Winter is Coming [Katelynn]

[Robin Little]

Well, it could have been worse. She could have freaked out entirely. Robin didn’t have the opportunity to freak out. He’d known what he was getting into, kind of. He’d freaked out minimally. Only because he’d not known EXACTLY what to expect. He’d thought his body had rejected the blood and he was dying. That could, possibly, be called freaking out. In the same way … he didn’t have her name yet. Still. She was in the shower, his shower, and he didn’t know her name. Connected irrevocably for eternity, and he didn’t know her name.

While he waited, Robin made sure to send a message to Maddison to let her know, in a round-a-bout way, where he was and what had happened. It started with work, telling her he’d just been at a festival to write a review and that he had been shot. And that now he might be home a little late and he might have company because, well, he wasn’t the only one who’d got shot. It was probably a message that would be hard to decipher but she would get the whole story sooner rather than later.

Setting Maddison up to meet his new childe as soon as possible was the best possible thing to do, he thought. But he doubted that his first childe and girlfriend would appreciate another woman coming to stay in their – her – condo. So while he waited he scrounged around to find a pencil and paper, to make a list of things that this apartment might need.

A list he wondered whether he should discard as soon as she got out of the shower. As soon as she wanted to find her vehicle and get the hell out of town.

”Uhm. Yes,” he said to nothing in particular.

”Well. That’s the second time you’ve said my name in the past half hour but I still don’t know yours. So we should probably start there,” he said with half a smile and a laugh that was cut short.

”Basically, you already know about the diet. You won’t be able to go out in the sun which might hinder your travel plans. There’s ah… there’s a lot to go over? And it’s kind of a learn-as-you-go occupation so we probably can’t cover everything in a single night. Should we talk while we walk?” he asked. ”Or drive. We can drive. It’ll probably be quicker,” he said. He didn’t mention the blood again yet. All in good time. She seemed more concerned about her belongings than her thirst, anyway.

[Katelynn]

After leaving the apartment and walking towards the car, she looked at him and grinned saying, “Sorry, Robin. My name is Katelynn. I guess I should be a bit more appreciative… I think….” Her voice slowly dying out.

Her headache had started raging again and she rubbed her temples with the tips of her fingers. As they got in the car and started driving off she tilted her head to the side looking at him questioningly. “Alright Robin, I guess I need to know everything so I can make the best decisions for my…new life. Pros, cons, restrictions? No sunlight you said, drinking blood, what else is important to know? I know I may not seem too upset about this but it is what it is and I just need to know how to best deal with this.”She ran out of breath from talking so fast from her nervousness and took a quick deep breath trying to slow her breathing down. She knew she needed blood and probably soon, but she HAD to see if her violin was still in the RV where she had hidden it. It was the most important thing she owned and she needed it. It was a part of her, a part of her life and a part of her livelihood.

[Robin Little]

Katelynn, he repeated in his mind three times. Three times was all it took, wasn't that what they said? Repeat a name three times upon first hearing it and you'll remember it forever. Robin didn't really put stock in such things, given he had the memory of a gnat. But he had a feeling he would remember this one.

The car needed a clean after the night it had just endured. It needed a clean regardless; there were books crammed beneath the seats, as well as dirt and old grass. How long since it had been vacuumed? Far too long. And now it had the scent of Katelynn's dried, stale blood. The seats probably needed to be re-upholstered. They probably never would be.

"Right. Uhm... well you should know that here, in this city, humans know about vampires. Yeah? But it's probably still a good idea to keep it to yourself. The politics are... well, we can't be sure there are more who accept us than want us IDed and caged. In saying that, though, I'm pretty open about it. It's really up to you. Just don't go becoming a mass murderer, I suppose. Keep your nose clean and it should be fine," he said, slowly. Given his job, and the fact he advertised himself as a vampiric blood doll, it wasn't as if he lived his life in the shadows. Surprisingly, given his bad luck, nothing untoward had come of it, yet.

"There are hunters who will come after you if you give yourself away. There are fae creatures in the wilderness who will want to maim you just because of what you are, so I'd suggest not lingering outside of civilization. If you die, you can come back from the dead -- but only if you die in this city. There's some magic rift here, see, and the closer we are to it, the safer we are. Stakes don't do a thing, nor to crosses or religious artifacts. We're a bit like cockroaches? It takes a lot to kill us, but we can. Those, I suppose, are the basics," he said, his eyes on the road and his knuckles white as they gripped the steering wheel. It was late, now, the roads mostly clear. It wouldn't take them long to get back to the park where the festival was held -- and the numerous flashing lights of ambulances and cop cars heralded their arrival. Robin slowed.

"Where did you park? Direct me?"

[Katelynn]

"Oh no, no." Katelynn said as she saw flashing lights and cop cars. "Turn right...yes, right. Then up....2 blocks and turn left. Yes." she leaned forward watching. "There it is! On the left - just a ways up!" Not like anyone could miss it. It was a fairly large silver RV.

Unfortunately, it seemed like someone had found it before they got there, damaged the outside and decided to practice their graffiti talents on it. As soon as the car stopped, Katelynn jumped out, slammed the door and swore. The door was open and some of her belongings were strewn about on the ground. Carefully, she walked through some of the things looking to see what they were.

Stepping inside the RV she headed straight to the closet in the bedroom. The door was open and clothes were thrown helter, skelter - she would have to collect some before they left. However, that's not what she was headed for. She had previously had a hidden compartment installed in the closet. She closed her eyes briefly before opening it...hoping the violin was still there. It was...taking it out carefully she smiled as she hugged it to herself. The violin that had been in her fathers family for generations. "Robin!," she called out. "It's here!"
Then...the nausea hit her.

