MxF MxF - FxF - Original - Romance - 10/11 new ideas

[Hiro_]

CURRENTLY SEEKING A ROLEPLAY
I really want to do role-plays with some of my OC's I have a lot of blank designs. It'd be nice.


What I'm looking for

A partner that takes their time with responses, I don't want something that seems rushed.

Quality over quantity is important.

Feel free to add twists or extra things not included in the main plot as long as it goes with the story.

One who can contribute otherwise I will quit the play/plotting.

I will not start an rp without some plotting into the start and world building.

I am not a frequent poster. Be ok with that.

About me
Romance plz.
I enjoy romances and angst/dramatic/dark themes, occasional fluff.
I am mainly a medieval/fantasy roleplayer but I have been spreading out lately into some modern themes. I do enjoy a certain level of realism in my plots, such as the physics.
Based in EST, I am a [Switch] who is proficient in strict dom's as well. Not that I usually have a choice, I'm always the dom, but if you're willing to let me sub I'll be the best damn sub ever.
I do not stick to one dynamic usually, I go where the story takes me.
I am driven by how captivating a character's personality is and how you write them, together.
I am also super driven by how interesting the story plot. I will wait a year for a good story.
I also occasionally draw stuff from RPS when I'm not being lazy.


I will NOT use real face claims and please do not send me random intro posts.

FLIST

I want to plot rps for some of my ocs
OC's
Stella
Inaba

Pairings
Demon / any
Siren / Human
Royalty / Any
Mage / Any
Knight / Enemy
Noble / Barbarian
Dragon / Any
Naga / Any
Orc / Any


****I am very fond of high fantasy or medieval fantasy,
Advanced cultural utopia's/Eden's, Victorian or turn of the century Edwardian settings.

Other things I like
Unrequited love / angst / drama / thriller / falling for the enemy / sadomasochism / blood-play / hatemance[love-hate] / dragons / tainting-corruption / ancient civilizations-era's / medieval fantasy / mafia / shifters



If you hit me up for an rp, please make sure you know what you want before hand or at least an idea, just hitting me up saying you wanna rp but giving me nothing to work with does not work for me and I WILL Ignore you.


Basic plots and ideas

IDEA
"Wait! Don't leave." She said softly. "I'm tired of being alone."

IDEA
He smelled of cologne, magic, some unknown spice, and a musk that had an undertone of man.

IDEA
He can resist her bite, but can he resist her charms.

IDEA
Magical Wild West

IDEA
Indigenous/Native inspired Orc's

IDEA
A dragon that grows bored of its horde.

IDEA
I would like to explore being a vampire who turns a human.

IDEA
A Sculptor that slowly falls in love with his model over time, though barely a word is shared.
OR
Artists whose sculptures come to life.

IDEA
Vampire who hates the taste of blood.

IDEA
A blood-doll unaware of their genetic trait gets trafficked into vampire society.

IDEA
Omegaverse-y vibes
Vampire is in the wrong place at the wrong time and accidentally crosses into werewolf territory and finds their fated mate.

IDEA
An archaeologist on a dig comes across an sealed coffin and inside is a secret still alive.

IDEA
"I've traded halo's for your name," He said into her ear, his voice low, the sound smooth. "Now you're mine."

IDEA
A villager who happens upon the wounded Dragon decides to take care of him, forming a friendship with the creature.

IDEA

Spoiler

A tactless mage[or other] is living in an overgrown cathedral.

A highly secretive group of mages lives in an abandoned and overgrown cathedral, tending to the grounds to keep up its haggard appearance and casting magic behind crumbling walls. Someone raised in this environment ventures into town only to witness some terrible act or unwittingly escape the destruction of the mages' home. She returns to find the cathedral in ruins, and something missing from its depths.

IDEA

Spoiler

"It is foggy. All the doors in the village are shut and covered in wards. An elderly sorcerer mutters incomprehensibly as a villager lays him against the door of a nearby home."

IDEA

Spoiler

Those who can effectively wield magic are few and far between, as the practice has fallen into disuse. Those who remain are required to keep the peace and defend the town, but it is impossible to keep people safe when you don't know what lurking outside.

