When the Realization hits [Corbin]

[Galia]

BANG! BANG! BANG! The sounds of the gunfight echoed. The paladin had several bullet holes in her already, she'd healed once already. She'd even given herself more blood. The cost of both however meant she had little left to enhance her fighting. Bullets poured towards her, several ricocheting off the stone but not hitting her.

She was in trouble, her eagerness for destroying the enemy had brought her against too many than she could handle. Even one of them was more than enough, and she was facing three. Whatever traps she'd set had either been already removed or used, with less effect than she'd have liked.

She knew where they were, roughly. Not that it helped. If she so much as stepped out, she was screwed. But she had to do something. "Thor, give me strength. And I shall honor you." she prayed. Warped and conceited. Galia's warrior self. Formed off only the knowledge anyone could have learned. She knew less about the theology she claimed to follow than a diligent author.

Strange what a world could do to a person. What power and fear brought. She wanted to be a hero like in myths, perhaps that's where this entity came from. Yet, it lacked the skill and strength, it lacked the intelligence needed. And had only the determination. But determination won't save you from bullets. Or fangs.

Or the knife she suddenly found in her back as one of them had somehow managed to sneak behind her, she shoved them off, blood pouring out as she pulled out her sword and swung. They leapt back, snarling...and smiling. Lead filled her in moments as the others let loose into her back as she'd moved out of cover.

She dropped to her knees. In a mocking voice she heard, as she groaned in pain, "Give me strength Thor! SaaAAAaaave me!" another stab in her chest, again in her stomach, she dropped to the ground, choking on her own blood, "Bear traps are for when you're hunting bears. You should try something easier. Like toads." he scoffed.

His words fell on deaf ears, she'd lost far too much blood and was in far too much pain to even open her eyes, let alone understand or even hear words. Death was approaching fast.

[Corbin]

Corbin #00BFBF

Claudette #BF40FF

You approach the Oracle, a middle aged homeless woman dressed in old fashioned clothing, which is worn and caked in dirt. She looks up at you with her thin, grubby face and stretches out a filthy open palm. If you wish to know where something important is about to happen in the city, she can tell you, and asks for $1000 in return. Pay it?

The woman takes your money, and with a voice as clear and articulate as can be, she tells you that very soon something is going to happen on the city streets. She tells you to hurry, as fate waits for neither mortal, nor immortal.

Light flurries of snow drifted down, as Corbin made his way back to the running car; outside the mall. Sliding into the passenger side, he quickly closed the door; before cracking the window and lighting up a cigarette. " Really Corbin? " Claudettes voice was hinted with disgust, that her brother had taken up smoking once again. He did not reply, but it went unsaid, do not speak of this to Othella. The blond behind the wheel shook her head; clearly annoyed. Pulling away, she drove out of the parking lot; stopping before heading out onto the street. " Well, what did the Oracle say? " Eyes that still held with annoyance, looked upon Corbin.

This was just another typical night for the two. A new hobby of sorts, doing one good deed a night. Claudette playing chauffeur (and hating it) while Corbin pretended to be some hero that got to save the day. Claudette simply thought it was a waste of money. " Elmworth, and step on it. " Spoken, as his cig hung from the corner of his mouth. Pulling out a gun, from the glove compartment, Corbin made sure it was secured in the shoulder holster he wore under his jacket. As the car pulled off, he could feel a calm settling over him; as he mentally prepared himself for anything. He never knew what sort of situation the Oracle was sending him off to. The ride was silent, except for small directions Corbin gave to the location.

He would have Claudette stop a short ways away from where the action was predicted to happen. As he stepped out into the night, she would lean over to catch his eyes; before he walked off. " Just be careful, ok. And don't take too long! " Calling after him, as he snuffed out his cigarette on the ground. " I always am! Just keep the car running, in case we have to make a fast getaway…. Like that one time. " His words shared with amusement, but Claudette looked a little worried then; remembering that one time. Nothing more was said, as he headed towards an alleyway. As he neared the opening, he could hear a man's taunting words.

"Bear traps are for when you're hunting bears. You should try something easier. Like toads."

Halting at the corner, his shoulder pressed against the building as he peaked to see what he was up against. He caught sight of three men, vampires, and a woman, human, who looked near death on the ground. Not wanting to lose the element of surprise, he pulled out his gun. Letting a few bullets fly, he took out the vampire furthest from the woman. The vampire was Ash, before his friends even knew where the assault was coming from. " Good evening gentlemen! " Taunting words shared, as he stepped out from behind cover and began walking towards the two vampires remaining. One of the men would charge at him, lashing out with a blade. Corbin would easily sidestep; the blade cutting through air in front of his face. The vampire didn't take too kindly to Corbin laughing at his failed attempt. Reminding himself there was a human life on the line, he stepped into action.

