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 Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 2:33 pm
"...That wouldn't be very polite, would it?"Ruka said in reply, as if it were really just that simple. Even if someone offered to let her feed off them, she wouldn't have...She had been offered such a thing before. However, she had nothing to offer in return to humans, and that wasn't acceptable.
She caught sight of a small brown rat scurrying under a near by building, and bit her lip a little to keep from chasing after it just then and there. Smaller animals, she could pay back for lending her a little blood...She usually carried some kind of food with her, and she was more than willing to share...Normally, they found the terms agreeable as well.
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Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 2:47 pm
"Polite?" Dee snorted viciously, sounding rather less than polite herself, and waved a hand, the sunlight bouncing off several gold rings.
"No matter that by current law and order you have the right to demand Feeding, as a member of a predatory spieces, you can attack whatever animal is within your feeding rage, and try to feed from it. It can defend itself as well as it can, and either you win, or it does. Simple." Dee shrugged, tilting her head up to look at Ruka's hooded form, squinting against the light.
Then Dee realized that most people didn't see it like that. And a girl like that she had in front of her, who claimed it wasn't "polite" to demand what was within her rights per the current administration's rules (whether those rules or not were fair and right), would probably not appreciate, or even understand, Dee's very animal-driven view of "this is the natural order of things". Sometimes humans were very strange.
"Uh... I realize you might not see it this way," Dee said, halting a little but refusing to apologize. There was no need to apologize as that was of things were done in nature. But then, humans (of which werewolves were a part, of course, but frimly closer to nature and their animal side) sometimes took strange views of what was "proper" or not, of what, and how, they could do something because they were civilized beings. Utter crap.
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Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 2:53 pm
"I know that...I do, but...I just can't see it like that. I don't have anything to return to them for their kindness, and it should be an equal exchange,"She said calmly. She felt almost like she was being lectured by her 'family' again.
Her stomach growled a little bit. She was starting to feel dizzy. "Um...I don't...suppose you could...point me toward the clinic?"She didn't really mean to end the conversation so abruptly or anything, but she was afraid if she didn't get something soon, she might just collapse in the street...She didn't want to have to borrow any blood from an animal without first at least having tried for something that wouldn't cost anyone their health directly first.
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Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 3:05 pm
"Equal exchange?" Dee felt herself boggle a little; she'd grown up in a werewolf family, and after that there was Mistress and the Executioner training, fully human ideas of morals and ethics had never been a large part of her worldview.
"We're all animals, to a larger or lesser degree. Where's the 'equal exchange' in a lion killing an antelope?" Dee was honestly confused, and hoped someone someday would try to make it make sense because it really didn't. Killing for killing's sake was wrong. Killing or hurting someone for its own sake, or because you enjoyed it was wrong, but killing/or otherwise feeding to sustain yourself? That was just natural. What had equal exchange with the natural order of things to do?
"But, if you want to try getting blood from the clinic, I'd talk with the doctor first. Who's inside the bar," Dee said and stood up, stretching before she walked over to the door and held it open for Ruka. She wasn't exactly expecting an explanation to the presented conondrum, so she instead just pointed the way for the starving vampire. Stupid beings.
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Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 3:42 pm
Ruka hesitated. "I...Don't...think I'm welcome in there..."she said quietly. She didn't want to make Jackson, or any of his customers uncomfortable. "I'll wait for her to come back, I think..."Ruka added calmly. With that, she nodded in thanks for the offer, and started down the stairs.
She stopped next to Sunny, and moved so that her shadow obscured her hand from the daylight as she set a carrot she had hidden in a bag beneath the cloak down on the water trough for the horse. With that, she slipped her hand back under the garment, and made for the clinic.
As the vampire made her way to the clinic, she felt herself starting to sway a little more...It came into sight quickly eneough, thankfully, so she sat down on a shaded corner of the stairs to wait for the doctor's return.
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Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 9:03 pm
"Who was that?" Horatio asked as he pushed the door shut from where it had stuck slightly on the floor after being opened yet again. "Not Dee. The other one."