IDEA

Spoiler

"It is foggy. All the doors in the village are shut and covered in wards. An elderly sorcerer mutters incomprehensibly as a villager lays him against the door of a nearby home."

IDEA

Spoiler

Those who can effectively wield magic are few and far between, as the practice has fallen into disuse. Those who remain are required to keep the peace and defend the town, but it is impossible to keep people safe when you don't know what lurking outside.

On the run

Spoiler

The last surviving member of his order of riders he now lives as a weak mage, if he could even be called one. Living in a conquered country where dragons and mages are either killed or captured he spends his days in isolation, save for a chance encounter with a dragon who forces a bond. Finding himself restored with magic and stronger than he was before both go on the run together, if either of them get found out they'll be caught and processed.

Trading Luxury

Spoiler

A xenophobic nation that sparingly lets in outsiders is surrounded by rumors of miracles birthed from its mystery. A flourishing nation of trade known well in the world, wanting to establish a route/contract with the mysterious country, sets up diplomatic relations; their goods in exchange for the nations trust.

Devouring you [smut]

Spoiler

There is a legend of the Gagoze, a demon who attacks priestesses and devours them to gain more power.
Choosing a fresh youth among those new to the title of priestess he kidnaps one with great power and takes her to his hold, a place deep within the mountain forests.

Language of Us

Spoiler

He cared for that lighthouse and lived a solitary life. One day as he was gazing off in the distance daydreaming he saw a woman floating far beyond the shoreline, but as soon as he blinked the woman was gone. Though he thought nothing of this, for a time it was once again still. He spent his day taking care of the lighthouse and tending to the beacon, but his nights were spent in restless slumber as the sea called to him in his dreams and pulled him into its chilly embrace. When he woke his clothes were soaked, his body sore, and sandy footprints across his floor.

Blackmail is delicious

Spoiler

The king stopped sending mercenaries to his lair; frustrated, the dragon decides to kidnap the king's daughter as blackmail because it is the fastest way for the king to send more snacks.

Debt Owed

Spoiler

She pretended to be a soldier, sneaking by to get to him, her heart pounding in her ears. She made it though and slipped inside his home. She was coming to warn him, to let the mage know what was coming, that death was marching straight towards him. It was risky coming here, but she had no choice. He had been kind to her and she felt like she owed him.

For King and Country

Spoiler

His lands pillaged and his people slaughtered. He once lived in a booming kingdom now despoiled. A prince/knight fought his last battle for King and Country fighting bravely. Left blood soaked and abandoned dying amidst the freshly deceased; awash in a sea of blood and flame. At the hour when the prince/knight should breathe his last breath "a demon of death" appears before him. A dark figure with a single offer, and no quarter for negotiation. The prince/knight's life in exchange for revenge.

The Princess' Guard

Spoiler

[This world has animal shifters. Dual forms]
A crown Princess survived another assassination attempt by a deadly foe, it was growing more frequent. Out of fear of his life the king assigns a top general to guard and protect him.

The Unassuming

Spoiler

He would often travel through the village on the outskirts of the local kingdom, his mighty orc form would always look regal, a knight on his valiant steed. Sometimes he would stop to stay during his travels, making familiar with the locals and growing friendships. One day as he is traveling through he finds out that the peasant he had grown fond of was in trouble. Deciding to offer an escape, he allows the peasant to travel with him so that he could protect them.

Withering

Spoiler

Merfolk which live deep underwater and are warlike/savage. Occasionally they can spend short periods of time on land or above the surface but not without consequence.

West of Eden

Spoiler

A stranger rolls into town headed to the local ranch to be a farm hand, he's running from something but he won't say. One day he meets the owners daughter but they are nearly blind and this peaks his interest.

A Siren's Heart

Spoiler

When fishermen begin returning with overflowing nets and pockets of pearls, rumors spread of a kind siren who blesses the sea. When the King finds out he issues a royal decree: whoever captures the siren will be allowed to marry one of his daughters. Desperate for an easier life, a pirate sets out to find it.

