Letting off steam (Open)

He growled throwing a knife straight into the head of the dummy behind him, he didn't even need to look now. His senses had adapted to pick up all his surroundings without the need for site. Over the years his precision had become incomparable, he hadn't met anyone yet to rival his skills and he'd fought more than most.

"Stupid idiots." He spat sending another knife towards the dummy only this time landing right where it's heart should be. He'd just watched one of his friends die because of an apprentices mistake and now he was seriously annoyed. Of course the apprentice would suffer but he had to ask the queens permission to take the kids life and that he was not looking forward to. Every time he was around her he just couldn't bring himself to say no, not that he could anyway but it would be nice to know he could if he had the option.

He sighed and threw himself into a chair his head hidden in one of his hands.

Nerissa had heard something that she was not pleased with, she heard that one of the older vampires had been killed because of an apprentices mistakes...and that made her blood boil she wanted to skin the imbecile right this second.

Something else that annoyed her was that Sterling had not done so himself, walking into the chamber Nerissa looked at Sterling with a hard quality in her eyes.

"Sterling, it's nice to see you again."

Nerissa got the feeling that he didn't like her as much as she would have liked because he didn't like her switching personas on him, so she got closer to where he sat and knelt down right by his face so that she could see him right up close.

"So...I heard about Knight..."

He glanced up at the sound of anothers entrance and sighed. She really wasn't someone he wanted to talk to right now. When he was around her he didn't know if he was coming or going. "Hello Nerissa." He frowned watching as she made her way over to kneel beside him.

"Don't... I really don't want to talk about this right now." He said looking around for some blood, he always craved it when he fought about battles.

Nerissa giggled darkly and stood up letting herself turn into mist and she reappeared leaning on one of the pillars with her leg extended out, smiling she put it down and ran her hand through her hair staring at him, getting the measure of his mood.

"Awwwwww Sterlings all grumpy. Mr. Grumpy gills."

Smirking she held up a bag of o negative and wiggles it around in the air, a patient smirk on her face as she waited for him to ask for it or come to get it.

"O negatives your favourite am I correct?"

He frowned, he really wasn't in the mood for one of her games. "I have just watched the closest thing i had to a friends get killed right before my eyes and there was nothing i could do to save him. So forgive me if i don't play your little games." He moaned sitting back in his chair with his eyes closed. All he felt like doing was sleeping but he'd never leave himself unprotected in her presence.

He growled his fangs extending with his thirst. "You are correct, now are you going to give me some?" He asked holding his hand out for it.

Nerissa looked hurt, opening her mouth and clasping her hand over her heart as she did so, she wasn't pleased that he wasn't playing along with her games, pouring she folded her arms across her chest she let the blood dangle from her finger.

"Oh, not nice. Especially when im the one with something you want."

Jiggling the blood bag Nerissa smirked, moving over to him and stroking Sterlings cheek as she passed him.

"I only wanted to ask you a question Sterling..."

Nerissa tossed the blood to him and watched as he caught it, biting her lip as she gave the blood away she nibbled on her own blood bag and sipped from it carefully.

He sighed resting his head back on his hands. Now he'd set her off. He's most likely end up going mad at her or leaving in less then an hour no matter how hard he tried to keep calm. "Not nice? I've just spent... you know what it doesn't matter." He frowned shaking his head.

He turned his head to the side away from her hand. "A question? What question would this be?" He asked catching the bag of blood and giving it a quick sniff to make sure it was pure before deciding to drink it.

"What do you want to know?" He asked hopefully it would keep her quiet if he kept her happy.

Nerissa smiled more sincerely, she knew what it was like to loose a friend which is why she wasn't happy with Sterling for not punishing him like he should have done, like a proper vampire. Turning to most again and reappearing sitting cross legged at the bottom of his chair.

"Well! If you're not going to finish something you're going to say why say it to begin with hmmmm? Just makes one...curious."

A large smirk grew on her face and Nerissa knelt up looking at Sterling with a cute little puppy dog pout on her face which hopefully wouldn't get her killed.

"2 questions actually..."

Nerissa whispered into his ear:

"Why didn't you kill him Sterling?"

He frowned. "Well i intended to finished when i started but changed my mind mid sentence. That is allowed you know it's not against the law not to finish your sentence." He said he felt the need to clear that up to stop further questions.

He rolled his head and sighed. "Fine what do you wanna know?" He asked closing his eyes and he rested his head on his hand. It seemed to weigh a ton recently, maybe he was just over due some sleep.

"Kill who the apprentice? I can't kill my own kind without the permission of our Queen you know that." He sighed, he wasn't usually one to follow the rules on these occasions but he needed to show the Queen she could trust him.

Nerissa touched her hand to Sterling and drew it away quickly blowing on it as if to tell him that he was too touchy too hot for her to say anything to. Smiling a little bit she nodded her head, inspecting her nails as she waited.

