Sable

"Oh," Sable gasped. She stepped away from Akeem and backed away into Conor who caught her by her shoulders, keeping her from falling backward. "What- what the hell was that?"

"I just resealed the contract," Akeem said.

"What?" Sable laughed nervously. Conor watched them, a slight smile on his face as he let go of Sable's shoulders. "You can't just kiss people like that."

"That was not a kiss," Akeem corrected her. "That was the seal for the contract. Have you forgotten? The first time we made the contract. And now that I had been sealed away and then called back out, we had to reseal the contract, Inara."

"I am not Inara," Sable said. The corners of her mouth twitched in aggravation. "My name is Sable. I am a completely different person, though I may look exactly like her. Forgive me if I don't know about your messed up traditions. I'm so sick of this place."

Conor cut in between them and said, "Right, sorry to interrupt, but there is a reason you were called here- summoned, really. This lady here needs to be escorted out of this place immediately. Here life is in danger, whether or not she chooses to go by the name Inara."

"I am not choosing to go by anything!" Sable interrupted.

"I need you to break these chains for me first," Conor said. Akeem brought his arm down hard without a second thought, breaking the chains and separating Conor from the wall. "Brilliant. Now, you two should get going."

"I will get her out of here," Akeem nodded. He lifted Sable up into his arms bridal style.

"Hey!" she protested. "Put me down! I can walk, you know. My legs aren't broken." She struggled in his hold.

"We will get to our destination faster this way," Akeem told her. She stopped struggling and sighed loudly. He looked back at Conor. "Are you staying behind?"

There was a commotion from the room at the bottom of the stairs. Each of them looked over in that direction. Had they know the cuff was off her wrist? Had they heard the chains break?

"Looks like I have no choice but to now," Conor said. He stretched and cracked his neck. "I need to distract them while you carry her off to safety. Take her back to the castle, with Lucca. She'll most definitely be well-protected there."

"Conor, Finnian knows where the castle is," Sable said. "He's known all along; it's not safe there for me. Or any of us."

"Then something needs to be planned out with Lucca," Conor sighed. "But you're not coming back here without an army. I'm going to go after those guys now and clear a path."

"Conor, no," Sable protested. "You barely survived them the last time. They could have killed you."

"But they didn't," Conor reminded her. "And anyway, I was caught off guard. That won't happen this time. I"m strong enough to fight off a few demons by myself."

"You need blood," Sable said. "You're injured."

"I'll be fine," Conor rolled his eyes.

"Speaking of fighting of said demons, you should get on that," Akeem suggested. There were footsteps echoing down the hall toward them, and in a rather hurried-sounding fashion.

"Fantastic idea," Conor said.

Akeem set Sable back on her feet and then ripped the cell door off its hinges and tossed it aside. He lifted her back up into his arms once he had finished. Conor charged right through the opening, barreling toward his unsuspecting victims. There were loud screams. Akeem didn't step out with Sable until all had fallen silent.

"Well done," Akeem complimented Conor. He stepped over the dead bodies around them. Conor wiped blood off his face.

"Yeah, well," Conor shrugged. "There will be more. I'll go on ahead and clear more of a path if necessary. You get her out of here. If I can manage it, I will catch back up with you."

"Conor-" Sable started.

"You're our priority here, Sable," Conor interrupted. "I will hear no arguments from you. I'm going."

Akeem nodded, and Conor took off and out of sight.

"Conor!" Sable called after him.

"He'll be fine," Akeem offered as comfort. "Trust me- he's one of the strongest vampires I know." Sable looked up at him then. Had they fought together in battle before? It was a question she'd save for another time.

Akeem waited a moment before darting down the hall, through the small room, and up the stairs. He paused again for a moment and listened. It was amusing to watch his expression change as he concentrated. After the pause he hurried her out into the hall, keeping to the shadows.

"I am unfamiliar with this place," he whispered to her. His breath against her ear made her shiver- but she herself had never officially met Akeem before, so those strange feelings were then silenced. "It would be best not to go out through the main entrance; it is likely to be heavily guarded. We'll find another way."

"Where did Conor go? Wouldn't he go through there to clear the path?" Sable asked.

"I wish I had an answer for you," he sighed.

Sable chewed her lip, and then whispered, "I do remember guards out front. But I don't know of any other exits."

"Like I said; we'll find one," Akeem reminded her. He remained in the shadows, walking along the wall toward the hall opposite of the one they had just come from. "What happened to you, Inara? One minute you were there, the next-"

"I am not Inara," Sable dragged out the words. "Stop calling me that. My name is Sable." Akeem turned red, and Sable smiled at that.

"Apologies, my lady," Akeem said.

"She died," Sable said quietly. Akeem froze and all colour drained from him.

"I had sensed it," he whispered. "I-I just didn't want to remember."

"She- she died and- and her soul came into my body," Sable continued. "Or something like that- it had to have happened during my conception, for me to look exactly like her. I'm just a human girl with the looks and powers of a goddess."

Akeem remained silent. He carried her down the hall, allowing the information to thoroughly sink in. Sable wondered if he would be alright.

They exited through a door on that side, into the shade outdoors. The castle wall was close by, but to get to it Akeem would risk exposing them. He looked on either side, and Sable did as well.

There was nobody there- at least not that they could see then. Akeem sucked in a breath and ran toward the wall. Remembering her last experience Sable squeezed her eyes shut tight, sucked in a deep breath and bit her lip, and clung tightly onto Akeem. She felt that strange feeling in her stomach as they launched into the air. Like she was riding in an elevator.

His feet returned to the ground soon after. A few moments passed before Sable opened her eyes. Akeem had his back pressed to the wall, and he looked around carefully.

"That was quick," Sable said quietly.

"I can't remain in the air for too long," Akeem explained. "I'm not strong enough. They'd spot us anyway, and no doubt attempt to shoot us out of the sky."

"Oh," Sable said. That thought hadn't crossed her mind. How far would they have to travel before they'd be safe from Finnian and his monsters?

"It's safe for now," Akeem said.

He continued on, still carrying Sable in his arms. Sable looked back, praying that she would see Conor coming out after them. He wasn't there. You better live, she thought angrily toward him. And come back to me.

More memories and feelings were coming back to her- or, at least, coming to her. They had never belonged to her to begin with. There was an odd feeling in her stomach. What had Inara's connection been to all of them? She had been betrothed to Lucca, so Conor would have technically become her brother-in-law. Akeem was her familiar. But was there something more between Inara and the other two? It wasn't right, but she felt like there was something else there- at least between Inara and one of them.

"What were you to Inara?" Sable asked suddenly. She only regretted not having the chance to ask Conor the same question.

"I was her familiar, just as I am now yours," Akeem said.

"No- I know that," Sable said. She sighed and chewed her lip. "But I feel like there was something more. I know you were her familiar, but what was your relationship with her?"

Akeem turned red and remained silent. Sable took that to mean that her suspicions were correct. She didn't like that feeling.

"So, she- she played you?" Sable asked.

"I don't know that she returned my feelings," Akeem said. "I know that I loved her. I loved her before the familiar bond. But she loved another. I never told her, but I think she knew how I felt. She was a goddess, after all."

"They have a way of knowing things," Sable whispered. "What if she did have feelings for you?"

"She's dead," Akeem laughed without humour. "What does that matter now?"

Sable shrank back. She sighed and looked at the ground as it passed underneath her. Akeem kept a firm hold on her as he carried her.

"What?" he asked.

"No, nothing," Sable mumbled. She hoped once more that Conor would survive and return to them soon.