Blood Buddies (Kyrie)

[Chives (DELETED 12901)]

His brows furrowed as he looked at Kyrie. He buttoned up whatever he had left of his suit jacket and rubbed his hand through his hair. Already the news didn’t sound like it was going to be good. Chives trailed behind Kyrie until they reached the apartment complex. When they entered, the lights above gave the halls a rusty brown color as they travelled up the flights of stairs. When they reached the third floor, they walked down a long hall until they reached a door. The red paint coated over it was worn out and peeling, revealing some spots of yellow from the original paint job. Room Thirty-four, it read, but there was a blank space next to the two numbers where the third digit previously

They entered the room, with Kyrie closing the door behind them. The floorboards creaked as Chives walked to the recliner at the edge of the room. He dropped down into the chair. The leather squashed and stretched under him as he tried to get comfortable. “That’s the spot.” He said. “Sorry if I’m a little too casual, waltzing in your apartment like this. My legs are killing me. One more reason for me to get in shape.” He put his hand over his mouth and chuckled, before looking back at Kyrie.

The slight smile on his face seemed to shrink as he viewed the man. Chives looked at him for a while with a hand on his chin. He bit into his finger. Honestly, he didn’t really want to know. He felt like he already knew what he was going to tell him. It seemed obvious. Ignorance was bliss. And if he left it at that, if he left his biting Kyrie as a random instance of madness, or if he got up, bid him good day and made his leave, maybe he'd be happier, maybe from the act alone he could will what transpired today and the past week out of existence.

But he knew he wouldn’t be content. Because if there was one thing that would nag at him everyday, it would be the questions. He hated not knowing things. And most of all, he never liked being in an echo chamber of his own thoughts. It was limiting, especially in his field. In this instance, there was no way it would help him survive in this city; he’d get killed in a heartbeat.

Chives leaned forward and removed his finger from his mouth to his chin. The fresh cut on his finger closed up. His face bore a stern look than its usual, jolly visage. “Well, Ky, you have the floor. Lay it on me. What do you think happened to me?” He stared at Kyrie expectantly. “Be sure to provide sufficient evidence too. It’s true that Vampires exist in this city. I won’t deny that. However, don’t assume I’ll accept any explanation without cross-examining it a little.”

[Kyrie]

Kyrie bit his lip in thought as they made their way to his room. Letting Chives in and biting the inside of his lip as he closed the door behind them frowning as the guy dropped onto one of the chairs, but he chose not to say anything about it. The man was probably extremely exhausted. He knew what it was like to nearly...no wait, he did die. Right? Does that count? Oh well, that was a bit of philosophy. Didn't really matter right now whether he was classified as having died or not. "No bother, just hope ya don't get blood on it huh." he commented with a bit of a joking glance.

It was clear Kyrie wasn't the only one unsure about how this was going to go. Though, at least he verbally sounded open about it. Evidence? He definitely had that. Whether or not he was willing to prove it...he was still deciding on that part. He let out a sigh, rubbing his neck and sitting down in a chair setting the can in his hand down on a coffee table. "So...if you're not a vampire. And you're still...human." he certainly seemed human to Kyrie, though, he wasn't sure how he was supposed to test that.

He wondered if Marley could help him with that. He felt bad for her, he hadn't done it intentionally. Honestly, he hadn't. But...she was his thrall now, and there wasn't anything either of them could do about it. Not as far as he knew at least. However, that wouldn't fix the problem now either way. There was no way for him to tell this guy without him learning what he was, and with all the new laws and stuff coming into play, maybe he could even find it out later if there was some record that the military kept, "I've heard of these people, called blood thieves. They can kind of....copy, we'll say, the powers of vampires by feeding off of them." he let out a long groan, he didn't look like a vampire. He wasn't even as pale as a normal person in Harper Rock, though that was his natural color, and he could eat and drink like a normal person, "Well..."

He held out his hands and let out a sigh, "I guess that includes healing really fast." He held out a hand as if to stop him from getting up, "I'm not gonna try and feed off you or anything. I could have done that when you tried to feed off me, if that's what I was after. I just...I want to know what happened. Do you...feel anything different."

