Damage Case

[Lacrimosa (DELETED 5624)]

She flipped down the sun-visor and looked at herself from it's tiny mirror. Her ruby red hair was tied up on a messy ponytail and her makeup was running, so she wiped the corners of her eyes so she wouldn't look so much like a prostitute.
The man driving the car was a middle aged, messy looking fellow chewing a toothpick.
His oil stained jeans were ripped from the knees and his belly was hanging over his belt effectively hiding his bursted zipper.
There was little to no room for air in between the steering wheel and the driver's wiggling gut.
She yawned and looked around and saw a roll of duct tape on the dashboard. There was a shovel and some rope on the backseat in the middle of some burger wrappers and other filth.
She had only sat there for an hour at most before that nasty feeling overwhelmed her mind again.
"He is going to kill me."
She grabbed her bag slowly from the floor. The man didn't notice. He was too concentrated on driving. Good for him.
She slipped her hand inside the bag while keeping an eye on the driver who didn't say much. Just smoked all the time and every word he ever said - which wasn't a lot - was accompanied by a wheeze or a caugh. She fumbled through the bag slowly untill her hand reached her beloved switchblade knife. She slipped it under her thigh and dropped the bag on the floor.
"This is so typical. Next he is going to pull over and strangle me.."
She scratched her wrist.
"...or hit me and ruin my face."
Whenever the man took a drag from his cigarette, she tensed up as if she was waiting to get smacked.
The thoughts in her head turned from paranoid whispers into a full blown war as the time went by.
"He is going to hit me with that shovel. He is going to crack my skull wide open with it."
She kept scratching her wrist untill tiny droplets of blood started to form.
The man noticed this and looked at her.. then the wrist..
"Don't yew need some ointment for that?" He asked looking worried.
"Mind your own business you psycho!" She snapped at him.

"Look at him, he is getting angry.. he is going to pull over to the next bus-stop and crack my skull.."

The man stopped chewing on the toothpick and looked at her stunned. "No need to get pissy ma'am.."

Her name is Laura Bloom. A die hard Motörhead fan. Right now she is on her way to the capital for the second concert this month. She has been hitchhiking all the way and she doesn't really know where she is right now, but with the absence of money and other needful things, she has been on the road for three days already. She hasn't eaten or slept and there's a little dingaling sound going on inside her head.
Oh yes, and she thinks every man is going to kill her.
Stereotype women her age have careers, maybe a couple of kids, but not Laura. She is 29 years of age and dreading her upcoming 30th birthday. She has no children, no spouse and no friends of her own age. She hangs out with her favorite biker BFF - Tango, whenever she isn't on the road trying to catch a glimpse of Lemmy - The sexiest man alive. She is severely paranoid, thinking random people who get in contat with her are out to kill her, so she kills them before they catch her. She has done this about 25 times already (that she remembers) and she is wanted in 5 different states for a "few" murders. She is considered a serial killer and the press has named her "Red mantis - killer" Due to a witness saying a red haired female was seen getting into a car that was later found with it's lifeless owner still inside. The poor sob was stabbed 55 times. Laura also likes cats and and used to play piano as a child. Her favorite perfume is still Samba, and favorite song is "the Game" by Motörhead.

"Ma'am?!" She screeched.

"I am not old.. I am young, I am hot, I am sexy, I am a babe, I am not a flowerhat wearing ******* ma'am! What the hell is his problem."
She turned to face the driver.

"Do I look like a ******* Ma'am to you?!" She yelled at him and slipped her hand under her thigh where the knife was.

"Look at him. There he sits with his gut hanging out just drooling over me. He has been undressing me with those nasty greasy eyes of his the whole way and now he sits there, just throbbing for the thought of me laying on the ground with my skull open and my brains out for vultures to pick on."

"I didn't mean it in a bad way ma'am.. I mean.. lady." The man said in a soothing way. He placed his hand on Laura's thigh. "Calm down. You're very pretty for your age."

"For my age?!" Laura took the switchblade, flicked it open and without hesitating at all stabbed the man in the arm.
The brakes howled as the man stopped the car barely managing to keep it on the road. She smashed her head on the dashboard and was stunned for a few seconds - Just long enough for the man to open the passenger side door and kick her out. She rolled down the bank.
"Yew psycho *****!" He yelled and reached for the door handle.
She stood up and charged towards the car. The man drove off and tossed her bag out from the window.

