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Nyx's eyes widened at Mr.Crepsley's last statement. What did he mean by that?! Memories of abusive caretakers and peverted foster fathers flooded her mind. Nyx quickly back away from him, trembleing and now untrusting. This man could do whateven he wanted to her, and she was helpless to stop him now, being where and what they both were.

Larten gave Nyx a strange look, "Nyx, what is wrong?" he reach out to comfort the child. "Dont touch me!" Nyx barked fearfully. Her voice quivering, as she took a swipe at Larten for the first time in weeks. Larten stood in shock, what had happened? Had he said something to offend her? "Nyx, please tell me what is wrong, come here." Larten gently took her arm. Nyx yelled as if he had slaped her and jerked away," stay away from me!" she shreiked, slashing his arm, tears pouring down her face, "Dont touch me! stay away from me!" she trembled in fear and burst out the door to his trailer and took off running at full speed.

Larten could only watch in shock as his heart broke. What had he done to his little Nyx to frighten her so? What had he said? Larten could not go after her, even though he wanted to, it would only frighten her more. But that dawn he prayed to the vampire gods that the little half vampire would make it though the day unharmed and be back by his side by dusk..

Larten awoke the next night and his hope shattered, Nyx was not with him. He searched for the rest of the night for her, but she was no where to be found. There was a bitter cold winter frost tonight and it had started to rain heavly He returned to his trailer his feet as heavy
as his heart. He was ashamed of himself and frightened for the girl. She was all alone out there, somewhere. She was all alone, cold, wet and probably scared to death. Awful images of the little vampire scared,in danger and hurt played over and over in his mind,calling for him to help her. Tears trickled down hit face as he sat on the floor in the corner where she had stayed for so long. She was gone, forever gone from him. He had grown so fond of the little half vampire, she had filled the hole in his heart. Seeing her run away from him was like letting Darren go all over again. It hurt worse knowing he had driven her away. And it was all his fault. He had frightened her away. That dawn Larten wept himself to sleep on the floor where Nyxs scent still lingered.

Nyx ran hard and fast. Far from the man who she had thought was helping her. And she hid from him when he came looking. She remembered those horrible foster fathers that had beat her as a small girl, how they had gently cooed her name so lovingly to draw her out, only to beat her again worse then before and more often. And she remembered the abusive caretakers at the orphanage how they would blame her and beat and punish her for being sent back after she had been taken away from those monsters who used her and hurt her. Tonight she would run again far away so she could not be found. She left her hiding place and started sprinting.It wasn't long before she slammed in to something that brought her to a complete stop.

A tall man with kind eyes and long hair smiled down at her. "Are you alright, little one?" the man tried to help her up. Nyx panicked and hurried to scramble away. "Whoa!" the man chuckled softly, scooping her back, and quite literaly off her feet with one massive arm. "Easy now, no need to be scared, I am not going to hurt you." Nyx stopped moveing. Out of breath and out of energy. The man turned her around to face him, crouching down to her level. Strangly he was less intimidating when he was at her height, more friendly, fatherly even. Nyx calmed down a bit. "There now, you see, I will not hurt you." Nyx stayed silent just starring at the man.

His voice was deep and very sootheing, she also noticed that he didn't slur his words together, it was a lot like how Mr. Crepsley spoke. The man stroked her hair gently still smileing kindly at her. "What is your name, little one?" "N-N-Nyx" She studdered. The man cocked his head to one side. "No sirename?" Nyx shook her head. "Hello Nyx, my name is Seba Nile." Nyx's ears perked up, she had heard that name many times."Mr.Crepsley's mentor?" Nyx asked to no one in particular. Seba nodded,"You know him?" "A little..." Nyx was so scared of Mr. Crepsley now, all her worst memories still so fresh in her mind... And Seba, he was so kind and so gentle... A wave of fear, relief, and sadness washed over her. With a soft cry Nyx wrapped her arms around Seba's neck and cried.

(Seba's pov)

I was on my way to see my old assistent, when this young girl bareled right in to me! I do not think she did so intentionly. She was running like the devil himself was hot on her heels! She wound up plowing in to me and fell flat on her back. The poor thing was terrified,and when she saw me, she turned five shades of white. Such a tiny thing too, she was far too skinny, so frail looking. Her name was Nyx, just Nyx. So we meet again little one... Something horrible must have spooked her. She cried in to my shoulder. "There, there now, do not cry little one. Hush, hush now."

(No ones pov)

"Hush,little one, all is well." Seba muttered to the child, he wondered what could have frightened the child so badly. Seba pulled back slightly to ask when he spotted a large number of markings, scars, on the childs arms. The sight shocked and sickened him. How could anyone
do such a thing to an innocent child? "Little one, who did this to you?" A new and disturbing thought came to his mind. "Did Mr.Crepsley do this to you little one?" Nyx shook her head, "No... It happened a long time ago... please don't tell." Seba didn't need to ask the girl what had happened to cause those scars, someone or someones had hurt her, beat her repeatedly. He merely nodded, he hated to lie to a child but, this was too serious to keep a secret. "Where is Mr.Crepsley now? Why are you running?" Nyx didn't answer him, not that she needed to. There were only two reasons for a child to run from a guardian, one was anger and she clearly was not angry, and the other was fear. Seba smiled, Oh Larten... He was more of a child himself then he knew. "Did that old crab Larten, scare you little one?" Seba cooed, pulling her close again as she nodded. Seba chuckled, scooping her up in his arms.

