Struck By You {Maric}

[Pandora Jackson]

It was a dark and rainy night... Blah, blah, blah. Those words sounded to much like a bad horror flick opening to suit Pandora.

Unfortunately, she couldn't come up with any other reason for the sudden anxiety she was feeling as she hurried through the parking lot towards her little vw bug. The shadows seemed to shift and reach for her even as she clutched her purse close and quickened her step even faster.

As she did so, flashes of all the old horror shows flickered through her mind and she shuddered. Maybe she should have taken that bouncers offer to walk her out after all. What on earth had possessed her to stroll alone through the back alley at two in the morning?

Oh yeah, her silly need to be seen as independent and capable of taking care of herself. Yeah... like her clumsiness gave any doubts about that.

Taking a deep breath, Pandora shook her head absently and brushed those thoughts away. Turning her attention back to the night around her, she sought something out of place. Everyone knew the drill when it came to dark and spooky but Pandora had never realized that it wasn't just words to scare a person silly. That there really COULD be dark and rainy nights out that made you feel like you were on the cusp of something truly evil. Tonight was definitely one of those nights. Her skin crawled with the feeling of impending doom and she reached for the tazer in her bag only to realize she'd left it in the car.

Crap on toast. This definitely WASN'T her night.

She was only feet from her car now and was about to breath a sigh of relief when the sound of movement behind her had her starting to whirl around. Gasping, the young woman tried to draw a breath for a scream only to have a gloved hand clamp down over her mouth so hard she was sure her lips were cut upon her teeth. That was the least of her worries, however, so she started to kick and bit as hard as she could in an attempt to get away. Only the feel of a gun barrel poking into her kidney stopped her.

"Stop moving, bitch, or I"m going to blow a hole in your gut right here." came a hoarse, gravelly voice that was vaguely familiar. "It doesn't much matter to me cause your going to die anyways but I'd rather not leave a mess that could be traced back to me. Witches like you deserve to die...."

Those words had recognition flooding into her brain and Pandora felt her heart almost leap out of her chest. It was that crazy ass dude who'd been trying to kill her in Kentucky!! How on earth had he found her here?? She'd thought she'd lost him! And why on earth did he want to kill her?? She'd never done him any harm!! God, she was in SERIOUS trouble here. Where was her damned Taser when she needed it??

[maricarceneau]

A Slave until The End of his Time

It had been months since Maric had started the hunt for yet another one of his supposed allies. What had started out as a seemingly simple hunt had turned into something much more complicated. He’d never expected his opponent to be this good, or so efficent. The man had practically disposed of one supernatural being after another, and kept on moving all the time. At another time in his life, Maric would have been in awe of the man’s skills. Today, he only found it annoying and time wasting. Not once had he been given a good opportunity to strike as he’d followed the man around the states. It was starting to make its mark on his wallet, too. He wasn’t going to give up though. It seemed that tonight could be the lucky break he’d been waiting for.

Maric’s eyes skimmed through the darkness, his hands deep in the pockets of a dark rain-coat and his face covered by its hood. He’d been standing there for quite some time now, quietly stalking his prey – just as his target stalked its own prey. It wasn’t the first time Maric had seen the woman his target was after. Actually, from what he’d gathered the hunter had followed her around for quite some time now. At first, he hadn’t thought much of it but after having kept an eye on the woman himself he was starting to get curious. She had, after all, done nothing inhuman – not on his watch anyway. Yet he didn’t doubt this hunters skills one bit, the man had never failed to track down a supernatural before. Nor had he seen the man mistake a human for a supernatural species. So what was it the hunter knew that he didn’t? And what exactly was the woman that kept his interest so easily? It was questions that would remain unanswered. For now.

A slight shiver went through Maric’s already cold body. The coat helped, but not as much as he’d wanted. He was also starting to get tired, this after standing there for hours. Being in this state put him at a disadvantage if things turned ugly, but he couldn’t afford skipping an opportunity like this. There hadn’t been many, and he’d already wasted too much time on this hunt. Holding his breath, he watched the hunter approach the woman. Observing with a cautious pair of eyes as the scene unfolded in front of him. When he pulled a gun on her, he frowned. He could intervene, and save that womans life. Find out why she was worth spending so much effort on. The thought was tempting. He bit his lower lip thoughtfully.

