Where Did The Power Go? (Satine & pm for invite)

[Andrew Shedim]

It was the perfect night for the gangster to have a little fun; all the nights with Satine had made him lose the need for petty crime but Drew and Juice Box had had a little too much to drink and the mood had seemed to hit them both. The full moon illuminated the residential streets the two men prowled, not a single cloud threatened to blot out the natural light. "Just like old times!" Drew's voice seemed to echo as he attempted to pop the lock of a small sedan before giving up and shattering the window with his elbow. "What the **** are you doing" the blood thief laughed as he joined his boss in pilfering through the car, looking for anything of value the two could take and sale "shhh, like a ******* ninja boss."

The two continued their little escapade for a few hours, finding only a few spare bucks and a little jewelry, nothing that was going to earn them much money but would give the killer some things to give his woman as gifts. As they ventured through the streets, the neighborhoods they went through grew seedier and seedier, they seemed to be heading to the part of town people around here lovingly called the slums.

It wasn't long before Drew noticed the two were getting a little more attention than he would have liked. Though he had long ago made himself known to the local gangs that called Harper Rock home, he had not exactly gotten off on the best foot with them. In fact, to the ones that had not given their loyalty to the Lionelli crime family you could say he had earned his fair share of enemies. What few that were willing to step to the vampire he had always dispatched of rather easily, so even as a few men had started to follow the two he was not the least bit concerned, the same could not be said for the drunken blood thief at his side. "Uh boss, Drew, maybe we should, I don't know, get the **** outta here."

The gangsters began to make small taunts to the two men, Drew dismissed them at first, grinning to himself as the anger pooled in his stomach. The same could not be said for the blood thief who was quick to make small threats back; for the Killer this was just a game, he knew each of the men would die, he would see to that but it would be on his time. Though the streets were deserted save for the five men that followed them, it still seemed an unwise decision to have a gun fight in such an open area. Drew instead took one of the alleys, if the gangsters continued their pursuit then he would be all too happy to oblige their death wish.

Just as he expected the men turned down the same alley Krepsi and Juice had taken, the blood thief had already drawn his pistol in anticipation. "Relax Mike" the vampire whispered, the fangs that were never truly hidden now baring through his smile "when the **** did you start getting so soft?" But something wasn't right, the claws that should have extended did not appear no matter how much he willed it. The moon now shining directly overhead completely illuminated the alley, all five of the gangsters had their weapons drawn "we've been looking for your punk ***." The burly man in front continued his advance as the other four simply waited "we got your fuckin message" the anger seething with each word "you and your little fuckin crew want to leave our boys on the streets, **** you *****!" The first shot ripping through the silent alleyway, catching the vampire in the shoulder, spinning him as he fell to his knees. The pain coursing through his body causing Drew to clench his teeth as his hand pressed the wound; he had been shot countless times since his turning but he had not felt the pain this intense since his mortal years. His eyes rose to meet those of his friend who stared right back, as the blood thief fired back Drew shoved him "no, get to the club, get Satine, something's wrong. GO!"

He climbed, slowly, back to his feet, the anger consuming him completely. Juice was already long gone, heading straight to Wonderland just as his boss had demanded; Drew charged the men with what should have been a blur, instead running at a normal speed, whatever the hell was wrong with him he did not have time to question. Though he was able to tackle the gangster that had put a bullet in his shoulder his fists were not crushing the man's face. Another shot echoed against the brick and mortar, catching Drew in the chest, sending him flying off the pummeled gangster. This time Drew was unable to get to his feet, he lay bleeding and panting as he stared through clouded vision at the moon, his hands clawing at the pavement like a man readying himself to die. As the kicks and stomps found his ribs and chest he could feel his bones crack and break, the pain threatening to cause him to blackout. He could only hope the blood thief was quick in finding Satine, even as pointlessly tried to fight from his grounded and broken position he called out for her, for Carlo, for anyone; weakness was not something he was accustomed to, help something he could never ask for but now he needed it more than he ever had before.

