemed to read her meaning and returned to kissing her. His hands began to travel to her breast again, slower now as though waiting for her to stop him. When she didn't he cupped her breast through her dress and she moaned again. Just as she was starting to think that a kiss would no longer be enough for her he broke it again and warned her about the danger to her dress.

"Oh, to Hell with the dress!" She breathed in exasperation and need. "I never liked it anyway."

He considered her statement for a tick, perhaps weighing practicality against desire but it didn't take long for him to reach a decision. His head bobbed once in a nod, his hand slid away from her breast moving toward her shoulder where he took a handful of that cloth, jerked his hand back quickly and tore enough to get a good opening making matters easier for him.

Reaching into the garment he worked her breast free, bending down he let his tongue dash against the nipple a few times before he drew what he could of it into his mouth sampling it with an alteration of deep and gentle sucks, his eyes gazing to her face studying the results.

It was about that time she realized that his left hand wasn't as bad off as she had thought. It ached when lifted beyond a certain height. It drifted lower down her leg before gripping a fistful of her dress hiking it up bit by bit.

He needed his other hand now and that came down from her breast after he had guided it to his lips. It first moved to the left side of her dress. It took a bit more effort, he was attempting to tare it presumably so she would have an easier time widening her stance. He had been unable to tare it much so instead his hand drifted beneath it, caressing her inner thigh as it climbed higher and higher with the same speed he had used as he advanced toward her breast earlier.

The only real difference now was that he was attacking that breast, soft nips to her nipple followed by the swish of his tongue then a suckle repeating the process all over again.

His fingers traced against the edge of her panties running along them, resetting then paused for a moment before those tips began to creep beneath ...

She watched him as he took the meager swathe of material passing for a shoulder strap and bit her lip in anticipation as he ripped it. This was actually happening. She was letting an strange immortal man she barely knew seduce her in the woods. He freed one of her breasts from her dress and lowered his head to feast upon it. She gasped and gripped his shoulder with one hand and braced herself against the tree behind her with the other. She was not oblivious to the workings his left hand as he inched her skirts up on one side. She could feel the workings of his muscles under her hand and the erotic brush of material brushing up her thigh but she didn't stop him. Instead she closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of his hot, wet mouth working her nipple.

His suckling grew rougher and her breath caught as sooner than she had expected his other hand was joining the first in gathering her skirt. She felt him trying in vain the tear the copious fabric there and then grow impatient with them and simply dove his hand under her skirts to find her bare skin. Her breath grew ragged as his hands slowed again and teased her with maddeningly slow caresses just inches below where she wanted them. He nipped her breast with his teeth and she let out a tiny yelp. This seemed to gratify him because he continued to pepper her soft mound with little love bites. She squirmed and then froze as his finger tips grazed her panties. She held her breath, waiting and wanting until she felt the material lift and his fingers slip inside her underwear. "God yes..." She panted, already aching for his touch.

He gazed up from her breast as she exclaimed. Rikter refrained from braking away from it, still sucking, possibly grinning but it was impossible to tell with that orb in the way. Seconds afterward she felt that warm contact of flesh against flesh as his finger skimmed along the slit of her sex. Up then down, it was as if he were painting a fence.

Then after a small moment his wet finger pressed against her clit rolling over it one way then the other. Her skirt was dropped falling over the forearm of his arm. The other hand soon joining the first beneath those panties. While one played with her clit the other paid more attention to her sex. Soon enough it set against the entrance just as he released her breast from his mouth.

She may have thought he had paused to ask permission to proceed but that had not been the case. His lips returned to her own, two of his fingers pressing forth inside her, nice and slow taking his time at least at first, allowing her to get use to those fingers first. They quickened gradually as did his rotating finger against her clit.

His tongue finding it's way inside her mouth again, finding her own to share in this dance. By this stage his fingers had been half way inside her. Each plunge took them deeper. Each had been varied too, trying new angles, seeing which seemed to work best for her as he deciphered all stimuli.

When his lips finally left her own he grinned though his fingers had not left her still working inside her. His eyes flicked to the low hanging branches of a nearby tree. Then returning to her again. “You think you can do one pull up? You don't even need to do a full one, more like half a one.”

It beat the forest floor he ventured, not that he minded a bottom position if it came to that.