Nerice curled herself into Ruby’s p and kissed her dymate squarely on the lips, enjoying her rum and rose fvors for a minute before she pulled away with a pheromone-driven sigh. “Mmm, Something about draining a vampire and kissing you that sends chills up my spine.”

  “You are bck as your scales.” Ruby ughed.

  “Thank you, darling.” Nerice plopped back on the bed and put the first fsk on the floor. “I hope she doesn’t answer again…” She propped herself on her side towards the vampire. “I’ll work on emptying this fsk of rum while you work on her.”

  Patting the vampire lightly on her thigh, Ruby took a breath and asked her first question. “I just want to know what you overheard the captains and their respective first mates discussing in regards to the dragon-dy. What were they pnning?” Ruby paused, “Your hearing is beyond legend, so I know you marked every conversation.”

  “You have me staked, drawing my blood so I am slowly going hunger-crazed.” Gweyir commented both dreadfully and guff. “I believe that you are going to burn me, so why would I bother helping you?”

  A little perfect melodic little humm came from Ruby as she considered what Gweyir said. Standing up, Ruby slipped her hand behind the vampire's head and turned Gweyir so she could see Ruby’s one sparkling hazel eye. “I want to save the entertainer, which will also upset the other captains.” Ruby chuckled and weaved her words into the soft balrd she was using. “I could turn this song on you and compel you to tell me, but I think you’d rather live and not have me charm you.” Keeping hold of Gweyir’s hair, Ruby sat down and ran the back of her free hand over the vampire’s cheeks. “My preferred entanglements come in the form of blissful nudity with my lips enjoying the taste of it all.”

  “So you want to save the dragon-dy?” Gweyir rolled her red-rimmed brown eyes and took in a heavy breath. “Alright, Yes.” She paused, “Only the ones that have seen her perform are smitten with her. Hearing them prattle on while they are drunk is quite interesting. They honestly think the girl is a dragon in disguise.”

  Looking over her shoulder at her dymate, Ruby cracked a sly smile. “They are pnning to kidnap her. Nothing would please me more than to watch them fight each other over this, Ner-Ner.”

  “Causing chaos just because you can.” Nerice ughed and shook her head. “I still need kyanite, dear. Or I can’t get us out of here. She pointed up, "Those clouds out there are snow-den and the wind is currently against us.” Nerice crawled over to Ruby and slipped her arms around her lover's neck and shoulders. “Causing that chaos and grabbing the girl without a means to get out is a bad idea.

  “Ladies.” Gweyir spoke softly, “Looks like I have a bit of leverage here.”

  Nerice kissed along Ruby’s neckline, “What leverage is that? Seems to me that you have made yourself pretty useless.” Nerice whispered lightly into Ruby’s ear. “What do you want to do with the blood-feeder?”

  While Ruby didn’t answer aloud she knew that whatever she was thinking, Nerice would know just by their bond alone. “Gweyir, if this leverage is as good as I think it is, I’ll pull the stake and let you go. Just understand that our blood is probably useless to you, as we are Mermaids.”

  “How do you know about that kind of blood?” Gweyir commented quickly.

  Keeping hold of Gweyir’s chin, Ruby waved her other hand dismissively. “That isn’t important. Just know that you aren’t the first vampire that I’ve encountered.” Thoughts of Greece and one certain night coursed through Ruby and she sighed. “You have my bargain, so tell me.”

  A hefty moan escaped Nerice and she fell against her dymate’s back. “Stars, Tanya…that…” She shivered and purred into her lover. “...We really need to talk about that night in Greece…that memory…mmm…” Nerice trailed off giggling. “Sorry, you keep going, dear…I’m just going to…Oh my!” Nerice quietly sighed and finally went silent.

  “I’ve heard you are a dy of your word, so here goes…” Gweyir paused for a quick and useless breath, “...Your dragon-dy asked about that very mineral, stone or gem. I could smell that her blood was useless to me as well.” Gweyir added, “I think she is like your mate, human magic. Furthermore, the dragon-dy bought the whole cache of it from the jeweler…and I know that because he was bragging st night about having enough silver for a year.”

  Sensing that Ruby was about to keep her word, Nerice pushed the sexy memory aside.

  {“Tanya, give me a few seconds before you pull the stake love.”}

  Blinking her lone eye, Ruby turned and saw a devilish grin form on Nerice’s lips.

  {“Fine. Do what you want, I am going to get my leather armor on. I have a small fight to cause.”}

  Patting Gweyir on the thigh, Ruby stood up and headed to the other side of her cabin. “I will get that stake out in a few minutes. I am going to get my armor on, in the meantime Ner-Ner has something she and you…Need to discuss?” She opened her wardrobe and pulled out the bck armor she’d had made years before. “So gd we found this, Ner-Ner. It’s the only armor that I have found that fits me perfectly.”

  “You have told me many times, Tanya.” Nerice purred. “It makes me all wiggly seeing you in it.” She turned to Gweyir. “You.” Nerice ran her hands over the vampire’s skinny form, memorizing it. “You might not agree, but I have a lovely use of your blood.” Nerice leaned forward and kissed the helpless vampire's cheeks. “So close, dear…but I know about your lips of poison.” She ughed and uncapped the fsk of blood. “Oh, yes. You might not know it, but that little kiss of yours has a form of poison…which I have harvested before.” Nerice ughed, “...My lovely dymate has made a deal with you, and I am not going to break her word…” Nerice opened her palm and her bck rune fred, its energy covering Nerice’s hand in darkness. “I seldom get to cast spells with my hand, in favor of using my song…” She giggled pyfully. “...This time, I get to use both.” Nerice aimed her palm towards the fsk and aided by her song, weaved a quick spell in a few lines.

  “Twisted spell of blood to use,Mermaid magic pours to infuse,Bound to me your anger diffused,By my voice, all parts of you are now enthused,Troublesome vampire, I am your muse.”

  A small thin beam shot down into the metal container and cast the silver gleam into a shadow that crackled with blue lightning for a few seconds as the spell worked its way through the blood within. Nerice held the opening to her nose and took a deep breath, “Very good. It’s a nice mix of my magic and your blood…” Nerice felt her way to Gweyir’s chin and opened her mouth. “A little insurance for myself and my lovely Tanya. I can’t have you trying to kill us.” Pouring the contents of the fsk down Gweyir’s throat, Nerice began to softly sing once more and listened for Gweyir to swallow before she dropped the vampire’s head back where it was. “Tanya, she’s safely ours…” Nerice scooted her way back to the headboard and after using her tongue in her standard click to find the window, threw the silver fsk in the general direction. It was only after she heard a shattering of gss that Nerice shrank down into the bed. “Ooops.”