Maric withdrew his hands from the pockets of his coat. He needed a way to distract the hunter. But how? As he slowly began to approach the couple. He could try and sneak up behind them, disarm the hunter. It would be a challenge, and there was risks. Both for him, and the woman. Carefully plucking a small silver knife from his belt he swung it gently in his hand. I am so going to regret this, he thought. Moments later he pressed the edge of the knife into his shoulder. Only enough to draw blood. He then let the knife slide back into his belt once more

As he came into view of the hunters and the woman, Maric began limping – as though he’d been hurt. His breath suddenly appeared ragged and frightened. As he stumbled forward, he pretended to fall not far from the two of them. His hand pressed against his wounded shoulder. Looking up, Maric displayed two frightened eyes. ”D-d-demon! In the alley, please sir – I don’t want to die. Please, please.” He whimpered in the weakest voice he could muster. ”The black smoke. It almost got to me.” He continued, his voice breaking as he held out his bloodied hand. He’d always been a good actor. But once should never trust too much in their own skills, Maric knew that. As so he held his other, hidden, hand upon the same knife he’d wounded himself with.

With a little bit of luck, the woman would not be hurt. Not while Maric was nearby. Most hunters preferred not to leave a mess behind after finishing a job. Witnesses never were a good thing, especially not if a body was left behind. He just hoped this hunter was sane enough to think of that. Not all of them were, that he’d experienced first hand. As he dropped his gaze he took the act to the next level, hunching as he waited to hear what the hunters answer to his plea would be.

[Whew, I hope the reply is alright :)]

[Pandora Jackson]

Die. She was going to die.

Those were the only words her frantic mind could seize on and Pandora found herself struggling to breath through her terror. This psycho was going to kill her and she couldn't do anything to stop him.

Why oh WHY hadn't she taken those self defense classes when her mama had begged her to?? Never mind that she'd been afraid that her own clumsiness would cause harm to another... She SHOULD have taken them anyways just so she could get away from creeps like this!! For goodness sake, what did the idiot think she was? So she had a few special powers like those crazy Xmen.. She wasn't a danger to anyone but herself so why did he think he needed to kill her?? Talk about prejudice! Sometimes you really had to worry about society these days.

Vaguely, Pandora realized her brain was starting to scramble and the lack of oxygen was starting to effect her thinking. She obviously wasn't in her right frame of mind because the next thing she saw and heard was a man stumbling out of nowhere with what looked like a bleeding stab wound. Her attacker seemed to be having the same dream though because she felt his hand loosen and she could suddenly pull sweet, fresh air into her lungs. The guy on the ground started screaming something about demons and black smoke but the young woman could only blink at him while she sucked in life giving oxygen.

After all, he was only an illusion made up by her air deprived system, right? Right.

Another thought suddenly occurred to her though and she blinked warily at them wounded man even as she felt the indecision of the dude behind her. If this was her fantasy man, why on earth was he on the ground already?? He was definitely handsome enough in a dark, gruffy sort of way but shouldn't he be doing something more... direct in order to rescue her? Instead of making up stories about demons and black smoke??

Opening her mouth, Pandora tilted her head and told him just that.

"Sir..... What kind of knight in shining armor are you?? I'm really going to have to do something about the kind of heros my fantasies make up because this one simply won't do. Aren't you supposed to ride in on a white horse or... at least some kind of sexy car?? Making up such stories isn't really needed. Really, sir, Black smoke?? Demons?? What kind of fool do you take him for? Oh, no... Never mind.... Hes obviously NOT in his right mind after all... He thinks I'm some sort of witch and we all know those dont exist....... Oh, never mind that.. We're getting all off topic... Don't you simply have a gun to shoot him with?? Or maybe a shovel hidden somewhere nearby to hit him with?" she said hopefully, even turning her head a bit to look in the direction he'd come. "Woudn't it have been better to sneak up BEHIND him before confronting him?? Surely you can see your disadvantage on the ground. My word... Even I can see that and I have to tell you.... I know nothing of physical encounters...."


As she spoke, she'd leaned so far to the side to see his face that she off centered both herself and the man holding her. Before she knew what was happening, she lost her footing and tumbled head first into the pavement. Lying in a heap that left the man holding nothing but air, Pandora sat up and felt blood trickle down her forehead even as the attacker tried to figure out what the hell was going on.

With a growl of frustration, he looked from her to the alley and then back again before giving her a sharp kick in the ribs that brought a cry of pain to her lips. He seemed completely torn between investigating the story the other man had made up and finishing the job he'd started with her. Another kick had her curling up in a ball even as she tried to think.

"Damn, next time she had a fantasy rescue... She was going to have to put in more specific orders..." she thought as she laid there whimpering. The pain she felt was all to real and she was just sure she had a bruised rib or two. NOT VERY COOL !!

"Next time, witch... Next time!" her attacker snarled out as he turned to race for the alley.