As the backlights of the car disappeared she lazily picked up her bag and looked around. She was just outside of some town she didn't recognize. After her pulse settled and the voices in her head died off, she slipped her bag over her shoulder and started to walk towards the town.

[Sepsis]

The encounter with the doctor had left her shaken, and what she needed most of all right now, was to get away. After locking up the store, she found herself wandering through the streets of Harper Rock aimlessly. She had a serious problem on her hands, but what she should do... She had half a mind to offer the man a job just so she could make sure he never found out about her dollies. Shaking her head, she decided what she really needed at this very moment, was to drive somewhere...as fast and as recklessly as possible. After all, what fun was it to be immortal if you had to play at being fragile human all the time.

She didn't have a vehicle herself, but that was an easy enough problem to rectify. Men and women alike seemed to be drawn to her, and she had to admit, she was very appealing to look at. At 5-5, slim, with long blonde hair streaked with red, people seemed to be very attracted to her, and somehow even look past her usual choice of odd style. If they looked twice at her differently coloured eyes, they at least held their tongues. She knew how to play the Game...and she played it well. This evening was no different.

She had found the man leaving one of the many skyscraper office building that dotted the landscape of the city. Businesses prospered in Harper Rock, and business was booming. He had dismissed her when he saw her, unimpressed by her gothic dolly outfit. What did he know..he would soon be lunch anyway. And he was. She had smiled when she pushed the automatic alarm button, for the man had provided her with exactly what she wanted...a fast car. Not only was it a fast car, but a beautiful silver EB 16.4 Bugatti Veyron. Smiling as she slid behind the wheel, the engine sprung to life, purring beautifully.

Several minutes later, and she was free of the confines of the city. Nothing but herself and the soft glow of the moon to keep her company. Flicking on the radio, she hummed tunelessly, content in unlife for the moment. Then Sepsis saw her. She wasn't quite sure if the woman was real at first, she had seen beings who weren't really there many times before after all..and this woman moved so catlike as she wandered beside the road. Something about the woman called to her, the call was strong, and she decided to indulge curiosity, and offer the woman a ride.

Slowing down to stop beside the woman, Sepsis pressed the automatic button, and the passenger side window slid open silently. "Hey there," she called out "Can I gift you a lift into town?"

[Lacrimosa (DELETED 5624)]

She heard the car closing in but when it slowed down instead of just driving by she gripped her bag tighter in her fist as her pulse started to race again.
"It doesn't sound like the fat psycho's car."
She saw her own shadow in headlights and soon a silvery beast appeared in the corner of her eye.
Unwilling to turn her head she just walked.
"What if he has a gun...?"
The engine purred like an expensive one did. One time she and Tango had gone to a luxury dealer to test drive something flashy, but they had been kicked out of the shop the instant their boots had touched their expensive marble foor.

Paula was born into a very poor family. Soon after her second birthday her parents divorced and her mother was forced to settle in a tiny old smelly trailor. Her father came to visit once every few months untill he didn't no more. Her mother taught her that instead of education, a woman needs to focus on her looks so she can make her rich husband happy one day. She would rather primp, curl and pluck all day-every day than ruin her nails in dishwater. When Laura learned that she isn't the marrying type, and how her mother didn't approve her somewhat tomboyish style, she eventually took off and has been a bit of a nomad ever since. She's been doing her own thing, supporting herself with odd jobs here and there, but the last 5 years she has been hanging out with a biker gang in a mutually profitable symbiosis.
Rich people make her nervous.

Eventually the car stopped and to her suprise she herad a female voice.

"Hey there,Can I gift you a lift into town?"
She felt somewhat relieved. Women rarely want to kill her, it's always the men that do. Always.
She turned around and slowly walked to the car and let her bag drop on the ground as she leaned in towards the window.
"Well".. She said and noticed the driver was clothed in a very interesting way and was completely unfitting to drive such a flash vehicle. She would have looked better driving a hearse. Amused bu this she smiled at the driver and leaned on the door casually. "I gots no idea where I am actually... but I could use a quick shower and I would kill for a cup of coffee.." She laughed a little.. embarassed. The whiff from her own armpit caught her nose reminding she hadn't had a chance to wash up in three days.

