Those Arabian Nights... And the sand! ((Finished))

[Solemn Creed]

Saudi Arabia

Sol made his way through the city with casual ease. He moved at the pace of one who would live forever. Sol was possessed of no sense of urgency in this blistering heat.

With each stride, his boots raised a small, fine cloud of dust. Sol had reached the city not too long ago. Only moments before had he walked through the western entrance. No he was heading towards the large palace on the eastern side.

Sol wiped the sweat from his forhead with the back of his hand. What Sol just couldnt get is why someone would want to live in the Saudi Arabian desert.

He could understand why they would built it in this spot, right next to an oasis so they would have water. And to the east of the palace, where they would have a few extra hours of shade from the sun.

But why have to go through of all that trouble just to live somewhere that was practically just some barren wasteland. Another question Sol couldnt answer was why he was there.

((Its short because my muse died a little when i had it finished and accidentally deleted it))

Rayne never thought she would end up like this. Engaged. She looked down at her hand peeking from under the very expensive abaya. A glimmer of a diamond shimmered every time the abaya's soft material moved. Omar had bought it for her. She hadn't actually stolen this one. That's why she didn't complain of it being a so-overused diamond instead of her favored sapphires. She had stolen quite a bit of those in her days. She smiled at the thought. Thought no one could see.

The abaya covered Rayne from head to toe, only leaving space for her eyes and nose. Her bright red bangs showed a little and Omar would always give her disapproving looks, but she refused to pin them back. Her obedience could only be stretched so far. The abaya was even too confining for her. However, this was Saudi Arabia and even she had to follow customs. Besides it was really very beautiful. It was black as traditional abayas were, but it was edged gold flowers that the weaver had made especially for her. Omar was very generous to her. Omar was a wonderful man to her, but she wouldn't throw away everything she believed in for him.

Still, when he looked down at her Rayne smiled underneath the abaya and gripped his arm tighter. They had been walking through town, ignoring the blowing wind and sand as best they could, browsing through the stands. There was some very beautiful stuff that Rayne would have stolen...if Omar didn't keep giving her encouraging looks. He was very proud that Rayne had relinquished her 'old ways' and turned to the other side of the law. Just for him. Which she did. However, she had lived her whole life stealing and taking what she could. She was amazing at it as well. Even though she loved Omar, Rayne wasn't sure she could live her life without stealing. She didn't think she could be happy living this type of life no matter how luxurious it was.

But she would try. For Omar. So Rayne acted obedient, despite her edge, and pointed out nice things, but declining when Omar offered to buy her them. She laughed at his stories and gave him adoring looks. Then she saw them. Out of the corner of her eye, Rayne caught a glimpse. Black hair, blue eyes, pale skin. Impossible to miss compared to everyone else. He was walking towards them. And he passed. Rayne felt a very familiar feeling. It was the feeling she got every time she successfully stole something. That tiny little jolt of adrenaline. The urge to steal something welled up inside her and she paused in her step as the passed a jewelry stand.

"Are you okay?" Omar asked at her slight pause. His chocolate brown eyes clouded with worry. Rayne simply put a hand to her head.

"The heat. I think I've spent too much time outside these days. I'm not used to it." She replied and felt adoration fill her at Omar's smile.

"Let's go back then, yes?" He asked and Rayne smiled. She felt guilt rise up as she felt the Sapphire necklace brush against her arm in he sleeve of her abaya.

[Solemn Creed]

Sol was uncomfortable. The heat, it didnt truly bother him, but he preffered the cold. Sol was a creature of fire. Flame proof, his veins felt as if liquid fire flowed through them and in the past it had proven to be at least a semi-corrosive substance. He preffered the cold because in hot places he felt as if he was going to overheat. In the cold he could pick his own temperature, in the heat it was chosen for him. Sol preffered choice. It gave him some power over the outcome.

There had been times in Sol's life when he had been completely helpless. Times when there had been nothing he could do. With all of his power, Sol had been at the mercy of another before. He had been powerless, and the feeling was not one he was comfortable with.

