Shoot or hug or both?

[Aden-OCarrol]

Aden started laughing as soon as she said it. It started off soft and slowly grew louder and bolder the laughter echoed around the room. " Out of everything you could ask me to you want to know how I became a giant? I don't know if he told you or you've heard the rumors about this town. But most of them are true. I came to this town wondering lost in my mind looking for something. I don't know what I was looking for I just wanted something to feel whole not fill empty anymore. "

He smirked." I met this lady, we started it off after she hit me with a motorcycle. Know the story doesn't go where you think it does. Apparently, she was a vampire. And yes vampires are real and there are lots of them in the city apparently. I wanted to thank her for not taking me to the hospital helping me out when I got the light concussion from being hit by the motorcycle. We got attacked by vampire hunters. All I had on the currently was knives and that doesn't bode too well in a gunfight. Especially after one shot me with a shotgun. As I think it was a shotgun. I don't remember most of how the fight with it went a little fuzzy."

He wiped his eyes and turned around and faced her " Apparently she took pity on me or maybe she liked my rage, I don't quite know why she decided to turn me but she did. And what does that have to do with me getting taller you're wondering. While apparently there are multiple different types of vampires they call them paths. I've been quite understood what that meant yet but it seems there's is one they call Killer. which fits my personality fits it to a T . And as you grow in that path you grow in height as well. I was 6'9 when I got here. I went to multiple jackets than that was like a little over a year ago. This is me off have to buy new jacket and boots every single time I get. I was told become at like 7 foot tall".

Smiles and looks at his daughter who seem to be very much like him.

"So you're not going to shoot me or try to kill me for killing your mother? Dad gave you everything he had on what happened to me and told you the story from his point of view. Didn't he?"

[Cara (DELETED 10504)]

She shrugged smiling somewhat as he laughed at her question. Well, it mostly had the effect intended. She listened, leaning against the counter from her back and furrowing her brow in thought still. She had heard the stories yeah, vampires, all that, even seen some zombies here and there. There was some wacky crap going on in this town that was for certain. Though, for the most part, she hadn't seen a whole lot of it aside from those two things. Just didn't show up.

She could tell where it was going when he really started mentioning vampires. Heh, found another woman eh? Though, perhaps those are very different circumstances. she thought for a moment, So you're a vampire? Wonder what all the limitations for that really are. Yeah I heard some of the stories but a few of them also said they've seen them in the daylight so I'm really not sure what's totally the truth.

When he ended his little story and added his last comment she pushed off the counter again looking out the window as she responded, "Don't get me wrong, I thought about it. If grandpa hadn't told me though, maybe I would have. Though, then again, maybe I wouldn't have found you either if he hadn't."

Cara felt like she'd calmed down a good bit, she still felt a bit of anger towards him, though it was only partially on her face, but she also wanted to actually know him. She'd gone eighteen years not really knowing anything and another few years just learning pieces but only met him just today. She wanted to understand him without actually making that appear to be too much the case, hence why she tried to stay a bit reserved right now.

"So, you're a vampire? That's, uh, a bit new. What's that like? Aside from the absurdity of the height thing and drinking blood." She asked, although the question was said vaguely casually she knew how very weird of a question it was. And how odd it was she'd said it that way, it was most certainly not a casual question. She'd just asked him what it was like to be a revenant, a creature solidified in history and stories, that fed on other living creatures. Then again, he was a mercenary before, how much different was it this time around.

[Aden-OCarrol]

That is kind of complicated too, I'm unable to eat food or drink anything. We don't talk about what happens when you do. I'm a lot faster stronger and you have powers that you slowly begin to gain over time each path gains different powers. I'm not sure exactly how that works quite yet. Fairly I can change my face and appears to look like someone else, I can go out in the daylight but I get burns from the sun. I can really jump on top of the building. And some other random stuff. Yeah there's a lot of seducing, women for their blood."

Smirks " I spend most of my time fighting the weird strange monsters that somehow exist this town in certain places. There's a lot of other strange things besides zombies. And as you go different places they get stronger and harder to beat. I'm kind of addicted to fighting them. Find a new group that stronger than the ones I just bought and kind of go at it until they become easy and go looking for ones that are off stronger than those that I beat. As long as I die in this town I'm relatively immortal. There's is scary weird dimension called the shadow realm. You go to it's not that fun. It messes with most people's minds. It's not half as terrifying as the things I've seen.