[Satine]

Satine felt her tolerance fading rather quickly with how the roaster was acting up. It was new and this was how it was supposed to be acting? The owner’s manual in her hand weighed against her palm while she tried to find the page that was going to reveal where she could find the spot to release the rotator system. It was spinning so fast the dead birds were appearing to be flying while the rod in the center was spinning into a blur. Why was she stuck doing this?

“SALTINE!” It was Juice yelling that had her drop the book in her hand. “Salt…” a loud crash echoed in the hallway causing her slow steps to pick up speed so she could admonish the man for not saying her name properly. He knew very well how to pronounce it. “Oh fro frucks shakes!”

Satine’s brow hooked upward as she found Juice Box on the floor in the hallway trying to slide his rather scuffed up loafer back on his socked foot. He looked up and a cloud of booze that was hours old at the most lifted to greet her with enough power that she felt her nostrils flare while her lips stretched in disgust.

“What the hell?” She fanned her hand back and forth to clear the leftover offending fumes of a bar likely several pints lower than before he had walked in. “Jesus, Juice. Pick yourself up off the damn floor and clean up. I was going to see if you can help me with the roaster that is about to take flight in the kitchen but with the fumes you are giving off that is the last place you should be. You are a fire hazard.”

“Bosh!” The floor was spinning under his feet he was sure of it and leaned down and gripped his hands on his knees. After a few failed attempts at heaving up what was like nothing more than leftover fumes he stood back up straight and released a sigh of temporary relief. “He is getting..” A loud splat announced that there was now a gray hallway runner to clean up. Her lids went down and a fire started up instantly in her head. She had to remember he was drunk.

“Bosh is fucked up.” The man found his strength to wipe his mouth with a burst of red silk pulled from his pocket. Once that was rubbed across his face and forehead it disappeared back into a pocket. “You need to come help.”

Satine was not surprised. If Juice Box was several shades of pale then Bugsy likely was also fucked up. She wasn’t sure if he over dusted his nose or drown in the same pool of eighty proof that Juice did but she was in the habit of rescuing him every time a cloud of white did a number on him. She had a roaster that was kicking her *** and now her one option at the ridiculous hour to have it fixed was three sheets in the wind. Just as she was about to dismiss the whole incident and look for some bar towels to start cleaning up she realized something. Bugsy never asked for her help in saving his ***. In fact he usually was the one shooing her off to get out of the way of whatever was going on that was getting messy.

The sounds of shots being fired announced that Juice was right in his directions given from the passenger seat of the cherished mid 50’s Crown Victoria. It was like navigating a ship of steel through the dark crime filled streets near the slums of Harper Rock. With a too hard press of the brake the car bounced back and forth to a rough quick stop. The sloshed blood thief’s hands gripped on the dash and the bright orange bucket in his hand. The contents within splashed back into the shirt and suit jacket Juice was wearing. He growled popping the door and tossing the bucket into the air away from the car.

“N-O-W-I-A-M-P-I-S-S-E-D.” The loud roar erupted from the passenger's side of the car as Satine stepped out and glanced around.
“And wherever he is he likely knows as well as the ones he is with you ******* idiot!” Satine walked around the car and glared at him as she passed him by. "Remind me to kick you in the *** later as well as your boss."
“Wait…” He huffed chasing behind her stopping once to catch his breath. “You should…” He tried to wipe his face again and quickly ditched the soiled material. “Bosh…”

Juice groaned thinking this was not going to go well when he spotted her up ahead of him pulling out the large and obvious weapon. Satine seemed to have the ability to conceal it despite how petite she was in proportion the size. The custom axe was named in honor of her first murder victim, Chester. It was shimmering beneath the lights as she walked into the slums. Just as the blood thief caught up with her another shot rang out. That was all it too and she was like a blur of black and red towards the alley closest to where it came from.

“He ish going to be sho …”His stomach rolled again. “Whoooo! Ughhh!” Juice pulled out his weapon and used the lapel of his jacket to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead. “**** it.”

Satine found the mess of a bloody Andrew Krepsi. There were a few enthusiastic assholes hopping around and kicking him like the community riverdance crew was breaking out in song and dance on his body. Chester sparkled like a shooting star slicing through the air towards the one closest to her.