Sol was a demon, and he was powerful. Everyday, every week, he grew more powerful. Sol could kill hundreds with the snap of one finger. Few could stand against him. Yet, power was not everything. He wanted more. Sol wanted more than just his home in Detroit, halfway across the world. Sol wanted a family, any family. He would even take back the brothers that had hated him, the mother who could look at him and make him want to die. Even the bastard ram who had sired him.

Sol was a walking bag of violent emotion, laser focused insanity, and enough demonic power to carry out every violent fantasy, every insane whim, he could dream of.

Sol lifted his eyes from the constant, unchanging, ground. He stumbled slightly, too slightly for anyone to notice. He saw... money. Sol had seen a man and a woman, their clothing to rich to be anything but completely loaded with what he wanted. The only thing Sol loved better than destruction was pain, true suffering. He wanted to make others, at least on person, feel the way that he did, even for the briefest of moments. But so far, he had not succeeded. Someone with everything had more to lose than someone who did not.

Sol lifted an eyebrow as he saw the woman pause in her step next to a jewelry stand. It wasnt so much that she had paused by the stand, but that she stole something, a necklace maybe. Sol's interest was piqued. Why would a woman who could have anything steal something? He would have to find out. Sol decided to follow them, as discreetly as possible.

Every brush the necklace made against Rayne's skin was another reminder on why she didn't deserve Omar. She was thief. Once a thief, always a thief. Not even for love could she give it up. It was the only thing she felt truly good at. Deceiving people was her specialty, yet she was forced to give it away. She was forced to throw away her horrible hobby because she was given something so much more precious. Yet, she still wanted something different. She wanted whatever she couldn't have.

Rayne had always been like that. When she didn't have food, she wanted it. She took it. When she didn't have clothes and wanted it, she took it. It started out as a necessity and grew into a selfish obsession. She wanted that necklace so she took it. She wanted that fancy candle maker so she would wait till dark and steal it. Her endless obsession with things she couldn't have drove her to become a mighty fine thief. Something Rayne was proud of. And now that it was gone, it was like a piece of her was missing. Her reason for living was gone.

No, not gone. Just changed. Omar was her reason for living now. He was her everything. He willfully gave her his love. He gave her a home; a place to run to. She loved him for that. Yet she was still no satisfied. She wondered if she could ever be fully sated with what she had. The days before her marriage were numbered and when that day came, she had best be used to the lifestyle. Because that's the lifestyle she would be living the rest of her life.

As they approached Omar's palace she gazed at the beauty of it. it was huge, for Omar's father was a very important man making Omar himself a very important person. The place spoke wealth in volumes. They were at the steps of the palace when Rayne felt her arm twitch, the arm Omar wasn't connected to thankfully. She had this nagging feeling in the back of he head, but had been to caught up to recognize it. She felt like she was being followed.

"My love, look at the sunset, it's so beautiful." Rayne said smiling underneath black cloth as she turned them around. Omar was startled, but smiled at her youth and obliged her. While he began talking, she focused on the people behind them. She swore she saw a glimpse of pale skin, but it was gone too quick for her to verify. She felt the cold metal against her arm. Guilt washed over her.

"Let us go inside, the heat must be getting to you." Omar said and Rayne made a sound of agreement as she was led up into the palace. She needed to be alone, in her room. She needed to think.

[Solemn Creed]

Sol was relieved when he followed them back to the palace. For a minute he had thought that he might have to split his time between following the woman and checking out the palace.

Now he could kill two birds with one stone. He could check out the palace and the woman at the same time. Talk about a time and energy saver.

Now all Sol had to think about was how he would go about doing it. The security woudl be nothing to him. Sol could sneak past guards, hop fences, practically ooze through cracks. You cant keep out something of great power that is determined to get inside.

Sol turned away and walked back towards town. He would return later that night, and when he did, he would do his thing.

Sol would get inside, and he wouldnt even hurt anyone in the process. Every now and then Sol didnt want to kill and destroy. He appreciated a challenge sometimes. Sometimes destruction wasnt enough.

At night he would come.

Dinner had been amazing as usual. Even with the large number of Omar's usual guests, he still devoted 80% of hist time to Rayne. He didn't hide the fact that he was marrying someone from the poorer side of the oasis either. Most of his friends weren't proud, but they could see the love he held for her. She saw it too and was overjoyed. After dinner, Omar went to seek out Anya, his favorite....concubine to put it gently.