She got into the car keeping her arms tightly pressed into her sides. Ew.

For the first time in weeks she felt safe. The voices inside her head were quiet. The feeling was unreal.

[Sepsis]

She drove back towards Harper Rock, the woman quiet beside her. Sepsis glanced over to observe the woman, who she could see had beautiful red hair, several times. The woman was an exquisite creature... so full of vibrant energy, and wild untamed spirit. She had secrets, this woman, Sepsis could see it in her. But, everyone in the city seemed to have their secrets....even the mayoral candidates. She snorted softly to herself. A mayoral candidate without secrets could never be mayor..there was no room for honest men in politics.

Half turning her head, she spoke to the woman beside her. "I can help you out with that shower." She paused, her gaze dropping to the bag on the floor the woman had. "A change of clothes too if you need it." A smile slid to her face and Sepsis found herself feeling strangely protective of the woman.

She would make a beautiful vampyre.

"I can certainly find you a coffee and something to eat too, if you'd like?" Sepsis did not want to make the woman think she thought she was some sort of stray, who needed to be rescued or some other good hearted samaritan pursuit. Far from that. Sepsis found it curious that she had thought of giving this woman The Gift merely upon sight. But then again..the dark gods worked in strange ways. Sepsis sensed that the woman would prefer a quieter location from her posture, and chose to drive to one of her properties in a quieter park of the city. Making the last turn onto the cul-de-sac where her apartment building stood, Sepsis smiled warmly at the woman once more. "I'm Sepsis, by the way. Or at least..that's what I'll let others call me." She laughed jovially.

Pulling into the parking lot, Sepsis then led the way up to her small one bedroom flat. It was her own favourite stow away spot in truth. There was a heavy wooded area close by, and it was usually quiet. Best of all, the neighbours asked her no questions, and she asked none of them. She flipped on a nearby switch to reveal dark walls covered in book shelves. Tables were scattered about the room, laden with books and trinquettes alike. Several fluffy chairs and a large leather couch were placed here and there, and the peaceful hum of a giant fish tank took up most of the far wall. She had had that built in special when she moved in. Doors let to other parts of the apartment, but this was my far, her most favourite room. Yes...this was somewhere she felt safe.

"Sorry, it's not much, but anything you need..please, let me know" Sepsis welcomed the woman into her home, watching her with a seemingly casual demeanor.

[Lacrimosa (DELETED 5624)]

"Cool.. Thanks!" She replied to the woman and sighed at the thought of a steaming hot cup of coffee after a long hot shower. She could almost smell it.
She could and probably would kill for one.

"The name's Laura.. I hate the name, but it's mine." She introduced herself casually.
"So how come you have such an unusual name? Your mother didn't like you or something?" She asked with a cheezy grin on her face. A lame attempt to crack a joke - but for some odd reason she felt really comfortable around the stranger.

Laura was expecting the"know it all"- voices to say something. They didn't. There was nothing but the quiet beat of her own pulse echoing from somewhere.

Strange.

They ended up in an apartment somewhere in Harper Rock.
As they entered all Laura could do was look around with her mouth open. She tossed her bag on the floor and walked straight away to the fish tank.
"Neemoo!" She smiled and tapped the glass gently, and then as if she had forgotten she isn't alone, she started to peel off her clothes.
The truth is, she has been around bikers and such for such a long time, she is far from shy.
She wiggled out of her Motörhead tank top and her jeans while staring at the fish tank. Then she dug up her toothbrush and an old raggy towel from her bag and torned around to look at Sepsis like a 4 year old.
"Where's the bathroom?" She asked Sepsis. She must have looked ridiculous standing there in her no-match underwear with her socks still on, a towel in one hand and a toothbrush in other.
A bullet had gone through her shoulder a few years ago and the scar was clearly visible now, but she had forgotten it existed.. besides to Laura, every scar and mark is a souvenir. Others take pictures or buy spoons, Laura has scars.

Before Sepsis could answer she found the bathroom door. "It's over there?" She pointed at the door and without waiting for a reply she slipped in and locked the door.