"Oh there are humans with special powers somehow in this town to that are always the fan vampires. The kind of fun to fight. oh I'm pretty sure I'm not what you expected? Then me being a vampire didn't help any."

His eyes slowly began to turn black like that of a shark. " Creepy an Cool right, Scared the **** out of people".

[Cara (DELETED 10504)]

Cara rubbed her forehead in thought as he explained some of what he could and could not do now. Quite an interesting aspect he'd obtained. Not only did she finally find her father, in possibly the craziest places on the planet but he had become a thing of myth with a variety of peculiar powers because of a "path" of vampirism, along with those traits he mentioned such as that odd thing with the height. It was an unusual situation by far, she chuckled to herself, the sort of thing someone could write a book about. Ah well, maybe anonymously, a long time in the future, with all changed names and a bit of some jumbling up to avoid direct connections.

He went on to mention where he went when he died, presumably, that applied to all other vampires as well. It sort of explained why they didn't really show up elsewhere really. If they were somehow limited to this location. Though, that did seem kind of odd, perhaps the location existed elsewhere and shifted or something, that'd be an interesting tale to tell as well if she actually knew it. Ah, and humans with powers, made sense considering the vampires already, who could...change their faces? What more would humans be.

The kind of fun to fight. oh I'm pretty sure I'm not what you expected? Then me being a vampire didn't help any."

His eyes slowly began to turn black like that of a shark. " Creepy an Cool right, Scared the **** out of people"..

Cara leaned back her head and raised an eyebrow as his eye turned black completely, "Well yeah I can imagine why." she commented.

"Well, I don't know what I expected, the vampire part, definitely not. I've not really even fully comprehended that just yet or I might be a bit more freaked out. Though I dunno, some of it makes sense I guess. Honestly I still don't know what to think about all this, kind of brought up your height to try and cool things down but now I'm trying to fit like a thousand different things into my head that just don't want to go in for a few hours." She said gesturing and shaking her head as she responded to him.

[Aden-OCarrol]

Aden smiled and took a seat down on the edge of one of the beds " I can tell you the story of how mother and I met? Which would be something easier to swallow and revel in than all of that weird stuff that involves your old man. I'm not really good at this emotion stuff. Prison changed me a lot. Becoming a mercenary changed me in more. What happened with her stepsister mother sealed the deal. Your mom tried to help her get me back in prison kidnapping again.they did not succeed. It broke my heart twice in a way I never expected. I don't know why it hurt me that she was involved but it did. Somehow it was like an ice pick to the part of your heart that you lost but did know was still there until she stabbed it."

He patted the bed beside him " I'm glad that you found me the hope that I can answer some of these questions. But this is a dangerous place. I don't make it any safer, I'm a dangerous man. I do wild crazy things to entice people that most people wouldn't. I enjoy the thrill of the fight. I have plans in works to cause some serious ripples in this town and have some fun. People that are close to me they might likely go after. I'm pretty sure grandpa taught you how to fight and I would assume from the way you throw. You're probably a pretty good marksman as well. "

Runs his hands through his hair and then brushes his beard. " I am a Dick. I have a big mouth, I say whatever the hell comes to my mind and I really don't care how other people feel about it. Okay, that's mostly true. People that I have made a connection with have gotten used to me to care for them a bit different.I can be quite rash with my actions and impulsive. I am prone to violence. And if anyone messes with you I am likely to paint the street like a canvas with their blood. They call me Bloody Red for reason. I have a particular set of skills." Aden grins from ear to ear.

"There are people in this town there are those that are not a fan of vampires even people that have special powers as human beings.that are out to destroy us. As you can imagine I'm a fan filling of them full of lead. They don't like that very much. So if you want to stay for a few days get to know your old man. And head back towards grandpa and I can keep in contact with you. You're welcome to come here sparing basis. If you're going to stay, and you really want to get to know the person that I am. I warn you this is a very dangerous road. I don't want to see you get hurt. This town is a dark and crazy place and I've seen some of the worst places this planet has to offer. This is one dangerous town. "

[Cara (DELETED 10504)]

Cara nodded smiling for a moment as he said he was going to tell the story of how him and her mother met, dropping casually into one of the chairs and tossing her legs on the ottoman and folding her hands together as she leaned forwards to listen. Every sentence kept her brow furrowed, though, that was partially because she was still only just wrapping around everything else, the vampirism, the fact she just found her father, that her search had finally come to an end...this was it, it was him.

