"Erosvent, please wait." Elaina tried taking a fist full of clothing and pulling on it in an attempt to slow him down. It didn't slow him down at all, instead, she was slightly dragged along with him. 

"Stop! You mustn't!" Elaina pleaded in a hushed tone. 

He briskly put one foot in front of the other closing the space between him and Daniel's room.

"He'll kill what I hold most dear!" She suddenly spoke in her normal tone, panic evident as she stopped being quiet.

He stopped, his fist clenching at his side. "And you won't tell me? I can protect them and you."

"I can't, only he knows the location, I don't want to risk it, please!" she begged.

"I will not do nothing, innocent people are being punished." He retorted.

She bit her bottom lip, clearly it bothered her too. Whatever hold he had on her it had to be of great importance for a young girl to go against her morals like this.

"I have been helping them, I don't just bring them food, they need only stop fighting and actually look at what I've provided." She lightly tugged on his shirt again. "Please Erosvent."

A low growl escaped his lips, she was stopping him from ripping her Daniel's head from his shoulders. He was too wound up to think clearly, all he wanted was the wall to be covered with his blood. He needed a rational head to get everyone out of this situation alive.

"Why must he remain alive?" Eros asked.

Elaina's eyes bulged and her hands began to shake as she released what his intent had been. "Another life is at stake." Her voice shook and tears began to fill the corners of her eyes. "Only if I do as I'm told... You must understand, I can't let you hurt him for fear of taking away what I hold most dear."

Before he had a chance to respond his attention shifted. His head lifted upward as he caught the scent of smoke in the air. His head snapped to the side as a loud explosion ripped through the night.

Elaina screamed, the shock of the sudden unexpected noise startled her. Frightened she jumped backward slamming her small body into the wall behind her.

Daniel flung open the door moments later, his brow furrowed as he looked between the two but his attention was soon diverted by the many panicked animals making a ruckus outside.

This was his chance, Eros could easily reach up and snap the human's neck. Problem solved. But they would not be of benefit to the young girl. He had claimed he would protect her, but how, he only knew what he read about this world, he didn't have the experience he needed to look after a human, let alone a human child. Not yet.

Having made the mental decision to not kill Daniel then and there, he'd regret it later. Remembering this was like a thorn in his side. How much tragedy could have been avoided if he had just killed the man here? But that's not how this story goes sadly.

The screams that erupted from outside completely washed away all hatred to be replaced with fear. He had chills all over as his thoughts began to race. If he had freed the humans when he had the chance this wouldn't;t be happening, this was his fault. Leaving the two behind he ran for the front door. Elaina and Daniel close on his heels only to emerge from the home to an unseemly site. The wooden structure that housed the captives was ablaze.

"Why the fuck is the barn on fire!" Daniel exclaimed.

Screams pierced the night air, Eros knew they were from the man and woman within. "Why are their people in there!? You said everyone was inside sleeping?" He shot Daniel a glare.

"They probably went to feed the animals and knocked over a lantern." Daniel shrugged. His lies slipped off the tongue so naturally, it was sickening.

"In the middle of the night when it's pouring with rain? Unlikely." Erosvent's eyes narrowed on the man as he strode forward and toward the barn.

Elaina lunged forward in an attempt to run to the blazing building, but Daniel gripped her by the arms and rather violently pulled her back toward him. "Don't even think about it! Those flames are too hot and your body is your only asset, not going to happen!"

Eros saw red, the comment fueling the diminished anger within. He only saw her as property. A horse burst out from the barn with a horrifying screech as Eros's attention moved once again to the man holding Elaina. He was standing a few feet from the two having started to head for the barn, but that remark...

Daniel's eyes widened as Eros appeared to vanish and reappear before him. 

Eros had moved with inhuman speed. Daniel didn't even get a chance to make a sound as Eros's hands wrapped around its throat. Eros began to squeeze, tightening his grip, he wondered how much pressure he would have to apply to make the human's head pop. His fangs and claws were already present and clearly visible, he was on the brink of losing himself completely. Already he had broken one of the rules, the two could clearly see what he was. Or rather what his curse turned him into.

"EROS! THE OLDER COUPLE! SAVE THEM!" Elaina's voice broke through his trance. Her small hands were gripping his elbows, pushing against him in protest of him squeezing the life out of a man who shouldn't be allowed to live.

This small tiny frail girl, so brave, so innocent. She had no care for her own life, only for others.

The screams and wails of the humans within the building reminded him he had lives to save. As an Alarian it was his mission to protect and save humanity. Regretfully he released the sad excuse for a human being and dashed toward the crumbling building.

The doors were a mess, splinted off and in pieces, the raging flames licking at the wood and already ruble had begun to pile up blocking the entrance in some parts. With no hesitation, he ducked under and fallen roof beam that was still ablaze and entered the burning hell.

