Shall We Make a Deal? [Tiberius]

[Jesse Fforde]

J E S S E || Jesse Fforde had only so much willpower. Yes, humanity was aware of vampires, and now more than ever it was a good idea to keep one's head low, keep a low profile. It wouldn't do to go around slaughtering people willy nilly; he couldn't just burn his victims like he used to because rather than being just a serial killer, he'd be a vampire serial killer. He'd already been captured once because, he assumed, he hadn't covered his tracks well enough. But it had been months since he'd had a good proper buffet, and restlessness had a hold of him. Which was how he found himself back in the slums, an old haunt. Ishaq was probably around here somewhere, though Jesse wasn't looking for his wayward childe. He was looking for a house full of miscreants. He wandered for a good half an hour until he found one, following a skinny, hollow-cheeked, shaven-headed guy to the newest drug den. Even from across the street Jesse could smell the stuff cooking. Perfect. He approached the hovel and stealthily made his way around back, searching for a way in.


T I B E R I U S || Tiberius had spent weeks setting up shop with his newest group of morons the boss sent him. The only thing the boss was good for was the money and the drugs, he didn't have a clue about how to collect worth while recruits for his empire or how to find a location worth setting up shop in. For the most part Tiberius was left to his own twisted thoughts and the bunch of **** knuckle drug pushers after the boss sent them and the equipment that would be needed. Every single time one of them fucked up, which happened often, Tiberius would put a bullet in their head. Sometimes before the bullets would fly, he would throw knives, cut off fingers or even break limbs. It always ended in death but how fast or slow depended on what the drug pushers did wrong, like leading the cops to their door was a very slow painful death which Tiberius had perfected to last as long as 7 days for his own amusement. Today started as a good day, the drugs were cooking, the pushers were out selling supplies to teens, other people came and went with their newest fix and Tiberius just sat back watching the flow of the day.


J E S S E || The back door was locked but this didn't stop Jesse. A Necromancer at birth, he'd learned the skills and abilities of fellow paths. The Shadow skills were ******* fantastic as far as breaking and entering was concerned; Jesse didn't need to know how to pick a lock, and nor did he need to be invited. Would it have mattered? Did the deeds of this house actually belong to anyone or had it fallen into the hands of the streets, claimed for its own seedy purposes? The shadows gathered around the vampire; one second he was out in the cold, and the next he was over the threshold. The sudden appearance of a stranger in their midst would startle anyone. The first guy to see Jesse stood there for a couple of seconds, mouth agape, wondering if he were so high that he were imagining things. Jesse smirked and lifted a heavily inked hand and waggled his fingers, waving. The guy grunted and whacked the shoulder of his compatriot, who looked up and immediately shouted. "Hey!" Jesse wasn't exactly subtle. Guns were drawn and cocked, but Jesse paid them no mind. He launched himself at his first victim, sharp canines tearing into salty skin, blood erupting from the ruptured vein before his lips closed over it, consuming what was left.


T I B E R I U S || Tiberius cocked his head, listening intently for a few moments before standing up and bellowing at everyone within his sight, his anger rising at yet another blunder as the drug hungry tried to rush at the noise. "Shut the **** up. SHUT THE **** UP!" In a few swift movements, swift for a human, Tiberius jumped off the first floor he was perched on, landing on the ground with a thud as he landed. Gun in hand, he waved it around, glaring at everyone who was running and causing chaos as he approached the pile of human compost at his feet. Why some of these assholes were cowering was a mystery but not for long as Tiberius rounded one final corner before he was staring at blood and a vampire. "**** you asshole... And you. Bitches" Tiberius started shooting at the drug pushers as they tried to run, they were suppose to protect the goods not run the other way at the first sign of trouble. He turned towards the creature whom had a mouthful of one of these useless bastards. "Who the **** are you vampire? What the **** do you want?" In truth, he didn't really care, this was just another example of the boss being unable to actually plan anything.