“Duck...” Satine had the axe spinning from the first body to the next making contact leaving an arch of red droplets following the wake of her weapon. “Duck…” A shot rang out and she made her cut quick into the one that was slow on the effort to put his distance between Bugsy and his own body. “Goose!”

The gangster’s shotgun dropped from his hands as he kissed the pavement. Satine leaned over and picked it up and added it to the opposite hand that was carrying Chester. It was really a hell of a deal by the time she got back to Bugsy who was still on the ground.


“J-U-I-C-E!” She barked his name and expected to hear his steps coming from behind her. “I swear to…”
“I got him!” The grunt of his voice inspired her to turn around and find Bugsy tossed over his shoulder.
“Let’s get out of here.” Satine left a trail of clicks as she ran back to the massive car and opened the back suicide door so Juice could toss him in. “We are gonna get you home on ice!”

Satine slammed the door closed then hopped into the driver's seat. the engine turned over and she slammed it into reverse spinning the tires and driving the massive metal beast backwards into a spin before sending it bolting forward out of the slums. She would wait till they were all home before she asked any questions or expected any answers.

[Andrew Shedim]

The blood poured from his mouth as the thugs continued their kicking and stomping. Mixed with the gunshot wounds Krepsi was finding himself in a rather fucked situation. The fact that all of his vampiric strength and stamina seemed to have been sapped from his body, all of the special abilities that he had grown accustomed to had abandoned him, these things were no longer on the beaten gangsters mind. He was only concerned about survival; first hand experience had taught him a vampire could be beaten into a pile of ashes and he would fight tooth and nail to see that this would not be his fate, these insignificant fucks would not get that satisfaction.

No matter what he did the result was the same, even if he was able to get one to the ground with him he was unable to contend with the other four. He tried several times to look for his spot to run but the injuries mounted and without his supernatural speed escape seemed out of the question. A hard kick to the side of the Killer's head sent him spinning, the blood pouring from his mouth and nose staining the pavement. The second kick sent him face first, flat on the pavement, the world around him slowly being consumed by darkness. Krepsi struggled to stay conscious but the never ending flow of kicks and punches made the task impossible; as he faded into oblivion the distant roar of his car reached his ears.

He barely registered it when the blood thief had thrown him over his shoulder, carrying him to the car. The blood from his collected cuts filled his eyes, blurring his vision, he could hear the concern in both Satine and Mike's voices but he had no idea what was happening, only that, for the moment, he was safe. The relief allowing him to give in to the fade and he was out cold.

It was the ice bath that was finally able to shock him back to consciousness; the freezing cold ice water bringing him back to the pain of his beaten and broken body. The blood thief immediately at his side "boss! Boss, we thought you were ******* dead!" even through the blood shot eyes the concern was evident. Krepsi found himself white knuckle gripping the tub as looked back at the man "you smell like a fuckin brewery Juice, get the **** outta here." he tried to laugh but the broken ribs making it impossible. He slowly sat up, his eyes quickly finding Satine as she knelt against the wall, her eyes focused only on him. The expression on her face was one he had never seen before, a mixture of simultaneous worry, relief, and anger.

Slowly the Killer crawled to his feet, climbing out of the icy pool "get me a ******* towel" his voice low and gravelly, it hurt for him to even speak. Mike was quick to grab a towel, handing it to him without a word, "thanks" he muttered but his eyes remained locked on the woman that was yet to move. His steps toward her awakening each ache he had received in the alley until he was able to sit next to her. Snapping his fingers "gimme a smoke Juice" he teased, "I'm sorry I got you in so much **** man." he lit the cigarette and looked at Satine "give us a minute will ya Mike?" The blood thief hurried out of the room as Drew stared at the worried face of his fiance "I don't know what the **** happened baby girl, but thank you so ******* much for savin my *** out there!" Ignoring the pain, he pulled her into his lap, his arms fastening around her tighter than they ever had before.

