burning out the lonliness {closed.}

[Jamie]

The woman considered herself a loner, she wasn’t the type of person who would go out of their to make conversation, to be nice or anything like that. Since returning from the shadow realm she had taken on a childe. Freyja. She was a breath of fresh air, she was so bubbly compared to the woman’s usual grouchy mood. Freyja had grown to like this love; she had come into her own and was growing. Jamie was proud, more proud than she could ever express to the woman. Thick black lashes caressed the pale features of the Shadow as she walked through the streets of Harper Rock. Something she did on a nightly basis.

Tonight was like any other night. The moon was high in the sky, it was well past midnight. Jamie was taking in the nights sky. When she felt an odd urge to break and enter tonight. She had the skills to do it, she had learnt to do it when she was originally sired. She had used her thieving abilities for Tytonidae too, back when she was a member. Usually the shadow was deep within Quarantine Zone killing feral vampires consistently. She’d even use her special ability to summon fadebeasts, how they trashed at her and groaned as she slashed them down with her blade. Phoenix had called her Mini-Nix. Simply because she was as hot headed as the woman, and had killed the larger beasts that looked within the city from the get go of her vampire life. She had an advantage, Phoenix had told her.

So Jamie veered off to the right, heading towards the office blocks, Phoenix did say she wanted source codes and had kicked Jamie’s *** into trying to find her some, she didn’t know who else would actually go out of their to get the bitchface what she needed. Chocolate hues looked about her as she threw one arm out towards the glass pane, smashing the glass to bits. Tiny glass shards fell to the ground, they glistened under the moonlight as the shadow looked at inside of the building and slipped inside.

She activated her hide in shadows power and began to make her way through the office making sure she kept her wits about her, she didn’t know who else could be looting this building. Thieving was a crime that was quite high in these parts. People wanted the motion sensors, and the source codes mostly. Jamie felt sorry for the people that mostly worked in Factories. They were the ones that were hit the hardest.

[Dominique]

January 13, 2015

It was not the same. It always was different each time she was able to claw her way back through whatever it was that kept the tenacious shadow in that dark realm for a week at a time. Dominique felt less connected to the world she returned to each time she was thrust out near what could be described a death if there was such a thing possible anymore. She locked up Twisted Sister Custom & Design and walked into the mall to blend with the late evening last minute shoppers.

The air was warm and the sounds of shoppers echoed from the inside of the mall. A child was upset. The exchange for the unwanted gift he had two of turned out to be less in his favor than the original gift. A mothers voice tried to consol but there was only so much one could do with a ungrateful ten year old.

Dominque eyed the pair as they passed her by. The child ceased the pouting and clutched the bagged box closer in his arms while staring at her exposed neck. The heart shaped honeycomb that covered her throat was like an advertisement for more ink than one could imagine hidden beneath her limited layers. She was used to it. Summer is when she proudly wore her true colors. Both her dark wide eyes and the boys innocent blues met and held eachothers attention until the passing was complete. She could hear the tugging of his hand at his mothers jacket as he whispered about tattoos. This time the woman's voice was firm in its tone dismissing the topic.

Dominique chuckled as she pulled the door of Honeymead Market her to exit. She was thankful for the cool air that rushed over her face and completed the effects of nighttime alertness. It reminded her this night that greeted her was not to be taken for granted. The sounds of random cars passing on the street, the distant sounds of a gun shot and even the haze of bright headlights that made their way across her petite body as it moved quickly to the curb in the other side of the street. All of it could be taken away again. Her pride and its curse that plagued it would continually be her downfall if she did not get control of it.

HOPE and LESS slid into the satin lining of her black leather jacket. The bitter chill of the wind sent her ebony hair whipping around her face as she hopped up on the curb. Shivering bodies hurried past her as she appeared to take her own sweet time glancing at the glowing business windows to places that were closing up for the night.

The fading hustle of the cars and bodies in Honeymead was left behind as Dominique stepped into the transit and sat down. It was quiet. That was the last thing she would complain about. She was as comfortable as can be with the solitude of an otherwise empty form of transportation. She loathed small talk. Even more so when it couldn't be avoided with complete strangers. Perhaps that is why she was what some referred to as a 'shadow'. If that was the case it was rather fitting.

Two weeks ago even at this time of night it was overstimulating and nearly deafening. She was not disappointed that the holidays were over. It held only one significance for her. It marked a year on New Years Eve that she had lived in the dark. A year that had her fighting and denying her fate. Now as she stepped off the transit she felt free of that. No more regrets or clinging to what was not meant to be. The weight on her shoulders was gone. A New Year had begun.