Journey to the North

Spoiler

A spiritual healer/mage who harnesses the energy of nature and turns it into magic journey's north, but when they cross the border to the North they are stolen away and brought to a northern royal who bares a curse that only they can break.

His Knight

Spoiler

This one is a bit different than what I normally do but the pairing is peasant x knight. She's the knight and he's the peasant. Im looking for a more dominant personality in a female for this rp.
This plot is strictly a romance centered plot with other major world elements taking a sort of background in the story instead of being the center.

Mood Board ideas
Random pics of characters/scenes Im interested in
Of The Moon / Of The Sun mxf or fxf
Psycho this is a playlist for an obsessive/psychotic story. m x f
​

Reminder these are ideas. They are not law, we can do original plots or plotting with disjointed ideas.
​

 

[Hiro_]

Writing sample
"Look at the sweet ass on that one."
"Isn't that the one that Mickey robbed not too long ago."
"Nah, different blond. You know the boss loves those."
"Can both of y'all shut up? I'm trying to concentrate here."

Green eyes shifted back to the road ahead as they carefully watched the woman with the "sweet ass" before her eyes moved back to the men she was with; they rolled in her head. If the threat was not a real concern she would not be here. After all, what kind of woman would do this to another woman? Willingly? She would not be doing this, she should not be doing this, normally she would not, but she had no choice here. She slowly fixed herself in the mirror and adjusted her tunic to look disheveled. The shirt was white with a border that was a greek design in gold. Her neck was adorned with a delicate necklace and in the center a green jade pendant hung. She also wore a collar of gold made to look like multiple necklaces in one.

"So what ya gonna say toots?"

She pressed an alabaster hand against Jason's face causing him a bit of pain when it rubbed against his recent black eye and broken nose. He had crossed the boss and paid the price for it, luckily he got to keep his life, this time. His looks, not so much.

"No need to reveal the secrets of the trade."

She chuckled softly though somehow she felt uneasy, a knot forming in the pit of her stomach. She always did feel that any moment could also be her last on the streets. The pressure she felt to perform was real and it was tiring, the threats were the only thing keeping her there. If she had a choice she would have skipped town.

Slipping out of the dark vehicle she mentally prepared herself to distract the woman they had been stalking, the men watched through the tinted windshield as Jack took her place in the driver's seat when she left. She was going to hell and she knew it, it was a fate she had resigned herself to. No one who does this would ever make it into any type of heaven.

After she mentally prepared herself she began to jog slowly and nearly silently to the woman they had been following and within 10 feet of proximity her whole attitude changed. It was as if she had been through a true mugging and just needed another person to feel safe or get help from. Her face was frantic as she began to run after the woman faster yelling for help, but before the woman would be able to turn she had already stopped in front of her. She would have impeded escape from the woman, but her skills were top notch; she was absolutely hysterical.

"Please help me please!!!"

The woman said, her hands wildly waving as she pointed back behind her. "I just got mugged, I don't know what to do. I'm scared. Please help me. Do you have a phone? Please!" Out of breath and severely panicked she would keep a decent distance away to not alarm the woman more than needed, but she also was careful to keep away enough to not get caught up in the way. To say the least Jason was impressed by her every time they did this, his hand rubbing at his dick slightly as he crudely said to Damien, the paler man beside him in the vehicle.

"Damn this broads good."

The vehicle had already begun to creep behind the woman as they got ready to pounce and hopefully before either woman would have had a chance to react, both got out sneaking behind their prey as her focus would be on the frantic woman before her.

Without regard Damien would quickly grab her by the mouth and neck putting her in a tight choke hold while Jason grabbed the rest of her body lifting her in the air with such little ease he nearly fell. Built strong from daily gym visits it made it much easier to subdue her. It also helped that she was lighter than he thought so her strength was no match for him. Damien's sharp eyes lingered on Jason as they moved the woman to the van virtually ignoring any of her struggles. She was easy prey for them, but it helped that they did this plenty of times before so they were well practiced..