[Satine]

It was one of things she never thought about. Death, life, truth, lies and the inbetween. She juggled all of it with the lack of concern that one would while tossing balls up in the air while entertaining with the parlor trick. Suddenly the reality of it all slammed into her as she felt the ice cold damp seat that Andrew Krepsi's lap had transformed into. Perhaps Satine should have given everything she encountered far more thought than she had.

The sounds of feet making tracks out of the room were none other than those belonging to mobster right hand man and blood thief extraordinaire,Juice Box Jones. She really didn't know his last name and his first name was knowledge she came by from Bugsy using it. Anything else she didn't hear she likely would never know. She wasn't inspired to ask the man and really she didn't need to. If it was pertinent she would be informed. The necromancers plate of importance was already full and recently expanding hourly.

Gently her hand moved over his face. Confusion and concern weighed her down where she was perched. Each finger did a slow yet brief tactile assessment of the damage done across his face. He likely had seen worse and probably would again. He was a magnet for wounds and more recently she certainly had added to that. Her hand moved up over his forehead and smoothed back the dirty blonde hair that was tinted with the remnants of blood. Silver orbs followed the weaving of her splayed fingers until they stopped at the back of his head.

"What in the hell happened?" Satine wanted to know why the one she had never seen on the ground for long was being handed his *** when she arrived. "Are you ok?"

It was a rather pointless set of questions. Of course he was not okay. Bugsy was sitting right there looking like a jackhammer did a great job of tenderizing him head to toe. Why didn't he just do like he always did and take down what he could and leave before he looked like he currently did? Her other hand patted his cheek gently.

"You look like ****." Her expression relaxed because he spoke. Now he could explain what happened. "I think you need to quit powdering your nose so often. It is not doing the rest of your body any favors,Bugsy."

[Andrew Shedim]

His head continued to rest against the wall, when Satine's fingers caressed his face it took everything he had not to wince. It was impossible to remember the last time he had hurt this bad and he was seething with a mixture of anger and embarrassment, he could take an *** kicking without a problem, it happened, but to have the woman he loved, a woman he had sworn to protect, have to come save his *** was not something he would easily let down. His mind raced through the events of the night but absolutely nothing could make sense of how he had ended up where he did; he was certain it was not a common thing for vampires to lose their speed or their strength and he had never known a vampire that had lost their powers.

Satine's words were like a distant echo, it took him a moment to answer. Even though she had seen him beaten down his pride would not let him look weak "course I'm fine doll face" his busted lips giving her a weak smile "but no idea what the **** happened out there. Me and Mike were just having a little fun, gettin fucked up and breaking into cars" he paused to grab a cigarette from the pack the blood thief had left behind, lighting it before continuing "these motherfuckers started some ****, apparently not too happy about seeing some of their homies dumped. You know how I've been working to get these shitty little gangs in line, well, some ain't givin in too well. But the fuckin thing is, all my strength and **** just wasn't there." A painful groan escaped him as he rested back even more "couldn't get my claws out, couldn't keep up with some fuckin mortals!" The anger showing through his voice "I was made a punk motherfuckin ***** out there!"

Looking at his hand he again willed the claws to grow, nothing happened. He looked into the solemn silver orbs and slowly shook his head "you ever heard of having everything completely sapped? I feel like a fuckin mortal baby girl, it's not just being weaker. Was fuckin slow out there and couldn't get any of my powers to work no matter what the hell I was doing. Even when I was just a blood thief I wasn't as weak as I was tonight. I'm really glad you and Juice" he smirked "you and Mike were there to save my ***. It's alright though, those bitches made a mistake, every last one of them motherfuckers is going down." he growled "But I gots to know what's wrong with me, this **** can't be permanent" he tossed the remains of the cigarette into the toilet before grabbing and lighting another, his voice slightly uneasy "maybe, uhhh, maybe your sister knows something" the thought disturbing him, but not nearly as much as the thought that he would be doomed to live with all the strength of a bag lady for the rest of his life. Not once had he heard Carlo or any of those guido Italians he had worked for mention anything about losing their vampire mojo. Maybe it was just a phase, part of the growing in immortality.