"Well, I think we should get the old git back... but not now, he is probably very worried about you." Nyx seemed uneasy about that idea, but she was too tired to protest. Seba only smiled and continued walking towards the Cirque's campgrounds. By the time Seba got there, Nyx was fast asleep. in his arms. It didn't take long for Seba to find his old assistents trailer. He knocked softly. No answer. He knocked again, louder this time. No answer... But he knew Larten was in there, he could see a light on in the trailer. Hmm, "Larten, It is I Seba."
********
Mr. Crepsley was silently sulking in his trailer when there was a knock on his door. He didn't want company, he only wanted his Nyx back. Strang how fast that little half vampire had wormed her way in to his heart. It didn't help that he was still longing for the bond he and Dareren had shared. The knock came again. "go away... Larten thought bitterly. "Larten, It is I, Seba." Oh great just what he needed, Larten thought as he got up to answer the door, his old mentor visiting and stick his nose in to his bussiness, weasle out the reason why he looked so glum and then give him a full blown speech about how he had acted as a youth and how little
he knew about teaching, and every other embaressing moment he had ever had... Damn that man, damn that, that....Larten opened the door to find his mentor and a sleeping Nyx in his arms! That wonderful, stubborn, irratating, brillent man! "Nyx," Larten eagerly took her from a grinning Seba and cuddled her to his chest, as Seba got in and closed the door behind him. Larten gently put Nyx inside his coffin, just as he diid Seba walked up behind him with a scowl on his face. "What..." Larten barely got the world out before Seba plucked a hair of his ear and smacked him upside the head. "ouch! What was that for?" Larten demended in a whisper so he would not wake up Nyx. "Larten Theodore Crepsley..."

Oh gods the dreaded middle name... Suddenly Larten didn't feel like the onehundred and some odd year old vampire he was. He now was a three year old boy who'd just got caught with him hand in the cookie jar before dinner. " How dare you firghten the poor girl! Do you have any idea what she has been though?" Seba hissed, again whispering. "What are you talking about? All I know is that I was talking to her, and then she was spooked and took off." Women! Larten childishly thought. Seba sighed and rubbed his head. "Tell me exactly how you found her all that has conspired since and what was said." Larten did and stoped short when he saw Seba giving him that'Dear gods, his is that stupid.' look. "What?" Seba sighed, "Larten, have you ever wondered why Nyx was out on the streets in the first place, never mind that fact that she is a half vampire for a moment, think, why on earth would a ten year old girl be out on the streets in the first place?" Larten thought for a moment but his mind was drawing a blank. Seba sighed again, "Larten, tell me you at least examined her, to check for any tell tale signs for the reason why she is so malnurished." Larten shook his head, "What was there to inspect? She was searching for scraps on the street she was homeless, a runaway."

Seba gave him the 'duh' look and continued speaking in a voice he had often used with Larten when he had been an extremely stubborn and difficult to tolerate youth. "Larten, little girls do not simply become homeless, there is a reason behind it. If you had inspected her body as you should have, you would have seen she is a victim of child abuse and the vampire gods only know what else that poor little girl has been put through." Larten gaped. Seba rubbed his forehead and continued, "There are scars on her arms and I am sure there are many more over her enitre body too, she became spooked by the words you used... your special little secret... Really Larten are you trying to sound like a pedophille?"

Seba sighed again, "Does Mr. Tall know about your little one?" Seba expected an immediate yes from Larten but he heard nothing... "Larten," His former assistent looked at his shoes bashfully. "You told Mr. Tall about her did you not?" No answer. Then, "No...." Seba lost his temper then and cracked his former student upside his head. "You did not tell Mr. Tall about her!" Seba growled, "what were you thinking Larten? Mr. Tall is kind enough to let you stay here with the Cirque at great risk of his neutrality, and you do this!" Seba was almost shouting now. "I have half a mind to turn you over my knee! I..." a whimper cut his off. Seba turned to see little Nyx looking at him and Larten from the coffin shaking and fearful, tears forming in her green eyes.

Sebas rage poured out of him. "No, no, little one do not cry.Shh," seba quickly comforted the child. "There, there, shh, no crying, no crying." Seba cooed, muttering more words of comfort.
"L-Larten...." Nyx called softly. Larten quickly and happily scooped her up and cradeled her to his chest. "You must tell Tall about her Larten, and you will do so tonight." Seba stated. "Yes, Seba." Larten replied softly, before returning all his attention to his precious little Nyx.