"Hurry the fuck up before we get caught." Lucille said in a hushed and angry whisper as she opened the sliding door to the suited up black van. The men carried the woman to it and then dumped her inside of the van before climbing in behind her. Lucille was already in the front seat next to Jack, ready to leave quickly now as Damien closed the door behind them. Jason held her face down into the floor of the van trying to subdue her struggles. Meanwhile, Jack pressed on the gas and within minutes they were gone from the streets. The quiet street where they had kidnapped her went silent once more as if no incident had ever occurred.

Back in the van the struggle continued, "Hurry the fuck up, I want this bitch put down now." Jason said as he put a knee on her head. He had one hand holding down her back as her stomach pressed against the floor of the van. His other hand gripped at her arm roughly as Damien began to tie her up.

"Fuck you maybe if you'd hold the fucking slut right I could."

Once they made quick work of binding her up they even included a gag. Jason pulled a needle from his suit pocket; he had been wearing one of his better casual suits today; it was deep navy blue. Popping the cap off the syringe he had Damien hold the woman's arms down while he injected her with a sedative. It was just enough to knock her out for a couple hours while they made their way across town to the safe house.

"There, there little one. Time to take a nap." Jason said in a crude way his hand slapping her cheek lightly.
"We're gonna take good care of you."Jack said from the front seat, a wide grin pulling at the corners of his lips..
"Yeah, no need to worry sweetheart." Damien said as he laughed in a loud chuckle, giving her a wink.

When her body went limp Jason removed his knee from that had held her down before moving to push her around on her back. He rolled her over to take a good look at her, the suspense was killing him; brushing a bit of hair away from her cheek so he could see what she really looked like. "Woohooo weeee! What have we here?" He grinned wide after finding out the piece they scored was a total babe.

"Nice tits on her too."

Jason said as he rubbed a hand against one in a rough manner. He pulled his hand away smacking her tit through her clothes, he wanted her. She was too hot not to want and he could feel the hardness forming between his legs. Damien watched and laughed at the scene. While they gloated Lucille sat quietly in the passenger seat, her brow knitted as she bit her lips. A minute passed before she spoke up over the guy's laughter. Her voice cut through the display of vulgarity, sharply, which threw the men off guard.

"If you dimwits don't shut the fuck up back there. I need ya'll to quit being pervs and check the bitch's eyes!" She thought she had seen them. She was not sure about it, but somehow she felt like she saw something in the dim lights that would make this particular catch even more valuable than the other ones they had caught earlier in the evening.

"For fucking what?" Asked Jason in a loud and annoyed manner, pissed she cut their moment short.

"Just check her fucking eyes already, dick!" She yelled this time turning back with a heated glare directed at them, she needed to be sure that her suspicions were true. "I am not sure what I saw, but I think she is a blood-doll. Check her eyes asshole." She insisted, when she had stopped in front of the woman she had caught a glimpse of her eyes and this definitely caught Lucille's attention. They needed to be sure. This could be the biggest pay day that dropped in their lap in a long time, they were looking at serious money if it was true. If they really had a blood-doll.

"No shit?" Damien asked incredulously, if they really did catch a blood-doll it'd be a great payday compared to shitty pick ups in the last week. All of those women were useless, used as feeders and pocket pussies for the men who felt compelled to purchase them. Damien's hand moved towards the stranger's eyes and then he popped a lid open with his fingers only to find beautiful lilac eyes.

"Jackpot baby!!" He said, confirming that the woman was indeed a blood-doll. Eyes rolling at the guy's Lucille moved back to sit in her seat before properly adjusting her seat belt.She was satisfied now and even though she got roped into this she was going to appreciate her pay regardless. Jack grinned in anticipation as he sat in the driver's seat, they made their way to the spot quickly. It was a bit far from where they picked the woman up, but she would have no way of knowing where she was going so did it matter how far?

"How much d'ya think we're gonna get for this piece?" Jack asked, he had been hoping it would be a big payday. He had some plans for his money.

"Who cares, it's gonna be a good amount regardless." Said Jason rather excitedly.