Rayne hadn't really cared all that much. She wasn't very active in that specific....area so to speak. She just had no interest. So she let him have his fun, not that she could stop him anyways. In Saudi Arabia harems were more expected then allowed. So Rayne bid him a good night and went up to her room. She leaned against the door and sighed. Finally alone. She pulled the abaya's hood from her head and took a deep breath. Too confining for her taste.

Rayne pulled out her night clothes and crossed the giant room to a door that led to a very beautiful and over done bathroom. She closed the door behind her and got ready for bed. After a quick shower she went back into the main part of her room and sat at her vanity. As she ran a brush through her long red hair, she thought about a year ago when she bathed every three days in a dirty back-alley pond only to put on the same sand and dirt ruined clothes that were two sizes too small. Now she bathed every night in rich oils and never wore the same clothes twice.

"What a waste." Rayne said to no one in particular. She left her hair down and sighed, making her way to the window. She sat on the cushioned window seat and stared at the small village. She didn't belong up here in this beautiful palace. She belonged down there, stealing stuff because she needed to and wanted to.

Rayne looked down at the Sapphire necklace in her hands. She was a thief. Born and raised one. She was good too. She sighed. She hadn't stolen anything for at least six months. She was trying, trying so hard for Omar. Yet today, at the glimpse of a very pale man, she grabbed the first Sapphire studded jewelry she saw. She wanted to wear it too. Using the things she had stolen made her feel powerful. And now she would have to hide it as if she had done something wrong. She had done something wrong. No, she argued, she was being who she was. being what she knew. Was being Rayne so wrong? She clutched the necklace tightly in her hands at the thought as she closed her eyes.

[Solemn Creed]

Sol could feel it, he could feel the sun lower, casting the city in shadow. He opened his eyes. Gleaming green pupils surrounded by red that should be white shone in the dark, they practically glowed. His wings unfurled and he flexed them, opening them as much as he could, given the area of space available.

Sol was back in his original form and he was comfortable. A woman was hanging from the ceiling just a few feet from him. Sol smiled and unhooked his feet. He landed gracefully, hardly making a sound. The woman's mouth was gaping open in an endless scream, her arms were hanging free with trails of blood down them. Her rib cage was ripping open, intestines tossed aside along with kidnies and other undesirables. Her heart, lungs, and lever were missing, devoured along with most of the muscle and flesh. She had been Sol's snack while he waited.

Sol shifted back into his human form, suppressing the small grunts of pain that came with the transfomation. He towled himself off using cold water and clean cloth he had kept at the ready nearby. Once clean and dry he slipped back into his clothes, black shirt and black jeans topped off with black socks and black combat boots.

Sol slipped out into the streets, swiftly making his way to the palace. He took good care not to be seen as he slipped past the security outside of the compound. Sol scaled the wall of the palace making his way to the second of many levels of the building. He slipped inside of a window, his entrance and climb was completely silent.

Sol found himself inside of a hallway. all he could think of was where to start first.

If Rayne hadn't been a thief or near the window, she would have been ignorant of whoever entered the building. However, since she had done it so many times herself, she heard the familiar muted sound of a window being opened and someone sliding through. It was below her in the lower levels, quite far down. She guessed the third or second floor. However, the third was a floor she was not comfortable going to, as it was where Omar had just left to go.

So Rayne slipped out of her room silently. She didn't bother with an abaya. No one should be roaming around the halls. Rayne swept down the stairs swiftly and silently, as if she was the one stealing something. When she reached the second floor she paused at the steps. She scanned the area, felt her eyes widen, and slid behind a pillar.

What was he doing here? The pale man was in the palace? He looked dangerous, but not armed. He strolled through the palace with enough confidence to insult even Rayne. Was he here to steal? She wouldn't let him. As hypocritical as it was, this man was leaving away empty-handed. She wouldn't allowed any thieves to come near here....well any more thieves. Rayne saddened at the thought. She pushed it away though and gathered her confidence. Brash and forward wasn't her style, but she wasn't thieving. She was preventing it.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Rayne boldly asked stepping in front of the man just as he was about to walk past her. Her voice was quiet so no one else heard, but loud enough to exert herself. She had a naturally hostile personality so it wasn't hard to bring it out.

