random acts of kindness [reanna]

[Juliet]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Reanna: "I'm so tired, Markus." the Russian spoke quietly, her fingers wrapping around the thin tan cloth of her blanket. Pulling it tighter around her form, she pressed her head to the brick behind her and pressed the fabric that was bunched in her fist to her nose. It barely concealed the scent of stale vomit and cigarettes, but it was enough of a shield to allow her stomach to stop churning. "I can't do it anymore, just... let it stop." she continued, as if holding a conversation. However, her voice met no one's ears, the only shadow cast in the alley being her own. Her head swayed to the left, the strength she needed to hold it up failing her as her stomach gave one last painful roar before quieting.

She couldn't remember the last time she ate, or the last time she bathed. She knew she couldn't smell any better than the garbage bin she was cuddled up next to. Hell, the last time she had seen herself in the mirror, she had nearly fainted. Her hair had been her prized possession, sleek and gorgeous, now in tattered, greasy knots. Curling her hands tighter into the blanket as the wind blew; she ducked her head down, trying to block the air from her sunken cheeks. "You did this to me, you fool. You promised me safety forever, and yo-..." her words never had a chance to finish as a cough tore from her chest, drops of blood staining the tattered fabric.

With a low groan, she dropped her head back, just as the door to the bar nearest her slammed open. Instantly, the silent was broken by an explosion of loud voices and laughter in the mouth of the alley as two couples came staggering out. She watched in envy as two blonde women clung to their male companions, words spoken in a language she barely understood reaching her ears. Her jaw clenched for a moment as she was thrown back in time, the memory exploding behind her eyes of another time, another place. It was a place where her brother still lived and a time where she recalled hiding in his closet when he would bring his flavor of the month home.

She never liked the girls he was with, and the blonde's clinging to their men reminded her so much of his taste. Quickly, she shook her head as she felt tears burn her eyes, another cough escaping, alerting the group to her presence. "Hello?" one of the males called as he pressed a button on his cell, instantly illuminating her darkened sanctuary in a bright glow that nearly blinded her. "Oh, god. Are you okay?" he spoke as her hand shot up, trying to block the beam as she squinted in their direction. There was a shuffle of footsteps as he neared her, and her fingers curled around her brother's switchblade. Fear entered her heart and took root there as the strange man continued his approach. She couldn’t tell what his words meant as he spoke them, her English limited to a few mannerisms and how to ask for a bathroom or a cup of water. In that moment, he wasn’t a concerned citizen seeking to aid her.

He was a strange man blinding her with a light and cornering her in the middle of an alley. A feeling she could only name as self-preservation filled her chest as he kneeled next to her, causing her hand to shoot out. The blade found no resistance in the denim he wore as it stuck for a clean cut, the skin of his thigh splitting open. "****! What the ****?" he screamed as he jumped back, his phone shattering as it clattered to the ground, bathing her in darkness once more. The relief she felt was instantaneous, and her stormy green eyes were able to focus on the man as he continued his rant, one hand clutching his leg as he glared down at her for a moment, his tone having turned from soothing to a pained anger in a split second. “Fine, stay here and rot, crazy *****.” He spat and turned away, leaving her with the scent and feel of his blood on her hands. She didn’t even bother to look up from the ground to see if the group had left. She simply curled tighter back into her blanket as the wind began to blow again, hoping that sleep or death would take her. Whichever one came first was fine by her.

Juliet: She had left the 8th Dimension Mall reluctantly, not quite wanting to leave her beloved stores for the evening. She felt that there were still things to do - clean the glass cases that the jewelry sat in for example and with a silent curse escaping past her lips, Juliet tightened her muscles and continued on her way towards Wickbridge station. Due to the cooler weather, she had stored away most of her skirts and was comfortably wearing a black thigh length cardigan over her soft yellow sweater and blue jeans. As she walked, her heels softly clicked against the concrete and pavement.

As always, after work, Juliet got on the transit and left for Cherrydale Station and sometime later, the long legged Spanish woman took in an unneeded breath of the fresh air. The area was familiar - April had been buried there a year ago and as she passed the saloon the two went to drinks before the woman fell ill. A block away was their apartment, and they had visited the town shops together shopping for little trinkets to send home to their grandmother. The raw memory caused her to stop and stare with a sigh escaping past her lips. Juliet missed her family on occasion, but she loved and adored the Altaire. Leaving, she knew as she fiddled with her engagement ring, was next to impossible. Not then. After all, she was happy with her shops, too.