[Chives (DELETED 12901)]

A blood thief. That’s a weird name. It sounded like a euphemism a parent would tell their child if they had to explain what vampires were; conversations like those probably happened often here, maybe even more so than the birds and the bees. The thought of a parent having to tell a child that zombies, vampires, and other supernatural creatures existed among them terrified Chives. For years scary creatures of myths and old tales were deconstructed, burned in the light of reason and logic, and swatted away by elders as a product of human imagination. But one step into Harper Rock, and all of it is kicked to the curb.

Chives raised his hand to his face and glanced at it. It wasn’t too far fetched that humans would become these supposed blood thieves. If they could copy a vampire’s powers just by feeding from them, they could level the playing field. They’d be just as strong as them, and in this town maybe becoming the monsters was the only way to fight them. Though for Chives, he wasn’t sure if he liked it. He never asked to be this and he didn’t like the idea that he was part vampire; infused with the same DNA as the monsters that killed his mother.

His molars extended into fangs again and he took a chomp of his hand. Blood flowed down his skin like a waterfall as it dripped onto the floor. When he released it, the bleeding stopped and his wound seemed to clot, with new skin folding over it, reverting his hand back to its usual appearance. Fast healing, he wasn’t lying so far. It would also explain how he survived so long being pumped full of lead without dropping dead on the ground after the amount of bullets his body sustained.

“I guess I do feel a bit different. My senses feel more heightened than usual.” His eyes moved from his palm and back to Kyrie. “It must’ve been the blood. Vampire blood. Might've changed me a little.....I think ."His eyes expanded and he froze in place as he tried to get when Kyrie told him he was a vampire.

He didn't move for a minute, processing what he said before he sighed. He clasped his hands together and looked at the coffee table. "I wish you would've told me sooner. I'm not particularly mad at you. Perhaps a little more wary of you, but not mad. You've proven yourself to possess goodwill, since you've helped me so far. And if you have goodwll, you're ok in my book, no matter the species."Chives looked to Kyrie, his eyes were unblinking. "I have one rule though, and it applies to the both of us, so we're both accountable."

"Don't bite my neck, and I won't bite yours. Got it?" Chives wasn't betting on Kyrie to feed from him. Like the man said, he could've done it when Chives was feeding from him, or even when he was limping down the street toward Kyrie, when he was completely defenseless. However, Chives didn't want to be complacent in his trust. Though he seemed docile now, he could go back on his word at any moment. With his new Blood thief powers, if things did go south, he might be able to hold his ground against Kyrie, despite the man looking more fit and athletic compared to his scrawny build. And in terms of a fight, he could probably crush Chives.

Chives scratched the back of his head then snapped his fingers when he remembered something. "So, these blood thieves, where did they come from and how did it begin? Are there other individuals that have powers like them? Are the powers blood thieves gain from feeding from vampires temporary or permanent or a mix of both? Besides accelerated healing, what other powers do they get from vampires? How common are they in Harper Rock? Is it reversible? And how do vampires feel about them? You know, with them ironically feeding from vampires." He didn't expect Kyrie to know the answer to all of his questions; most of them he'd likely find the answers to through research and experimenting with his powers himself. But he might as well get some information out of him before he did any of that, so he won't be completely lost when he embarks on his own in this city again.

[Kyrie]

Well, the man did admit to feeling different. And he was no vampire, he had to be human right? Unless this was some kind of fae trick, but he didn't know much about them except that they didn't like vampires and were unfairly powerful. But everything he could see pointed him to saying this man had somehow been made into a blood thief against his will. Chives took Kyrie being a vampire fairly well, Kyrie smiled at that, at least he wasn't afraid. And he seemed fine with it, at least, at the moment, to not think any different of him morally speaking. Kyrie chuckled at the "one rule" that he gave, "Bite it again I think you mean." he joked rubbing his neck, though it had healed. He still had lost blood, he'd have to end up remedying that. Unfortunately, this man had lost way more than he should. And he wasn't about to try and feed on him after that. He'd probably have to pay for one.

But right now, to try and feed on Chives, would just be wrong. Kyrie might have sometimes questionable business practices, but he wasn't that far gone. He didn't hurt unnecessarily. He nodded to the blood thief, "No worries." just to confirm he would indeed abide by that one rule, regardless of if Chives had broken it before it was made.