He nodded to Lucretia, then walked over to the bar himself, Jesse following at a trot behind him after looking for a moment at the door, ears perked up. She had seen the were as they passed by and now could smell her still just outside the building.
Jackson shrugged irritably. "Some vampire from the city, I'd guess. I told her to go to the clinic, so you'll probably find her waiting there for you, Lucretia, after lunch." He pulled a glass and a bottle of beer from somewhere under the counter and handed them to Horatio, accepting the money already being held out for him.
"Go check out the rooms upstairs when you're ready," he added to Spooky. "I'll need payment in advance for however long you'll be staying, plus a token fee for the stable. You'll have to buy your own feed for your horse, but that's easy enough to get in town. I'll also need you to sign for the room, so I know who to contact about it. Simple enough."
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 9:23 am
Lucretia gave the barkeep a wan smile. "How wonderful," She sighed again. Her day was starting to turn rather odd, and for some reason, she could not get that image of the were out of her mind. "I'd just like my normal lunch, Jackson. Lemonade and some sort of sandwich, or whatever you have that would serve as a vaguely nutritious lunch."
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 10:44 am
Jackson grinned at her, although it looked almost more like a smirk. "Haven't you heard about the nutritional qualities of beer yet, Doc?" He laughed to himself, but poured her a glass of lemonade. "Or are you wanting this hard?" His eyes flickered towards the bottles of clear liquid on the shelves behind him before he walked past them to the purring refridgerator in the corner and started rummaging through it. "Turkey fine?"
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 1:25 pm
"Don't be ridiculous, Jackson. How would you like to come into the clinic with some wound or other ailment, and I be tipsy?" But the woman did smile. "Though with a vampire wanting some of my blood..." She trailed off, her rare smile vanishing. Lucretia was silent for a few moments, lost in her own musings. "No, better leave it alone. And turkey is quite fine."
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 3:59 pm
In the end she did jump train... Jelena heaved an weary sigh where she walked at a deliberate pace down the street of the city. Of course, it hadn't been very far from where she "got off" to this place so it was alright, and what was most important... she had not gotten caught. Though it had not been in her schedule to kill that vampire nor had it been in it to be forced to get off at an early stop. How irritating. But then again... this was her destination.
Stopping in front of a house, not the most beautiful one on this block but certainly one of the "finer" ones, make no mistake. This place... She stood still for a minute or two, simply staring up at the white washed walls whose color was broken at places by climbing vines. In every window, wine hued curtains were pulled close, sheltering the rooms and any inhabitant that may currently be in them.
Suddenly something went off in her brain, much like a warning bell that only she could hear, and her head snapped up. Someone, or something, was watching her! Staring up at one window in particular she saw a curtain fall back. They knew she was coming. Not that she had expected them to not know, they couldn't have fallen so far just because of what had happened. Turning her face slightly down, eyes closed, she gathered her senses and walked up to the door. Open... she thought absentmindedly as she pushed down the handle but couldn't help smiling. Truly, you are still you.
Stepping inside the darkened building, she didn't bother with taking off her light coat, dropping her bag or stepping out of her shoes. There was no need to. No one was there to greet either, not that she had counted on it. Glancing around without moving her head much, her eyes focused on a wide staircase on the other side of the semi-large entrance hall. Undaunted, she walked up to it and began the slow climb for first the mezzanine, then the second floor and lastly the third. Turning her head, looking around, she noticed a door standing slightly ajar. Walking over to it, she didn't hesitate for a moment as she calmly, but resolutely, opened it without so much as a word or knock.
The room was beautifully furnished, just like the rest of the house, and all the curtains, naturally, drawn, making the only light source some live candles. Their flames wavered slightly as she entered but continued to burn brightly. There was no one in the room... except for a young man who was sitting in an armchair. When she closed the door behind her, he looked up from where his eyes had been on the carpeted floor. Meeting his dark eyes, she stared back, emotionless.
"It's been a while... Jelena," he finally said with a tiny smile, one that she returned.
"Indeed it has. Were you starting to wonder where we had gone to?" she asked as she finally dropped the bag onto the floor.