The heat was like nothing he had ever faced. His clothing lasted no time at all, engulfed in flame and burnt away to smouldering rags. The flames licked at his skin searing every surface it touched. His body was still energized from his feeding earlier that night,  it was working to repair the damage as it appeared but it wouldn't last for long, already he could feel his reserves depleting as the sting of the burns became more intense. A fresh beam broke free from the roof and fell from the ceiling, he dodged and weaved his way through the burning mass of wood and hay heading for the laboured heartbeats. 

The couple's screams had already stopped and dread was threatening to suffocate him more than the smoke. How could he be so distracted by one man when lives were on the line, he should have ran straight into the building. But instead, he had been hell-bent on killing Daniel and right in front of Elaina as well. This wasn't him, it needed to do better.

Within the blaze he found them huddled together and unconscious. They were under a burlap sack, they appeared to have used the animals' watering trough to wet the sack and thrown it over them in the hopes that it would stop them from being burned alive. The smoke inhalation proved to be too much for them and both and had passed out. Retrieving the limp bodies he dragged them outside. 

The man came too quickly once the fresh air was able to reach him. Coughing and spluttering he gasped for air. His shaky arms reached up to take hold of Ero's still-smouldering arm.

"Thank you, oh thank you!" He coughed as he clung to Eros. "Please sir, save my wife, take her away from here. We were being held prisoner, please go to the authorities and report the man." He appeared to be desperate. The man scrambled to his feet, only then did he notice that he was nursing a broken leg, a makeshift bandage had been applied, likely Elaina's handy work looking at it. 

"Your leg..." Eros muttered.

"Daniel, he threatened my wife, I did what I had to protect her, or he would hav-"

Daniel had made his way over, Eros hadn't seen it coming but he should have. It was at this very moment that he had learnt just what humans were truly capable of, he wouldn't make that mistake again. Daniel reached forward, a knife in hand as his arm snaked around the man's neck. The blade moved in slow motion as Eros watched the blade slip over the skin as though it was made of butter. He was taken aback when the flesh slit and the wound sprayed him with blood. Shocked and wide-eyed he stepped back as the man fell to the ground gargling his own blood. Daniel shoved the knife into Eros's hand and spun on his heels running down the dirt road with his arms flailing in the air as he called for help.

Why call for help when he was the villain? Eros didn't know what was happening. He stood there as he felt the blood run down checks and down his chin. All he could focus on was the feeling of the life-giving liquid on his lips. His lips parted as his tongue savoured the taste. His heart rate had increased significantly and his breathing was rough a ragged. He was fighting for control.

"Eros! You need to get out of here!" Elaina's voice didn't even compute.

Raising his hands before him he looked at the speckles of blood dotting his soot-covered limbs. It looked... beautiful. The crimson red felt incredible on his skin, the burns wanted more, it was soothing.

"EROVENT RUN!" Elaina screamed.

Something aggressively pushed him, its heartbeat was erratic. He licked his lips, his body coming alive as the toxicity of human blood made his mouth water future, the taste almost blinding him.

A hand slapped him across the face, he gasped staring down at a small frightened face.

"GO! Please." Elaina was nearly in tears, her emotion bringing him back down to the ground.

"That's him, the murderer! He slit my father's throat in cold blood!" Daniel roared not too far away from them.

A small entourage of local villages at his back, they had clearly been woken by the loud explosion and the smell of fire. The blaze was huge now, threatening to engulf and spread to the forest and possibly neighing farms if not stopped soon.

Eros looked down at the knife in his hands, then to the limp body at his feet. The human had set him up and this didn't look good for him. His trip to the Earth realm and already he was making huge mistakes. His palm closed around the blade, he at least had a weapon now. But there was no point in fighting those who didn't need to be hurt. Eros would make sure Daniel would pay for this. But for now, he needed to get away from the many heartbeats that were approaching his bloodied form. As much as he hated the idea, he needed to run, not for himself, but for their lives.

Elaina had given him a chance to hold on to his humanity and he wasn't going to waste it. Gripping the knife tightly he met the small child's concerned eyes. He couldn't help her, not yet. But he vowed he would free her and whatever Daniel held over her. Not today, maybe not a month from now as he still had a lot to learn, but one day.

Digging the balls of his feet into the ground he bolted for the cover of the trees, his clothes were badly damaged from the flames and even still smouldering in some parts. His bare feet pounding the ground as the deafening sounds of the rain slammed down around him. He knew the humans were following him, he needed to keep going. His lungs began to burn as he pushed himself, his speed slowing the longer he ran, but he couldn't stop. He couldn't let them catch him.

He hissed as his foot impacted a protruding object, it embedded itself in his flesh. He lost his footing and collided with the ground. With a groan he acted fast, he could still hear the shouts of his pursuers behind him. Rolling onto his back he pulled the stick from his foot as he gritted his teeth tightly together, grunting from the pain. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, he tossed the annoyance aside and noticed he wasn't healing anymore, great, just what he needed, his reserves had run low. Leaping to his feet he lunged forward and broke into a sprint again.

They'd give up at some point, or he'd give in to those beating organs that were getting harder and harder to ignore with every passing minute. Just, keep, moving!