This place was amazing, but something was off. Laura couldn't pinpoint what it was, but it didn't matter. This was definitely an upgrade to her usual lodgings. She was curious about every cupboard, book and trinket in the apartment, but not in a paranoid way. She was so caught up in the awesomeness that surrounded her, that she had left her bag unguarded. The bag could easily reveal who or what Laura really was. The paper clippings in a notebook and the bloodstained switchblade were not something she would want to show her new friend.

[Sepsis]

Sepsis smiled to herself as she watched Laura flitter about the apartment like an inquisitive child. She was breathtakingly beautiful, scars and all. Sepsis wished she would have found her sooner though, the scar on Laura's shoulder looked like the wound had hurt, and she would have liked to save her from such suffering. The woman seemed to find her way around the apartment easy enough, and Sepsis soon found herself left alone, waiting for the woman to finish showering. She would find Laura food afterwards. Whatever she wanted. Money was something that she never worried about.

Walking over to the fish tank, Sepsis noticed Laura had left her bag on the floor alongside the clothes that she had cast off. She picked it up without hesitation, and made her way to one of the chairs near the middle of the room, and set it on the wooden table in front of it. It was an old bag, nothing of value, and bearing the signs of having seen much better days. Opening it, she began pulling items out. There were clothes, a few pairs of pants, some shirts..nothing special. As she neared the bottom of the bag, she gave pause as she saw the switchblade in her hand. Nothing out of the ordinary she supposed, if the girl was thinking to protect herself with it if she hitch hiked often. But one did not usually carry around a bloodied switchblade. Sepsis's eyes flittered towards the bathroom doors before continuing her treasure hunt. The last item of value in the bag, was what looked to be some type of scrap book. News paper clippings and such were stuffed inside the battered notebook, bearing titles such as 'Cross Borders Serial Killer?', and 'Red-Mantis Killer Preys on another'. Sepsis read each article, the puzzle quickly fitting together.

It all just made Laura that much more perfect in her eyes. A kindred spirit indeed. Kindred in name is she survived. She smiled at herself, realizing that she had just decided to take this woman for her Chylde. Sepsis hoped she would survive, for none had yet. Putting all but the blade and the notebook, which she sat on the table before her, back into the bag, she waited for Laura to finish in the bathroom. After what seemed to be an eternity, the bathroom door finally opened, and Laura stepped back into the room, fresh from her shower. Sepsis spoke before Laura could react, not wanting the woman to fear her, or be angry that she had looked through he things.

"Come, sit" Sepsis motioned for Laura to sit, and continued to speak, eager for the woman to listen. "There is a world out there, that not many see. There are things out there, that people don't believe are real...that people don't want to believe are real. What if I told you that I could give you the night. That you would be loved and feared for an eternity. That you would be as beautiful as you are now, forever. Untouched by time. Untouched by disease. Strength and power beyond your wildest dreams." Sepsis smiled, a mad feverish light touched her eyes. "Vampires are real my darling. And I'm going to make you one."

[Lacrimosa (DELETED 5624)]

She is a nut. Just play along, grab something of value and get out.

Laura listened with a smile on her face. Sepsis spoke words straight from a teenage fantasy novel. Laura crossed her legs and wiped an idle droplet of water off her forhead.

"That is amazing.. How does this happen?" She asked trying to sound as sincere as possible. She knew about what has been written but not much more. "Are you a vampire, then?". Sepsis was far from the typical stereotype of one. She didn't look like Morticia Addams and she clearly didn't dress in linen, and there was not a single coffin anywhere. The thought of being a Vampire had been in her mind ever so often. How easy it would be to score with Lemmy if she could seduce him with just one look.. just like Count Dracula did with Mina.

"If she has fangs, they are fake. Just play along."

"Let me get some clothes on and then we will do this. I want to know everything". Laura said and stood up to go through her bag.. her eyes scanning for something heavy to knock Sepsis unconscious with, and something of value to pawn for some cash for the road. She tied her wet hair on a tight ponytail and quickly slipped into her trusty jeans and a clean white Motörhead-top.

[Sepsis]

Sepsis permitted herself a small smile as she watched Laura's facial expressions. The disbelief was plain to see. But really, how could she fault the woman? Not everyone had dealt with things of occult nature as she herself had before they were turned. Too many in this century had lost their belief in the unknown. It was not her fault, but she would soon learn. This precious mess before her would survive the turning...she just knew it.