[Solemn Creed]

Sol made his way casually through the halls, keeping out of the site of any guards he came across. Even though wearing hard soled combat boots each step made not a whisper.

Sol's clothing did not rustle and no sound was emitted from him, one could not even hear him breathe. He reached out to touch every plant he passed and in his wake they shriveled up black, and they died.

Sol headed towards the are where he believed the stairs to the next level of the palace to be. He was looking for something and he wanted it, wanted it bad.

Sol entered into a room full of pillars. He paused. In this quiet he could hear something out of the ordinary. He could hear a heartbeat and someone breathing. from the volume level he could tell that someone else was in the room with him. Sol inhaled deeply and the scent was female.

Sol smiled briefly and he slipped behind a pillar. He snuck around on the opposite side, the side she was not expecting. Sol's mouth twitched when she spun out from behind the pillar expecting to confront him. He stepped behind her and asked. [glow=red,2,300]"Looking for someone?"[/glow]

Rayne jumped and spun around. He had been behind her. One hand went to her heart and the other behind her back as if to grab a weapon. However, her hand just grasped air. That's right, she wasn't a thief anymore. She had no use for knives. The solemn thought made her pause for a second. She pushed it away and glared at the newcomer.

"Who are you and why are you here? I heard you climb through the window. you have no business here. Leave." Rayne's voice was hostile. However, she wasn't unmoved.

Her right hand twitched again. She felt like taking something. She felt like she should be stealing something in the palace rather then prevent anything from being stolen. Once a thief, always a thief. However, until today Rayne had suppressed the urge to steal for months. Now, this man, whoever he was, made her feel like stealing. Poor Omar. He believed in her so much, yet she couldn't even put his belief in her anywhere. She couldn't even prove herself wrong. She glared at the pale man. This was all his fault. She would have been fine, if it hadn't been for him.

"Go away. Leave the village. I don't know where you're from, but I want you gone. Now." Rayne hissed the words at him. A thump from the upper floor made her jump and she looked up at the ceiling. A faint giggle was heard and Rayne felt her eyes roll.

[Solemn Creed]

Sol smiled and laughed a little at the thought. He shook his head. [glow=red,2,300]"You heard me? No, you didnt. You felt me."[/glow] Sol reached up with one hand and brushed a few stray strands of hair back from his face. The expression he wore was one of amusement. She was a mere human and she honestly seemed to think that she possessed the abilities to know of his comings and goings.

But Sol was looking for something and he wasnt quite sure she was it. He reached out to caress her beautiful hair. It was so red, so unique and strange for woman in this country but he stopped when he heard a thump and the faint sound of a woman's giggle.

Sol smiled and turned his eyes upward. [glow=red,2,300]"Someones having fun..." [/glow]He turned his attention back to the woman and nearly laughed in her face. [glow=red,2,300]"You, tell me, to leave?"[/glow] Sol tsked and shook his head. [glow=red,2,300]"Im afraid it doesnt work like that. You see, I came here for something and im not leaving untill I have it."[/glow]

Rayne's eyes widened. Bu-bump. This man-he- Her anger flared as did her cheeks in embarrassment. She smacked his hand away from her hair. How dare he? Felt him? Her ass. What exactly was he playing at? Was this a new plow when a thief got caught or something? Rayne just rendered her victims unconscious. Her eyes narrowed at the man and she deliberately ignored his comment about upstairs.

"Leave. Whatever you want, I can assure you it's not here." Rayne said, not sure how loud she could be considering Omar was obviously still up. She also lied since she didn't know what the man was looking for exactly. It didn't matter though, even if what he wanted was in the palace, Rayne would make sure he did not get it.