"I know, I was just curious."

Smirking she nodded her head again, resting her finger on Sterlings nose as she spoke these next few words:

"Me thinks you're only bothered because you want the Queen to give you a smooch well done."

Nerissa snickered and leant in close to ask the second question: "Speaking of which, could you guys have been any louder last night?!" laughing hard she dances swiftly away from Sterling in case he decided to lash out at her for that remark.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Always with the theatrics with you Nerissa, you never change which is kind of ironic don't you think?" He smirked rubbing his forehead, he just didn't feel right for some reason. He couldn't be sick because that was impossible. He took a deep breath and shrugged it off looking back up at Nerissa.

"Being a council member means you are the roll model of those younger and less experience than you. I'm just setting an example by following the rules, you should try it sometime." He said gently taking her finger from his nose.

He smirked and covered his mouth. "I don't know what you're talking about." He smiled before giving out a little cough to clear his throat. "So what you been up to these past 20 years? Time flies by when at war." He asked changing the subject.

Nerissa gasped and threw her hand to her head in a wounded gesture, pouting her lips out she moved from her hiding place by the pillar in order to walk back closer to Sterling, tilting her head to one side she smirked as she walked, he too hadn't changed much.

"And you Sterling as battlehardened as ever I see, time hasnt sweetened you."

Laughing out loud Nerissa shook her head as she continued to laugh so much that she doubled over with the pain, all of a sudden she stood up seriously and looked sternly at Sterling

"I take my job very seriously thank you and I don't appreciate your comments."

Then, almost as if going back to normal Nerissa snapped out of it and laughed some more, pretending to cry with the words Sterling spoke trying to steer her away from the subject?

"You seem a little anxious to stay away from that subject, I know you like her." she crooned "Nothing much, abducting hunters is my game now, manipulating them to kill weres until they have served their usefulness."

He smiled knowing that would get her started, after all it was like questioning her power. "War doesn't change. I would be a shamed of myself if I had, being the holder of the war and destruction crystal practically makes me war. So no changing for me, unless it's to adapt to the battle at hand." He smiled.

He chuckled. "Tone it down a little would you? I think it's giving me headache trying to keep up with your mood swings." He smiled then shrugged. "I never said you didn't but there's a difference between taking your job seriously and setting an example."

"Whether i like her or not it makes no difference, i have a job to do and i intend to do it to her satisfaction." He said pulling out another knife to spin around in his hand. "Hunters? They would sure make the hunting and abducting fun seeing as they would be hunting you in turn." He nodded. "The wolves do need disposing off so keep up the good work, they can't declare war on us if it's not actually us doing the killing and they'll have a hard job proving we just the hunters up to it." He smiled, liking her plan.

Nerissa laughed a mix between a cold cruel laugh and her bubbly one of before, more like a giggle, shaking her head she looked on at him as she thought about what was going on in his head, of course he changes however small. People always change.

"You think that Sterling, but as the holder of the crystal of change I see everything and although your mood to me hasn't changed you have in some ways."

Smirking she shook her head slowly:

"This is who I am Sterling, no doubt I will change in a few minutes though so ask me again later."

Nerissa winked after this and chuckled a little as she heard what Sterling said, although it may seem obvious to him that he liked the Queen, it was also obvious to everyone else. Shaking her head again she gasped and pretended to cry when he criticised her.

"Hey I am offended! I take my job seriously I do I do! Don't think I don't for one moment young man because I'll not have that!"

He sighed. "I know i've changed Nerissa but i've changed for the better. I'm not as reckless anymore." He said he had something to live for now, before he hated what he was. He'd lost everything for this life and he used to wish all the time that he could go back and stop this happening to him.

He smiled. "I know it is but i can't help but wish you'd stay the same at least whilst we're talking. I can't keep up with your multiple personalities it's all confusing, especially when you've spent awhile away from you. You have to restart getting used to it again." He said rubbing his forehead.

He nodded. "So you do. I'm never here long enough to judge, there's always some war to be fought and i'm the man to fight them." He smiled before letting out a little laugh. "Wow i've not heard that directed at me in hundreds of years." He smirked.

Nerissa for the first time in this conversation smiled warmly at Sterling at least he accepted that he had changed now, and indeed he had changed for the better that she could tell, the Queens love was doing him good and she hoped for her friends sake he kept her favour.

"I can see your changes, I just wanted you to know that you had changed, rather than the whole matcho man I am war I don't change blah blah blah."

Pulling her Tongue at him Nerissa shrugged her shoulders and wondered when he would get used to her again.

"Sorry old bean I am who I am at the spur of the moment you should learn to get used to me again."

Nerissa sat down next to Sterling and sighed a little bit always the war with this guy? It was getting to be rather boring because it was everytime they spike. And they spoke a lot.

