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Post by jarahamee on Apr 18, 2024 0:52:26 GMT -6
She rolled with August, falling on her back as he tried to pin her, but he found that trying to use his strength against her was not going to be a successful strategy; she was immensely strong despite her small size, and he felt her hands shift up his arms, to his wrists, immediately, before pressing his arms apart and attempting to roll them both to reverse their positions.
“Me? Who are you? What are you talking about?”
The female vampire seemed confused enough that she hadn’t resorted to outright violence, which was more than could be said for Tigress and Ridha.
Around August, the battle raged, in a flurry of breaking wood, shattered stone walls, hair, flesh, blood and bone flying. Clothing shredded, the vampires on both sides cried out in pain.
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Post by indeath on Apr 29, 2024 21:23:28 GMT -6
August cringed as his comrades cried out, he hadn’t actually considered that they might lose the fight. Hopefully the rebels had a few tricks up their sleeves. This could all end so very badly. He was unprepared for her strength and had counted too much on their size difference. He found himself pressed against the floor like a moth with a pin. His eyes held his desperation as he looked at the purple haired vampire.
“Au... Rosewood. They’re after your master not you. He’s… lotta elders are evil. What they do… how they treat humans. Surely he’s hurt you?”
August’s eyes searched her face hoping she wasn’t corrupted by Luis too much. They didn’t have to fight and August wanted to take that risk. As long as Luis didn’t take control of her. Luckily he was pretty distracted but who knew for how long. August squirmed trying to get out of his current position. He hoped he’d got through to her.
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Post by jarahamee on Apr 30, 2024 1:28:16 GMT -6
The purple-haired vampire’s eyes widened slightly, and she turned her head towards Master Luis, as if it had just occurred to her that they could have been after him this whole time. Her confusion grew as August spoke, and she squinted, as if trying to process his words. She turned her head, and looked like she was going to answer him, when suddenly, her head snapped upward and she emitted an ear-splitting scream for what appeared to be no reason.
For a moment, August was released from her grasp again.
As he moved away from her, he realized why; in the corner of the room, the Tigress had concluded her hunt. Master Luis Price was staked firmly into the floor with large, jagged pieces of his own wooden chair, and now she languidly drew her hand over the surface of his chest as she crouched on top of him, less like a lover, and more like a wild animal about to deliver the death-strike. The blood covering her face, front of her shirt and body enhanced the strange vision.
On the far side of the room, a bloodsoaked Ridha beat the albino vampire with his own arm, his peaceful, nonchalant expression unsettling in this context. The other vampire held their remaining arm up, shielding their face from the onslaught, but to no avail.
Ridha lurched forward, swiping into their chest, and then sunk his teeth into their neck, jaw unhinging in the process.
In the center of the room, the bewitched man sat still and silent, staring at the ceiling as he dreamed.
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Post by indeath on May 3, 2024 5:29:43 GMT -6
For a split second August thought he’d gotten through to her, but he hadn’t been prepared for the sight that greeted him. With all he’d been witness too he still had to stifle a scream. He looked to the human and back to the purple hair vampire.
He lurched towards her, blood rushing to his head. He was about to take a leap of faith. He grabbed her shoulder a little rougher than he would have liked.
“Take Jake and get the hell outta here while ya can. Don’t kill him please… He ain’t in this.”
He pushed her slightly towards the human, hopefully he could ignite her flight response. He’d already stuck his foot in this mess but hopefully they could get out clean.
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Post by jarahamee on May 3, 2024 14:12:46 GMT -6
The purple-haired vampire stumbled away from August, her eyes wide. He could see the blood flecking her face. She did not seem to have internalized his orders. She seemed dazed, her blank face uncomprehending as he spoke to her. She stepped backwards, away from him and the scene of slaughter, out and towards the door.
There was a horrendous snapping and crunching as Tigress finished her grisly duty, twisting Master Luis’ head cleanly off, and sending it tumbling behind them. Dark blood splattered their human captive, who continued to stare into the void, unseeing. She did not skip a beat; wrenching into Master Luis’ chest, digging through his ribs with gusto, before tearing out his still-beating heart. The vampire held the heart in her hands like an apple, eyes shining, then her gaze snapped over to August.
“Mr. Rosewood. This is my gift to you.”
Her meaning was undeniable.
Ridha’s battle seemed to be all but over, his face and the front of his body was splattered with gore. His opponent moved weakly under him as he pinned what remained of their body, watching the blood drain from the new gaping hole in their neck. He wanted to take his time ending the last of their vampire combatants.
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Post by indeath on May 4, 2024 20:15:26 GMT -6
“Go…” He hissed desperately at the girl hoping she would finally take the hint. He had to have faith she wasn’t like her master or at least she could change. She deserved that.