Getting off a few shots, he managed to wound one of the vampires. The two must have thought him not worth the fight. Not wanting to end up like their friend, the two would run off in the other direction. Normally Corbin would have chased them down, but his attention quickly turned to the woman who was severely injured. Leaning down, he silently cursed under his breath; realizing he knew who the woman was. They had never met personally. Claudette had bought oil off of her once. And Corbin had purchased a few things off the auctions from her. He only knew this because a strange telepath had invaded his thoughts once. Claiming Corbin to be a frequent customer of hers. How she was a Paladin that was not to be trusted. The whole situation had creeped him out a little. How a complete stranger would speak to him in such a way, admitting how they had been keeping tabs on the Paladin. Making mention of someone named Every and how she could provide more than just guns. Corbin still didn't understand what that could mean.

" Aw Galia, how did you find yourself in this mess? " Asking aloud, but he didn't expect her to respond. He supposed any other vampire would have let her die, but he could not do that. For some odd reason he felt something for the woman, he could not let it end this way for her. Corbin would take her into his arms and carry her back to the car. Claudette quickly got out of the vehicle, the moment she caught sight of the two. Opening the door for them, as Corbin went into the back seat with Galia. Back behind the wheel, Claudette would ask if they were headed to the hospital. Corbin would respond with a quiet voice. His sadness surprised his sister, but then she would realize who the woman was.

" Just drop us off near the sewer entrance to home. Best not to head down with us. If she wakes up….. She is going to be hungry and I don't want you anywhere near her if that happens. " As he spoke, his eyes lingered upon Galia. The drive was short, and soon Corbin and his sister were parting ways, before Corbin would head down into the sewers with Galia in his arms. His emotions were heavy, as much of the situation reminded him of the night Othella had been turned. Once inside the dwelling, Corbin would set her gently upon the old worn out couch; one of the few pieces of furniture in the main area of his home in the sewers. He said a silent prayer, before cutting his wrist and pressing it to the woman's lips to fill her mouth with his blood.

He just hoped the blood would do the trick, as it was the only thing that might bring her back from such injuries. His experience with turning another was limited, as this was only his second time doing such. Now it was simply a waiting game. As Corbin took a seat near the bookshelf, his cat Salem chose this time to show himself. Jumping to the back of the couch, he looked from the woman, to Corbin. His cat eyes glaring at him, as if asking if he had done this to her. " Hey, I'm trying to save her life. Keep telling you I'm still the good guy " Speaking with the family pet, as he often did. The old feline didn't look amused, but would settle in a comfortable position on the back of the couch; as if he wanted to see how this all played out.

[Galia]

This was, one way or another, a serious change. Death she felt approaching her. Her ability to see, hear, or even think properly, were fast receding. The only true things being pain, and the looming presence of death. Still, even in this fog of descent she knew something was going on. She knew there was a fight. She couldn't say how it went, nor how long.

But she heard her name. That was...not right. It came from something wrong. But her eyes were not even half open and she couldn't focus. She felt movement, felt the passage of time. But she couldn't think properly. A taste, blood? She felt like she was falling into an endless chasm.

And then it stopped, dangling over the void waiting for whatever held her in place to snap. But it didn't. She just hung there. And then she felt a pain, a hunger, her eyes shot open. She wasn't breathing. Staring at the ceiling and clenching her stomach curling into a ball and letting out a noise, she didn't really know what kind of noise. Hungry! Never so hungry!

Her hands gripped her legs as she kept her eyes opened. No breathing. She did not need to crave the air. Only something else...the final taste before she hung over the chasm. Blood. Her eyes shot across the room, person. Don't know his face yet so familiar. Cat. Useless. Nothing else. Nothing else. The wounds, why was she still here? Why was she still conscious?

"Blood." She whispered to herself. She tried to shove herself to her feet, stumbling in the process. Her hand touched one of her wounds as she stumbled trying to find a door, somehow knowing she couldn't take it from the man in the room... she stared at the wound with furrowed brow. That...that's not blood. She kept towards the door. Barely in control at the moment. "I need to fill...the hole." she muttered falling to the side.

[Corbin]

Very little time would pass before Corbin watched Galia come to. She had been turned, the former paladin was now a vampire. At first he sat still, simply watching her, not wanting to make any sudden movements. There was no telling how the woman was going to react, once the realization hit about what she had become. Corbin was fast to action, the moment she curled up. He knew what she needed. Blood. Luckily he had a nice supply on hand, in the refrigerator. Corbin himself didn't drink blood anymore, unless he was severely wounded. Still, it was good to have on hand for Othella too. For so long she made sure he always had the blood he needed. Now it was his turn to look out for her in such a way. Finally he was out and about, feeling as if his life was returning to some sort of normalcy. At the least he was no longer keeping hidden.

