"You bragged about what you were." Balthazar said simply.
"I saved this town!" Desmond growled. "The vampire raped their women and fed on their children for sport and-"
"And then you told them what you were!" Balthazar growled with a bit more anger. "What did you expect to happen? Did you expect that the fact that you helped them would suddenly erase the fact to them that you're a halfbreed? That it would suddenly change that you embody everything that the vampire that terrorized them before you was?"
Desmond scowled darkly at Balthazar, but said nothing.
"You are a halfbreed." His mentor said, roughly shoving him back. "Even though you grew up amongst them you are NOT one of them. You are not one of them, and you are not a vampire. And no matter what tasks you do for them, no matter how many boons you offer them, you will never be one of them. You will never have a place at their table. They will attack you once they know what you are, and they will try to destroy you. "
"Then why? Why do we help them?" Desmond snapped back violently.
"Because they can be great, when they wish to be. There is nobility in them that they do not yet realize. They can give life... vampires only rule the realms of Death. And it is us, the hunters, who must keep the balance. Were you expecting some sort of reward for your work? That they would throw a big festival and proclaim you the town hero? There will be towns that do, but they will only do it as a precursor, to lull you into a state where you are more easily attacked. The vampires too will pretend to befriend you for the same reason. Neither side will accept you, both will hate you. Even others will hate you for what you are. You will always be associated with the absolute worst of humans and vampires for all of your days."
"Then what am I supposed to do?!" Desmond howled.
"ENDURE. You are the rock upon which waves break. You are stronger than any human can dream of being. And you can blend in any crowd better than any vampire. You have gifts to keep the balance, and that is your duty. So when they hate you, you endure their hatred, and you protect them anyway."
"Animal Blood." Desmond replied softly as he clasped his hands behind his back quietly. He was serenely calm now, even though there was that quiet pain in his eyes. Still, it was clear in his demeanor that something had changed by the way that she had reacted to him. He was more stoic now, his voice softer than it had been a few moments ago. The illusion of potential friendship had been shattered by the way that she had reacted to him. He knew it well enough and did not question it, did not try to fight her on it. She would do as she wished, regardless of the amount of pleading that he did to the contrary. Time had taught him that lesson clearly enough.
"Half breeds do not drink human blood, save for, special... occurrences." he said softly, though he did not name what it was that they were.
When she mentioned that she wanted to get dressed, he nodded quietly, and had started to turn when she asked him if he wouldn't mind turning away. He had no intentions of peeking at her while she was naked. The fact that she had asked betrayed that she had forgotten the fact that he was the one who had offered her cover in the first place. What he was always colored things.
"No, I do not mind." He said. He paused for a moment then, and then he quietly spoke again. "I can go, if you like. I understand that half breeds are not often... welcome."