On the First Day of Christmas... [Adam Dupree]

[Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)]

Cosimo's face fell, disappointment clearly written across his features.

"Threats and blackmail, they will get you nowhere," he said, even as he shook his head. "The code, I am not sure it matters anymore. Humans, they know about vampires. It is not a secret that must be kept, and if a vampire is unlucky enough to lose control in a public space, then he must hope that he is not discovered. And yet, here you are, and you have my name. I will not ask how you got it, I do not wish to know. I have done nothing to you, sir. If I have hurt someone that you know, I did not do it on purpose," he said. A harshness had crept into the Italian's generally dulcet tones, an edge that was indicative of annoyance.

"What is it that you want? You know who and what I am. I will promise you that if you threaten to spread that information, I do not care. I will not give you what you want. Blackmail is not a quality that I think deserves reward," he said, squaring his shoulders. This man was meandering his way toward a broken nose and a bloodied lip.

[Adam Dupree (DELETED 9047)]

Adam just cocked his eyebrow up and grinned. "Who said anything about blackmail Mr. Alessi? You could call me more of a fan. The code might not matter to most vampires, but it still matters to me. I wouldn't blackmail because it would require spreading even the smallest of knowledge of vampires to the mortal world. I wouldn't do that."

He noticed the vampire's annoyance so he tried to edge away from the cliff of violence. "Now let's get to what it is I'd like. I want to be like you. I understand that blackmail doesn't deserve a reward. Remember though, I wasn't going to blackmail."

He could only hope his talking was enough to calm this vamp down.

[Cosimo Alessi (DELETED 6612)]

It wasn't in Cosimo's nature to lose his temper in a violent way; his response to blackmail would not be to rip this vampire limb from limb nor to drain him of his blood to leave him dying in the gutter. Cosimo's response would be entirely different. What, he did not know, could not know until faced with the situation. The man's clarification caught the Italian off-guard.

"So you thought that you would wait until you had witnessed something, until you could track one of us down and just... ask?" he asked, shaking his head incredulously. It was either a very brave thing to do, or a very stupid one.

"Do you understand the things that you would be sacrificing? You say you are a fan -- to be a vampire is not like it is in the movies, or the books. That is all very romantic. Our life is not romantic. It is very real and it is very dark. Why is it something that you want?" he asked. It was not a decision to be made lightly. Nor was it something to be given lightly, either. Cosimo had made that mistake in the past, and he would not make it again.