J E S S E || Normally Jesse was a little more prepared. He got into a house and strategically tried to bar the exits so that no one could escape. It depended on the group of men present, their mentality and their loyalty. A lot of the time, they didn't try to run until later. Their ego was enough to have them think they could take on a vampire and survive. Though, that wasn't hard for some humans. Some humans were trained, and some vampires were weak and insane and far too crazed to get the upper hand on anyone. Jesse, however, was different. And this house was full of cowards. He'd have to chase them down, break their necks before burning the place to the ground. The body in his arms struggled before it grew weak, it grew cold until the heart stopped and he dropped it. His eyes were sharp as he eyed the man bellowing his questions. Many of the men were dead already, shot by... Jesse arched a brow. "Fun," he said, stepping over the body at his feet. His voice was husky, broken. There was frenzy in his eyes -- blood always brought out the best in him. "You want to be next...?"


T I B E R I U S || Another shot rang out before Tiberius stood there, gun to his temple as he stared at the vampire. In the far corner of the room another human slumped down the wall into a pile on the ground, failure always ended with death but thanks to this vampire, death had been fast for those traitors. As the word fun filled his head, Tiberius rubbed the barrel of his 10mm against his temple before dropping the gun to the floor with a cackle. "**** you. ******* fun. You bet your *** I want more fun. Do it asshole." Tiberius took a few steps closer to the vampire, looking him in the eyes with a wide grin. It was in these few moments that his head cleared enough to notice the pale moonlight shining in the back door, which made sense with the whole no sun for normal vampires. "Hurry up now, I'm getting bored. Let's do this."


J E S S E || Jesse was well able to take his eyes off the other man, watching as yet another comrade was felled. Blood dripped from Jesse's chin, down onto the black jacket that he wore. Always black. Then it didn't matter if the blood stained. Jesse, too, laughed -- this guy was insane. He must have been high, too. He must have thought that he was dreaming, or that Jesse was somehow a good person beneath it all. That he wouldn't take up the challenge. The vampire said nothing, however, as he just shrugged and nodded. Swift as lightning he grabbed a fist full of the guy's hair and yanked his head sideways, bearing his neck. Jesse could have said that he was lying; he wasn't here to play with his prey. He was here for fun, but 'fun' meant 'food'. He was here to eat. He lunged for the vein, hoping to tear this guy's neck open just like he had with the last.


T I B E R I U S || Everywhere he had gone in life, Tiberius had always made a hell of an entrance and usually a massive scene that soon followed. As this 'pire looked around, Tiberius drew a small knife from his pocket. He knew full well that it would have little to no effect on the 'pire but he kept it within his closed palm as the he was drawn in, teeth sinking into his neck. It was then that he lifted his blade to the neck of the vampire with another crazed cackle, his voice seemingly calm for someone who could possibly die within seconds.. "Not dying tonight. Fun remember." Just to make his point, he pushed the blade against the 'pires skin just enough to pierce the smallest spot and draw a touch of blood. "Come on asshole, I'm bored."


J E S S E || Jesse should have seen it coming. The blade was at his throat, the tip piercing his skin and yet he could only laugh. He'd had his throat slit ear to ear before, and it had done nothing but cause him to lose his voice for a couple of days. For someone who was mute going on a decade, the loss of voice wasn't so bad. "You are a gnat that I could squash between my two fingers," he said, rearing back to slam the heels of his palms against the other's chest with enough force to possibly break something. "My poison is in your veins. Give it a bit. Maybe you'll start to feel woozy..." he said. It was something he'd discovered over the years. Where most vampire had to fully drain their prey and feed the blood back to them in order to turn them, Jesse could turn someone with just a single bite. It didn't always happen, but it happened often enough. That, along with the fact that his victims always remembered him if he let them live, was why he never left anyone alive.


T I B E R I U S || Tiberius gave a chuckle, each time he felt the boredom creep in, something interesting happened to pull his attention back. "You could try to squash me or you could shut the **** up." The force of the hit knocked Tiberius flat onto his back, the air rushing out of his lungs as he laid staring at the ceiling while the 'pire kept talking. So the deed was done, now he had to wait. Waiting caused him boredom but for the moment he felt pretty damn sure he wasn't going to be able to move much. "Good, let it work. I don't get woozy though asshole." In truth he was starting to get somewhat woozy which was unusual for him since he had spent much of his life consuming drugs and alcohol, which tend to make the body immune to strange happenings of the body. "So you got a name?"