After some time they pulled into an almost deserted looking garage, the gate door was closed quickly behind them once they entered. They parked near a short ramp and then all of them got out and began to unload the cargo. Since she had been sedated it made things easier for them. Damien picked her up in a bridal hold carrying the woman up the ramp and stairs to a room where he tossed her down on a mattress in a poorly lit area. By this time Jack and Jason had headed to the boss to inform him of the good news. In the room where they dumped her were several other women, all feeders and recently picked up, huddled together. Some were sobbing and some had not broken the shock of the situation and were still in denial.

Damien moved to grip up the doll's tit a bit, massaging it in his hands before moving the same hand to her cheek and tapping on it lightly. "A gem among shit" He said not expecting any answer of any kind, after all she was drugged up. His hand moved to her eyes again, popping one open to get a second confirmation that she was a Blood-doll "You're worth good money bitch ain't that nice." He said before closing his eyes and then tapping her face again once. When she did not budge he chuckled looking up at the other women in the room who cowered under his gaze.

"I'll be back for one of ya, try not to get too excited." He grinned at them before standing and leaving the room locking the door behind him.

Jason and Jack had reached the bosses office, there were two men on the outside of the doors as if bouncers of a club allowing only certain folk in. Jason looked at one of the men smirking faintly. "We're here ta' see da boss, tell him we got a good one for him this time." He said to one of the men who relayed the message over a talkie line. With the response back the man turned and motioned that they may enter.

Jack and Jason entered the office with a sort of bounce in their stride, one of the men holding the door opened for them as they did. Once they were in they would notice their boss sitting at a table with a laptop in front of him, he was typing away at the keys, a lit cigarette in the ashtray next to him. After a few moments he turned to them, staring them down.

"What did you mean by a good one? This better be worth my goddamn time."

His eyes focused on Jason especially, the man had already disrespected him and if they were wasting his time they would both find out how he felt about it. He tapped his fingers on the table's hard surface waiting for what they had to tell him. Jack cleared his throat nervously. The boss scared him, even more so after the incident with Jason, and he would not want to be the one to cross him ever.

"Uh… Yeah.. we found a blood-doll boss. Picked her up walking on the west side." After Jake finished relaying the news he waited for a response hoping for praise and a good check.

"Did you really?" Dorian said, his fingers stopping their tapping as his gray brows lifted in an interested but also in an almost surprised look. If what they said was true he stood to make good money. Not only would her blood be precious, he could up the price because of it.

"Show her to me, I wanna see what you've got."

Dorian said to the pair, he stood up and ran his fingers through his equally gray hair. Dorian was an older man but his looks were fierce and his body built. He was a darker man with a defined body and a tattoo just under his eyes. He was human, just like Jack and Jason, but he was not just any old human, he was familiar. He had a contract with vampires in the underground, he would collect feeders and they would pay him handsomely. In the end that was all that mattered to him. Sometimes he would even get lucky and pick up a blood-doll or two, but it seemed they were far and few between these days so finding one was really rare for them.

"If this is real I'll pay you triple the normal price." he said his face serious as he began to leave the room towards the holding area.

When they reached the door to the room the guard unlocked it. The three of them entered the room and the women moved to the corners of the small room to coward around each other, for good reason, of course.

"Which one is it?" Dorian asked as Jason pointed out the newer girl that laid tied up on one of the dirty mattresses off to the side. She was rather attractive, Dorian noticed, and a bit young looking. Her youth was another selling point, she looked as if she was in her early to mid 20's. If they were young they would last longer than an older one. Vampires valued mileage. Dorian moved to the woman and with his booted foot he moved her head slightly and lifted it where he got a closer look at her beauty as well.

Yeah, she was worth a fortune.

He crouched in front of her and checked out her eyes. No mistake, she had to be a blood-doll. He grinned rather wide, turning to look at the other women against the wall. "Pity you couldn't be one too, all you're worth is the price of a capri sun." He laughed at what he said standing back up.

"It's your lucky day boys." Dorian said before waving them off. "Now get the fuck out of here."

"We'll make a scarce boss." Jack said as they quickly shuffled away.