"I"M NOT A WITCH YOU MORON!!" she couldn't stop herself from shouting back at him. "Thats right! Run away.. You know you'd get your ass kicked!! This is my fantasy dream and you know Mr...... whatever his name is here would wipe the ground with you!!' she finished, taunting the retreating back and feeling quiet pleased with herself even as she felt her vision blur in and out and reality take on an abstract tone.

Turning to her "hero" she put on a bright smile that she suspected had all the glitter of someone newly escaped from the mental facialty. Unfortunately that couldn't be helped though because she wasn't feeling all that together at the moment.

"Well, are you going to lay there all night or are you going to do your job, sir? Either go get him or help me! A hero shouldn't merely lay about on the ground. I'm quiet sure that he's suppose to rescue the damsel in distress and then wisk her to safety." she declared, her voice wobbly as she tried to focus on the moment. "Yes, yes... I'm quiet sure that is what you are suppose to do... "

Even as she spoke though, her mind began to compute the facts and she had a feeling that this wasnt just a dream. The pain was much to real and her dazzed mind was drawing conclusions that the rest of her didn't like. Oh no... She didn't like them at all. So, she did the only thing she could do in that situation.

She passed out cold.


(Your reply rocked my sox!! Hope this works for you! Pandora is a bit of a card at times so... Poor Maric!! LOL Feel free to have him go after the dude or whatever!!! )

[maricarceneau]

A Slave until The End of his Time

It had long been a talent of Maric’s to act. If he hadn’t been involved in the whole hunter-business that would probably be what he’d work with. The thought of standing on a stage in front of a lot of people, however, bothered him a little. It wasn’t that he was nervous about it. It was because of the things he’d done on his current job, killing human hunters. It had only been pure luck that nobody had found out about the curious sudden deaths of hunters in the states. But somebody would notice, sooner or later. Of that he was certain. He just hoped that there wouldn’t be that many left by then. Perhaps he could pursue that acting career after all this was over. Nothing big, but just in the local theatre or something. Maric had always liked a good show. It was interesting to see how people interpreted different characters.

His thoughts were interrupted by the girl’s sudden rambling. With his face looking down, he mouthed the words what the hell is she doing, before getting the frightened mask on once more. Looking up at her with big confused eyes he dragged himself back a little bit. “Are you crazy, miss? What is wrong with you? I’m just a…” He glanced around. “A taxi-driver.” Well, great. Maric hoped for the love of God that this fool didn’t raise suspicion in her captive with her big mouth. Suggesting that they knew each other, that he was there to rescue her butt. This, no doubt, put him on his guard. Moments later, he saw her fall as in slow-motion. Hitting the ground head-first. He didn’t say a word, but flinched twice as the man kicked her. After all, he was supposed to be a regular unknowing human with no experience what-so-ever of seeing these things daily.

The knot in Maric’s stomach slowly dissolved as he heard the hunter talk. He’d taken the bait. He wouldn’t chance running up on him now, not after fancy pants here had done what she’d done. Oh well, there would be more opportunities. He immediately dropped the act and straightened up. “You idiot. You could’ve gotten us killed!” He hissed at her in a rather unfriendly manner. He didn’t get much further until she started babbling on about how a hero was supposed to act. Rather than listening to what she was saying, he was slightly worried about the way her eyes had hard to focus and that her voice didn’t sound too good. That blow to the head must’ve done some damage, then. Raising an eyebrow, Maric approached her. “Are you-” He stopped, noting that she had passed out. “Alright?” He sighed.

He kneeled down beside the woman, hitting her cheek with an open palm a few times. “Hey, come on – wake up.” It could simply be the stress that she’d been under while being held at gunpoint. Something told him that this girl wasn’t used to it, and that she didn’t know just how much trouble she was in. He gave up after a short while, glancing towards the alley. It would only be a matter of time before the hunter would figure out he’d been tricked. He had two options. Get the woman to safety and save the fight for another day, or use her as bait. No, no he couldn’t do that. She had nothing to do with this. “Let’s get you home.”

Maric instantly began searching for her car keys and luckily he found them, soon enough. He unlocked the car and opened the passenger door. This before carefully lifting the woman up in his arms, grimacing at the strain on his wounded shoulder, and gently setting her down on the passenger side. Stress was biting at his heels all the time. The hunter could show up any second now. He glanced over his shoulder, towards the alley. Nobody was in sight. He took a deep breath before leaning in and buckling the woman’s seat-belt. He wouldn’t want to be caught by the cops for a tiny thing like that. Just as he was about to close the door he heard the sound of a gun being cocked, the barrel of the gun pointing to the back of his head. He cursed, raising his hands as he did.