J E S S E || Jesse's own laughter was subtle but mildly terrifying for those not accustomed to his presence. He wandered toward the fallen human and placed a booted foot against the man's chest -- one slip and he could slam said shoe into the tender neck. A couple of well-placed stomps and said neck would break. "I'm not sure what good my name will do you if you're about to die," he said. Did he really want another childe? Wasn't it best just to stomp the life out of this one before it even began? If it began? "Got any last words?"


T I B E R I U S || Tiberius rolled his eyes as the boot landed on his chest with force, pretending to throw his arms in the air. "What you want me to apologize? Did I hurt your neck?" Tiberius' head was in a muddle, so much was happening in his head and in front of him. In his head he was back home, using long thin metal spikes to poke holes in the ear drums of his enemies. But right now the 'pire was deciding if he was dinner or worth keeping. "Asshole, I know how to torture and kill humans. Plus you've seen that I am brutal as a human, imagine what I could do as a 'pire." He couldn't completely fathom why he bothered talking to a stupid undead creature but at least it was a cure for boredom. "So, your name, asshole. Since you aren't going to kill me and if you do, does it matter if I know? You probablly got some girly name and that's why you won't say."

[Tiberius (DELETED 9242)]

J E S S E || The smirk that graced Jesse's lips was far from tender. He was highly amused. This guy had a flippant tongue, and Jesse half wondered what it might be like to reach down and pull it from the human's throat. He talked a lot, and none of it was flattering. Though, Jesse had been called far worse than 'asshole' in his time. In fact, that was a title he liked to own. "Giving me reasons why you'd be better off alive, huh?" he asked, applying enough pressure to cause the human to wheeze. Maybe he could kill him by puncturing a few lungs, nice and slow. "I can see that you have no qualms shooting your comrades. Now, why would I turn someone who has a tendency toward disloyalty, huh?"


T I B E R I U S || A breath of air escaped his lungs as the boot crushed down against his body, his chest left with almost no room to rise and fall as he breathed. Even though it hurt, he couldn't help but cackle as the 'pire pointed out his gun play against the worthless trash now dead across the room. "Disloyal? Are you blind or stupid or both 'pire?" Tiberius used the knife still clutched in his hand to stab into the 'pires foot, piercing into the top of his foot and down just into Tiberius' own chest. Another cackle filled the air as he shook his head. "Those fucks, ******* worthless ******* trash. They betrayed our boss, who is also a ******* piece of human trash. They ******* ran at the first ******* sign of trouble. Why wouldn't you want someone loyal, unafraid of death and able to kill a human with pleasure?"


J E S S E || A growl rumbled in Jesse's throat as the knife cut clean through his foot. This human had another thing coming if he thought a knife to the foot was enough to deter Jesse Fforde. The amount of harm that had come to him by his own loved one, this hole in his foot was a piece of cake. In fact, it turned his foot into a neat little weapon. Before the guy could take the knife back, Jesse yanked his foot out of reach, dragging the blade over chest and abdomen as he did so, effectively slicing the thug open. "Alright, we'll make a deal you and I. You've got a fifty-fifty chance that you're already turning. If that's the case, that little scratch there is gonna start to heal. If it does, I'll take you home. If it doesn't? You get to burn, like the rest of this house."


T I B E R I U S || Tiberius almost let out a snarl as the blade sliced at his skin which quickly turned into a rumble of laughter. Tiberius pushed up himself up into an almost seated position as he stared at the wound. Normally this should have hurt but instead it seemed almost like nothing had happened, which caused Ti to start grinning from ear to ear. "Challenge accepted asshole. Check it out. One self healing wound. So your name, or should I just call you asshole?"


J E S S E || Jesse couldn't help it. Maybe it had something to do with his mood, lately -- how it had been so much better. With bridges mended between himself and Rhett and bitterness taking a back seat to acceptance -- and focusing more on what he had than what he didn't -- Jesse had started to feel a lot like his old self. The old Jesse rarely took offense, and was likely to laugh at an insult than take it seriously. Even now, even as he wrenched the knife from his foot, he was laughing. "The name's Jesse. Asshole is my middle name," he said, nodding to the wound. "And I wouldn't laugh if I were you. You still might not make it. This is going to be a whole week of torture for you, my friend. You going to return the favour and give me your name, or should I dub you 'fuckwit'?"