[Robin Little]

The RV was not hard to find; the two got stuck in traffic at one juncture but it was easy enough to get through. The RV itself wasn’t parked in a public area which, Robin assumed, was why it was able to get so damaged so quickly. Having lived in Harper Rock his whole life he should have understood that this kind of thing was possible, even expected. But he was naïve. He chose not to see the bad in the world.

Katelynn disappeared into the van and Robin lingered by, uncertain as to what he could or should do, or what kind of comfort he should offer. They could go back and find one of the policemen and report the incident, which is what a normal person would do. The suggestion was on the tip of his tongue, silenced as Katelynn called out to him. He clambered up the narrow steps and narrowed his eyes in the gloom, waiting for them to adjust – and it didn’t take long, as a vampire – to see what Katelynn had called about.

In her arms was a music case, her violin he assumed. She didn’t seem at all phased about anything else which, in the grand scheme of things, was a good thing. She was a vampire now. Yes, it was a shitty thing to have one’s van broken into, one’s worldly belongings strewn around like garbage. It was an invasion of privacy. But in comparison to the change she had ahead of her, it was only background noise.

He had to step forward to catch Katelynn as she seemed to waver on her feet.

”Okay, okay. This is done. We can come back for more of your stuff but you need to eat. Er, drink. You need blood,” he said, matter-of-factly. While he’d been lingering outside he’d ascertained where they were. There was a shop nearby, one the black market ones from which they could get blood bags.

He led Katelynn back to the car. The shop was only a two minute drive.

”Remember where this is, okay? There’ll be others around like it. This is where we can buy blood bags. They used to be five hundred dollars each, now they’re only three hundred. I’ll cover you – I get paid well,” he said, pulling his wallet from his pocket as he led Katelynn to the door. The car was parked directly out front and, with the violin tucked neatly into the boot, he reassured Katelynn that the car was locked and would be completely safe.

[Katelynn]

Katelynn let Robin lead her away from the RV to the car while she held onto the violin case with both arms wrapped around it.

She realized Robin was right, she needed to have some blood. "I feel like death warmed over," she said as she laughed quietly and briefly. Besides the feeling of her personal space being invaded, someone unknown to her going through her things and ruining them, stealing them...destroying them.

Katelynn had an unfamiliar feeling arise, a feeling of insecurity, uncertainty. She had always been so sure of herself, so secure in who she was - and now she was in whole new territory.

She followed Robins instructions, watching carefully as they drove so she would remember where the shop was. Three hundred for a blood bag. Normally that would not be a problem for her, however she wan't sure how she would afford this with her new circumstances.

As he led her into the shop Katelynn said, "Thank you, Robin. I appreciate it. Really, I do. I'll find a way to pay you back somehow."

[Robin Little]

The shop sold all kinds of things; it was a black market shop which wasn’t as black market as it used to be. It catered mainly to humans, of course, but even with the revelation of vampires the sale of blood extracted to save lives to said vampires wasn’t exactly morally acceptable. Not yet. Things were slowly changing, and maybe the human population would be asked to give their precious blood to vampires, but until that happened blood bags still had to be bought with cash, under the counter.

It wasn’t as dangerous as it sounded.

At the counter Robin asked for six bags of the stuff – it didn’t matter what kind. The cashier wasn’t even surprised. He disappeared through a locked door behind the counter and returned two minutes later with a Styrofoam container. Robin opened the lid to make sure the right amount of blood was inside, before he handed over the required cash. It was a lot of money, which in the beginning had shocked and sickened Robin. He’d never had three hundred dollars, let alone five hundred dollars, in his bank account, even with a credit card. Now, though? Now he had more than enough. And it felt good to spend it on something useful.

He led Katelynn back to the car and put the container between them. He opened the lid and handed one of the blood bags to Katelynn, and took one for himself. If one thought about it enough, one could imagine they were juice bags. Robin tore away the top leaving behind a straw-sized hole, and indicated that Katelynn should do the same.

”Imagine it’s juice, or something. You get used to the taste. It actually tastes good…” he said with a wince. It was an odd thing to say out loud, but it was the truth.

[Katelynn]

Katelynn looked around the shop as they entered trying not to seem too curious or out of place. There were more people there than she would have thought. The clientel seemed to be from all facets of society.

It did sound quite strange when Robin ordered 6 bags of blood saying it didn’t matter what kind. Were some kinds better than others she wondered? She would need to ask Robin.

Her eyes got round as saucers when Robin was handed the Styrofoam container with the blood packs inside - and she saw the amount of money that he had to pay to purchase them. She began to feel she may have to get blood the old fashioned way - but she wasn’t sure whether she could do that.

Sighing she followed Robin out of the shop to the car. Taking one of the blood bags Robin offered to her, she watched as he tore the top off and did the same. Well, it may not be juice, but she could feel her need for the blood growing and so began drinking – realizing how very, very thirsty she was.

[Robin Little]

Robin remembered what it had been like in the beginning -- the absolute wrenching thirst that overtook his senses. It was a new craving, something he didn’t know was possible until the first drop of blood had hit his tongue. That hunger had felt like life or death, like if he didn’t take his fill he would languish and die on the footpath. The ferocity of the craving only lasted a couple of nights until it leveled out into something more acceptable, where a single bag of blood (or a few healthy mouthfuls from a willing donor) were enough to keep him satisfied.

Except tonight, of course, after he’d lost a lot of blood to create the woman now sitting beside him, to save her life.

One bag was consumed and another collected from container -- Robin made sure to keep Katelynn fed before he was, however, waiting for her to finish so he could hand her a second bag. She hadn’t gagged or hesitated, she was drinking like she was born to it -- either that, or she’d only realise later what she had done, and what she would need to do for the rest of her life in order to keep fed.

”It takes some getting used to, but you’ll find your groove. You… well, you might start to love it,” he said, reassuringly.