[Satine]

Satine looked at him barely blinking. That explains why he looked like he did. She didn’t doubt his voiced intentions to make sure they all went down. Of course she would be there to help if needed but being the type Bugsy was meant he would mention it if that was the case. Stealing his thunder was not her interest. She had her own conflicts going on. They were hardly small.

Big ones in fact and they were nothing the necromancer really looked forward to. It was building to be a whole other shitstorm just waiting to happen. The images of the King & Queen of Heart’s made a brief appearance in her head until the flames burst from the self-imposed fire. She felt much better as her eyes took in the hands that were capable of far more than she had recently witnessed. She could tell it took the wind out of his sails more than he was comfortable with.

“Not even your hands work?” A brow lifted while she pondered just what in the hell happened to him. She never found any of the handful of vamps she knew of losing their mojo. Asking her sister, Velveteen, was one option. That is if her twin was even in the mood to hear from her. “I could try asking her but not so sure how safe that would be right now with the shape you are in if you know what I mean.”

If Velveteen and Micah knew he was on empty and missing his super powers there was a pretty good chance the guy would be worse off than the birds in the roaster sizzling near by. Who else could she ask? Her boss perhaps. Maybe Jayden would know about there being something that she and Bugsy didn’t.

“I would rather try someone else first. I think asking my sister is pretty much asking my sire. It would be over in seconds if they came calling in a foul mood. We already know something is fucked up. We can assume what could happen as a result.” Last thing she was prepared or willing to do was hand him over to those two.

Satine settled down next to Bugsy and closed her eyes briefly as the strength she had depleted slowly. Feeling the effects from the process of healing him had her eyes open once again. Her cool hand curled over the top of his long fingers.

“Until we figure it out you need to keep your *** up here. Unfortunately I can only do so much if you are out there getting pulverized. I hope it is like the vampiric flu or something. Maybe you're getting some bad product? **** is going to kill you , baby. And if it does…” She narrowed her eyes. “I swear I will once you come back. I need your crazy ***.”

The fact the gangster was like the core of her dark existence was hardly a strong point for her. Every time something happens to him she feels it hard and deep. In a different way than the connection to her sister. When Bugsy was compromised on any level she wants to set the world on fire and everything in it. Her time awake certainly was far chaotic than it had been before she set eyes on him. Andrew Krepsi was her weakness and she embraced it fiercely. Nothing stood a chance of changing it.

[Andrew Shedim]

Taking a slow drag off the cigarette he nodded, he knew suggesting asking her sister or her sire was a terrible idea, the last thing he wanted to see was the raging face of those two. His past encounters with them were bad enough without the disadvantage of being unable to defend himself.

Despite the pain he willed himself to crawl to his feet, every inch of his body hurting beyond belief. He did his best to tie the towel around his waist before wrapping an arm around Satine's shoulders, using her as a crutch as he led her to the man cave she had set up for him. A small grin on his face he grabbed his pants off the floor and pulled out a tiny baggie of blow "baby, I ain't ever got bad product." He tossed the baggie on the coffee table, letting the towel fall from his waist as he slipped on the boxers he had worn earlier in the night and limping to the couch.

"You are right though" his eyes focused on the Benjamin bill coffee table, his hands busy cutting lines with a credit card "my *** ain't going nowhere." He gestured for her to sit next to him. He hated this, the weakness, the vulnerability, the fact that even though he wanted to be out there in the streets right now, repaying the bitches that did this to him but couldn't. This useless feeling was new to him and was not something he could accept.

Making one the lines vanish up his nose his tattooed frame fell back against the couch, the coke rushing through his veins making the subside only slightly "who's Jayden?" He knew she worked for the man but he couldn't recall hearing much about him. Weakley he grasped at her shirt, imploring her to lean on him "soon as the **** passes I'm gonna handle my business" the words leaving him though he couldn't tell if he was saying them to her or himself. The thing bothering him the most, the thing that seemed to eat at him the most was the woman he now held in his arms. Whatever happened to him he could handle but knowing he would be unable to defend her was not a thought he could live with.