T I B E R I U S || The more he moved, the more it started to hurt but Tiberius pushed himself until he was able to stand, clutching at his wound for a moment. He couldn't help but let out a cackle as the 'pire warned him that he might still die. "Jesse is a girl's name. Asshole is better." Tiberius held up his now blood covered hand, first with his palm facing Jesse before turning it to face himself so he could lick some of the blood. "See this blood. I'm stronger than I look, Jesse... Fuckwit works. So does Tiberius or Ti for short. But if you start calling me fuckwit, I'm calling you asshole."


J E S S E || Jesse arched a brow. "Tiberius? Now that's not wanky at all," he said, sarcasm dripping from his tone, his voice, though husky, a little deeper now, lubricated by the blood. "I'm still gonna burn this house down, Ti, so hobble on out onto the footpath and I'll meet you there," Jesse said. The guy would need more blood. It would quicken the process. But it would be easier to get him home while he was still standing, rather than having to drag him there unconscious. More blood could wait.


T I B E R I U S || Tiberius rolled his eyes at this Jesse fellow, words quickly flowing from his mouth. "If you wanna wank to it, that's up to you." Ti smirked at the 'pire before nodding and creeping towards the front entry. Before he left, Ti wiped his hand on his shirt before reaching into his pants. After he took a leak on the nearest pillar toward the exit, he cackled and called back to Jesse. "Burn away. Let the ******* fucks burn along with all this drugs and ****." With that he continued to walk outside before leaning against a street post and waiting for the show to start.


J E S S E || There were no doubt plenty of chemicals around for the fire to catch on to. Jesse retrieved the heavy zippo from his pocket and casually meandered up the stairs. If he found any living thugs on his way, he tore out their necks before breaking them, gulping heavy doses of blood here and there. Upstairs, he set fire to anything that was flammable -- beds, curtains, books in bookshelves. He did the same downstairs, too, meandering from room to room until he could feel the heat licking at his heals and burning the ends of his hair. The stair case collapsed behind him as he made his way out the front door. He paused where Tiberius stood, glad that the guy hadn't run off. Jesse wasn't in the mood to chase him down. He, too, wanted to watch the show. He always waited until he heard the sirens. Only then would he disappear into the shadows and leave the scene.


T I B E R I U S || Tiberius watched the 'pire walk out of the building as the orange glow quickly filled the windows and doors, followed by smoke and eventually the fire as it licked at the oxygen beyond the drug house. Fire was almost like a drug of its own, the way the glow seemed alive, the fire too, licking at the oxygen to keep it alive. For a few minutes at least, everything was silent, the night and his brain. It didn't take long for the sounds of sirens to break the pleasent silence, which caused Ti to turn to the 'pire. "So where to now? One assumes you don't wish to be here when those **** faces turn up."


J E S S E || "No," Jesse said, reaching into the messenger back he'd had slung over his shoulders, the strap tight over his chest. From the back he extracted two small books. At least, it looked like a book but opened up into a miniature scroll. He handed one to his companion and kept one for himself. He'd had one spare, for some reason. But now it was going to good use. "Your first dose of magic, friend. Read those words along with me. We're going home," he said. The words were foreign; the language of the fae. They were at time difficult to get one's tongue around, but easy enough once one grew accustomed to them. Once the words were read the two would disappear from the sidewalk and reappear in Limbo -- or what Jesse called this particular floor of the lair, anyway.


T I B E R I U S || Tiberius blinked, staring at the book for a minute before opening the copy he was given to the same page as Jesse had open. "Home. Okay. Read away." It took him a second or two before he was certain enough to pronounce the words without any concern that this 'magic' would go wrong. He had watched his share of magic movies, which always ended badly if you didn't say things the right way. Tiberius braced his body as best as he could as he read, just in case it whisked him away and he crashed into some unknown area.