Once they were out of the way Dorian moved and lifted the woman up and over his shoulder. She was still out of it for the most part, but seemed close to waking up. Since she was worth something she deserved different accommodations. Dorian brought her to the suite he had been lingering in before, the building was a private purchase so it would not cause an issue doing it out in the open. Inside he tossed her on the bed in the guest room and then left the room, locking her inside. Dorian proceeded to put out the word that he had something valuable and the highest bidder could have her as long as they paid out.


Writing Sample
The estate was enormous, large enough that entire wings often sat unused for months at a time. Every passing minute seemed longer than the last. Jean remained in the chair beside the fireplace long after the estate had fallen completely silent. The flames had burned low, reduced to glowing embers that cast a soft amber light across the room. Beyond the tall windows, darkness blanketed the grounds. The fountains outside had long since gone quiet, and the only sounds came from the occasional rustle of wind through the ancient trees surrounding the estate. Jean had intended to leave the room hours ago, he should have left hours ago, but every time he stood with the intention of leaving he found himself sitting back down again. Every logical part of him understood that remaining here served little purpose, he had told himself that repeatedly. That Doctor Bennett was more qualified to help Sophie than he would ever be. The doctor had examined her already, the staff had prepared everything she might need. She was warm, safe, and resting in a bed far removed from the horrors she had endured. Any further involvement from him would likely do more harm than good, after all, he was still a stranger to her. A stranger who had arrived amidst violence and bloodshed. A stranger who had carried her from one place to another, who belonged to a world she did not understand. That his presence would likely make her uncomfortable if she woke and found him nearby was an understatement. Yet every time he rose from the chair beside the fireplace, he found himself sitting back down moments later. The room was dim except for the glow of the fire and the pale moonlight filtering through the tall windows. Normally the quiet suited him. Tonight it felt oppressive; it left him alone with his thoughts. His gaze drifted endlessly back toward the bed where Sophie slept, and each time he looked, the same unsettling feeling returned. He could not remember the last time another person's suffering had affected him this deeply.

Jean leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms against his knees. His gaze lingered on the sleeping figure beneath the blankets. Helplessness was not an emotion he experienced often. Over the centuries he had learned that nearly every problem could be solved through patience, preparation, or force. Yet none of those things applied here. He could not erase what had happened. He could not force away fear. He could not repair wounds that existed beneath the surface. The realization left him feeling strangely restless as his eyes wandered toward the fireplace again.

At first her sleep appeared peaceful, but there were subtle signs. The tightening of her brow as they furrowed. Restless movements beneath the blankets. Sophie's breathing shifted, and eventually movement from the bed drew his attention back to her. Jean immediately straightened in his chair. The sound of whimpering was faint and meek, the kind of sound a wounded animal might make. Her breathing was uneven and strained. She looked fragile there, dwarfed compared to the large bed that she was in.

Jean's attention sharpened with every instinct focusing on the figure in the bed. He watched as her fingers curled into the sheets and her expression twisted with growing distress. Whatever nightmare had found her was pulling her somewhere dark, somewhere he could not follow. The realization left him feeling strangely helpless. He had spent centuries solving problems through action, through force when necessary, through influence when force failed. Yet there was nothing he could do here. No enemy to fight. No threat he could remove. No amount of strength would allow him to step between her and the memories tormenting her. His jaw tightened as another troubled sound escaped her. The sight stirred something deeply uncomfortable within him. Anger came first, but not directed at Sophie, only at the men responsible for putting that fear inside her. Dorian was dead, the guards were dead. He even made sure the traffickers who had helped facilitate the operation would not survive much longer once his people finished identifying them. Yet for the first time in a very long while, revenge felt inadequate. It accomplished nothing for the woman lying several feet away struggling against memories she could not escape. The violence he normally relied upon as a solution suddenly felt hollow. The damage had already been done, and no amount of punishment could undo it.

