Failure {Roderic}

[River]

<River> Her fingers shook as she brushed them across the trembling brick, feeling the beat from the music within. It was mesmerizing - and terrifying. She could feel the vibrations as they pulsed, and she could practically smell the lust in the air. She knew that if she were to just step through the door, she would come face to face with a crowd of writhing bodies ripe for the taking. All she had to do was step over the threshold. I can’t. It was a single thought, and yet, it was strong enough to keep her in place. It was if she had become one with the cement beneath her feet, the weight of the sidewalk holding her in place. It had been this way for a few minutes, and yet, no one had bothered to look her way. The security paid her no mind as they escorted scantily clad women through the velvet ropes. Why should they?

She was a nobody.

Clenching her teeth, she pressed her palm flat against the wall as the door swung open once again. The hot air washed over her skin, warming the chill of winter from her bones. The sounds that came from within were deafening, the music doing little to drown out the voices for the vampire. Instead, they blended together until they became nothing more than a roar that caused her head to throb. You need to hunt, Danika. Come on, get a hold of yourself, she snapped, though the inner battle did little to loosen the anchor that held her in place. Curling her fingers against the brick, she ducked her head when a security guard looked her way, though his blue eyes seemed to peer right through her to the blondes that were teetering up the path. She could hear their heels against the cement, each step as disoriented as their laugh seemed to be. As they past her, the scent of vodka and bubblegum engulfed her, causing her mouth to water.

Delectable, she laughed, the whisper of a sound missed as the blondes tossed their hair over their shoulders. It was clear they had no money, and yet, the man stepped aside to allow them entry, his hungry gaze locked on their *** as their skirts clung to the ample flesh. What would her life be like if she could have a body like theirs? Would she be able to be within the walls, her fangs deep in the soft, supple throat of one of those beautiful blondes? Enough, Danika. Forcing the thought from her mind, she pushed from the wall and forced her feet to move. She needed to feed, and their scent was too tantalizing to pass up. Ducking behind the large man, she slid between his sweat coated form and the wall until the darkness of the club embraced her.

< Ric > I’ve never been here before. I can see now I’m not missing anything. Why are the bricked walls red? Is it from the blood of the lionelli enemies? Is it to signify what type of people they are? Are they angry? Or just blood thirsty monsters like me? Attracted to the color red. Attracted to blood?

I don’t give this much more thought. I don’t like psychoanalyzing crap. I’ve had that done on me a thousand times before and it’s just a bunch of crap. Mind games. They try and find a connection with you in the things they say, but seldom is it a legitimate connection. It’s along the lines of, ‘I remember this time when I or my kids did this.’ Your kid accidentally sitting on the dog they didn’t see, is like the time I broke a dog’s neck? I see the connection. You’re a dipshit.

Currently, I’m scouting the layout of the building. Looking for hidden walls, loot, treasures and weapon parts. Some things for me, some things for my wife-anything that can be useful. I see a couple of their guys, but they don’t do anything to me. They don’t make a move and I’m not going to make a move. I’m just going to do my own thing until someone initiates something with me.

But no one does. I’m...surprised. I guess. Astounded? Usually people attack others when they don't know what they’re doing in their place-or is that just me? Nah, I think anyone would blow some guy’s brain out if they came home to the guy casing their place. So, are the lionelli friends then? Or are they just sizing me up? Sizing our community up? It’s hard to say, but it would be a really smart move. Damn smart.

All in all, I’m not too impressed with the things I find here. No one is trying to kill me. All I’m finding are wallets with some petty change, and some crappy gun parts that I, nor my wife care about. I feel like I’m wasting my time here. I grab my phone and text my wife, asking where she’s at. I’m pretty sure she’s at the caverns, but she’s at home a lot too. I get a reply back and I start heading home.

<River> Despite the heavy scent of sweat and alcohol, she was able to catch the faint trail of bubblegum. The sweetness overrode everything else, and with a flick of her wrist, she brought her hood into place before ducking between two writhing bodies. She could feel their sweat stick to her clothing, and the knowledge was nauseating. She had never understood the animalistic urge that took over most people and possessed them to spend their nights in a crowded room with the air so thick and hot, it was suffocating. Yet, as she glanced across the faces twisted in pleasure and alcohol induced ecstasy, it was if they didn’t care. Shaking her head, she forced herself to focus on the one thing that would draw her into a nightmare like this - blood.