It took a couple of blood bags to fill the cup he took out. Placing on a lid, and inserting a reusable stainless steel straw; he turned to see she had made it off the couch. Corbin tried to get to her, before she went down; but would not make it in time. A look of concern held in his eyes, as he knelt down beside her. He held the drink out towards her. " Galia, drink this, you will feel better. I'm Corbin Belcourt. You met my sister once, Claudette. We purchased some oil from you. I found you in an alleyway tonight, near death. I ran off two of the vampires who did this to you. Managed to send one to the shadow realm." He was sure to keep his voice calm and as non threatening as he could. Setting down the drink near her, he stood back up; taking a couple steps back. There was no telling how she was going to react to this situation.

" I could not just let you die. You had lost so much blood, I knew a hospital could not help you. But I could. I wanted to help you. Claudette helped me bring you here and I gave you my blood, to save your life. This is the home of my wife, Othella, and I. We are both vampires. Galia, you are now a vampire." He cut himself short, before apologising for what he had done to save her. He was not sorry for that. He was sorry for what had happened to her, at the hands of those other vampires. He fought the urge to help her up. It would have been easy to pick her up in his arms, and put her back on the couch. Rather he waited for her reaction. There was no telling how this situation was going to play out. One thing he was sure of, he was going to have a lot of explaining to do to his wife.

Knowing Galia was in an unfamiliar setting, with a stranger, he tried to tell a little about himself. " Over two years ago, I moved here from Chicago Illinois. I had lung cancer. Tried everything... There was no saving me with modern medicine. Having heard about vampires, I decided to try and find someone to turn me. I don't remember how it happened, or much of anything about the one who turned me. All I know for sure is that she saved me. Because of her, I didn't have to say goodbye to my wife. It was only recently that my wife too became a vampire. She was attacked, like you were, by a vampire. I had to give her my blood and save her, because a world without her is unacceptable." As he spoke, Salem, the cat would run off. He was either uninterested in the situation, or wanted to avoid the possible conflict coming for his owner.

[Galia]

Already the fangs were visible whenever her mouth opened. Though she hadn't noticed it also, her shadow was gone. Revealing the specifics of which sort of vampire she was. Her pointless scrambling was not to last long, even through the pain of hunger she heard her name called. Exactly which self was in control had suddenly been thrown out the window. Her mind was whirling and somewhere in all that chaos of a death experience had swapped one for another, perhaps it was the disbelief of being turned that forced her warrior personality out, for now at least.

Instead it was just her, filled with confusion. Then she heard her name and was told to drink. She barely had any thought of doing otherwise and quickly began gulping on the blood once it was possible to do so. Her mind slowly began clearing as realization began to dawn on her. As the taste of blood began to become more blatantly obvious as to what she was doing. Claudette, purchased from her. She thought she remembered selling oil to someone. She'd gotten and sold a lot of things. He mentioned finding her in an alleyway. She didn't remember that, but it sounded like something she'd end up running into with her luck.

As she finished the 'drink' she stared at it, then shoved it aside scooting away from it just staring and listening, her tongue wrapping around her fangs as she tried to process as he spoke. As it all was connected. Vampire. she looked at him, naturally, the fear hit first. But, strangely, that fear was receding. She was immortal now. What was there to fear? Her face managed several quickly changing expressions. Some of them looked like she was almost going to laugh.

He continued, giving his story. He sought it out. She'd never have even thought of that. Her fear had been far too great, she'd most definitely fallen for the efforts to further villainize them. He had chosen to become a vampire, to save his life. His wife was also saved, because of a similar situation to hers apparently, not that she remembered it. Her head snapped to the side as she heard the cat run off.

Galia brought a hand up to feel the fangs, still formed under her lip. Vampire. she thought again to herself. She could see the black blood just hanging in the air, she was almost distracted just by looking at it. She chuckled slightly, not that her face looked like it should be letting out a laugh this time. "That's not right. Nope. Doesn't make sense. Gotta be dreaming or drugs. Nope." she looked around, "Or I'm just dying and hallucinating. Nope. Gotta go. Gotta....what do you do?"

She found herself just laying on the ground staring at the ceiling, "Too real." she stopped and just stared. Her face had become suddenly neutral. Already she'd seemingly given up on breathing. The only thing that was moving was her tongue, going over the fangs again and again in their unfamiliarity.