J E S S E || Jesse slapped Tiberius on the shoulder, as if congratulating him on a job well done. "This here is the lair. It's a bloodline safehouse. You give that tome to anyone, if you give this location away to anyone, if you summon anyone inside without my strict permission, I will gut you like a pig. I will tear you limb from limb and murder you a hundred times to get my point across," he said blithely. The middle floor -- one above them -- was again free, Raven had long since vacated the space, and now Jesse would use it for Tiberius. "Starting to feel it yet, man? Your organs are going to start shutting down, one by one..." he said, even as he started toward the elevator, waiting for the other man in case he was going to need to be helped.


T I B E R I U S || Ti let out a sigh as they appeared in the lair, glancing over at the 'pire as he slapped his shoulder. It was a rush, almost like getting high in fact but without the long term affects. As Jesse told him the rules, Tiberius chuckled and rolled his eyes, he knew not to tell a soul or to share this location. Ti tried to trot across the room but in the end it looked more like a slow ambling shuffle, but he wasn't about to let the 'pire help him until he could no longer move. "I feel lack of things. Like everything is ******* me over and leaving home... And for the record, I ain't going to tell other **** knuckles where home is."


J E S S E || "Good boy," Jesse said with a gleaming grin. It was a tease rather than condescension. They could both play that game. The lair itself was fitted out in the industrial style, one huge open space with doors that led off to other private apartments attached. The main space had numerous couches and bean bags, an air-hockey table, a dart board, some pin ball machines -- there were gaming consoles and a small kitchenette, and spaces for the crafting tables, the forge, the ritual table. It was a huge space that catered to all, but Tiberius could explore all that later. For now, Jesse pushed the button for the second floor, dubbed 'Cerberus'. When the doors opened again, they were greeted with a similarly sized space, though this one was mostly bare. The walls were covered in graffiti, some cans and utensils still laying around. From a door to the far right, vines crept out where the green room was a little out of control. Jesse led Tiberius to the left, toward what looked like a blank wall but which was instead a secret doorway -- it led through to a vast, comfortable looking bedroom, complete with fireplace.


T I B E R I U S || There was a lot to take in, more so while your body was dying but your mind remained whole. Tiberius did his best to take in as much as he could, the large open spaces with private abodes that lead off the open rooms. There was also this elevator, just normal but still new as it lead somewhere that he had not been before. As he followed Jesse, he blinked a few times at the large wall which eventually opened up to display a lovely room. "Well aren't you all posh and fancy." Ti was mostly saying that as a truthful thing but also a smart mouthed response. Just because this was home now did not mean that Ti would change his attitude or his smart *** comments. "So who does this room belong too?"


J E S S E || "This room technically belongs to me, as the whole place belongs to me. On a day to day basis, it belongs to no one. It's spare," he said. It was where he brought all his newly turned. There was even a bucket waiting at the side of the bed for when Tiberius decided to retch his guts up. "May as well make yourself comfortable," Jesse said, pulling the bag from his shoulders first, before peeling his jacket from his shoulders. He dropped both by the door, ready to collect on the way out. "You're going to need blood."


T I B E R I U S || It might have been the blood loss or the organs shutting down or both but that bed almost looked like it was reaching out for Ti to lay on it. So soft and snuggly, also with a bucket for god knows what. One could guess but a bucket beside the bed has many uses, the first that came to mind was that he would be to weak to leave, but that seemed unlikely. He ambled across the room before climbing up onto the bed and flopping down on his back, his gaze was already failing him but he tried to see what Jesse was doing. "Blood is good but I think sleep is screaming out for me." Ti blinked a few times, very slow blinks as his body began to get tired the longer he laid here. If left alone he would most probably fall asleep right now but with the company, he did his best to stay awake. "Just leave the blood on the bed side table. I think sleeping is good."


J E S S E || "Suit yourself," Jesse said. The bite generally did the trick. It workd well enough for Cosette without her needing blood immediately. Jesse figured it would just quicken the process. "Bucket's beside the bed if you need to hurl. Don't make me clean up your puke," he said even as he was already on his way out the door, collecting his belongings as he went.