His thoughts were splintered into smithereens at the scene before him. Imagery that he’d kept hidden from himself poured into his mind. Blood and broken bodies. Something cracked inside him like Tigress with Luis’ ribs. Of course. He should have known … What else could they have meant by power. He was so naive and so stupid.
These hadn’t been innocent people though, right? Monsters. It was justice. He looked towards Jake to remind himself of Luis’ evil… He really really deserved this, right? He had been ready to kill the human. August needed to protect his friends and being weak had just gotten them all killed. There was no one left of his makeshift family, except Ru but even that felt distant. The more he held on, the more Ru drifted.
He lurched forward trying to ignore all the alarms in his head, they seemed to roar until he couldn’t think straight. Then he found himself reaching out and taking the heart.
“Thanks…”
It felt so very heavy in his hand. The weight of expectation added from the other vampires, what would they do if he said no? He should say no. Why hadn’t he said no? The smell of blood swamped his brain and as he took a bite of the organ, it was like water on parched lips and he found himself devouring it, leaving nothing behind. Like an animal.
He began licking the blood from his fingers as his mind tried to protect him from what he’d done. He hadn’t killed the guy himself… Somehow that didn’t make it feel better. He stood shaking not really taking in what was happening around or inside him. At least he wasn’t hungry anymore.
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Post by jarahamee on May 5, 2024 1:34:05 GMT -6
The woman took one last glance behind, and then ran out the door before either Tigress or Ridha moved to stop her. Their eyes were wide as a predatory animal’s stalking its prey as they followed her flight, but neither moved. What they were involved in was too important.
As August dug into the heart, he felt its life fill him, in a way he couldn’t have imagined before. Strength flowed through his veins, burning like fire, but pleasant somehow. Alighting every finger and every toe, expanding his awareness to every pore in his body.
The memories filled his head, flooding him with a life that was not his own. A struggling actor, dragged off the street by a predator who loved his pretty face. His own controlling master. Bent and warped under the reign of a cruel god, only to become one himself, using his strength and control to amass power, and to increase his own reach.
Somewhere, he paid for the safety of his human family he had left behind, however remote from them he had become. It pained him to see his son age, but he would never turn him. Not like that. He was no father now, only an anonymous source of funding to a special account just for them.
Just as quickly as it came, the memories receded, and August stood in the room, covered in blood like the other two murderous predators.
Ridha had finished his task, and stood , wiping off his hands unceremoniously. The remains of the albino vampire fluttered around him in a cloud of ashes. His somber yellow eyes and placid expression were somehow even more unnerving when contrasted with his bloody face and hands. He stood upright, patting himself off as he picked up one of the suitcases, revealing a fresh set of clothes.
“We won’t have much time. Change. If they try to catch us, bat and meet at the spot. You got it?”
He pointed to the sink outside the bathroom across from them.
Tigress was already undressing, though she turned her head to stare at their unlucky human companion, as if wondering what to do with him.
August understood the concern. This was a potential witness if he woke, and they had limited time. For now, he seemed to still be in the dazed trance state, but with its castor gone, it risked breaking. Unless.. August decided to do something now.
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Post by indeath on May 8, 2024 5:05:39 GMT -6
Guilt twisted in his stomach just like the heart… Still it was far too late. There was time to beat himself up later though he wasn’t even sure he’d be able to look Ru in the eye. His attention snapped to the human, to Jake… no Jack. Man, he was awful with names.
He rushed over and took the human’s head in his hands so they were eye to eye. He could feel his will flowing into Jack’s mind. August’s eyes glowed faintly as he attempted to use his new power.
“LISTEN, JACK . YOU’VE HAD A BIG NIGHT ON THE GROG. EVERYTHIN’ IN THE LAST HOUR IS A BLUR YA AIN’T GONNA REMEMBER. SLEEP FOR TEN MORE MINUTES THEN GO HOME. YA OUTLOOK IN LIFE WILL IMPROVE.”
He stepped back hoping it had worked, it seemed to have but he didn’t have a full grasp on Luis’ powers yet. They needed to get out of here and so did Jake… shit Jack,.
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Post by jarahamee on May 9, 2024 1:48:36 GMT -6
August felt the power of his control over this man’s will. So much more than the weak push he could administer to humans and other vampires before. It was powerful, like a tide that crashed over him and flowed into his veins with the elder vampire’s blood.
As he spoke, Jack’s empty gaze lit up as focus fell on him again, eyes wide. The man nodded periodically, apparently entirely unaware of his bloody face. The machine, which had been connected to him, was now full of blood, and appeared contentedly deactivated, its long tendril-like syphons drooping down towards the floor. The man’s arm where they had disconnected was bruised, and a little swollen, but none the worse for wear otherwise.