Heading past the alley where Phoenix had stabbed her, Juliet was nudged aside by a man saying something along the line of a crazy ***** and another woman saying that he had only been trying to help. Frowning, she sniffed the air and caught the scent of fresh blood before she quietly began to walk in the direction that the group had left while a stinging sensation appeared in her side - about where she'd been stabbed all those months ago. It was all in her head, but the memory itself brought a faint smile across her lips. Sure, Phoenix was a crazy *****, but she was a lovable psycho. She just kind of happened to be emotionally unstable at the time.

At least, that was Juliet's explanation. She tried to see the best about everything. The smell of sickness hit her, and immediately, she looked around to find the source before finding the woman curled in blankets and carefully, at the sight of the blood on the female's hands, Juliet approached while raising her own to show that she meant no threat as concern crossed her features. Only a few weeks before, she'd stumbled across Saige and the other woman had ended up getting stabbed protecting Juliet. "Miss?" She asked, her voice soft as she waited until she was at least three feet away before slowly crouching down, the Spanish accent gentle but allowing her words to be heard clearly, "Are you alright?" She knew she wasn't.

Licking her lips lightly to wet them so they wouldn't bother her while she was speaking, Juliet listened towards her heartbeat and wondered exactly what Phoenix would do if she tried to take the girl home. She was pretty, but clearly malnourished and as she remained in her crouched position, Juliet began going through her bag in search of a chocolate bar that she bought from habit. Even if she couldn't enjoy it, mothers brought children into the store and if they behaved, Juliet would offer it to them. Finding a Snickers, she collected it and held the sweet out to the woman. What was it she told Saige about giving things to people that seemed homeless? "Here," She spoke softly. She had hand sanitizer, too, which she removed from her bag followed by a handkerchief. She could almost hear April telling her that she was doing a good job. That she really did care about others. Once she felt that the other would know that she wasn't a threat, she'd sit down. Until then, she didn't move.

Reanna: As her head dropped back against the wall, the Russian sighed quietly. This wasn’t the first time someone had tried to come to her aid, but it was the first time she had lashed out so venomously. Reanna – even thinking of herself by the stolen alias had become natural – stared down at the blade in her hand, her eyes following the drips of blood as they pooled into a tiny puddle next to her. “He was dangerous, Markus.” She spoke in the darkness, her accent thick and rough as she tried to explain her actions. How did she know he was dangerous? How had she known he wasn’t just trying to help?

His tone had been gentle enough, soothing enough, but there had been something predatory in the way he moved towards her. Now that she thought about it, maybe she had been a bit harsh. It wasn’t natural that she reacted poorly to strangers, but then, her entire life was a rollercoaster of complete **** ups. With a quiet groan, she slammed her head back against the brick at the same time another shadow filled the mouth of the alley. “Not again,” she complained in Russian. Clearly, she had chosen a horrible resting point – or grave, if she allowed herself to contemplate why she was really here.

As the shadow moved closer, dancing in and out of her line of sight, Reanna narrowed her eyes. This shadow was delicate, lithe. Female. It didn’t seem to pose a threat, even as her face became clear. The Spanish woman appeared to be no more than a delicate flower, something the twenty-one year old thought she’d have been able to handle in the earlier days – before disaster struck. Now, however, she’d be surprised if she could even cause the woman to stumble an inch. As the woman neared her, her eyes narrowed dangerously, trembling fingers wrapping tight around the hilt of her blade.

Yet, something seemed to stop her. Some unknown force held her hand in place, stalling the assault on the strange, yet kind woman. The way she approached her spoke volumes, even if she didn’t understand the words she used. When her hand dipped into the bag, she fought against the force holding her still, the blade shaking dangerously as it rested against the ground. Was the woman tricking her? She knew too well what could be concealed behind fabric. Slowly, the woman’s hand reappeared, and her gaze shot to the strange wrapped candy in her palm.

“Dying,” she finally spoke, voice cracking as she forced the loose English off her tongue. That was her answer to the question, and the offered food. She was dying. She wanted to die – at least, she thought she did. Drawing her brows together, she studied the stranger. There was something strange about her, something not human, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Instead, she chewed on the abused flesh of her lip, and slowly let her blade clatter to the ground. Breath rasped in her lungs, strangled for a full entry, each one more shallow than the last.