"No, I knew you would come one day, was certain of it. I'm just surprised you gave me this long," he replied, but his eyes shone of thankfulness. "I had hoped it would be you."
She lowered her head, smiling sadly, and studied the floor that was completely covered by the carpet. "I insisted on it being me, demanded it perhaps even," she confessed with a nod. "I couldn't stand... couldn't stand letting someone else do it." She clenched her teeth to keep her emotions in check.
The man just smiled. "I'm glad you did, even more so that they let you. It demonstrates their great trust in you, in your abilities, in your resolve," he said affectionately. "It wouldn’t have mattered if they trusted me or not... the important thing is the trust they have for you. But still, I'm honored for the faith they have put in me," he said, bowing his head in gratitude, even though the people who deserved it wasn't present. "I must confess... I have been doing some work on my own, for you, while waiting," he told her but hurried to add," though it is not meant as any offering to negotiate more time." He looked up at her again, smiling reassuringly. "I'm grateful for the amount of time you've let me live. It has already been far too long."
"Don’t say that." Though they both knew that he was right, according to the rules anyway. A silence claimed the room, swallowing up the sound, leaving the question if the woman was really even breathing anymore. The man finally gave another, small, smile and let out a soft "heh".
"You needn’t say anymore," he said and rose out of the chair. "Before you leave, please take the folder from the desk with you, leave nothing behind. I did what I've been able to hide its presence after I discovered it and at the same time find out more about it. Let's just say that it hasn't been easy not gathering the attention from unwanted eyes in the process," he said with a smile. "I must confess, you'll be forced to get around the riddles and read between the lines, but I couldn't take any risks." She smiled appreciatively and shook her head.
"Don't apologize. This is more than we had ever hoped for. You have our thanks and should know that we erected a tombstone for you when you died long ago... but finally we shall bury you with honor," she said, looking over at him with a smile that only he had ever seen, and perhaps only would.
Nodding once, he spoke. "Let's get this over with."
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 4:15 pm
"Sprung from the shadows, I am the shining light, the glow that will always pierce through your darkness. I am the sun during the day, the moon at night, the candle in the darkened room that will never go out... I am your executioner." The red haired woman spoke with a professional calm as she raised her weapon of choice, a deadly thread, up in front of her, either end twirled around her palm and the back of her hand to stay put. Tugging at it once, the thread making a sound as if complaining about being stretched, she walked up to the man.
As she stood right in front of him, she looked up into his eyes, letting a second pass before she suddenly snapped into motion. One quick hand movement followed by a second, then... nothing.
Catching the body of the vampire as it fell forward, she lowered him slowly to the ground, careful to not let his head roll off his shoulders and away from her. Placing him on the floor, she looked down at his serene face. No pain, no spite... She gave him a soft smile and leaned down, placing a light kiss on his forehead. "May the spirits guide you and the gods smile upon you. Farewell, Nikolai."
Standing up, she stepped over to the desk he had mentioned earlier and stared down at the folder lying on it.
"Leave nothing, not even a scrap of paper. That work never existed, just like you were never here."
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she picked up the beige folder and held it against her chest, remembering his last, whispered, words.
"It's in Cascade..."
"And that's where I'll go," she said with a calm, cold voice.
((=o Could someone tell me if it's visible that these two once had a relationship?
History on Nikolai:
He was also from her village, the "City of the dead", and a few years older than her. He was her first love but was, some 5-10 years ago, turned into a vampire when on a cross-border assignment. Usually, he would have been killed off quickly enough, but when no one came to eradicate the village Jelena pleaded for the sentence to wait until she was allowed/able to go and do it herself.
Of course, sis, you already knew this (since you had to approve it). ^^))
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Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 10:11 pm
Horatio finished off his bottle of beer with the fast ease of someone who was clearly used to having to do so. He stood and leaned on the counter, reading upside down the headlines of the newspaper still lying there.
"I have to get back to the store. I haven't closed it up for lunch yet, since I wasn't expecting to be coming over here. I'll be back later." He nodded to Jackson and Lucretia, then added, "you finished with the paper?"