Her mother really did hurt him, it made sense that he wanted to kill her and, ultimately, did even if he waited awhile to do so. Not that she was a wonderful mother, though she could appreciate that he didn't want to leave her an orphan nor take her on some long constant run from law. Then he spoke a little bit on the situation, that he did and would do things that would always be dangerous, that he was happy he could answer some questions. She shrugged when he said she was probably a good marksman, simply quietly commenting, "Pretty good I'd say." it was slight without intention for a response.

He then went on to talk about himself again, who he was as a person. She raised her eyebrows as he said if someone messed with her then their blood would line the streets. Bloody red no doubt fit indeed. Heh, that was sweet, he wanted to protect her...or avenge her. On the one hand it was nice, on the other she felt she could take care enough of herself...though taking vampires and powers into account did make that a bit more difficult of a picture.

He finished on telling her that she could stay to get to know him long term, or just do visits of sorts. Well, she really wasn't sure, she hadn't thought that far. She only just found him, so for now at least, she intended on staying. She wanted to know what he was like, what she missed, or didn't miss. Get back even the slightest of time she never got with him.

She nodded smiling and laying back in the chair looking up, "Oh I think I'll stay for now, after all I came all this way to find you I wouldn't want to leave in just a few days. Besides this place could be fun, even if it is dangerous. I might have to figure my way around it but maybe it'll be cool." Cara suddenly felt a tinge of bitterness at him still leaving her before shoving it aside for now as her smile faded, Don't stay silent for too long, he might ask about you, and what do you have to say anyway? Change subject quick.

"I guess I should learn my way around this town pretty fast if things really are dangerous shouldn't I? Figure out all the big threats, and the entertaining ones hm?"

[Aden-OCarrol]

" Your definitely my kid"

He takes a deep breath even though it is unnecessary. " I was a lot nicer back then. I was actually a nice guy. Lot less of Dick that I am now. Always been a bit cocky I'm good at what I do. But like you probably I was way too good sports there wasn't one school that I wouldn't of been the captain or one of the best at. But they bored me so I refuse to play. Instead, I didn't martial arts tournaments and knife throwing competitions with grandpa. By the time I was in middle school anyone that paid attention to the upcoming stars in American martial arts knew who I was. I was literally one of the best. But because most kids at school only saw me as the goofy kid just hanging with the nerds they didn't know a lot about me. Except for the few times I got in a fight. If you want to call any of them fights.

So it was my freshman year, a lot of my friends were actually geeks and nerds. Because I'm a bit of one myself but I'm more of a dork. I like Dnd, larping and anime. Cartoon violence is awesome. So I hung out with a lot of them and kept them out of trouble bullies didn't like to mess with me I put them in there place.

So apparently, this Junior who had a crush on your mom. Was trying to impress her and several other girls by picking on some really nerdy band guy. You know the classic type that likes to knock over people's bookbags push people around that type of asshole. I'm not a fan of bullies never. So I get between him and the nerdy guy. Now my friends know how I am. So they make a circle around us convincing other people to lock arms. Because they know this is getting into a fight and they want to see the fight go through before it gets broken up.

Short and simple I talk smack to him about fighting with people his own size. He swings at me a few times and had a better chance that Lebron side of the barn than me. I don't even hit him. I spin around Yelling Torro Torro and pop him in the back of the head/neck with the back of my hand like Gibbs does it in NCIS. He gets really mad. Throws a few hard crazy punches. I grabbed his arm flip him over my shoulder to put them on the ground. And because I am who I am. I'm pushing on his arm hurt his shoulder and his elbow. I made them say that I am his daddy Loudly for everyone to hear. Can you blame me?"

Apparently, that got your mother's attention, your mom deftly was a redheaded hottie back then. Turned lots of heads. From rumors that I've been told was a pretty good fighter on her own and beat up several girls according to her. Who messes with her plan and boyfriend. But anyway years later she tried that with me once didn't go so well. But I don't want to talk about that story.

That particular day she took interest in me and she decided that I was going to be hers according to some of her friends and she had laid claim to me. and within a few days from that, it didn't seem though as other girl stopped really paying much attention to me as if I had a girlfriend when I tried to flirt with them. A few weeks after that there was the school talent show.