“Dying,” she repeated, the word weaker as she turned her head and coughed. This wasn’t how life was supposed to go, and now, there was a strange woman with all too knowing eyes privy to her end. Her lips parted again, gaze set on something past the woman’s shoulder as she spoke in fluent Russian, her tone accusatory, angry – hurt. “You did this to me. You did this, this is your fault.”

[Reanna]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Juliet: Juliet was not clueless, nor was she dense - maybe a little naive, but that was just who she was. Her cousin, April, had always said that she was probably the sweetest ditz that any one person could meet and in the end, it had been her downfall. Adric, Phoenix, Saige. She had fallen in love, trusted a man and he killed himself. She had come to someone's aid and ended up getting killed. With Saige, it had been more concern for the girl than her own body - she can heal wounds. Humans can't. As she approached, she could hear someone talking to themself, but it wasn't English, or Spanish. Something foreign. She pressed her lips idly together and considered to call her sire or her partner in question of what to do.


When she heard the sound of a complaint, the tone universal, Juliet managed not to snicker while she waited before her blue eyes moved over the other one in concern. When it came to fighting, Juliet wasn't afraid to, she just preferred against it. Now, that didn't mean she couldn't easily get the upper hand with the mystic abilities that allowed her to cheat a bit. Jesse had almost ended up receiving a nasty burn to his face the night he grabbed her by the throat - although she had admitted she startled him by waking him up. Although the alley had poor lighting, Juliet couldn't help but notice that the woman was sitting exactly where she had fallen after her sire, then attacker, stabbed her. "I won't hurt you,"

She promised, making sure her tone if anything was clear enough. When she heard the word dying, the tall woman gave a faint nod of her head. She could hear it in the way the other woman breathed, the way her heart moved. It made Juliet's unbeating heart break softly while she looked around and bit her bottom lip. Softly, and gently, she raised her finger to her lips to say that the woman would need to be quiet as she made up her mind that would probably end up having someone in her line chasing her around the city later. Hearing the accusing and angry statement, although she didn't understand it, Juliet turned her head to look over her shoulder and slightly blinked in wonder.

Who was she talking to? Was she crazy? Or was it because she was dying was she seeing something that wasn't there to Juliet's eyes? She would have to ask her sire if that were even possible as she reached over and gently pried fingers away from the blade, moving it away from the female so she wouldn't be stabbed and hesitantly, she allowed her fangs to come into view. When her fangs were visible, Juliet made a motion by lifting her own hand to her lips, touching a fang, and then inclined her head as she motioned towards the dying woman as if asking if she'd want to be turned.

Reanna: Lifting her gaze to the woman, Reanna narrowed her eyes and took a breath. She was preparing to lash out again, the anger building in tempo until it beat like a bass drum behind her eyes. Why couldn’t people just leave her alone? Hadn’t she been through enough in her life? Giving a sharp snap of her teeth, she tried to inch backwards, away from the woman. However, her back hit brick and brought her up short, to where she could only give a slow shake of her head. Behind her, she could see that familiar silhouette of her brother, though she could never make out the true features of him. He was standing behind the stranger, causing her to miss the extension of her fangs.

“What?” she asked in broken English, her gaze moving from the shadow to the woman in front of her. It was then she saw the fangs, the elongated canines setting oddly beautiful in the woman’s soft face. However, the fact that the stranger looked beautiful wasn’t enough to stop the fear the gripped her. It felt as if someone had clamped their hand down around her throat and began to squeeze. The feeling caused her breathing to labor more, and her hand slammed against the wall in a futile attempt to stand. She made it to a low crouch before the weakness surged through her veins and she slid back down.

When her backside hit the ground in a less than graceful manner, Reanna’s eyes became unfocused. All she knew was that this woman – this strange, beautiful, kind woman – was offering her something. She also knew it had something to do with the those freaky fangs that had taken their unnatural position in her mouth. Swallowing thickly, the Russian canted her head to the side, mantis-green eyes trying to focus on her, even as the shadow of her brother came into view.

”Take the offer, Isky. He spoke, his voice only able to be heard by her ears only, it seemed. He was standing directly behind her, his hand pressing to the stranger’s shoulder, as if in gratitude. “No.” she spoke defiantly, her hand shoving weakly at the woman. However, she didn’t pull her hand back. Instead, her fingers curled, her gaze still locked past her, focusing on the fading form of her brother. You are not to die yet, Isky. Take the damned offer. he demanded before disappearing completely, leaving her alone with the waiting woman.

