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 Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:42 pm
 By God's holy trousers...Altair nodded, scowling a bit irritably. It hurt, and it would probably hurt more in the morning, but he could still walk. And to be frank, he would rather deal with some unpleasantness than have the brute carry him. Okay, so perhaps "brute" was a rather strong term, but being held once was more than enough. He had some issues with people getting even remotely near him; let alone touching him. He would avoid it happening again for as long as he could manage. "Yes, I'm able to walk," he growled rather irritably. His frayed nerves were making him edgy, and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up.
But he paused, looking at Riley seriously. If he really wanted to get involved with this, he deserved to know what he was getting into. And even though Altair knew that the man probably wouldn't care, he had an obligation to all those he came in contact with; lest they get involved unknowingly. At least if he explained, Riley could choose should things come to such unfavorable ends. "Riley," he said slowly, quietly, in a rather obscure attempt to get the other man's attention. He'd been relatively outspoken to this point; unafraid of things he had to say. But now, his own words were causing him fear. "You might be able to protect me from the guards if you try. But there are some things you may not be able to protect me from, no matter what you may be."
As if to prove his point, he heard the slow, purposefully quiet click, click, click, of a gun's hammer being cocked back. He moved before his synapses could really decipher the sound, his heart rushing up into his throat again as his instincts took reign. Not a split second later a bullet shrieked at the ground by his feet, a rip of dirt jumping up where it had impacted. There weren't guards; not by a long shot. But without a look at who had shot at him, he couldn't tell if they were Russian, or somebody else entirely. But whoever they were, they'd made their intentions clear; they wanted him killed and out of the way. Thus, he could almost be sure it was one of the numerous countries that wanted him dead. Forgive me, on account of me bein' so bleedin' high and so bloody mighty.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:45 pm
Riley Christopher Halse
Master
I know I'm hot
But thank you for noticing. Riley had kept walking, making sure that Altair was able to follow; even if slowly. The human may have had a large personal bubble, but Riley was unaware of such a thing just yet. He, himself, did not have a bubble... He'd been around long enough to get over the fact that most people were touchy-feely; and although he did like his space, he would not be one to complain if someone was to hang on him -- guy or girl. But then again, someone hanging on him usually meant that he was going to get laid... heh. But could you blame him? He was a creature of the night, and only had a certain amount of time to be out and do what he had to do. This meant he had to feed, have sex, and make sure everything was in order within the time between dusk and dawn. If he stayed out when the sun came up, he would be dead. And if he attempted to stay awake when the sun came up, even if he were in shelter... he would fail. His internal clock would shut him down and he would be unconscious until the next night.
Riley turned his head some to look at Altair from the corner of his eye as he heard his name, and eventually that meant his walking coming to a stop and body completely turning to face the human curiously. He listened, hearing Altair say Riley may not be able to protect him. But it all came too quickly. The clicking seemed to echo in his ears, and within a second he lunged forward just as Altair jumped, arms going out to grab ahold of the man and pull him to his chest once again. He knew it was dangerous to remain here, but he also knew that these were not guards... they were with someone else. Someone he was unaware of, and someone that would likely have the two of them killed. A low growl came from the vampire, and instantly his body diverted to where he was moving away yet again -- as fast as he could with Altair pressed to his chest and in his hold. He was not about to have death come upon either of them. Me? Conceited? Never.
Okay, maybe just a little.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:23 pm
By God's holy trousers...Altair felt the heat of a close bullet graze at the back of his calf, his heart thundering as Riley reached out and grabbed him once more. He let himself be dragged away, the place where they had been standing not a second before being showered with a hurried rain of bullets. He swallowed thickly. His initial reflex had saved him one bullet; but had it not been for Riley's faster one, he would have been Swiss cheese. His hands shook in the grip they had on Riley's shirt, and he tried to steady his breathing. It wasn't working well; considering how worked up he had been before. It only seemed to further his troubles.
He looked up at the face of the vampire that had come to his rescue twice now, grudgingly admitting to himself that were it not for Riley's presence, he would most surely be dead. If he hadn't broken out, he would have starved to death. If the guards had caught him, they would have beaten him to death. And if he'd made it to his "safe" house, he would have been murdered in cold blood. It was set in stone; regardless of the efforts he'd made to cover his tracks and to be prepared.