[Corbin]

Corbin stood, arms folded, his eyes watching Galia; like a hawk. Focusing with his predictive reflex, he had to be ready for anything. He waited for her to finish the drink. As the cup was shoved aside, Corbin made no move to retrieve it. He made no sudden moments at all. Standing tall and perfectly still, not wanting to startle her. Having shared some of his story, Galia seemed to be listing, but he could tell she was experiencing what she had become. Actions might have appeared curious, her words expressed disbelief. This was not an idea Corbin planned to entertain.

Despite his insecurities over the situation, when he spoke his words sounded completely sure and confident. " You live in Harper Rock. You know vampires are real. You are one and you best come to terms with that, or life will be complicated. As the one who turned you, I am here for you. This is not a dream, and I honestly could not say if you are on drugs or not. We did not exactly know one another well before this night." As he spoke, Corbin reached for the empty cup, taking it to the sink. Should Galia want more blood, he had plenty on hand.

Despite her nonthreatening behavior, Corbin was still on high alert. With the stress of the situation, he really wanted a smoke. He did best to hold a confident demeanor. " You are technically dead, but this is no hallucination. I can not let you go. What you will do is stay here, heal up and listen closely to what I say. First off, feed here. I can always have blood for you. Be that bagged blood, or fresh from a source. If you feed in public, even with a consensual situation, someone will report you. You do not want to be on the wanted list. Believe me, I know. Becoming a vampire does not mean you are exempt from pain." As he spoke, Corbin found his way back to the refrigerator; pulling himself out a bottle of beer.

He had a couple sips from the bottle, before sharing random advice. With appraisal he was able to assume a couple things." Don't go out in the sun. Eating food is likely your pastime. Perhaps in time you could tolerate eating. For now, blood only; unless you enjoy throwing up. Getting yourself on the wanted list is not the end of the world. But you turn in zombie ears, work to get it down and fast. You bring trouble to this place, or my family and we will have a problem. " His words paired with hand gestures, at the end pointing at her with his bottle, before having a drink.

[Galia]

Galia's mind was itself almost altering. She was becoming calmer a lot faster at the moment as she convinced herself that this wasn't nearly as bad of a thing as it seemed. As the panic subsided and she realized the potential avenues this brought her. For one, there was the obvious reason she no longer had to be as concerned about other vampires. Her concern would have to shift to humans, and avoiding them. But vampires had powers for that, or else they wouldn't be able to roam as freely as they had been for so long, even with these new restrictions, she had to wonder if they could be subverted.

She could hear him explain, and shut her eyes. In a way, she was testing the change. The lack of necessity to breath. The lack of a heartbeat. It was almost like the body had gone utterly silent. So there was little to hear but the voice explaining things to her. They didn't know one another, that was true, yet he chose to save her? At least from what he'd said.

Opening her eyes she looked around the room as he continued, thinking as she did so. Even now she could feel powers beginning to form at her fingertips. Such a fascinating feeling. She furrowed her brow as he said he couldn't let her go. Stay there, feed there, and listen. He gave advice, and warnings. He was drinking beer, which also confused her. She thought they could only drink blood.

He warned against the sun, and her confusion on the beer was at least somewhat corrected. She adjusted her position to a better way to sit as she listened. And heard his warning, or threat, depending maybe on how you interpreted 'problem' in that scenario.

But, instead she circled back around to one of his earlier statements since she really realized what was going on. "Why wouldn't you be able to let me go?" she asked cocking her head and waiting for a response. So few words. She found a surprising amount of desire to try and experiment with her abilities, ones she felt already at her grasp. Yet, it was as if she was too exhausted to use most of them. Why? What was the requirements to be able to use them? Should she even try while in here? How would he react?

Questions she didn't expect to be thinking. And yet even more were forming as she realized the odd lighting she had, or, not her herself, rather the lack of a shadow underneath her. She held her hand out over the floor and leaned to watch it, "No shadow. No reflection." her voice was not quite calm, but it was certainly not panicked either. "No death."

[Corbin]

"Why wouldn't you be able to let me go?"

Think before you speak, Corbin, he told himself; a reminder to keep his emotions in check. As his words were shared, they sounded calm and collected. " Look at you?! A soldier would take one look at you, and shoot. You need a shower, clean clothing. Off the room in the back is a shower, and my wife looks about your size. You can borrow some clothes. Not to mention, do you think you can control yourself? Are you ready to fit in with society? Or would you end up like one of the hunted wild vampires living out in the sewers." As he spoke, the allurist took to pacing behind the couch, in the middle of the room, as he went on.