Dominique felt the slick surface beneath her boots as she rounded the corner into the office district. Once upon a time she spent much of her time running through the area casing out buildings and applying her skills at breaking and entering. She was able to score what was otherwise to find. Security was easier to evade when she was alive it seemed. Now it was quite the opposite. She also found it was such with her skills of thievery. Instead she was known for traps, security systems and gun making.

Dominique shrugged off the cold and kept moving down the dark street. It was a good habit to keep moving. That was, of course, until she heard the unmistakable sound of glass breaking. A thief was likely at work. She looked down at her jacket and felt the cold wrap of shadows building around her until even her boots disappeared before her eyes. Her curiosity was at work once again. If pride wouldn't get her then her insatiable curiosity certainly would. In she went. Perhaps her skills would improve.

[Jamie]

Stealth was easy for the shadow. It was a natural ability for the woman, ever since she was turned she had somehow managed to manipulate the shadows around her to hide her, protect her from the world. Jamie was not the same woman she was two years ago. The woman two years ago living in a high rise apartment constantly in contact with her parents. They doted on her – expected nothing but the best for the woman. Jamie wanted to be just like them, she studied Mythology – her parents were tutors one for a university, the other a school. She was brought up to be attentive to her studies. It was a tough act to follow.

She had lost it all though. All the love and affection from her family. It had happened so suddenly, she had been walking home from one of her courses. She was being mugged – the man that had mugged her, had put his gross hands all over her. She hadn’t meant to kill him. It was self-defence. It had happened so quickly, her body reacted in ways she had never thought possible. She had shot him dead. Watched as the whites of his eyes stared at her, looking at the horror reflected in her own face. She had fled, fled from her normal boring life only to be born into a more sadistic, darker life that very night. She had really come into her own. Became a bounty hunter, killed – and never regretted. Stole, things her human parents would disown her for.

Jamie didn’t dwell on the past often. It hurt her too much. She was still in love with Juliet, granted she’d never admit it out loud – had killed herself over it. Women, they were such pesky beings but once they were on your mind – you could never shake the bitches off. They brought emotions out in you that you didn’t think you could feel. Stealing usually brought these memories forth. Too much thinking, if she didn’t think about the guards there was a less likely chance she’d get caught – even if she did. Nothing a Knockout Bomb couldn’t fix. Simple.

Juliet was back. It pained the woman to see her poking around on the family crownet, what hurt more was that she never contacted Jamie, despite the name change. She assumed the woman no longer cared for Jamie, or even loved her. She didn’t blame her. Jamie was too much of a recluse to love. She stuck to herself, did the normal nightly things and didn’t say much else. Freyja, yes. She was a glitch in Jamie’s system. Clink in her armour. Her soft spot. The only woman who could perhaps put a smile on the woman’s face.

The shadow bent over to pluck up a lead block from the floor, and shoved it in her duffel bag before heading into the next area. She had avoided a few guards already. The shadows hid her. She was quick to move – it was then that she heard the movement around her. There were no guards, no light from a torch. No, this was someone else in this room with her. The woman dropped her shadows as easily as she pulled them around her and pulled out her gun, the rifle aimed in front of her.

“Show yourself.” She hissed. Her voice like venom.

[Dominique]

Dominique was setting herself up for a rather humbling lesson. She could actually feel it coming on as she made the attempt to enter the building following her mile long curiosity streak. Everyone has those moments. Acting on an impulse while the voice inside is saying “Another step and you are screwed” is never wise. Then again, Dominique was one who had always had to learn the hard way.

Prior to the New Years Eve from hell Dominique got so confident and comfortable with her actions that she would hardly feel it a challenge towards the end. Her closets were full of microwaves, pipes, blocks and she was known to steal anything that was not welded down. Even then if she had the tools it was easy to take. All one was left to do was consider it gone. She had moving boxes full of designer clothing that she would never wear and hardly any room for furniture. It all came to a screeching halt when she found her skill of being a thief ended when she woke in the abandoned warehouse nearly frozen to the slab of cement beneath her. That, too, was a huge lesson she had coming despite how unpleasant it would be to those who knew the details. Karma had left its tread marks on Jane Dominique Doe more than a few times. Rightfully so.

Perhaps it was how it was all meant to be. The petite and colorful shadow was a gluttonous and selfish human. She didn’t appreciate her abilities. She never really had. Now she was learning how much so each night that she woke up and found herself trying her best to get what was expected of her straight and learn to do what she once could. That was hardly easy but she was slowly making progress. How much so would soon be apparent.

This current attempt was odd from the start. After Dominique’s change she couldn’t lift so much as a complimentary newspaper from a business lobby she was only passing through. She was well aware of this fact even as she started making this current attempt to enter the secured building that if her memory served her right would require more than just being invisible for her to enter. The glass was broken and the means of entry was there. The one responsible was currently inside from what she could assume. Her supply of certain items was low. Killing two birds with one stone? Her curiosity and criminal need? There was only one way to find out the answers to her own questions.