Jackson shook his head.
"You can borrow it if you bring it back with you, though. The doctor and I can talk among ourselves if you don't take too long."
"Sure," Horatio gave a short whistle and turned, Jesse getting to her feet and following him out the door.
"Mornin'," he added as they passed Dee, still lounging in the sun. The border collie strayed slightly from her path to arch her neck towards her, sniffing curiously. "Jesse." The dog immediatly turned back to her master, trotting quickly after him as they headed back to his store.
Horatio locked up quickly, then headed around the back, making his way towards the medical center. The building was nearby and it wasn't long before its front steps had come into view. The hooded figure was still sitting on them, leaning heavily against the railing, her head drooping.
"Locked out?" He dropped down heavily beside her, Jesse at his feet, leaning his arms on his legs. "It's a hot day." His voice was casual as if he was just making conversation with someone he met everyday in his store or at the bar, but he was tensed slightly as if prepared for sudden action. You couldn't just take things at face value these days.
"I used to know where Lucretia kept the spare key, but that was years ago. I'm not sure if she's moved it by now."
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 2:34 pm
Ruka sat quietly for a moment; she was suprised. Did he know what she was? Most people, it seemed, wouldn't be too willing to help a vampire...He must not know...
"I need to eat something...but she's still at the bar...The doctor, that is..."Ruka said quietly, trying to subtally hint at the fact she was a vampire rather than just blurt it out, "I can't just take it...without asking at least...someone else might really need it..."
She seemed very motivated by morals of the human world. She assumed this didn't matter much however; as a general rule, those who were still lucky eneough to be human were kind to her out of necessity, not willingness. She honestly sometimes thought she would have preferred it more if they would just yell at her...
The vampire looked at Jesse. Beneath the cloak, a small smile crossed her face. She liked animals. "I had a dog once...She was little, so I thought they might let me keep her...She was so skinny...we both were...I wonder what happened to her..."she was mumbling fuzzy thoughts only half remembered, and to him completely unexplained. She wasn't quite thinking clearly.
Again, she reached into her bag, this time taking out a little milkbone; She carried them for the strays she saw...there were lots of them. She put it on the ground infront of the little dog, putting her hand into the sun by accident as she did so. Ruka quickly dropped the treat and withdrew her rather burn hand, hiding it back under the cloak with a slight wince.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 4:12 pm
Lucretia took a sip of her drink, the cool, tangy liquid soothing her dry throat as it went down.
"I problably shouldn't stay for as long as I would like to," Her eyes scanned Jackson's rugged face and the cigarette. A slightly maternal look crossed her face, her pale pink lips pulling upwards. "You know how I feel about those," Lucretia's tone was fond, but slightly scolding. She'd mentioned it to him nearly everytime he pulled a cancer stick out, but she never did anything else about it (other than occasionally slipping a stick of nicotine gum onto the bar). Truthfully, it was just as likely (maybe even more so) that he would die from something more...supernatural. But this train of thought was too morbid for Lucretia, particularly after the vampire and the werewolf.
Dee, that was her name, wasn't it? Something about her bothered Lucretia. Maybe it was the way she looked at the doctor, how she met her eyes, or her low voice.
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Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 9:12 pm
Horatio glanced at her burned hand but made no mention of it or the fact that her hood was pulled so low that he could barely see her face. Jesse had eaten the treat and was now sitting up, tail wagging slowly, hopeful for more.
"You're young," he finally said shortly and with a steady calm, "and you need to eat." Standing, the newspaper under one arm, he walked over to the door and took a dusty key from its hiding place on top of the doorframe. Horatio unlocked the medical center and motioned for Ruka to follow him in.
"I don't believe you've introduced yourself."
Jackson rolled his eyes very slightly and removed his cigarette, leaning it on the edge of his ashtray without extinguishing it. It was obvious that he would pick it up again once Lucretia left and was only taking it away from his mouth at all to end the conversation.
"That werewolf still outside?" He asked, leaning over the counter to look towards the door.
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