CONFESSIONS OF A VAMPIRE PRIEST

The night before we said goodbye

Half a year or so had passed.

The assault against Hurask was just around the corner, but it wasn't Ravina's style to show her insecurities on the surface. Rather, she hosted an extravagant festivity to boost morale. It amazed me how magnetic her personality was. The once somber and brooding crewmembers became a lively bunch, cheering and singing as more and more drinks were passed around. Zed had been acclimating well, and Eldaren's maturing disposition forged a smoother transition for Zed. They got along well. It was as if they had known each other on a much more intimate level than colleagues. Chance was gambling with some of the crew, and I indulged in a copious consumption of alcohol.

I think what made the experience even better was having Ixi's fixation. While we both socialized with other members of the crew, there was no subtlety in our attraction to each other. I was still shocked over what had happened with Lucille, but it was comforting being around Ixi. We exchanged stories about our wild adventures, and she would throw an arm around me, pulling me closer. Discussing our mutual heartbreak concerning what happened with Lucille was... cathartic. I hadn't expressed the pain to anyone else.

At some point, I was walking on the water while carrying her as if she were my bride. Having her naked, blue body against mine, her toned, athletic ass in one hand and her slender torso in another, made my heart run. We gazed at the millions of stars shimmering in the cosmos.

Her aquamarine hair fluttered with the breeze. She whispered in my ear that she missed me.

"We should catch up more in my room," she said, her lips lightly brushing against my ear. "Just the two of us," and she caressed my face, cupping my cheek and redirecting my gaze so that my eyes would meet hers. Admittedly, it felt a bit odd since her fingers ended in squid tentacles, but I quickly became lost in her eyes. The way her eyes shimmered like pools of moonlight entranced me.

Ixi drew me in for a kiss--

--And then she turned to the side and threw up, "Sorry," she said, retching a bit more. "I had a little... too much."

"You okay?" I asked her as I made my way to the shoreline.

"A lot better now that I threw up," and then she pointed to a window on Ravina's ship. "Could you air walk us from here? That window leads to my room. We can slip out of this party and enjoy some quality one-on-one time."

I did as she asked. I channeled the necessary magic and ascended towards her room. We couldn't both fit at once, so I held her as she slipped through. I followed after. When we entered, Ixi said, "My destiny awaits. Every moment of my life, every hardship I've endured has been leading up to this war," she cuddled against me and laid her head on my chest, her hair draping over her eyes. "Failure is not an option, Khain. If I don't do this, everything will cease to exist. I don't even know what I'm fighting against... and I don't even know if we can win against this thing... but I know that I have to win," and then she looked at me with those deep blue eyes. "I would appreciate it if you could help me with this."

"Of course, I will," I said. "I'll always do everything in my power to help you," and I brushed her hair back, tucking it behind her ears so I could see more of her face. Our gaze met, and at that moment, we were able to see everything about each other. Was it our traumatic lives that allowed us to connect on such a fundamental level? Could it have been part of our respective destinies? Or maybe it was something as simple and complex as a mutual understanding of each other?

I had concluded at that moment that it was all of the above.

"We may both die soon," Ixi said. "I would like to live a longer and more fulfilled life, but realistically... I might not get that chance..."