"This is what I was trying to warn you about," he said, closing his eyes to avoid the nausea he'd experienced before. He was a quick learner; and he had plenty of motivation to be, considering how awful his first experience had been. "By doing this you're guaranteed to get more trouble than I'm worth. Whether it's one government or another, or some private wallet, they're after my hide. Put me down and let go. Go find someone that's worth your money and not your head."Forgive me, on account of me bein' so bleedin' high and so bloody mighty.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:32 pm
Riley Christopher Halse
Master
I know I'm hot
But thank you for noticing. Riley knew he had saved Altair yet again, but he was unaware that if it were not for him, that Altair would have been dead already.. or soon. If and when he found out, the vampire would not rub it in his face, or parade it out there... he would simply acknowledge that he was Altair's 'savior' and that was it. Nothing more. "Shut your mouth, human." The words were said loudly, for he knew that was the only way Altair would be able to hear him at this speed. Strong arms tightened a bit around the other male, holding him tightly and protectively against his chest.
Really, Riley did not want to hear how 'worthless' Altair thought of himself. He'd been alive long enough to know that a low self-esteem would not get you anywhere but in a bucket of pity and self-hatred. His life as a human was not a great one, and by the time he turned into a vampire... he was on a high tide. One thing led to another, and before he knew it, he was down in the dumps. His lover had left him, and that was all he had. His sister hated him, his lover was gone, and he had nothing but an empty house and a heart full of hopelessness. All in all, Riley had to pick himself back up and move on with life... not dwell in the past of what could have been. Me? Conceited? Never.
Okay, maybe just a little.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:47 pm
By God's holy trousers...Okay, that was uncalled for. Altair grit his teeth, prying his arms out from underneath the man's grip and attempting to squirm out of the grasp. He wasn't going to take this s**t sitting down; not when what it promised could be considered more than stable enough grounds to flee on. "Let the hell go of me, you nasty brute," he barked, wedging his knee against the other man in an attempt to push himself off. "I'm telling you that you're getting yourself dragged into the biggest God forsaken arms race this planet's ever seen! Just because you've got an iron addiction and a hatred of sunlight doesn't mean that you'll be able to survive the holocaust that's right around the damn corner."
He grunted, hating that the man was so much bloody bigger than he was. He'd faced the same problem before. But the fact never changed that he was a small guy, and his malnourishment didn't make the load any lighter on his part when it came to fighting back. But he'd be damned to hell if he wasn't going to give it a darn good try.
"Besides, don't you get it?" he said, looking at the other man pointedly."I'm trying to return your favor, you dirty hubristic prig. A life for a life?"Forgive me, on account of me bein' so bleedin' high and so bloody mighty.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:55 pm
Riley Christopher Halse
Master
I know I'm hot
But thank you for noticing. Riley had kept running, continuing to hold onto the other man tightly... atleast until there was a boney knee nudged against his groin. It didn't hurt, but the fact that there was something in that specific spot that could be a danger to his... ahem, man parts... he was not about to risk it. Vampire or not, that s**t hurt. A low grunt was made as he instantly stopped, letting go of Altair so the other man would fall to the ground if he was unable to catch himself. Brown eyes were... well, no longer brown, but instead the irises being a bright red. He looked to Altair for a moment before glancing down the way they had come. It was clear... for now.
His attention turned back to the human, and he made a low growl, eyes narrowing some. "I'm offering to help you, Altair. If getting myself killed is what happens, then it's what happens. It's not like I don't have damn hunters on my a** where ever I go anyway, so just shut your f---ing mouth and either accept my help or tell me you don't want it." His voice was raised, but the sound was lower from the growl. It was clear Altair was irritating him with fighting back, but it was only when Riley was wanting to help the other man. Me? Conceited? Never.
Okay, maybe just a little.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:14 pm
By God's holy trousers...He managed to catch himself, stumbling back on his feet for a moment before glaring back at Riley defiantly. The color in his eyes may have changed, but he wasn't about to be intimidated. In spite of how much he probably would have liked to be intimidated, he refused to let himself slip into a position of such powerlessness. "I never wanted your help! I never asked for it! he answered defiantly, his own eyes flashing. He may have been small, but he was far from a push over. And he wasn't going to give his life over to just anybody. A life was something earned, not given at whimsy.
"But, seeing as you have trouble interpreting that, you'll probably just ignore that and do whatever you want anyway. So you'll have to make me shut up before I let you control me like that." He took a few steps back, still poised to bolt. Some kind of deep hurt sat in his stomach, though he wasn't sure he could quite identify with it. It was foreign; uncomfortable and infuriating.
"I said I wouldn't run from you so long as you didn't give me a reason to," he said, his voice quiet and rather dark. "You're starting to give me reasons to. But I'm either too stupid or too desperate to let go of an opportunity. So you choose, since you seem to be the one whom this is costing at the moment. I've already made my choice; I'm still standing here. And even though I find a lot of the things you say and do bloody arrogant, I can't deny the debt I owe you for saving me. I can't let the fact that you seem just fine with manipulating me outshine the fact that you've saved my life." He quieted for a moment, still looking at the other critically.