“Easy, easy.” Maric soothed. Moments later he ducked, and quickly turned around. A shot rang, but missed him – though it no doubt alerted people around them. He had to end it, quickly. He aimed a quick, hard punch at the hunter’s nose with the lower part of his palm. Earning him a breaking noise. The man’s nose was broken, the gun dropped. A thin smile appeared on his lips as he kicked it away. “Be a good boy and leave her the fuck alone.” He warned before closing the passenger door. Hurrying around to the other side, he got into the car and started the engine. With a little bit more time at his hands he would’ve ended the man’s life right then and there. But he had to consider the fact that somebody had called the cops. Which meant it was better to finish it on another night.

It took Maric about 20 minutes to find the home in which the woman resides. This with the help of her name (found in her wallet) and the Internet. He wasn’t a hunter for nothing. Tracking down people was piece a cake. He parked the car in the lot, and carried her up to her apartment. All while keeping an eye out for curious observers and trouble. He didn’t see any of either. As he finally got up to her apartment, he carefully lay her down on the bed before finding the bathroom. There he gathered up painkillers, bandage, plasters and disinfection. He’d have to go back for his own car tomorrow, he thought quietly. He then took a seat on the bed, and began treating the wound on the woman’s head. She was still passed out, but perhaps that was for the best. After giving the finishing touch of putting a plaster on the small wound, he made his way to the hallway. There, he got out of his rain-coat, followed by the black pullover, and last but not least his white t-shirt. It was bloodied from the wound. With a bit of luck the stains would come off. He walked into the bathroom, and slowly began cleaning himself up while waiting for the woman to wake up.


((Haha, I like her - she's hilarious XD Though Maric begs to differ. Also, I totally get the whole busy-in-the-weekend thing, I mostly am as well so no worries about it! I hope this reply didn't turn out to be a short novel. Also, if she doesn't live an apartment - let's just change it to... a motel or wherever she's staying, yea? ^-^))

[Pandora Jackson]

Pain was the first thing Pandora became aware of as she pushed through the shadows of unconsciousness. A wracking headache plagued her mind and proclaimed that she must have really over done it last night after hours. She thanked god for satin sheets caressing her cheek as she moaned a bit and tried to curl closer into their comfort. A tinge of pain from her ribs made her grimace and her long auburn lashes fluttered as she came to semi awareness.

Damn, what the hell had she done last night? Whatever it was, it must have been a whopper! Check that.. Actually she didnt think she WANTED to know. She only hoped that somewhere involved was a smexy man because otherwise?? She SO was going to complain to the management upstairs. Chances were good though that she'd tripped and fallen down a flight of stairs all on her own or something. Her and her own bumbling nature.

Really.. It was enough to drive a sane woman mad at times. In more ways than one.

Without really opening her eyes, the red haired beauty sighed and then pushed herself up in bed. Rubbing her face, she slid out off the matress and wandered out the door and down the hall to where her bathroom awaited.

Absently, her fingers wandered up to play with the pretty locket she always wore around her neck since it had been a gift from her grandmother. As she did so, her skin tingled and she felt her aches and pains start to slide away. She'd long ago passed it up as some kind of mojo her Grams' had put on the thing so it didnt even slow her motions as she reached down and twisted the handle of the bathroom door to swing it open.

To say she wasn't prepared for the sight that met her eyes? That would have been the understatement of the year.

"HOLY BATMAN, ROBIN! HOLD THE PRESSES!! THERE'S A HALF NAKED MAN IN MY BATHROOM!! " she blurted out before she even had a chance to stop and think about what she was saying. Instantly, she tried clapping a hand over her mouth but the damage was done. He was certainly a sexy half naked man to be exact but ... STILL.... It was such an unexpected event that Pandora could only stare at him like some sort of loon.

What on earth HAD happened last night? Had she actually managed to meet a guy and get him home without some sort of disaster befalling them?? And DAMNNNNNNNNN... She had to pat herself on the back for good taste. Now... If only she could remember all the details!!!

Unfortunately, as soon as that thought crossed her mind, flickers of memory started to intrude and she groaned as she slumped against the door frame. Her minds eye flash mental images of walking through the parking lot and being accosted. They then jumped to images of this man stumbling out of the alley and mumbling something about black smoke and demons and her own replies to such nonsense.

HOLY CRAP! It hadn't been some sort of messed up dream. It had been real. And she'd been blubbering about a fantasy rescue.