With practiced ease, she slid through the throng of people until she neared the end of the cluster, where the music wasn’t as deafening and there was room to breathe. It was there she found her prey, their slender forms pressed tightly together in a single bench. Closing her eyes, she drew the shadows around her body and edged her way towards them, her fingers brushing across the back of their necks. She watched as they trembled, before she gave another slow shake of her head. The scent up close was intoxicating, and she found she was losing herself in it. Curling her fingers into the silken strands of the nearest blonde, she slammed her head forward, the sound of her nose connecting with the edge of the table sending a shiver down her spine. Before the other had a chance to react, she snapped her head to the side and sank her fangs in deep - only to shudder at bitter taste that pooled down her throat.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” a quiet voice spoke as she recoiled, and she found herself staring into the deepest emerald pools she had ever witnessed. The blonde smoothed her hair out over her shoulder, before moving to lift her companion into her side. A thin trail of blood trickled from her nose, and yet, she could tell by the way the air wheezed through her nasal cavity that she was alive. Shaking her head, she forced herself to focus on the twisted features of her supposed victim instead of the way the scent of the others blood filled her senses. “I don’t like it when people hurt what’s mine, and you’ve all but crushed Yvonne’s skull,” she continued as she brushed her fingers lovingly down her friend’s face before gripping her neck. “Pity.” With a single twist of her wrist, she shattered the bone and stood, letting Yvonne’s corpse fall to the floor.

What the hell have I done?

Shaking her head, she held her hands up as she stumbled back a step, panic causing her muscles to coil. She hadn’t felt like this since her turning, and she hated the uneasiness that settled in the pit of her stomach. As the rogue dipped her hand beneath her skirt, she slid back towards the exit, her hand already reaching for her cell. The neon lights danced off of the blade as she pulled out her dagger, and her cherry pink lips twisted into a cruel smirk. Not here, not now. Roderic would never forgive me, she thought as she dropped her gaze to the woman’s weapon. Keeping her hand buried in the pocket of her hoodie, she slid her fingers over the screen, knowing that out of the four numbers in her contacts, her message was bound to reach one.

[Text] Club in wickbridge. Alley. urgent.

As soon as she hit send, she slammed her boot into the metal door behind her, and stepped out into the frigid night, knowing the rogue would follow.


< Ric > I’ve decided to walk, because it’s a nice night and I hate trains. At least the trains in this city. Most cities have multiple transits, but this one has a single train that takes a person to at least two different stops (if not more), before getting to the stop they want. What gives? Whoever thought of that design, wasn’t too clever in my opinion. But, that makes at least eighty-five percent of this population, if not ninety. I’m leaning more towards the latter, but some people think I’m just a skeptical asshole. I probably am. I’m okay with that.

I’m walking past the gullsborough train station when my phone buzzes for another time. I imagine it’s my wife, which is a little strange, because we’ve just talked. And Skylar isn’t one of those wives. The type that asks you to go to the store to pick up a gallon of milk, even if she can drink the stuff. She knows I hate people and I hate shopping. She rarely (read: never) asks me to do something unless it’s life threatening.

I put the code into my phone to unlock it and see it’s from River. That’s mildly unexpected, and I even stop to read the text. I can multi-task, but if she needs something-which I imagine she does, I’m not going to keep walking in the wrong direction. Unless it’s the right direction. I just decide to stay put and see what River might want or need.

She’s kind of cryptic, that one. A club in Wickbridge. Is that that pub, or that club near Beta towers? Or the one by the mall? Women, I think with a shake of my head. Everyone has a different perception of what a club is. Me? I think anything that sells booze and has music, which could lead people to dancing and acting stupid, is a club. Skylar wouldn’t agree and I doubt RIver would either.

I type out my reply as I start walking in the direction I had been going, but was going to veer to my left and cross the river near the QZ to get to the flats. Which club? I think there’s two or three? I honestly don’t even know or care to look in my phone via google to search for ‘clubs in Wickbridge district,’ because the number won’t help me decipher which is the right club. I need direct instructions on which club to go to.