"Three times now."Forgive me, on account of me bein' so bleedin' high and so bloody mighty.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:27 pm
Riley Christopher Halse
Master
I know I'm hot
But thank you for noticing. Riley was quiet as Altair spoke, his now-red eyes just studying the other man. Make him shut up? Oh, Riley had many ideas on how to make him do that. Smacking him, gagging him, shoving something down his throat... ahem, anywho. Excuse the perverted mind of this man, yes? Heh. Muscular arms crossed over a broad chest as he listened, actually taking in a lot of what Altair was saying. Riley knew he didn't have to help the man, and he knew he had the choice of leaving him here to die... but he, himself, was tired of the dull life he lived ever day -- or night, rather. This would give him excitement, and perhaps he'd find more to 'live' for than just to be here.
Once Altair finished speaking, Riley looked him over for a long moment, taking in the image of the smaller male. It wasn't often that Riley found someone bigger than himself, so having someone much smaller than him did not surprise him... and he'd seemed to get used to it. But atleast Altair was not shorter than this, because Riley would feel... strange about that.
After a moment of thinking, Riley slowly moved forward, arms uncrossing from his chest and resting at his side. He moved close to the male, standing directly in front of him as his eyes gazed down... and with another moment of studying, he spoke. "I'll help you, because I've already said I would. But if you expect me to stop being arrogant, I expect you to stop being so damn stubborn." Me? Conceited? Never.
Okay, maybe just a little.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:41 pm
By God's holy trousers...Altair winced a bit. Riley had him on that one; as much as the other man was damnably arrogant, the young Moriarty was just as, if not more stubborn. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from making some loose-gummed comment, letting out a stiff breath through his nose. His hands unclenched from the fists they had been at his sides, straightening a bit and letting his posture loosen. But he still felt the stiffness in his shoulders; probably just from the fact that it was always there. "Fine. I'll... work on it."
He sighed stiffly, looking around slowly before looking back to Riley. He knew that dawn was yet a few hours away, but it was coming swiftly. Along with a future he couldn't quite place or track at this point. But, even he had to admit, it was looking altogether improved from what it had been not three hours before. "So now what? You know I've got guns down my tail, and that this city is crawling with them and the guards."
Speaking of... he thought to himself, looking down to see if the bullet that he'd felt before had actually grazed him. He saw where his pant leg was torn, but there appeared to be no other damage. And his body was still so strung out on adrenaline at the moment that he could barely feel his own fingertips.Forgive me, on account of me bein' so bleedin' high and so bloody mighty.
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Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 11:46 pm
Riley Christopher Halse
Master
I know I'm hot
But thank you for noticing. "Good. And I'll work on mine, as well." The words made Riley smirk, and he stepped back a bit to give Altair a little more space. But, his eyes glanced around as well to see if anyone had caught up to them just yet. It seemed they had not, but he was sure it would only be a short time before they would. That reverted his attention once again back to Altair. "We shall head to my place where it is safer than out here. But before we do... I have to search you." Of course, it sounded very weird to hear that, and to even be saying it. And before Altair could reply and think the wrong idea, Riley added on... "Just in case they have you bugged or something. I don't want them tracking you so easily by a device they planted."
The vampire put his hands into his pockets a bit uncomfortably, as if he, himself, was having a problem with the idea of searching Altair. He didn't want to invade him, but it really was only for safety reasons... If anyone had planted something on him, any type of tracking device... they would be dead before sunset came again. Me? Conceited? Never.
Okay, maybe just a little.
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Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 7:54 am
By God's holy trousers...Altair nodded; knowing that even though the statement could easily be misconstrued, there was a lot of validity behind it. And even though it would have been terribly embarrassing to have Riley feel him up and or down, he knew they could compromise and still get the job done. "Don't worry, I understand," he said, before rubbing at the back of his neck. How exactly were they supposed to search him? They could take every piece of clothing off individually; allowing him to have some semblance of decency. But it was also bitterly cold, and the clothes he had now weren't nearly enough to keep him warm for long, let alone if he was missing a layer or two.
But then he paused, blinking to himself before scrubbing his face with a hand. How on earth could he have forgotten? He sighed, rolling his eyes only to himself as he reached up, brushing the hair away from one of his ears. There was a small stud there, one that served two purposes. He unscrewed the stopper on the back and slid it out, holding it up for Riley to look at. "This is a miniature EMP generator that I designed a long time ago for this purpose exactly. It emits small electromagnetic pulses that disrupt the frequency of small electronic devices. It doesn't have much bite to it, so it could only work for a small bug. But however many of them I may or may not have would be made useless because of this."
