"Passionate beyond compare, and devastatingly sexy."

"It's fortunate we match each other so well, then."

"Two piece of the same puzzle, we are."

Voice low and intense: "Two halves of the same heart."

That needs a thorough kiss.

A very, very thorough kiss.

And then: "You know... The stag could be attracted to blood... Sankt Ilya gets pretty beat up in the stories I've heard."

"You know I cannot refuse you, shameless girl. Make your request."

"I want to cut you - and you to cut me." Kiss!

Kiss.

And Elvira will grab the knives.

Val will work on getting just enough skin exposed to make this work. (That's a bit more than most people would consider reasonable.)

She has beautiful skin. Elvira doesn't object.

The cold adds a fun little zest, too.

Meanwhile, Svetka follows the Darkling into the woods.

She walks for a while, then stops and ponders.

Then: "I want to tell you more about how this amplifier will work, and - what choices you have with this."

"More than what we talked about already?"

"Yes. There's - essential parts I haven't told you yet."

"What else do I need to know?"

She pauses, then: "There's effectively two options. You kill the stag, and claim all its power for yourself. That's - the normal option."

"The other is that I kill the stag with your help, and gift the amplifier to you. I've mentioned that as a way to share the amplifier's power, but... That isn't all it would do."

"Gifting you an amplifier like that would put you fully under my control. I could command your movements, your power, as if they were my own. I could grant you freedom to act when I wish, but - you would belong to me, and that bond would never break."

Svetka's eyes get very wide.

"Oh."

...She glances away. 

And, softly: "I hadn't intended to tell you. But... I'm coming to care for you, well beyond what power you can give me, and - I trust you won't turn against me, now, if you claim the amplifier for yourself."

"Oh," Svetka says again. "I-"

Val is going to kick her for saying this. But it's true, and if the Darkling does like her back then- then- then what else can she do?

"I still want to share with you."

Small, startled breath, and she turns back to Svetka, something like wonder in her eyes. She steps close to Svetka, and, voice soft - "You're an amazing girl. I'm very, very glad you're the one with this power." Closer, cupping Svetka's cheek. "There's no one else I'd rather have."

Smile!

And... kiss?

Kiss.

It's a very good kiss.