She wanted this man gone and she didn't want Omar to know he had ever been here. The more trouble she could solve for Omar the better Rayne could feel about benefiting him in some way. He did everything for her. Whatever she asked for -mostly what she didn't ask for- she got. Rayne was completely taken care of, yet Omar got nothing but her love and appreciation out of it. It didn't seem like a fair trade. So if she could help him by scaring away thieves, she'd do it. Besides this man was more than just a thief. He made her want to steal things. And that was her kryptonite. Stealing things was her passion and she had calmed it, but this man sent it bubbling to the surface. She thought of the sapphire necklace in her room. The stones were a lot darker next to the stranger's ice blue eyes. Why did she- Rayne turned away from the man. She needed him gone. Now.

"Leave. There is nothing you need here." Rayne spoke in a firm tone through gritted teeth. She was angry at the way she was acting.

[Solemn Creed]

Sol smiled and lifted one eyebrow at her response, his hand pulled back before she even made contact with it. [glow=red,2,300]"And what if I came here for something you stole earlier? I saw you take it, the necklace from earlier. But why? You could have anything you want..."[/glow]
Sol put his hands into his pockets and took on a relaxed stance. All he had to do was slip away from the woman, tonight was not the night he would come for her. Tonight he was here for someone else.

Sol enjoyed the way people panicked when others seemed to dissappear for no reason. When people vanish. It would make them scared adn thats how Sol wanted them.

[glow=red,2,300]"Well this has been pleasant but I have urgent business to attend to." [/glow]With that Sol turned and walked to the other side of the pillar where he could not be seen and he transformed into a gnat and flew away.

For all appearances he had gone around the pillar and dissappeared for a gnat was to small to be seen in such dim lighting and completly silent.

"I saw you take the necklace from earlier"

Rayne's eyes widened and her stance froze. Even her hand paused mid-air. Her breath caught in her throat. How did he know? She was very careful. She always was. No one ever noticed. And to top it off he was walking in the opposite direction. Unless....

"You followed us. You followed us back to the palace..." Rayne was clearly stunned. She wasn't sure what to make of anything. and then before she could say anything, he walked away.

Rayne hesitated for a moment and then took off after him. But he was gone. She looked around the surrounding pillars. There was no sign of him. Soon Rayne had searched the entire floor. All of it was done in a sort of trance-like state. She was terrified. If he knew, maybe Omar knew. And if he didn't what if the man told him? That would be the worst. And he just disappeared. She didn't even get a chance to beg.

Defeated and scared, Rayne decided not to check the entire palace and instead opted for going back to her room. She raced up the stairs and reached her room breathing hard. She went in, locked the door and replaced the key in her vanity. She took the beautiful necklace resting on her window seat and marched over to the huge wardrobe. She pushed her was to the back and placed the necklace in a dark corner. She closed and locked the wardrobe. Once that was done, Rayne sat on her bed and just stared into space.

Why was she so afraid? What would it matter if Omar saw her for what she was? Rayne was proud to be a thief. Why did she constantly try and push that life away from herself? It was who she was. So what if Omar didn't want her?Was she going to continue pretending to be someone who had never done a bad deed in her life? Just for a home, food, and anything money could buy? No, Rayne thought as she layed down. She was going to pretend for something money couldn't buy. She was going to pretend so that she could feel loved and wanted, for just one moment of her life. And if that meant giving up her passion, then so be it. She was determined to keep this.

First things first though. She must find out who the pale man was and have him removed.

[Solemn Creed]

Sol waited untill she was gone and he morphed back into his normal human form. He smiled and brushed a few stray strands of hair back from his face.

It was so easy to fool humans. Whenever a person dissappeared they got really scared or nervous rather than taking action or precautions. Typical humans. They had convinced themselves over the centuries that demons and gorgons and even gods were nothing but myths and story tales.

Sol smoothed his shirt and set off again to the stairs. He climbed them swiftly, careful not to make any sound. Once he reached the third floor he just followed the noises.

Sol paused outside the door and listened. What he heard inside made him smile. Satisfied he had found the room he had been searching for he climbed the wall up to the unusually high ceiling and he waited.

After what seemed like a short time the man Sol had seen earlier with the red haired woman left the room and headed for the stairs. Sol smiled once more and when the man was out of sight he dropped to the floor, silently of course, and he slipped into the room unnoticed even by its occupants.