He rose to his feet, staggering out towards the front door, not too far behind the one surviving vampire gangster.
As August finished his task, Ridha and Tigress approached him, one on each side, gently pressing into him to encourage him to move faster. Those three weren’t the only vampires in this den, and if they waited too long, they were just asking for trouble.
“Come on. Put on your clothes, put the rest in this bag, and we have to go, now…” The vampires waited impatiently for August to be done with his quick wardrobe change, bagging what remained as they guided him into stepping into a new, unbloodied pair of loafers. Who knew what they were going to do with his old clothes.
Ridha and Millaray both took one of the full glass canisters, and offered August the final one. The blood smelled amazing. Whatever processing the strange little machine had done…worked. Ridha didn’t bother to clean it, shoving the whole thing back into its case haphazardly. He turned his head, smiling back at August.
“We’ll take you to the bar, and that’s as far as we go tonight. You ask the bartender for Two-Fifty, and he’ll give you a suitcase. Consider it the rest of your payment.”
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Post by indeath on May 9, 2024 4:55:21 GMT -6
August nodded feeling a little dizzy at what he’d just done. He would have to be careful he didn’t become some kind of puppet master. He dutifully began changing into the clothes from the case, leaving seemed like a very good idea.
He shoved the bloody clothes in the bag, glad to be rid of them. He blinked as he followed the others out, putting the canister into the pocket of his slightly too big pants. He still felt like he was in a dream, reality still feeling distant.
“Two-fifty… Huh? Payment… I don’t need anything… more. I uh I didn’t do it for that, y’all. “
He didn’t want them to think of him like that. He wasn’t a gun for hire or something. The streets of the underground felt different somehow, darker. He ran a hand over his shaved scalp, flinching for a moment before remembering he’d done it as a disguise. His curls would all come bouncing back tomorrow but his actions tonight couldn’t be erased.
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Post by jarahamee on May 10, 2024 0:50:15 GMT -6
Tigress shook her head lightly, pressing August’s arm as she led him along, through the hallway and out the open door. Ridha walked behind him, ignoring the devastation they left behind. Neither was particularly concerned about what forensics might say about this, and, considering the mafia ties, it was unlikely to be properly investigated.
“Just take it. It will have things you need.”
She didn’t bother explaining more, instead putting on her most casual expression as she stepped outside into the dingy alley.
It was a relief to be out in the Underground again. The crowds were faceless and most of those they passed paid them no heed. They smelled of human blood, which was no surprise given where they were and what vampires did.
The two escorted him to the bar “The Drunken Centaur” and then bid him a good night, though Ridha paused before they left, tapping his shoulder. Tigress seemed a little more practical, checking a phone in her pocket as the other vampire spoke to August. Perhaps the man noticed how uncomfortable he was.
“If you need someone to talk to, you can call me, but for now, we should say goodnight. Can you get to your apartment safely from here?”
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Post by indeath on May 11, 2024 5:42:25 GMT -6
Everything felt like it was being seen and heard through water and August was surprised when he found himself back at the bar. Still he was curious to find out what the Two-fifty was and there was that gift-horse saying. Though the Trojan’s could have done with looking in a certain wooden horse’s mouth. He smiled gratefully at Ridha, he was very kind for someone who was beating someone with their own arm only moments ago. That person had been super bad though.
“Thanks, mate. I appreciate it. You’re a good egg. I’ll be fine I’d reckon. Gonna take this Two-fifty then go home for a long shower. Y’all take care too.”
It was the first and only time he was glad there was no one else at his flat. Well except Mephy. He watched the other vampires depart then asked for the Two-fifty. The vial felt heavy in his pocket and he carried the suitcase warily, at least Jack had got out unharmed.
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Post by jarahamee on May 11, 2024 20:47:11 GMT -6
Ridha nodded to August in return, then left his side. The other two vampires evaporated like shadows under a bright light, blending into the crowds before they disappeared entirely out of August’s view. The crowds flowed, and though his hyperawareness might tell him that the WDSA, or Luis’ gang were going to come after him, no one did. The street stayed a low mutter.
No one in the bar eyed him with suspicion. The low chatter that usually made it hard to hear in such an enclosed space was exactly what he had come to anticipate.
Eventually, the thin man with glowing eyes, who August recognized as another vampire, peered over the bar’s top at him. This vampire was entirely bald, with greyish skin and two large, rat-like front teeth. He looked August up and down, but upon hearing his request, grunted and provided him with a small briefcase. Thin, but not unlike the one that August had handled before.
Within was five thousand dollars in cash, along with several fresh blood bags on ice, and a series of numbers written on paper, which August would realize were coordinates. The note said ‘burn this’ carefully written upon it.
The evening went on quietly, and August’s return to his apartment was uneventful, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
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