Jean found himself rising from his chair without realizing it. He took a single step toward the bed before stopping immediately. Every instinct urged him to help, yet another voice reminded him that he was still a stranger. A powerful stranger at that. If she woke suddenly and found him standing over her, she would likely panic and that thought alone made him retreat. He returned to the chair and lowered himself back into it, frustrated by his own inability to do anything useful. The feeling was unfamiliar enough to leave him deeply unsettled. He had witnessed wars, revolutions, famine, and countless tragedies throughout his long existence. He had endured the deaths of people he cared about. He had survived centuries of loss. Yet somehow sitting in that room listening to Sophie's nightmares felt worse than many of those memories.

The hours passed slowly. The fire crackled softly while moonlight shifted across the floor. Jean remained awake through all of it. Each time Sophie stirred, his attention immediately snapped back to her. Each strained breath tightened something in his chest. Each restless movement reminded him that safety and healing were not the same thing. She was safe now, he had made certain of that, that no one would ever touch her again without her consent. No one would ever sell her, threaten her, or lock her away, but safety could not silence the nightmares. It could not erase fear. Watching that reality unfold before him left him feeling powerless in a way he had not experienced for centuries.

As dawn slowly began to paint the horizon beyond the estate grounds, Jean remained exactly where he had been all night. His eyes never strayed far from the bed. The mansion around him remained quiet and immaculate, untouched by suffering. Outside, fountains glimmered beneath the first hints of morning light. Inside, he sat alone with a helplessness he could neither ignore nor conquer. For perhaps the first time in a very long life, Jean wished there was something more he could offer than protection. He could build walls around her. He could fill the estate with guards. He could eliminate every threat that dared come near her. But none of those things could fight the battle taking place inside her mind, and that realization lingered heavily within him as the first rays of sunlight crept into the room.

For a moment, Jean did not move. The scream that had torn Sophie from sleep still echoed through the room, lingering in the silence that followed. He had been standing near the windows when it happened, his attention drawn instantly from the gray afternoon light filtering around the edges of the curtains. Every instinct had reacted at once. For a fraction of a second he had been halfway across the room before forcing himself to stop. Stopping had taken effort because the look on her face was not simply fear, it was terror. The kind that came from believing you were still trapped inside the nightmare. Jean stood several feet from the bed, every muscle in his body rigid as he watched her struggle to separate reality from memory. His chest tightened painfully at the sight. The sweat on her brow. The frantic rise and fall of her breathing. The tears that streaked her cheeks. She looked as though she had been dragged through the entire ordeal all over again and there was nothing he could do about it.

Nothing.

Not without risking making it worse, his hands clenched at his sides. Helplessness, he felt it again. He hated it. The emotion had followed him throughout the night and into the morning. Every whimper she made in her sleep had pulled his attention away from whatever book sat unopened in his lap. Every troubled breath had kept him from leaving the room. He had watched her suffer through nightmares he could not stop and memories he could not erase. Now she was awake and somehow that looked worse. Then she saw him and Jean watched the change happen almost instantly. The panic remained, but it shifted focus, directed at him. The realization felt like a knife twisting somewhere beneath his ribs. Of course she feared him. Why wouldn't she? From her perspective he was simply another powerful man standing over her while she was vulnerable. Another stranger who had carried her somewhere unfamiliar. Another person with wealth, influence, and control over her circumstances.

Jean understood all of that, which somehow made it hurt more. His gaze lowered slightly when he saw her retreat inward. He recognized that look, he had seen it before throughout history. In prisoners, victims, he had seen it in people who had been broken down until survival became obedience. Then he noticed her hands moving. The first button. Then the second. Jean froze and for a heartbeat he simply stared. Then her fingers reached the third button and she hesitated. The truth hit him with horrifying clarity. She was not responding to anything he had done or responding to anything he had said. She was responding to what she expected. What she had been taught to expect and what she believed would happen next. A wave of anger crashed through him so violently that for a moment he thought he might break something. Every man who had touched her. Every man who had taught her that fear and compliance were safer than resistance. Every man who had reduced her to this he wanted to break them down till they were hollowed husks of the monsters they so clearly were.

"Sophie."

His voice cut softly through the room. Not loud, just gentle as he immediately lowered his gaze away from her partially opened shirt and deliberately turned his head toward the fireplace instead giving her privacy. Giving her dignity.

"Sophie." His voice remained calm as he spoke.