<River> The wind was relentless as it danced across her bared skin, chilling her to the bone. She regretted the retreat the moment she felt the snow dust her hair, yet, she knew that she hadn’t had a choice. The heat of the rogue’s glare seared into the back of her skull, bringing with it a fury so powerful, it nearly caused her knees to buckle. If she had remained within the walls of the club, she had no doubt that there would have been casualties. Curling her fingers until she felt the pressure of her nails against her palms, she fought the painful twist of her stomach as she staggered into the snow, her sneakers slipping on a patch of ice. Ducking behind the nearest dumpster, she had a brief flashback of her death, and quickly shook her head. I’m stronger now. I can handle this, she hissed in her mind as she tilted her head, listening for the telltale sign of the rogue’s heels against the pavement.

It only took a few seconds before the soft swish of the door broke the silence, followed quickly by the sharp click of her heel as she stepped of the ramp. Sinking her teeth into her lower lip, she rested her head back against the cold, dirty green metal, and closed her eyes. Her stomach was in knots, and the sensation of being burned alive from the inside made it difficult to concentrate. She hadn’t a doubt in her mind that had she still been human, she would have been comatose by now from the pure agony. What have I done? The question continued to rush through her mind as she forced her hand into her pocket, her trembling, clammy fingers wrapping around her cell as the soft hum vibrated against her thigh. Yanking it free and silencing it before it could reach the blonde’s ears, she ran her fingers against the screen and frowned.

[Text] Near the transit.
Can’t miss it.
Long line outfront.
I’m in the alley.
Follow the blood.

She wasn’t a fighter, not by any means, but she had learned fast to defend herself. In her new world, it was do or die - and she wasn’t about to die. Not again. It didn’t matter that she found herself worthless, that she knew she was undeserving of the gift he had given her. There was some part of her, some unknown persona that refused to give in. It was if it didn’t matter how bleak and lifeless her existence was, there was something inside of her that wanted to suffer. I’m demented, she thought as she cocked her head, concentrating on the blonde as the click of her heels echoed off the walls. She was growing closer, and yet, her steps were hesitant, as if she was uncertain of her path.

Clutching her hand against her stomach as a fresh wave of pain nearly doubled her over, she braced her back against the dumpster and pulled her hood up. Bide your time. React fast. Don’t let her win. Get up, River. Fight! It seemed as if time stood still. The blonde was approaching, the scent of bubblegum, blood and vodka permeating the foul stench of the garbage, and she held that useless breath as she waited for the right moment. The second she stepped past her shadowed hiding spot, she kicked her leg out, sweeping the rogue off of her feet. Before she had a chance to react, she was falling backwards, her arms outstretched as if to stop her descent. Surprise had given River the advantage, and she quickly leaped to her feet, her fingers clutching her silken golden strands in her fist. Rage glittered in the rogue’s eyes, and with a feral snarl, she reacted, her leg hooking behind her knees. With a quick pull, she yanked her down and tossed her hand out, her fingers clawing across her face. The black blood hung briefly in the air before disappearing, leaving nothing but an angry gash in her cheek as a reminder.

Is she really going to resort to cat fighting?

With a soft sound, the shadow slammed her fist into her side, the strength causing the bones in her ribs to give way with a loud, painful crack that was nearly drowned out beneath the rogue’s sharp cry. Dazed and confused, she left her guard down long enough for River to scramble back, her mismatched eyes narrowed as she reached behind her and curled her fingers around the hilt of her blade before she pulled it from beneath the her hoodie.

[Roderic]

<River> The sight of the sharp steel caused the rogue to visibly wince as she moved to her feet, her steps unsteady. “You don’t have to guts, *****,” she hissed, the force of the words spilling her blood into the air. Remaining quiet, she simply circled her, her blade clutched in her hands as she tilted her head. The sickness inside of her was demanding she lash out, that she kill her - and suddenly the sword felt… useless.

Taste her.

The voice was quiet, just a hint of whisper, and yet with enough sinister power that she wavered. Seeing her chance, the blonde lunged, her claws extended and aimed for her throat. Before she had a chance to connect, she slammed her blade into her stomach - and grabbed her by the hair. Yanking her head to the side, she wasted no time in burying her fangs into her throat, the bittersweet poison intoxicating as she began to drain every last drop.