I don't know if grandpa ever showed you the trick he claimed that stole grandma's heart. But he decided that I was going to do that at the talent show and had gotten permission from the principal and school officer for me to do it as long as they held the weapons until he picked them up. The little trick of his you throw three axes at a target. The first act hits dead center the other once you hit the acts it flips off lands on another target on the ground. If you do it right the two axes make a heart around the target. I'm not sure if he told the story but that's how he swept grandma off her feet.

So he proceeded to teach me that for the next few weeks until I got it right. Course I won the talent show that trick is boss by the way. Especially if you add the ax's on fire. And juggle them first. Your mom was the one that noticed the ax's had made the heart and the second target. Grandpa said to tell her "Because that heart was for you" is corny but apparently it worked.

She demanded that I take her out on a date a real date. Like I had to dress up and act like a gentleman according to her. And if I couldn't do that I wasn't worth anything. No girl in our school would ever date me, because she makes sure of it and that was a fact she claimed. I did like the last part so much but I like how stubborn and how feisty she was.it didn't help that your moms were a knockout. She deftly could've been a model. I'm glad you got your pretty looks from her, not me." He smirked." So I did it actually went pretty well and we were together from then on until but after you were born."

Smirked. " I bet she told you that it was at the school dance, I came over and asked her to dance like a gentleman we dance together all night and laughed enjoyed each other's company. I wooded her like she was a queen. Which did happen a little while later. Again she maybe go and dresses up. And claimed had to pretend like this was our first date I was on trial all over again."

[Cara (DELETED 10504)]

Cara couldn't help but show interest in the story as she sat on her chair folding her hands together in front of her face occasionally. Sometimes nodding or chuckling quietly. From his interest and skills which they shared, onto his Torro fight with the bully, and right to the end of the tale. Made claim on him indeed, axe tricks, Cara kind of wondered if she could use that if she wanted to in the future. Even if only for show.

She shook her head chuckling, "So that's the story of it all then hm? Seems a good deal more interesting. Ah my life wasn't so active, though, I have had quite the time with the skills I seem to have gotten from you and grandpa." Cara ran a hand through her hair, "Suppose it's nice I got her looks but it can be a hassle at times, like with your friend at the bar."

Cara grinned looking back at him, "On the other hand, do you know how fun it is to watch a guys face when he sees me throw a knife into a dart board suddenly. Or hear them when they see a knife on the counter suddenly, I admit I've gotten a good bit of joy out of that sometimes."

Cara really didn't have as much she wanted to say, but she felt a little bit more comfortable with that bit of tidbit going out to him. He after all did just tell her the real story behind her mother and fathers growing up together. She wondered how much he had kept to himself for so long, if he really wanted to spend time with her like she had missed him for a long time.

[Aden-OCarrol]

"Suppose it's nice I got her looks but it can be a hassle at times, like with your friend at the bar."

Laughs really hard then let's finish speaking. "Joe would've hit on you if you were the ugliest woman on the planet as long as he knew you were a woman. He doesn't really mean anything by it it's just how he is he doesn't care anymore what anybody thinks of him. And he loves messing with people he loves the look on their face when he says something really inappropriate and doesn't know what to do because he's an old man."

Smirks " so part of the deal with me going to prison was that I was allowed to see for 10 years. Was no contact with your mother or you. I could no way shape or form even slip messages to her through other people. So I get out I had to live with my dad for a while. Because I lost my house to her when I was in prison. So you can imagine that you got to spend time with grandpa and grandma. I had to leave, knowing that you weren't that far from me I couldn't go and hold you be there for you at all. They did a good job of not talking about it letting me just put in the back of my mind. But I couldn't get around the cute little bathing suit that was yours, some of your clothes and toys that were at the house. The car seat that I bought you now living in the back of their car.

I know it sounds easy for me just to state around and waited. But every day was like torture I couldn't see the person that I loved and missed the most. I had been training with The Brit doing aerosol missions with them. A friend of mine in prison hook me up with him when I got out. That about three or four months after that he asked me if I wanted to join his mercenary team. He explained to me what it was how much I would be making. But he was going to put me through the worst training anyone had ever been to his life thing that I was a former military he was going to make as good or better than any man who ever served. That was the only way I was gonna earn respect from his crew. Each one of them was going to put me through the special ops training that they went one after another. and they did not only did I excel at it they were impressed that they were never able to break me. Each one of them at the end said I was a natural the best they had ever seen.