"Well I'm one of the only ones who can get away with saying it to you aren't I?"

He laughed. "War is always changing you should you know that." He smirked. "It was a test, im constantly changing to adapt to the times." He shrugged. "War is all i know so it's easier to talk about. Just as you could take non stop about change."

He nodded. "I guess i will, i don't think i'll be going anywhere anytime soon. I'm needed by our Queens side now i am her warrior." He smiled then frowned remembering the argument he'd had with the wolf queen, he was banned from doing anything with the Queen that didn't involve his warrior duties.

He smirked. "I guess you are yes grandma." He chuckled.

"Nerissa? Can i ask you a question?" He asked not sure on how she would answer.

Nerissa waved her hand in the air and sighed softly, test or no test it was really Sterling who was under the test really, she was accepted as both mad and clever at the same time and she hoped that he would learn that he wasn't as invincible as he thought.

"You being crafty are you? Testing me in secret? Well you should know my answers change."

Pulling tongues at Sterling Nerissa waved her hand in the air again placing a bored look on her face:

"And you do talk about war, at great length, everytime we meet for at least 2 hours straight it does get dreadfully boring."

Ever so slightly impressed by Sterlings new position but not surprised in the least Nerissa clapped her hands emphatically to show that she was happy for him, after all he had pines over her a while. Now he finally had her.

"Congratulations on your new post."

Nerissa shrugged her shoulders and smirked lightly:

"You have just done so but I will permit one more question."

He smiled. "Well someones got to and i don't think the others dare. I think they're scared that they might get the Nerissa that will stab them through the heart for even thinking about testing you. I on the other hand can get away with it seeing as we're old friends." He smiled.

"I know but it's nice to know at least one of those answers before it changes." He smiled. "Well i am sorry but some of us stick with the same thing. We can't all change like you. War is a drug once you've got a taste you are addicted for life unless you have the crystal of changed like you." He smirked.

He smiled and bowed his head. "Thank you, its like a dream come true. But if someone were in your bad books what would you like them to do to get out of it?" He asked, it was killing him not being able to touch Rebecca. He craved to feel her skin against his but he couldn't break his oath and not follow an order.

Nerissa gasped and put her hand on her chest, looking at Sterling indignantly while she kept up the facade of hurt, of course she had indeed stabbed many people through the heart, but not for asking her impertinent questions, they got much worse.

"I am hurt! Totally totally hurt! When have I ever?!"

Grinning and shrugging her shoulders Nerissa thought about just so much she did change, and regretted for a moment using the crystal too much when she first got it.

"No, no you can't all change like me? But is that really so bad? Ah these are questions for another day I think, another time and another asker...maybe even another answerer."

Not fully aware of what she was doing Nerissa shook her head and cleared it of the thoughts that for so little a time fluttered around her head, biting her lip she wondered why he was asking her that question but leant against the pillar thoughtfully.

"What would I do? Well I would try and do something meaningful for them, something personal they would like, what troubles you friend?"

He smiled. "You might not have stabbed any one yet but the others arent going to test it just in case the stabby Nerissa comes out. You must admit it could happen. Even you don't know who your going to be next do you?" He asked pulling out a knife to throw at the dummy when he wanted to but right now he balanced the point on his finger.

"Well no i dont want to change, i like who i am now. I think i've changed enough in the past 200 years to last me for a while." He raised an eyebrow. "Another time then." He said throwing the knife into the dummies neck.

He nodded he thought so but he had no idea what he could do. He's loved her for just under half his life yet he was only just now getting to know her, the real her. He sighed and decided to tell her, he had nothing to lose. "I disrespected the wolf Queen after she threaten to have my head and now im in our Queens bad books." He frowned, he'd better not tell her about his punishment he wasn't sure whether the Queen would want them public or not.

"I need a way to make it up to her."

Nerissa shook her head and chuckled, that indeed was true she didn't know who she was going to be enxt and she just hoped she was bale to stay her serious self for Sterling while he needed her to be there for him. After that she could go crazy and be whoever she wanted to be.

"No no I don't know who I am going to become next, but isn't that the beauty of my company, you have a conversation with many not just one person."

Sighing as she looked at the knife on Sterlings fingertip and chuckled softly, he was such a show off when it came to war and weapons, pretty much like he was all the time, Nerissa came to the conclusion that Sterling liked to show off...not like it was a bad thing he was good at the things he was showing off about.

"Like it or not Sterling you will change, in small ways, small ways you may not even realise."

The struggle with which Sterling told her his misdeeds Nerissa sighed and felt a sort of sadness about the punishment that he had recieved from the Queen. Thinking hard for a moment and holding her hand up to signal him not to speak she suddenly clicked her fingers and pointed at Sterling.

"You must find the knife!"