< Ric > I don’t move far from the transit as I wait for a reply back from River. It would be fruitless, so I just wait for her reply, which will come sooner than later, I hope. I’m only standing on the transit for about six minutes, when a reply does come and I have to read it twice.

Near the transit, so my eyes head east and then west. There are two clubs, equal distance away from the transit, in opposite directions. I read to decipher this further. I’m looking for lines and only one of the clubs has that. The Metronome, or whatever it’s called. She’s in an alley, which makes me grin a little bit. I didn’t realize River was the sentimental sort; being that I killed her in an alleyway and now she seems to be doing the same thing.

I know the blood isn’t hers. She’s a shadow like me, so I’m not worried she’s injured. I’m just wondering who got under her skin to make her want to injure them, or who the unlucky ******** is that she’s going to gift the gift of immortality to. Immortality is great-don’t get me wrong, but if it’s a guy...well, he’ll have his work cut out for him with all these Hawthorne women. And if it’s a woman, well, I guess I’m screwed with another Hawthorne female gangbang on the Crownet.

I move past the crowd that’s gathering outside, shoving past some shoulders, stomachs and backs and even getting referred to as asshole a couple times, mixed with a variety of different words that seem to imply I should watch where I’m going or look out. I don’t listen to any of them. I don’t care about them. As a general rule of thumb, I don’t care about the humans. They serve no purpose to me, except the occasional night of entertainment when I meet the ‘right’ person.

I see River in the alley and she’s in the middle of something. I slow my steps and get a good look at what’s going on, trying to figure out what she’s doing. Is she siring someone? Killing them? Both? It’s up in the air at this moment-so I just take a look at the scene around her. “What’d the other guy do to you?” I see it’s not really a guy-but it’s just a statement I’ve heard somewhere before. I’d never gotten to use it before and now that I have-it’s pretty stupid sounding. Still, I do want to know what they-wait a minute.

This person isn’t alive. My eyes recognize this the second they focus on the person I thought River was attempting to sire. “River!” My voice lashes out both harshly and sharply. “Stop.” I approach her by a few more steps, a hand in the air, indicating she should halt what she’s doing, so she knows what she’s doing and what she’s getting into.

<River> What am I doing?
I need to stop.
I need to stop.
Danika, stop!
--- Just a few minutes more.

Burrowing her fangs deeper into her skin, she smirked against her throat when she felt the fight begin to seep from her. Her legs gave a few more fruitless kicks before she stilled, and the shadow had to wind her arm tight around her middle to keep her upright. She couldn’t risk her falling to the ground and pulling her fangs from the delectable taste of her blood. Tangling her fingers into her hair, she kept her flush against her as she began to lower herself to the ground, the cold snow chilling her knees through her jeans. It was too easy to lose herself in the taste, in the power that seemed to flood through her veins. How had she not tried this before? She had sustained herself on blood bags and human blood, but this… this was something else entirely.

With a quiet groan, she pulled the woman tighter, allowing her delicious scent to envelop her as she closed her eyes. She no longer cared about witnesses - nor did she remember that Roderic was coming for her. What had once been an emergency was no longer a concern - until she heard his steps at the entrance to the alley. She knew it was him automatically. It was hard to explain, but she felt him. His very being seemed to seep into her, the darkness that surrounded him causing chills to dance along the back of her neck. When his command broke through the silence like thunder, she felt herself instantly pulling away from her victim, the blood staining her lips with a horrific splash of crimson. “I-I c-couldn’t…”

Her voice trailed off then, and as she gripped the blonde securely in her arms, she shook her head. She was so beautiful, so tantalizing - so deadly - and she had cut through her with ease. The blood that hadn’t been devoured stained the snow, and she reached forward, her slender, trembling fingers dipping into the crimson fluff. Bringing it to her lips, she lifted her head to look up at him, her mismatched eyes dark with hunger and something she was too afraid to identify in herself. “Wh-what h-h-happened?”