He tucked the little stud into one of his pockets, before pushing up the right sleeve of his tweed coat. "But if it was something bigger, like a tracer or an audio bullet, something that had a stronger signal output, it wouldn't be able to block it out completely. It could dampen the signal, but it would still get through." He indicated to a small, dime-sized scar on his forearm. He could still feel the little pill in his arm whenever he moved. And even though it wasn't far beneath the skin, it would still be complicated to remove. He glanced back up at Riley. "Like this tracer bullet here. The market had them implanted into every item, so if one was lost it could be located. If we really want to lose them, we have to remove it. I don't have the time or the supplies to build another small EMP generator."Forgive me, on account of me bein' so bleedin' high and so bloody mighty.
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Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 10:48 am
Riley Christopher Halse
Master
I know I'm hot
But thank you for noticing. Riley was very glad that Altair was understanding of the searching subject... The last thing they needed was to feel uncomfortable about it and just forget the search; then the bugs would still be there and they would be tracked sooner than they wanted to be. But his eyes stayed on Altair as he pulled the stud from his ear, listening to the explanation. Although the vampire did not have a wide understanding of advanced technology, he did understand the basic meaning of this. The thing in Altair's ear prevented small signals from tracking him, but there was a bigger one in his arm. The only thing Riley knew on how to get the device out... was to cut it out. It would be a painful process, but Riley would make sure the pain went away as soon as possible.
The vampire reached into his pocket, pulling out a large pocket knife and flipping it open. For the reason he had a pocket knife, it was unknown... but it was most likely from habit. There were a lot of other things that Altair had yet to find out: like his dogtags. But that would be mentioned later on. "Alright, then we'll have to cut it out." He didn't make any other advance toward the human, just waited until Altair would hold his arm out so Riley could cut it. He would be as quick as possible, just so Altair would not be in so much pain from the cut if he was sensitive to such damage. Me? Conceited? Never.
Okay, maybe just a little.
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Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:07 am
By God's holy trousers...Altair paused for a moment, looking at the other man sternly. He didn't shy away from the knife; he'd seen them before. Fought with them. And he knew that Riley wasn't going to attack him, so he had nothing to fear. But there was still tension in his shoulders, but he kept it hampered down. But there was one thing about the process that was bothering him. If his presumptions were correct, and if Riley really was a vampire, letting the other man cut him open could be a very bad idea. He kept his arm where it was, outstretched, but waited to give Riley one last question before they cut the bullet out. "Are you sure you don't want me to do it?" he asked, completely serious. "I don't know how you control yourself, or what kind of mechanisms you work under, but last I checked blood was kind of your peoples' thing. If you're going to be cutting me anywhere, I need to know things won't get out of hand."
He let the silence settle between them for a moment, knowing his words were probably disparaging and insulting ins some ways. But the fact was that he knew little about this people or how they functioned. He'd heard legends, read books, but none of it compared to the real life endeavor that he was facing now. And, like all good scientists, when faced with foreign territory, he treated it with caution and a decent amount of observational respect.
"Don't get me wrong, I trust you with this. But I want to know what I'll be getting into once I start bleeding."Forgive me, on account of me bein' so bleedin' high and so bloody mighty.
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Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:15 am
Riley Christopher Halse
Master
I know I'm hot
But thank you for noticing. Riley stared silently at Altair for a long moment, eyebrows furrowed just slightly as if he were insulted. The thought of hurting the man ran through his head, but Riley had been around blood many times before. Sure, he was a vampire, and of course he lived off of human blood... but he'd lived long enough to learn how to control his cravings and urges. Being around a small amount of blood -- such as what was to come now -- was not a big deal and was not enough to make him lose control.
He cleared his throat after a moment, forcing a smile to cross his lips. "Ah... your concerns are understandable. But no, I will not lose control over this small amount. I've lived quite a while now, and I've learned to control myself quite well. Now, shall we get this over with?" One eyebrow cocked up as he waited yet again. Me? Conceited? Never.
Okay, maybe just a little.
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Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:35 am
By God's holy trousers...He nodded, appreciating that the man took his concerns seriously. He hadn't meant to insult the man's control, but there was bodily risk involved, and he wanted to make sure he could cover his own a** for as long as he could. He held his arm out, holding the sleeve rolled up at his elbow. He looked up into Riley's eyes, nodding sternly. "Yes. Let's finish this and get out of here," he said. "We have safer places to be."
He took a slow breath. He'd experienced pain before; everyone had. He'd had worse than this by far. He'd felt the pain of them implanting the damn little thing; removing it could really be no worse. And, honestly, compared to the helter skelter race he'd taken across the globe, this would be nothing. Getting shot hurt infinitely more. With that in mind, he managed to remain peaceably calm, even with the knife glinting a few feet away. Mind over matter, they'd always said. This would be no different.Forgive me, on account of me bein' so bleedin' high and so bloody mighty.
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