It was enough to make her wanna go crawl back in bed and pretend the world didn't exist. Seriously, sometimes she had to wonder about her own stupid sanity. She'd also swear that the world was out to get her for something she must have done in a former life.

Forcing herself to focus, Pandora peeked through the fingers she now had covering her face and gave the man in the mirror what she hoped was an apologetic look. Backing out swiftly, she was mumbling as she ran into the door frame agian.

"Um.... I"m so sorry.. uh... I ... er... feel free to continue undressing.. I mean.... Whatever it is that you were... you know.... I didn't mean to imply to continue undressing in front of me... I just meant you could take your clothes off... FOR THE SHOWER.... YES!! For the shower... Feel free to make yourself at home.... Oh God...."

Whirling about, Pandora started to flee but got her feet twisted underneath of her and tripped. Smacking into the bathroom door, she groan and flopped in a puddle on the ground practically at the man's feet. Mortified and completely undone, she struggled to get to her feet and finally just decided maybe the floor was the better part of valor.

"I'm sorry..... I didn't realize anyone was in here.... I think my minds a bit scrambled.... Have I said thank you?? Thank you so much for rescuing me.... Although, you might need rescuing yourself if you stay around me to long...." she said, cheeks flaming and a touch of resignation in her voice. "I'm afraid I'm not used to men in my home.... And even if i was.. It probably wouldn't make any difference...I'm a bit of a walking disaster to myself and anyone around me it seems....." she finished as if in apology.

[maricarceneau]

A Slave until The End of his Time

Maric gritted his teeth to stop himself from voicing the pain he was feeling the moment he poured disinfection over his wound. It hurt pretty badly, but then again he’d never been much of a macho man. At least he wouldn’t need to stitch it up. It wasn’t that deep, and the bleeding would stop as soon as he put some pressure on it. He began searching for the bandage which he was going to wrap around his shoulder. Once found, he began wrapping it around his shoulder. It probably wouldn’t be neat and pretty, but it would suffice. As he continued fighting with the bandage, Maric noted in the corner of his eye that the door was being pushed open. His first reflex was to reach for the knife in his belt, but as he realized it was the woman he lowered his guard. He was about to apologize for intruding in her home when she opened her mouth and practically screamed – not at him but rather to herself. He tilted his head to the side and gave her a peculiar look, staying quiet as he waited for the right moment to speak.

“I’m sorry for intruding, miss Jackson. I just wanted to make sure you got home alright and… is it alright if I use your bathroom?” Actually, the reaction she had given him the moment she’d walked into the bathroom was slightly worrying. That blow to the head must’ve shaken her up quite a bit. He frowned thoughtfully. At least she didn’t seem too horrified by the fact that there was a complete stranger in her apartment. This was a good thing. For him, anyway. He was curious about her, after all. And from the looks of it she wasn’t ready to throw him out face first. The hunter had called her a witch, but he was having trouble picturing her as one. At least not a dangerous one. The only way he would find out was if he got to know her.

When the woman leaned back, he took a step forward. “Are you alright? You hit your head pretty bad back there.” He asked. “Feeling dizzy? Nauseous?” He took another small step forward. He wasn’t much of an expert on the area, but he could tell if she’d gotten a concussion or not. If so, it was probably better if she sat down. He didn’t get the chance to interrogate her with any more questions before she told him to go ahead and undress. He raised his eyebrows, a little taken aback by her words but ended up laughing. “Yea, thanks. This is just a little bit awkward.” He chuckled, giving her an amused look. She was a little bit all over the place, this girl. Her thoughts as well, it seemed. Or maybe she was just nervous. “I’ll keep that in mind though.”

Moments later he began laughing again, not because he enjoyed that the girl had tripped but rather because how it had looked when she’d done it. He crouched down beside her, offering her his hand to help her up on her feet. “That was quite the fall, huh? I didn’t mean to laugh. I’m sorry.” He apologized before shrugging at her words earlier. “Oh, come on. No need to apologize. Besides, it can’t be that bad. We all attract a bit of trouble every now and then.” He smiled encouraging. Despite what he said, he made sure to keep that in mind. Perhaps someone had put a curse on her, or something. It was a possibility. Gods knew girls these days could be quite ferocious against each other. “Maybe you should sit down for a bit.” He suggested. “I’m not really good at cooking, but I can make you tea or coffee if you want?” Anything to be able to stick around a little bit longer.