< Ric > I have to be very careful here. Women go hysterical easily and while i think it might be a slower rate for River, I think it’s inevitable. She didn’t seem to know what she had been doing, which isn’t really her fault. I don’t talk about this lifestyle often. Ever. It’s pretty frowned upon by vampires as a whole for whatever reason. I don’t get it-but fear makes people say and do strange things. I think it’s gotten better, but who can say? I only know of one other that follows this life choice.

“What happened is you decided to make a feast off some chick that’s just like us.” I start progressing slowly to River, while getting out a cigarette. I stick the cigarette in the left corner of my lips and shrug my shoulders. I’m not judging-I don’t judge people on these sorts of things. It’s their private life that doesn’t affect anyone-most of all me, so I don’t care what she wants to feast off of. “How much did you...drink, exactly?” I ask, as my eyes look down at the woman in River’s arms.

“I don’t think you know what you’re doing, River. Not your fault. Mine entirely.” I confess as I light the cigarette and take a long inhale inwards, enjoying the sharp, tabacco taste of the red’s. “What you did...what you’re doing...Isn’t a popular lifestyle choice. It’s not really talked about a lot. Ever.” I exhale a plume of smoke from my lungs, inch closer and then shove the woman that was unconscious out of my Thing’s arms. I don’t want her distracted by the smell of the woman’s blood as we talk. And, truthfully, I don’t want to be distracted by it either. I hadn’t fed yet, and it’s a basic, primitive need. To feed.

“Most people...most vampires don’t like the idea of feeding off our own kind.” I start out. “See it as cannibalism or something. Some crime.” I start off slowly, flicking some ash off my cigarette before going on. “Look. I personally don’t care, what you choose to eat...rats, pigs, cows, rabbits, chickens, humans, vampires. Not my business, doesn’t affect me.” I stick the cigarette back in my mouth and take another inhale in. “It doesn’t really affect anyone but you and the person that’s going to be your donor. You’ll need one of those and they aren’t easy to come by. I know.” I profess, letting what I said sink in. That I was one of those vampires. If I didn’t have Skylar...I know life would be a lot more difficult for me. She gets off on it, and I think that’s weird, but at least she enjoys the experience. “I’ll repeat myself again. You’ll need a donor. You can’t just go around biting people. It pisses them off.” I lock my gaze on River and let that sink in after pushing the last inhale in, out.

<River> Her mind registered his movements, but she couldn’t understand why he was approaching her as if she were some wild, untamed beast. Each step he took was cautious, and though his stance was relaxed, she felt unease creep through. “I-I do-don’t u-understand,” she licked her lips as she spoke, pink tongue moving across the bitter blood that tainted her skin. It was toxic - addicting. She had thought there wasn’t a thing in the world that could tear her attention from her sire, and yet, the blonde in her arms was the only thing on her mind. The desire to pull her up and sink her fangs deep into her throat, to drain what was left of her, was far too strong to deny. Just as she tangled her fingers back into her hair, he finally reached her - and as if reading her mind, removed her from her grasp.

She watched in a daze as the body rolled across the damp cement, her body too brutalized to put up much of a fight as the grime of the alley stained her hair. Focus, Danika. Forcing a breath from her useless lungs, she tore her gaze from the dying vampire and instead, stared at his shoes. Her eyes traveled along the drops of water and dirt that dusted his soles, finding designs that others would miss. That was her talent, her art. She could find beauty in even the dullest of things and bring them to life in her mind, and in that moment, it was what she needed. His presence soothed her - but it was her mind that brought her back to the present. She could still feel the blood calling to her as it burned through her veins, but she was under control. She had to be under control. Trailing her tongue over her lower lip once again, she shook her head.

“I-I d-don’t k-know.” Her voice stammered over her answer, and she clenched her hands at her side, nails digging into her hips. Even with the power of another immortals blood in her system, she was still as pathetic as before. Making a sound of frustration, she lifted her hand and scrubbed at her cheek, the dark cloth of her hoodie soft as she pressed it into her skin. “I-I t-t-took a-a-a lot. S-She w-won’t l-l-last.” Just speaking of devouring her had her stomach twisting, and as she fought the need to reach out and finish her off, she allowed his words to sink in. It took her a minute to realize that he was speaking from experience, and the second she did, she snapped her gaze to his, her eyes wide. She didn’t need to speak the question in her gaze - he had already answered it - but her mind was having a time trying to piece it together.