" I know you were a Paladin. I had looked into your mind before, but only once after someone reached out to me about you. This vampire had been watching you. Hell, maybe he still is. You need to be careful, and right now this is a safe place where you can come to terms with what you have become. Figure out what needs to change." Speaking of change, he thought of how this was going to affect his life. He had an attractive blond laying on his floor, who he had turned. Othella might kill me. He had not even considered how this could affect his home life. He took the Oracles predictions as fate, a way to make Harper Rock a better place one situation at a time.

"No shadow. No reflection." her voice was not quite calm, but it was certainly not panicked either. "No death."

" I have a theory about that. You must be what they call a Shadow. If you were a skilled thief before, I imagine now you will be even better. Have met a shadow or two in my time." Knowing she would come to master the new powers in her possession. This made her dangerous, and already he felt her to be unpredictable. " I can provide many helpful things. Like a place to stay. We are currently in the sewers. I find it comforting to live underground in such a way. " He knew not if this all was connecting with her. She was a grown woman, in the end he could not force her to do or not do anything. The offer was on the table, he would be here for her. This was not something she had to experience alone. He also would not let her be a danger to the city, or herself. Vampires already had a bad reputation.

[Galia]

Galia looked at herself, better than before though she may be, she clearly had been in a fight. And if anyone saw her actual wounds, the unusual blood would almost certainly be a dead giveaway to what she was. Though, she might not have been able to recognize what the vampire type was normally, she'd have little other assumptions to make than that it was at least a vampire. He had a good point there. He mentioned the need for a shower and clean clothing, and that his wife had some she could use. So he had a wife, he said, so why wasn't she here? Was she also a vampire? What were the rules on siring anyway? Surely there had to be some? Would people follow them if they had them?

He also prompted the issue of if she could control herself or fit in. She had to legitimately think about that one. She didn't actually know the answer to that, especially with the hunger she'd felt just moments ago. Even now she felt like she needed more blood, though it was hardly as strong as it had been.

But her head shot up and she furrowed her brow as he said he knew she were a paladin. She knew she had lapses in time, she knew she had some kind of issue. But how bad was it that she couldn't even remember anything about being a paladin? His comment on looking into her mind pretty much overshot her, though she got that she was apparently being watched. "I don't remember that. Were you the ones leaving messages?" she asked. At some point she remembered reading things telling her not to leave, she wasn't sure if they were her and she had forgotten, or someone else.

He explained her lack of shadow, with a name that felt unfitting. She bit her lip at the comment of being a thief, well, that was definitely accurate. "Sounds useful" she said quietly. Such a change in emotions for her, she would never have been this calm normally. Place to stay, in the sewers, she raised an eyebrow. She groaned as she pushed herself to her feet clutching one of the wounds as she did so, "I...might need more to drink." she admitted looking slightly guilty, "This is way less terrifying than it feels like it should be."

[Corbin]

"I don't remember that. Were you the ones leaving messages?"

The moment her words were shared, his mood shifted dark. Instinctively defensive." People have been sending you messages? How have they been sending them to you? If this happens again, let me know…" Torn between him having no right to ask her to share such information with him, and he wanted to help; but she hardly knew him. Corbin was told not to trust her. How did he prove he was someone to be trusted. With a rising stress level, he would finish off his beer before a cigarette was lit. Quickly walking to the kitchen area; he turned on the exhaust above the stove. It rattled at first, but soon the sound would settle; hardly noticeable. The room was open, and large. Work stations were set along the far wall; several weapons on display. While on the side the two occupied, a small living area had been set up; complete with a small working kitchen. The only other furniture being a small kitchen table, the couch and an old chair set beside an overflowing bookcase.

Smoking, he listened as she spoke. How is she so calm? If anything, this pressed him on the edge. A building of panic, all for nothing. She was taking it all quite well. Shock? With the mention of more blood, he was quick to action. Rinsing off the cup, before filling it once more. He set the drink beside her, before stepping back to the exhaust above the stove. A hope that the entire place would not smell like he had been smoking. Making a reminder to get the forge up and going. That always had the living area smelling a little smokey, no matter how well the exhaust system operated. " How are you not freaking out? I am completely freaking out. Just to be honest, I was not following you tonight, or anything like that."

What reason did she have to believe him? His words went on anyways, "An oracle hangs out around the mall. If you pay her, she will tell you where something is about to go down in the city. She told me something was going to happen in that alley way…" Thinking of this, he wondered just how much the oracle had seen. Was this the outcome she envisioned? Leaned against the counter, he looked composed. Yet his emotions were on high alert. A What now?, lingered with him.