"You can stop." The room fell silent when he paused. He kept his eyes averted, refusing to make her feel observed. Refusing to let her think that, that was what he wanted.

"You don't have to do that." A long pause followed, the fire crackled softly nearby. Outside, somewhere beyond the windows, a fountain could be heard faintly through the glass. Jean swallowed, his throat and felt strangely tight.

"You are safe. No one here is going to hurt you anymore." The words came out slow and careful, as though he needed her to hear every single syllable. His hands were unclenched then clenched again.

"You do not have to earn your safety and you do not have to obey anyone." His voice dropped lower, almost a whisper.

"No one is going to touch you." The conviction behind the statement was absolute, not an attempt at reassurance. It was a promise. Jean finally forced himself to look toward her again but only briefly. Long enough to see the tears. Long enough to see how exhausted she looked. Long enough to feel that same helpless ache settle deeper into his chest.

"I know you don't believe me." His honesty surprised even himself as he continued. "But it's still true."

The words hung quietly between them and then there was a knock at the door. Jean had never been so grateful for an interruption as he had been at that very moment. A moment later Doctor Bennett entered carrying her medical bag, the older woman immediately assessed the situation with practiced eyes. Her gaze moved from Sophie to Jean and back again and understanding dawned quickly across her features. Without judgment and without surprise, her eyes held only understanding. Doctor Bennett offered Sophie a small smile.

"Good afternoon."

Her voice was warm and comforting. "I thought I heard you wake up."

Jean stepped backward immediately to create more space giving Sophie room to breathe. The doctor approached the bedside while he remained near the far side of the room. For several moments he watched over her and then Doctor Bennett looked toward him, a subtle nod, perhaps a dismissal he understood. Sophie did not need him standing here right now; she needed someone safe. Someone familiar. Someone who was not another man. Jean inclined his head slightly, then his attention returned to Sophie one final time.

"You don't have to be afraid of me." The words were quiet and gentle. Though he knew she likely could not accept them yet. "I'll leave you with Doctor Bennett."

Then he turned and walked toward the door the moment he stepped into the hallway, the door closed softly behind him. Jean then allowed himself to release the breath he had been holding. He stood motionless in the corridor for several seconds, staring at the floor as frustration, anger, and helplessness warred inside him. For all his strength, wealth, even for the centuries he had spent accumulating power. He still could not fix the one thing that mattered most and that followed him down the silent hallway as he walked away.

Jean walked without direction for several minutes. His footsteps echoed faintly against marble floors as he moved through one of the estate's eastern wings. Paintings adorned the walls. Antique furnishings occupied alcoves between windows. Everything appeared pristine and orderly. Eventually he rounded a corner and found Todd standing near one of the larger windows overlooking the gardens. The attorney glanced up from a tablet, one look at Jean's face made him lower it immediately.

"That bad?"

Jean said nothing, his eyes downcast. Todd sighed.

"I'll take that as a yes."

The attorney slipped the tablet beneath one arm and studied him carefully. The afternoon sun filtering through the glass illuminated both men while fountains sparkled below in the gardens. For several moments neither man spoke until finally Todd broke the silence.

"You rescued her."

Jean's gaze remained fixed outside, his voice was low. "It doesn't feel like it."

Todd frowned. "Because she's hurting?"

Jean nodded once in a small movement barely noticeable, yet unusually revealing for him. The attorney's expression softened slightly.

"She's alive, Jean."

The vampire remained silent.

"She's safe." Still silence was returned to him. Todd stepped closer.

"She's receiving medical care." The attorney paused before continuing. "And she's here."

Jean finally spoke. "None of that changes what happened." The words emerged quieter than expected and Todd's eyes closed a moment, he understood immediately. For all of Jean's power, wealth, and influence, he could not rewrite the past. He could only deal with what remained.

The attorney leaned against the nearby wall. "No," Todd admitted. "It doesn't."

The estate remained silent around them while somewhere behind those walls Doctor Bennett was tending to Sophie and for perhaps the first time in centuries, Jean Armand found himself wishing there was more he could do than simply wait.