What she had done was wrong. Not to him, and perhaps not even to her lineage, but to the rest of their kind. In a world full of monsters, she had somehow managed to become one that even they detested. How fucked up can you really get, Danika? You can’t even succeed at being a beast without messing up! Clenching her teeth together, she released a shallow breath and shook her head, her dark strands brushing across her face. He spoke of how it was taboo, how she needed a donor - how she had to be quiet with her choice - and her mind began to race. A donor? Shifting her gaze to the blonde at her side, she reached over and trailed her fingers almost tenderly along her cheek. There was an odd sort of gleam in her eyes as she gave a ghost of smile. “I-I d-don’t h-ha-have o-one, b-but I c-ca-can f-find s-so-s-someone.”

She didn’t delve into details, but something shifted in her expression, some of the worry easing as her mind began to formulate a plan. She wouldn’t bring knowledge of her indiscretion to the public - she was invisible, a nobody - it would be easy to keep her needs met without harming Roderic.

< Ric > River is processing what I’m saying, I can see it as she looks from the woman, to me and then at the woman every so often. I’m listening to her, watching her. I see the look in her eyes while she talks. She wants more-she’s like a crackhead, I imagine. I don’t know a lot of those, or any, but when people talk about them, that’s how I imagine they look like. Just as River looks right now.

She confesses to drinking a lot. But a lot to her could be a cup full. A lot to me might be a gallon. All a matter of perception. I don’t ask her to specifically think about how much she drank, my attention moves to the part about her getting a donor. Like it’s something that is so easily findable. I shake my head and then stand in front of the woman that was on the ground. I don’t care about her, I’ll be killing her soon enough to protect River from anything that potentially spirals downhill from this encounter. “It’s not that easy. People just don’t place an ad in crownet and say they’re willing to donate to vampires.” I tell her with a shrug. “This is your first time...right?” I ask her, but think I already know the answer. She wouldn’t have texted me if this wasn’t her first time.

“It’s probably not already a done deal.” I tell her, remembering the entire eight days it took me to come around to this way of life. To stop throwing up and getting sick every night. “There are certainly vampires no one gives two craps about. I find those with a ritual every now and again. When I don’t use my donor. When I don’t feed off Skylar.” I share a little glimpse of my personal life with River, before going on. “It’s not an easy road, but I’ll support whatever you decide to do with who you feed off. What. Human or vampire.” Women need that. A strong shoulder or whatever in their life. “Just let me know what I need to do, or what you need from me. The transition isn’t instantaneous. It will take a few trial and errors and will probably end up making you sick. Very sick for a handful or so of nights. Every night.” I tell her with brute honesty, then lean against the wall with my shoulder, barely missing the woman’s body on the ground.

[River]

The taste still lingered on her tongue, and for the moment, the burn that came with it was bearable. She knew, though, that the second she brought the woman back to her lips, she would catch fire. The knowledge did nothing to tamper the desire, and as she flexed her fingers, she thought of all of the ways she could grab her before her sire stopped her. He’s far too fast for you, Danika, she reminded herself, before shifting her wild gaze back to his. He was her calm in the eye of the storm, the one thing she could depend on to anchor her to her reality. “W-W-Why d-d-d-do th-they n-n-not?” Shaking her head, she forced the words past bloodied lips as she remained transfixed on his facial features. The strong line of his jaw, the hard glint in his eyes – and the stern set of his lips. It was this feature that she watched the most, though it was to study the way they moved to formulate the words he was speaking to her. She didn’t want to miss a single thing he had to say.

She needed to prepare herself for what she was about to become.

Running her tongue along her lower lip, she watched as he closed his lips – pink, strong – around the filter of his cigarette. She stared, utterly captivated, at the way the tip glowed ember in the night. It was a bright flame in the darkness that she shrouded herself in, and for a moment, she realized she missed the heat of the sun. It was an odd jump, from a burning cigarette to the sun, but she leapt it with ease. Focus, Danika! Shaking herself from her thoughts, she lifted her gaze from his lips and back to his eyes, where she watched the glint that flickered in the callous depths. He was warm, she knew, to those that he cared for. She had felt that loyalty - that embrace, personally. No one would know, though, from the way he seemed to lock himself away from the rest of the world. It was these insights, this obsession that had lead her down this path in the first place. If it weren’t for the way she studied him, she wouldn’t be tucked in a dirty, deserted alley with a dying woman in front of her.