Sepsis watched as Laura dressed quickly, patronizing her with conversation in order to waste time, in her opinion, as many humans do. Rising, Sepsis allowed her human facade to slip, and she glided across the floor towards Laura with movement so fluid, there could be no mistake it was not human. Sepsis stopped in front of the woman, and lifted her left hand slowly, and reached to trace her jawline with a finger before stroking Laura's ruby red hair. Simply beautiful. "Come." Sepsis ordered gently, taking Laura's hand in her own. Sepsis led Laura to a plush backless leather setee, sitting the woman beside her.

Lifting Laura's wrist, she drew it towards her, breathing in the intoxicating scent of the woman's blood. How sweet it was to her. A nectar far more succulent than any other. Sepsis's eyes bored into Laura's as she spoke again. "Anything before now, matters not. You will be born anew. There will be new rules for you to abide by once your transformation is complete..but you need survive the Change first." Sepsis searched Laura's face as she spoke, praying to all that was dark and unholy as she did, that Laura survived. "We will exchange blood for seven days. As the days pass, you will come closer to my world, but will be in ever increasing danger of the True Death. Your will must not falter. You must fight to make the Change complete. Do you understand?"

Sepsis placed Laura's hand on her own face so that she could feel the cooler temperature of her flesh. Smiling, Sepsis parted her lips, allowing her fangs to lengthen and sharpen before Laura's eyes. "There are no theatre tricks here darling...just the real deal." Sepsis spoke in a soothing tone. Pressing Laura's wrist to her lips as a lover might, she breathed deeply before releasing the woman's wrist. "Don't be afraid..." Sepsis purred as she leaned towards Laura's smooth throat, her eyes locked on the pulsing artery, full of life. As gently as she could she bit, sinking her fangs directly into the vein, sucking hungrily.

Ecstasy...she would have given her soul a thousand times for this. Human frailty, and the ever looming promise of death were easy to trade. Laura's hot blood filled her, sating her hunger. As she fed, Sepsis listened, so as to not put too much stress from the blood loss on Laura's heart. 'Thud-thud..thud-thud..' Laura's heart beat strong as ever. Carefully removing her fangs so as to not tear Laura's skin, she paused to run her tongue carefully across the open wounds to seal them. Wasting no time, she pushed back from Laura, sinking her fangs into her own wrist, causing her thick vampyric blood to flow. "Drink" Sepsis commanded as she pressed her lips to Laura's partially open lips.

[Lacrimosa (DELETED 5624)]

As she felt the fangs on her neck Laura froze.
Million thoughts flooded her mind. She quickly realized that this was real. It was happening. The lady was a vampire and the shock of it paralyzed her.

When the vampire's blood filled her mouth she gagged, but obeyed. Her blood tasted nothing like the stuff that came out of a papercut. It was cold, thick and dead, but Laura swallowed a mouthful after mouthful despite of the urge to stop.

After the vampire pulled her arm away from her she fell on her back. She was feeling sick. Her stomach was turning at first. then she felt like her skin was on fire.. soon she was curled up in a fetal position sweating holding back her tears so she wouldn't aggravate the vampire and maybe, she would fix this.

She should have been more careful, but she wasn't, and this was the price she had to pay for being careless.

"You're dying. How does it feel?"

[Sepsis]

Sepsis watched intently as Laura fell to her back, and curled into a fetal position. The Change was just beginning with the woman, and Sepsis felt slightly guilty knowing that Laura would have to endure this exchange for an entire week until she finally stood in the vampyric world. Sepsis reached out to brush a lock of the woman's hair form her face, and felt the heat radiating from her skin. Scowling, Sepsis stood, leaving Laura for a moment only to return with a basin of cool water, and a clean washcloth. 'She will be beautiful when she finally turns...' Sepsis thought to herself.

With nothing left to do but watch her charge until the morrow came, Sepsis began to talk. She spoke of being vampyre. Of being immortal. Of being nearly indestructible. Of the joys that would come with being vampyre. Of the dangers. Resting the cooled cloth upon the woman's brow, Sepsis smiled. Her First Made.

Sepsis knew she had chosen well.