Dominique hopped up to the window frame. Her inked fingers were quick to fix tight like a skilled rock climber on the outside while her legs curled up and gave her feet a nice place to perch at the base. She used care to avoid anything that would give her a reason to seep out those incredibly annoying and hard to conceal black floating beads of blood. Just as she was about to enter she heard a female speaking inside. She froze and looked down to find she was still under the guise of shadows concealing her. She was relieved. She was supposed to reveal herself? Fat chance. Nothing was ever that easy. Not where Dominique was concerned. She didn’t take orders or demands well. The woman could dream on. Instead of peeling off the shadows she was fully prepared to hop in and have some fun.

That sense of relief and plan was short lived as Dominique heard the sounds of keys jingling around the corner from where she was squatting. Her eyes darted to the outside corner of the building and found a set of glowing beams dancing up and down. The source likely would be the annoying security coming along for the typical check. The sound of a gunshot rang out and the beams of light turned back leaving the corner dark once again. She looked back into the dark room and could not spot the female thief from her vantage point no matter how much she tried. Her eyes studied the window frame and the remnants of broken glass that littered the floor beneath it on the inside.

“That would hardly be wise given I am sitting in the window of a building you have just broken into.” Dominique spoke from where she was finding it less than comfortable sitting the longer she did so. “Not the way to start off meeting a thief if you ask me.”

Dominique kept herself invisible while finding the ability to enter places she was not invited to allowed her to slip into the space and set her feet on the floor. She looked around at the dark room making sure not to get too close to the source of the voice. She had just got back from the dark and noisy place that took her a week to find her way out of. She had no interest in returning so quickly. Curiosity was not going to kill this cat. Not over a thief on the job.

“How about we agree you are safe in what you are doing and I just was coming by to see if…” Dominique wondered how she was to make light of her coming upon the woman stealing. Dominique was a smart ***. Sometimes a dumb one too. More often than not it was the latter over the former. “You had a lighter? If not how about a power module? Either way consider yourself safe. I do this all the time. How about you?”

Time would soon tell if this thief had taken themselves so seriously that they had no sense of humor in being caught off guard. Dominique had been in their shoes many times. Humor sometimes was the only thing that saved her *** in the end. She still had no sight on the female as she stepped carefully with her hand ready to draw her chosen weapon if necessary. The burglar couldn’t be far. Her voice was pretty clear and easy to pick up.

[Jamie]

Jamie held the rifle in her hand, that fair amount of strength a vampire had made it easier for the brunette to stand there with the gun held in one hand slightly slanted. All she needed now was a cigarette now, and she could be on America’s Next Top Model photo shoot. She glanced around the area her hues looked for the other person that was around her, watching her – she could feel eyes on her, was it the stalker or something more? The rifle wasn’t heavy in her delicate hands as she slowly advanced through the corridor. Eyes alert as she bent over and picked up a lead block, she needed it – before shoving it in her doffel bag with her free hand. She turned to face the voice as it spoke. She identified the woman as a female, that much was certain as she lowered the gun.

Of course she was safe. “Fine.” She said slowly, bands of brown hair tickled at her skin as she let her eyes look back to the hallway the sound of whistling filled her eardrums, keys being twirled and then the light from a flashlight. She lifted her gun again and headed for the guard – it had to be guard. She was quicker than he was, before he could even grab from his walkie talkie. Jamie had put a bullet between eyes. The man was dead on the floor. It wasn’t a proper heist unless there were a few casualties along the way, the guard was one of them.

“You can come out now, and have a light.” She said as she pulled out a silver pocket lighter. Jamie was a smoker too, so it was convenient the other was a smoker. She brought out a white stick from her pocket and stuck it in her mouth, lifting the lighter she lit it up, the ash glowed orange, a few times as she inhaled the smoke the taste of Nicotine filled her taste buds, making her relax as she exhaled a cloud of grey escaping her mouth.

“I steal a lot. More so now than before. It’s a time killer.” She said with a shrug of her shoulders as she made her way over to the guards body, and pluck at his keys – and the torch. Who knew when you needed a torch? A smile graced her lips as she began to make her way through the next corridor, picking up documents, and motion sensors as she meandered her way through it.

“What do I call you?” She asked.

[Dominique]

Dominique could smell it before she could see it. Death. It was always a series of sensory overloading steps as it came to fruition. The jingling of keys echoing as the sounds of purposeful soft steps slowed to a near stop. Yes, now she wasn’t the only one feeling it. The sweet hint of human anticipation. Salt. It was nearly on the tip of her tongue and she listened to the heavy pumping of blood pushing against those slick chambers of the human heart. The mist that formed over the skin at the nape of the guard's neck. He was unsure as his foot lifted while he went for his radio. This. This always pulled center stage and caught her attention.