The scent of his cigarette smoke twisted in with the bubblegum and vodka, and her stomach clenched as she curled her fingers into her hair. He was asking her a question, and all she could think about was the delectable scent that was taking over the usual stench of the alley. “Y-Yes. F-f-f-first t-time,” she whispered, and she finally gave up the fight as she dropped her fingers to run them through the vampires hair. The golden curls seemed like glitter in the dark contrast of the alley, and she ran her fingers through them tenderly as she continued to stare at him. She didn’t miss a thing he said. Illness, pain, suffering – Skylar. Drawing her brows together, she shook her head. Did she want to hurt? Did she want to continue down this path? Even after he finished speaking, she remained quiet, until she finally nodded. “Y-You fe-feed f-from her? Th-there a-are s-s-some t-that al-allow it?”

She didn’t linger on the information of his personal life – she knew how close he kept his cards. Instead, she took that blessing he gave her and treasured it, before moving on to question everything that had happened. Everything that would happen. Running her tongue along her lip once again, she removed the last remnants of the creature’s blood from her skin, before lifting her gaze back to his. She had known her answer from the moment she tasted her blood – she wanted more. The warmth of the human’s blood didn’t sustain her, but the acidic properties of the blonde at her knees did. This world is so strange, she mused as she released an unneeded breath. “I-I w-want t-t-to tr-try. J-Just…d-don’t l-l-let m-me lo-lose m-m-myself.”

[Roderic]

I'm watching her. Carefully. Ready for her to bolt or stand her ground. I don't quite have River figured out yet. I know she's a survivalist, I knew that from the second I created her into a vampire. She's sort of quite and skiddish, but there's a strength to her too. I remember the time she was practically blown in half from that stuff with the paladins. If she feels cornered, like a scared animal, she's going to bolt to survive. If River feels safe, she'll stick around. It's why I'm explaining stuff and not judging. I don't care what she does or doesn't do. I can't judge. Not when I've been down this path.

"Supposedly they go crazy or something. Feral. Ferocious. Beats the hell out of me." I shrug, as I pluck the cigarette from my lips and roll it between my fingers, staring at the ash at the tip before I flick it off and it lands on the ground. It reminds me to toast this woman before we call it a night here. Lose ends and all that. Some old rule or something, but seems to be nothing more than a bunch of people trying to keep others in check and under their thumbs. Under the old farts that we never see or hear from anymore." I put the cigarette back in between my lips and then chuckle. "You know how it typically goes. One ruins it for everyone." Everyone's been in school and has had to suffer for a bad choice or two the other kid(s) make.

"Some. Few. Very few." I tell her honestly, not having come across many donors since being on this road. Velveteen would give me her blood if I absolutely needed it and asked her, but I preferred not to. This is something I keep to myself, for Velveteen's sake. It's her choice and therefore her business, which means not mine to tell. "Some would be happy to help you with some blood altering. You know, that necromancer ability to toy with increasing the blood in your body. I can do that." I tell her openly. "I'm sure there are a few in Hawthorne that would help you every once in a while. They've offered to me." I don't give names, because I want others to offer, and not be obligated to do it. That's if River decides to tell anyone. "Usually it's a couple sort of thing. People wrap the idea in with romance or something." Skylar got her rocks off on it, I'd never understand it, but it was definitely her thing.

The dark haired woman across from me is stammering, but seems to know what she wants. Usually when people stammer, it's because they aren't sure, or conflicted, but I know River. When she says she wants to do something or is going to do something, she's going to do it. Much like me. I nod slowly, then look at the woman on the ground. "If you get to her before me, I'll let you have more. If I get there first, you'll have lost your shot, because I'm going to jam my small knife in her head." I move beside River, so we are toe to toe and facing the same direction as the vampire female on the ground, the cigarette where I once stood, still burning on the cement.