Maric helped her up on her feet before turning his attention to the bandage once more. As he finished wrapping it around his shoulder, he made a knot to finish it. After that he grabbed for his t-shirt and pullover, both of which he pulled on. Truth be told, he wasn’t all that comfortable walking around with bare skin. The countless scars on his body, and his bandage-wrapped left arm, usually earned him a lot of questions that he couldn’t answer. That he didn’t want to answer. He cleared his throat. “I make a badass cappuccino.” It was an attempt to innocently brag about his brewing skills, mostly to lighten the atmosphere a little. “Unless… I’m not being rude am I? Do you want me to leave or?” He gave her a questioning look. It wasn’t like it was his place. And he was still intruding. But, ya know, he felt like he should be the one taking care of her needs anyway. He hadn’t the one who’d ended up knocked out.

“I’m Maric by the way. Maric Arceneau.” He flashed a friendly smile. “I figured since I know your name, it’s only fair that I give you mine.” Well, it was – right? And it was a sign of trust. Not that it meant that much to him, but to some people a name meant a lot of things. With the others name in their possession they thought themselves to be safe, that they could look up said person and… you know, find them.

[Pandora Jackson]

Well... Wasn't this just tad bit awkward? If the floor could have opened up and swallowed her at that moment, Pandora thought it might just have been a blessing.

She'd finally managed to get a man home with her without some sort of major uproar and she'd immediately turned into a natural disaster. Wasn't that just her typical luck. Thankfully though, her bumbling didn't seem to scare the poor man silly and so far... He didn't look as if he were ready to run out the door screaming bloody murder. The last man who'd darkened her doorstep had limped away shouting that she was a yet unidentified plague. That had been after she'd accidentally run over his foot with her car and then dropped her key, which he'd tried to retrieve only to have her purse knock a flower pot right on to his head. This one though.. So far he didn't seem the worse for wear.


This was surely a good thing, right? RIGHT!

Realizing that her "house guest" was speaking again, the auburn haired young woman finally pulled her eyes from her hands and glanced up. Spying the hand he held out to help her up, she offered a tentative smile before placing her slim one in his. "Its ok if you laugh.. Really... Someone has to.. and I've found its better to laugh than cry so....”she said with a simply shrug of her shoulders. “and.. if you only knew...Trouble seems to think I'm a magnet of some kind.... Seriously.. If you only knew what a typical day in my life was like.”

Biting her bottom lip to keep from rambling again, Pandora tilted her head and considered his next words.

“Um... yeah.. actually that sounds good... What time is it anyways??” she replied, glancing down at her watch and then frowning. Obviously, she hadn't been out very long because it was still before dawn. For that matter, how on earth had he known where she lived? As soon as that question flickered, she remembered that she'd been carrying her purse and put two and two together. Thank goodness he seemed to be a gentleman, after all. No telling what kind of psycho could have found her passed out in that parking lot! “Wow... Um... Its funny how time stands still at times doesn't it? I think sitting down sounds like a good idea. My brain is still a bit fuzzy and not processing all this like it should, I don't think.”

Glancing back over her shoulder as she turned away, she saw him attempting to finish his bandage and almost offered to help. The look on his face though told her that it might be best to let him do it alone so she started to edge out of the bathroom. Unfortunately, her own curiosity allowed her to go no further and she found her gaze traveling over the bare expanse of skin that was presented in her direction. The trace of scars and other wounds made her blink but they did nothing to detract from the sculpted expanse of muscle that dipped down and then disappeared beneath the waistline of his jeans. Even with the damaged skin, he was a thing of male beauty and she couldn't hide the twinge of disappointment she felt when he slipped on his shirt once more.

However, before he could see it, she pasted on a bright smile. It would never do to have him think she was oogling his backside... No matter how true that notion was.

When he was fully dressed once more and facing her, she pretended to be studying the lay of the wallpaper in the hall outside the bathroom. His words made her smile, however, and she glanced up at him with a bit of impish mischief in her eyes.

“Cappuccino, huh? That just happens to be my favorite. Unfortunately, I don't have a machine to make it with..... and as far as leaving... What kind of rescued damsel would I be if I kicked you out after you risked your life to save me?? Not to mention the fact that you brought me all the way home and made sure I was Ok before taking off? I think I should be making you breakfast or something!” she chirped at him cheerfully. “and .. Maric, huh?? Thats a very nice name.. Were your parents french or something? I believe its french right?”

Pushing away from the wall where she stood, Pandora began to pad down the hallway leading to the kitchen. Wincing a bit as she moved, the young woman absentmindedly rubbed at her bruised ribs before flipping on the rooms light.