Dominique’s lips rubbed together slowly to hide the fact her mouth was moist. Her stomach clenched. It was always an inner battle. Her mind was strong enough to work it out but she could not deny that this is how it would always be. She would have the bittersweet taste of death on the tip of her tongue for as long as she had the ability to open her lips and draw in the air around her. A shot fired and the waste of a middle aged life dripped to the floor beneath it.

Dominique could feel the faint pang of abrupt end register somewhere within. However, it was so much less than that ache that used to overwhelm her into reacting. She was no longer jumping like some superhero with a tattered and futile cape taking on the dismal attempt to save the world from what she was. This slow growing awareness was a small mercy in her endless nights. It was all a continuing process of acceptance that had finally taken over.

Dominique Jane Doe was a work in progress as she stood there patting the pocket of her leather jacket. Where did it go? Her brows furrowed as the blood trickled down the cooling forehead that would never gain another stress induced crease. It was sour to her petite nose that wrinkled at the bridge while her colorful hands both patted at her *** and the back pockets of her jeans. as if they would have got shoved back there. God damned things. She had only a few of them left and now she was losing them along with her mind it seemed. The sound of cellophane crunched as she made a last attempt by pressing her hand over her chest to pledge allegiance to the habit she acquired when Verne died. God blessed that man and sent her to hell all at once. She found them.


A delighted expression washed over her face as she plucked those russian cigarettes from the small black leather pocket. Everything about the feel of them in her fingers set her off. The scent of Russian wrapped tobacco overwhelmed her and nearly suffocated the bouquet of fresh kill that hovered around her like an invisible cloud. ‘Hope’ wiggled a single smoke from the white packaging with the crimson letting on the outside. Once the cancer stick was perched between her lips she tucked that fading pack back where it came from. The sound of the woman’s voice found her as she realized asking for a light was not as funny as she first thought. She seemed to need one after all.

Dominique’s naturally shapely dark brow shot up as the female appeared. Well now wasn’t this a surprise. Another deadly beauty creeping out of the shadows coming at her. Dominique's head shook slowly with a subtle smirk forming at her lips when the stranger permitted her to come forth and reveal herself. It amazed her how anyone thought she needed permission for anything. She called the shots. Always had and always would. She pulled out from the shadows that had otherwise covered her while reaching for the light source from the woman’s hand. She was careful not to make skin to skin contact. Her eyes were pinned on the woman’s as the flame shot upward with the clicking sound of her thumb to the silver lighter. The owner of the source of heat and light in Dominique’s hand wandered off after grabbing the keys that still had a purpose even if the guard that held them did not.

What did she want to be called? Fair enough question. There was a time she would have came with another creative alias. How many had she accumulated? She inhaled deep even if the reason to would never torment her again with the risks it once did. It was not as if she still had a heart worth saving and capable of losing. Grey ribbons floated and formed a smokey halo around her dark head. She lost her wings long ago and now the sharp tips of her horns were beginning to show all over again.

“Dominique.” The truth was a killer. The scent courtesy of some foreign hands working hard to wrap up in Russia was savored as the sound her voice saying her own name out loud echoed through her head. “You?”

[Jamie]

“At—“ She almost slipped up and used her real name. The real name that was Athena. Such an abnormal name, but due to recent circumstances. The past coming back to bite her in the ***, yeah she had changed her alias to Jamie. It was her mothers name. Who would think Athena Hannah Montria would have to change her name to avoid breaking the masquerade. The woman sighed, smoke exiting a small ‘o’ shape in between her thick, full lips. Dominique. What a lovely name it rolled off the tongue so well, a various usage of letters. “Jamie.” She said finally, as thick black lashes batted at the woman, as she too smoked.

Hey, the good thing about being a vampire was that they weren’t going to die of lung cancer anytime soon. They were dead. Simple as that, illnesses didn’t affect them. She twirled the set of keys in her grasp and began to make her way down through the halls. Hues looking everywhere for little things on the ground, right there for the looting.

A copper block, was there laying beside a crate full of straw. She picked It up before moving her way down the hall. “So, are you stalking me?” She asked as she turned around to face the woman, shining the beam of the torch on the woman’s form. Soaking in her physique. She didn’t look pale like most vampires she had come across. She didn’t look native to Canada either. Curiosity peaked further as she leaned forward on her toes to inspect the woman further. They were two strangers, looting the same building. Yet, Jamie was having the most luck in that area. She bent over and plucked up a few nuts and bolts from the ground. They were always handy in the trap department of things.

Hues dragged their way back up to look at Dominique again, waiting for an answer of some sort. Jamie hadn’t even noticed the guard that was coming round the next corner.