Chives had some questions of his own, which was fair. But, Kyrie wasn't so prepared to answer him perhapas as he'd have hoped. The allurist held out his hands apologetically, "I don't know where they came from. I don't even know how vampires started. I'm just another person caught up in this mess, only while you are basically just a human with the ability to use powers, I'm stuck the way I am." he said honestly, "I think...the powers are temporary that you get. But, honestly, I don't know. I haven't really run into that many. I think they're not uncommon, but, I'm not sure. I don't know about revers-ability, but I don't think there's any serious problems that go along with it. Aside from, maybe, the thing itself."

He did a little bit of a head bob from side to side in regards to the vampire bit, "I don't think they fond of it. But I've never heard of what they might do about it. Sorry that I can't help you much. I'm gonna be honest, I wasn't even sure if you were one from the start. I just kind of...guessed, cause I knew you weren't a vampire, and I'd heard of blood thieves. I'm still really new to this myself if I'm honest."

[Chives (DELETED 12901)]

"Ahh, well. Guess I'll do my own research. Are there any libraries around here? I wonder if I can look this stuff up. There has to be some wiki or archive online that has a bunch of information about blood thieves." Although the name still sounded ridiculous, he had to give the Blood thieves props for somehow figuring out a way to harness vampiric powers, even though the means to do so were excruciatingly painful. He couldn’t see himself actually using his powers. Though they weren’t anything divine or godlike, he didn’t trust himself with them, being somewhat afraid he might do something rash or abuse them in some way, even though he was mostly a pacifist.

Getting revenge hadn’t crossed his mind at all; not towards the vampire that killed his mother, or the bunch that kidnapped him. If he did go out on a quest for vengeance, it would probably be difficult to find them since there wasn’t much to go off of. He didn't remember the faces of his blood thief captors, and the vampire was long gone when he arrived at his mother’s house; she had been dead for three years right under his nose.

Chives tapped his index finger on his temple before another question came up; he was hoping Kyrie could answer this one at least. “What's it like being a vampire?” Compared to Kyrie, he lucked out. His fate wasn’t that bad. Yea, he may have vampiric powers, albeit temporary, but at least he woke up in the same skin, the same body, but slightly altered. But Kyrie, as he seemed to express, was changed entirely. Maybe not mentally but physically.

[Kyrie]

Kyrie made a face of uncertainty about the libraries holding his hands up, "Doubt it. Even if there was, do you really think you could find it there? Blood thieves seem less real than vampires somehow, at least they do to me. It's like adding a supernatural occurrence onto another. You might be able to find something online. But who knows which ones are real or fake?" he answered, somewhat apologetically.

There was another question though, one that Kyrie actually could answer. The allurist smiled, "Finally, something I can work with." he joked, though he furrowed his brow and put his hand to his chin thoughtfully as he considered it, "It's...different. It seems I was...one of the lucky ones. Well, kind of. My own sire didn't really know what she was doing, I was an accident. So we were both a bit at a loss of what to do. I still am honestly."

He sat down more securely into a chair, then turned so that he was sitting in it sideways and glancing up at the ceiling, "I'm an allurist, I think that's what it's called. Apparently, I can manipulate emotions...even on accident as it turns out. Somehow, I still look quite human. I can eat, just like you, I just don't get sustenance from it. Which is an issue. Some time later I'm gonna need to find some source of blood...cause you took some of mine. There's a farm I found however for that purpose. Helps avoid...having to use people. I can't go out in the sun...yet. Though even when I do it won't be pleasant. And I have no reflection...which sucks. Ever tried to keep tidy when you can't see yourself?" he swerved to sit upright again.

"I rarely attract attention of hunters or paladins...but it happens. Fortunately, I guess it's easier to beat them as a vampire. And, believe it or not, I am a legal bounty hunter. Or I was in America. Now that I'm a vampire and the government hates us, I'm having a lot of issues. I mostly try and get local monsters now, like mooncalves. Sell those. Or if there's a particularly troublesome bounty running around I may give it a shot if I can find them." he grabbed a coin from his pocket, fiddling with it as he spoke, just so his hands had something to do, "I do have a few neat powers, some which...I try and avoid using. I can do some freaky stuff man. But uh...not all of it is really ok. So I can't like...just go willy nilly with it."

[Chives (DELETED 12901)]

Chives let out a defeated sigh to the man's arguments. "This is gonna be harder than I thought." He may have underestimated the difficulty of gathering information. He agreed that there wouldn't be a wealth of information online, apart from anecdotes and supposed sightings on forums, which in itself had inherent shaky credibility.There had to be something. It seemed impossible that there was zero documented information at all on blood thieves or vampires. Information wasn't specifically localized only in Harper Rock, so libraries wouldn't have much either.