“So.. Maric... Tell me.. What lead you to play the knight in shining armor this evening? You could have seriously gotten yourself killed. It was very kind of you and I'm in your debt but... You really shouldn't take chances like that!” she scolded softly, moving carefully towards the coffee machine and its fixings. “That man has been following me for months but I've no clue why he seems to think i'm some sort of witch.... Honestly, I think hes a bit insane or something....I've reported him to the police but he always seems to vanish almost into thin air....”

[maricarceneau]

A Slave until The End of his Time

Awkward wouldn’t even begin to cover it, not by far. But despite Pandora’s awkward behavior there was something about her that amused Maric. She was clumsy, there was no doubt about that – but in a way it was kind of… Dare he say that? It was kind of cute. Unexpected from someone who looked quite elegant from a distance, but she wasn’t the roll-your-eyes-clumsy. It was the kind of clumsy that made you smile, and almost just want to take care of her because of the numerous times she couldn’t seem to keep herself on her feet. “Hmm, that’s true. You are one wise woman, Miss Jackson.”

[/color] He complimented her with a small smile.

As she continued to tell him about her bad luck he nodded thoughtfully. “I-eh… have it always been like that? Since you were little, I mean.”[/color] Maric tried to be subtle about it, to keep it under the radar. But his curiosity grew with every passing second. Bad luck? He’d read about it possibly being caused by something supernatural. So far he wasn’t all that convinced, however. Perhaps she was just out of luck. Everything that happened didn’t necessarily mean there was something going on. “Maybe you just need to improve your karma?”[/color] He suggested teasingly. It wasn’t really something to joke about, but he didn’t want her to think that he took it seriously. Which he did. But she didn’t need to know. He didn’t need her to get suspicious. That would only complicate things.

“I suspect it will be dawn soon.”[/color] He said with a shrug. He’d never been good, or interested, in keeping track of time. Sure, it was important for events and the like but most of the time it was nothing but a stress-factor. He rolled his shoulder carefully in order to get a feel of just how handicapped he would be. Not much, it seemed. It hurt to move it around but it wasn’t that bad. Maric reached for one of the small bottles with painkillers he’d found in the bathroom, tilting it until one pill fell into his palm. He swallowed it without water. That she had been observing him, or rather his body, this whole time didn’t really occur to him. But he did feel much better having his clothes on again. They were almost like a protective layer. “It doesn’t seem like you’ve gotten a concussion anyway. I suspect you would have acted quite differently from how you are now if you had.”[/color] He pointed out thoughtfully. It was good, really. That meant she didn’t need to go to a hospital or anything.

Maric followed her out of the bathroom, making sure to turn off the lights as he left. His uncle had been very strict while raising him. Leaving the lights was an unnecessary cost that could be avoided. It was etched into the back of his head, and a good habit to have. “Oh, don’t worry about paying me back or anything, it was my pleasure. Really.”[/color] He ensured her. As they entered the kitchen he took a good look around, trying to locate the fridge. Among other things. “I make my own, special cappuccino. And once you’ve tasted it, no other will do.”[/color] There was a hint of pride in his voice as he spoke. He actually did make good cappuccino, if he was allowed to say it himself.

When asked about his name, Maric only nodded slightly. He didn’t like talking much about his past, or his parents. Particularly not them. But she couldn’t know, and he didn’t want to seem rude. Looking up he smiled thinly. “You’re right. My father was French. My mother half American and half Spanish.”[/color] He paused. “What about you? Do you have family around here?”[/color] Maric scanned the kitchen once more before going to find milk. Considering he was going to have to whip the warm, fluffy milk by hand he’d better get started.

Maric decided not to answer her question about his heroic rescue right away. Instead he began looking around a bit in the kitchen. He was hunting for a pot, and he soon found one. He poured some milk into it before starting to heat it up on the stove. Finding himself a whisk, he began stirring it as he looked up at her. “I’ve actually been following that man. He… He’s my cousin on my mother’s side.”[/color] He paused, letting it sink in as he continued to work on the lie in the back of his head. “He was released from the mental institution last year and ever since he’s been driving around the states, talking about witches and demons. He thinks they exist, and… I’m really sorry that you had to go through that. He’s really ill.”[/color][/blockquote]

[Pandora Jackson]

As always, the mention of her own family brought a glimmer of sadness to her eyes before the pretty young woman turned away. Giving Maric her back, she made her way over to the kitchen island and slid onto one of the bar stools before answering his question.

"Um... Actually... I don't have any family left. I'm the last of my kind you might say... My father was an scholar and so was my mother. They traveled the world and gave lectures on famous ancient historic events and myths. " she returned quietly, rubbing the bump on her head. "Most of the time.. I think they were more enraptured with people of history than their own child. I didn't see much of them anyways so I guess to be honest.... I didn't know them well so when their dig collapsed on top of them..... "

Giving a delicate shrug with her shoulders to show she wasn't panning for sympathy, Pandora looked up at him and smiled.