The reason I agreed because the more I thought the more my body was pushed to the limit. The more I was able for a moment to not think about you. I had to concentrate on what was in front of. There was no room for error my mind was full of adrenaline. Body pumping is moving giving everything that I had. And I was good at it I was able to be lost in the mode of a killer. and what I was doing for the right reasons doing something that mattered. I was able to put my pain on a shelf in a box somewhere deep inside of me where it didn't hurt so much I didn't feel itas much until it completely faded. I was able to feel something besides hurt.

Over time it got better the more that I fought the more I was able to let go. I was gone most of the time so I didn't have to leave the house when you were there. I eventually moved out and didn't see grandpa and grandma all that much. Dad understood why but it really hurt mom. I'd always been an angry child ever since I became a teenager. Not angry at people just angry at the world. I wanted to hit and break things not people I just had to get that anger out. It's why he put me in martial arts. I've always kind of had that rock 'n roll hate the world attitude. If you know who five finger death Punch is their attitude fits me quite well.

I wanted to be there with you. I want to watch you grow up. I wanted to do stupid little tea parties with you. Dress up as a pretty princess too if you wanted me to. I had this whole bit set up if you ever came and said you were scared of the monsters in your room or of the dark. About one of our ancient ancestors slaying the monsters in a certain place Iceland. I had a special little weapon that I had built for you made out of foam. That I had put glow-in-the-dark paint made cool little designs. And I was gonna tell you that story get you all hyped up. About being the only person that can slay the monster is you as part of your heritage passed down to you. That when we were little me, grandma and grandpa had to do it too. Even had made you this cute little set of armor that would fit you when you're about five. So that you can slay the monster. I left armor for grandpa don't know if he ever did that or told you his version of the story. Grandma and grandpa were supposed to get in on the story with me and talk about it with you. All day getting you ready so that you felt confident and slay the monster.

I planned on teaching you how to play pretend and use your imagination so that we could have fun games together when you were little. I wanted to be there, I promise but knowing you were so close and not been able to hold you in my arms see you laugh, smile or fall asleep with you on my chest anymore hurt me away I don't have words for.

After the second time a woman tried to take everything for me I died inside. I had to leave I can be there anymore. That's when I came up with the plan to let him die. And arise as to why am now. Just get on my bike and wonder forget. And then by Odin's Grace maybe I would end up somewhere. Somewhere I belonged. Somehow I ended up in a strange place. and became a vampire. With a strange woman that it's hard for me to explain but I like her. A lover in a very different way she is my sire.still keep thinking I'm gonna wake up from a, and all of this is going to be a dream because I had a wreck on my bike.Everybody in the dream world will be somebody that took care of me in the hospital like in a movie."

[Cara (DELETED 10504)]

She shrugged at the comment of what Joe would do. Ah well, didn't matter, point wasn't really about him exactly anyway so it didn't matter. Made sense about the guy though, he was a weird individual and she wondered just how much there was that was actually normal about him, even remotely so.

Then her father went into the next story, starting with that of prison and no contact. Mentions of things that came to her memory, even if only vaguely at first due to her age. Then how he joined the mercenary team, why he did it, the feelings he was trying to avoid, Cara looked away momentarily blinking a little fog away from her eyes as he continued. You can't tear up right now what's wrong with you? You don't really know him. she though swallowing as he continued. It wasn't necessarily that this was the most emotional part of what she'd been told so far. More just that things had been building up to this. She just didn't think it'd happen here and now. The little stories, the little tale about slaying the dragon, the little armor, things she never got to have with him.

Cara wondered what type of person she would have been if she'd have had him back then. Back when a kid was supposed to have their parents. That chance was totally gone though, and there was nothing she or him could do about it.

He added the bit about coming here, about leaving because he just couldn't handle the pain of it anymore. How he became a vampire and that he seemed to have fallen in love with his sire. And also, that he kept thinking about waking up from a dream. She frowned looking down for a moment.

"Well, it isn't a dream, that's for sure. Though, honestly, it seems like it would be one with all the insanity of it. Right out of some movie." She said running her tongue around on one side of her cheek not looking him directly in the eyes. She didn't have a stern look but she didn't want to exactly cry in front of him either, "But those days are lost. We aren't getting them back however much we want them. The question is, what now? What about this woman? If I'm gonna stick around I at least need to hear about your friends, hm?" she inquired trying to get a little more feel for the type of life her father had led, and was leading, while she was gone.

She held up a hand for a moment, "Aside from the weirdo in the bar huh, we can probably skip that."