The only first hand source he had to learn about vampires was Kyrie, though his knowledge was also sparse. It was like the guy was turned a few days ago with how little he knew of his own state. And as he listened to him, it seemed to be the case. The vampire that bit him turned him by accident, and even they didn't know what they were doing and didn't have a full grasp of things.

Kyrie continued by specifying that he was an allurist, some sort of vampire that can control the emotions of others. Quite a useful power. He could diffuse situations and probably calm people down easily, yet there was a Machiavellian aspect to it where he could probably manipulate people to do whatever he wanted. Maybe even starting a riot or angry mob. Chives' eyes widened at the thought of it. "You sure you didn't use any of your powers on me since I got here,? Just a little curious since, now thinking about it, my reaction to you being a vampire was calm. Not sure if that's normal. It's probably just me, but I wanna make sure."

He put a hand over his chin and lingered on the thought for a moment before tuning in to Kyrie talking about the disadvantages that came with being a vampire, having to avoid hunters, Paladins and the scrutiny of the government. "Figured the feds wouldn't like you much." Chives rubbed his neck. "Makes sense that laws would be enacted against vampires. People are scared of being turned or drained dry. Not to mention you guys have a bunch of other powers in your repertoire which makes you even more dangerous in the public's eyes. So I guess the only solution to the people here is to disenfranchise vampires; deny them from having human rights. If they can't beat you physically, they might as well move you down the social ladder and ostracize you. Some vamps might lash out at humans because of the laws and play the same antagonizing game as humans. It's like a negative feedback loop. Humans are afraid and scared of vampires; laws are made to criminalize them; vampires get angry and spiteful towards humans because of said laws; vampires strike back against humans and inadvertently make themselves look bad, proving everyone right, then it circles back to the beginning with humans creating more laws to oppress vampires. "

He threw his hands up in the air. His shoulders raised to his cheeks and a coy smile snuck up on his face. "Eh, but those are just some random thoughts of mine. I wish I had the solution to fix all this but I'm not really well versed in vampire-human relations. After all, I've only been in this town for two weeks, and so far my vampire relations haven't been very good, with the exception of you, of course. I'm done playing armchair intellectual for right now." Chives rose from his seat. He wiggled his arms and legs, and twisted his torso from side to side as he loosened up his joints. He looked over his shoulder out the window while rotating his arm. The sky was a dull, dark gray as it had gotten cloudy outside.

"Dawn's coming soon. With all those clouds in the way, I won't be able to see the sunrise! That's the best part of the day." He snapped his fingers and pointed at Kyrie, who didn't look as lively as he was he few minutes ago."You OK over there, pal? You look a little weak "

[Kyrie]

Kyrie chuckled at the response, a lighthearted laugh, but not on a particularly light reason, "You're telling me! Now imagine if you were me? Even if these restrictions on vampires weren't around I can't go home now. I'd probably get myself killed in the sun." He hadn't quite learned how to stay awake during the daylight hours yet. But he was working on it that's for sure. It'd just...take time.

Chives prompted an interesting question to him, Kyrie made a bit of an uncertain face. Then held his hands out again, "I don't think so. But it wouldn't be the first time I messed up." they moved to a more defensive gesture, "Now that doesn't mean I'll take responsibility for your response. It's not like these things are always easy, if I'm really trying I can have important affects but normally it's a lot less drastic. I can sort of alter emotions, but I'm pretty sure your thoughts are all your own. So don't go accusing me of nothin' a'right?"

The comment on the feds got a bit of a nod, "Not unless I were one of 'em." he noted. He crossed his arms and cocked his head as Chives went on to talk about disenfranchisement of vampires and what made sense. And a feedback loop of sorts. Kyrie had run into things like that before, just more on a more individual standpoint. Not something this big. However clearly Chives realized what he was saying and quickly struck up a defense of his own which made Kyrie chuckle. Although he noticed, he was growing...tired. His smile began to fade as he felt his eyes start to want to shut. "The um...no worries. I can't blame you for theorizing."

If he could breath, they'd have started getting deeper as he realized what was happening. "Ah crap." he said very quietly. He heard Chives say something, now he was rather wishing the guy was not here right now. Cause Kyrie was about to fall unconscious. He tried to respond but only got out a grunt before outright falling down just before the sun began to crest.