"And of course... There's the name they saddled me with.. Pandora... What kind of parent names their child after a box of chaos and destruction?? Seriously... I would think it cursed me or something but my clumsiness didn't start until I turned a teenager. My grandmother always assured me that I'd come into my own at some point but.. to this day..... Still waiting!!" she said with a half resigned, half bemused tone while setting her chin in her palm. The smile that danced around her eyes and lips though said sh'ed long ago stopped worrying about things that couldn't be changed.

When the topic changed towards the man, the auburn haired beauty nodded in understanding. It certainly explained a lot of things about why the man was haunting her and why this good Samaritan had come out of nowhere.

"Well, I won't lie and say its not a relief to know that someone is looking for him. I feel sorry for him really .. It can't be easy for him either being so disturbed. I imagine its something like living a real nightmare. I just wish he hadn't fixated on me as if I were the boogeyman or something. As far as I know.. I've never knowingly harmed someone. Barring the accidents that seem to happen around me, that is....."

Remembering that she was suppose to be showing him where her things were, Pandora stood up so suddenly that the bar stool screeched and toppled over. As it did so, it barely missed hitting the phone stand where a vase of flowers sat. Giving a sigh of relief, the auburn haired beauty threw her hands up to say "see what I mean" and gave Maric a martyred look.

"How about I just TELL you where things are?? It might be safer for you and me both! This seems to be one of my bad nights... Things aren't generally quiet SO accident prone around me but some times are better than others.. I'm afraid you caught me on an off night...."

As if to emphasis her words, she leaned down to pick up the stool and stood up in time to whap her head on the underside of the kitchen island. Groaning and sputtering a few words that would have made her grandmother wash her mouth out with soap, the young woman simply ended up point to the cupboards.

"There... Over there.. Help yourself to anything and everything...."

[maricarceneau]

i55.tinypic.com/9k8chw.png

[/img]

[[ action || "speech" || thought ]]
[/center]

A thoughtfulness lingered a short while on Maric's facial features. His eyes ever so calculating as they kept a close eye on his surroundings. Ever searching for anything that seemed out of place, or odd. She was nothing but an ordinary girl. Yet there was something telling that it wasn't the whole story. There was something about her. He dragged the tip of his tounge over his lips as he listened to Pandora's words about her parents. When she finally turned against him, his eyes expressed nothing but compassion. Every trail of his calculating nature hidden underneath the kind surface he'd put on display. "I know what you mean. I never really knew my parents either." Was all he said.

It had been a long time since Maric had spoken the truth. But he really did know how the girl felt. His own parents had neglected him in their grief. His father jumped off a roof instead of manning up and taking care of his own family. As the years passed, Maric's anger hadn't subsided. Instead it had started growing. He partially blamed them for the life he led now. Had they taken better care of their son, perhaps he wouldn't be in this situation. In truth, he was only denying that it was entirely his own fault.

At the mentioning of the box of chaos and destruction, Maric halted. His eyes flickered to her, curiously. No, it couldn't be. Could it? He managed to put up a smile to hide his surprise. Can't say it's not worth looking into. "No need to rush it, right? Besides, I like it. Your name, I mean."

Glad to notice that his lie had passed undetected, Maric nodded a little at her words. "Mhm, he's a danger not only to others but to himself. It's only a matter of time before he runs into someone who won't be so understanding." He glanced down at the milk. Some foam had started to form. "I can't believe they let him out." He added. Maric looked up just in time to see the stool miss the phone stand. He grimaced slightly. He was happy not to be in her shoes. "Would you mind if I stayed around? I think it might be easier for me to find my cousin that way, since he seems to obsess over you."

"I'm glad I did." He replied, a grin lurking in the corner of his mouth. "In a way, I can see why he got attached to you." He pointed out. It could be interpreted as flirting, but all Maric really wanted was to get under her skin. So far, so good. He only chuckled at her suggestion to point out where things were. He nodded, agreeing to it.

When the milk finished heating up, he took it off the stove and began making the coffee. It didn't take long until that, too, were ready. Maric helped himself to a cup and poured some coffee into it. He then took the milk and mixed it in as well. "Well, I hope this turned out alright." He mused as he set the cup down in front of Pandora. "Try not to spill it, yea? It's really warm."

Maric leaned casually against the counter and once against watched her thoughtfully. "How's the head?"