Blinking her eyes a few times, she dropped her hand in defeat, her breathing growing weaker by the second. There was no more fight left in her, yet she still refused to answer the woman’s offer. She had no idea what it would entail, what she would become. It was foreign to her, and she had no one to guide her. Turning her uncertain gaze to the stranger, she allowed the blanket to fall from her form, revealing a frail body covered in bruises and grime. “Scared…”

Juliet: When she heard the pulse rising, Juliet lifted an eyebrow and remained sitting - showing that she had no intention of leaving nor that she feared the woman, or her knife. Soon, the taste of fear was something that made Juliet's sense feel thick with guilt - that was the last thing that Juliet liked sensing and lightly, she scooted back to give her room and peace. It was a small motion to show that she meant no harm and she didn't want her to be upset.

"Calm," She spoke softly, finally realizing that the other spoke next to no English. Allowing her fangs to retract back into her lips, the thin woman took notice of the exhaustion and gently reached up to pull her own hair back away from her face before setting her hand gently against her chest, "I'm Juliet," She stated softly, "or, Jules," She touched her necklace, her rings and then gave it a jingle in a horrible manner to give a hint towards her name. This one, unlike Saige, had fight in her, and Juliet knew that even if she didn't accept what Juliet was offering... she wasn't going to leave and let the woman die alone in an alley.

Part of her just wanted to pick the girl up and take her to a hospital, it wouldn't be too difficult, she thought as she blinked her blue eyes at the fraility of the woman - and honestly, she was afraid to pick her up. Softly, she squeezed the girl's hand, letting go a moment after while she watched the other looking past her. Whatever it was, Juliet wondered what the 'No' had been about but said nothing as she waited silently. With each breath growing weaker, Juliet's concern grew before her lips pressed together in a soft line as she watched the blanket fall.

Lightly, Juliet tucked away the candy bar and then shrugged out of her own jacket, the soft cloth as she offered it to the other. "No," She gave a faint shake of her head, a way of saying she didn't need to be. "I promise not to hurt you."

Reanna: Crinkling her nose a bit, she found it humorous – even in the midst of dying – that she was trying to signal to her by shaking things around. She wasn’t a child, nor was she stupid. The nicer part of her, though, the one not corroded away by death and pain, found it sweet that she was trying. Her mouth worked, then, tongue curving to test the name silently. Once, twice, and then finally – “Jules,” she said slowly, glancing up at her briefly to ensure that she had been correct. With shaking hands, she reached beneath the blanket and curled her hand around her identification card, slowly sliding it towards her.

The card landed at her feet; face up, her name etched across in black ink. ‘Reanna Nicole Thompson, age 21’ it read, showing her a picture of her before her health took a turn for the worse. It had been issued in 2010, just a year after the death of her brother. She trusted no one with her birth name. That part of her had died with her brother – and as far as she knew, the only other person to know her name was probably dead, as well. Shaking the thought from her mind, she stared at the woman for a moment longer.

The Russian wasn’t dense, she knew the other wanted to help – and she knew that she wasn’t going to leave her to die in peace. There was something stubborn in those kind eyes, revealing more than she wanted to see. She was offering her another chance, a chance to live again; to be free. Shaking her head, Reanna clenched her jaw tight once again, confusion in her eyes. She wanted to die, but only because she thought there was no choice for her otherwise. She was dying, wasn’t she? Curling her trembling fingers into fists, she knew she only had moments to make up her mind. Live or die.

The irony wasn’t lost on her, not one bit. As she chewed her lip, she stared at the woman in front of her in wonder. She wasn’t asking the questions she should be. She wasn’t trying to run from her. No, instead, she was sitting there, serenity in her limbs, a slow, almost teasing, smile forming taking over her expression. Perhaps this was her death. After all, she had heard that it did weird things to her mind. Her brother had bled out in her arms, but he had done so using his last breath to tell her to flee. Yet, the second before he died, she had stared in wonder as he smiled and greeted their parents.

So, maybe this was just a trick of her mind. What harm could it do in accepting it? Slowly, she leaned forward, her dirty hand pressing to the woman’s wrist and then pointing to her fangs. Her eyes were determined as she mimed what she desired. If the woman could save her, she would let her try. It wasn’t as if she had anything else left to lose.

Juliet: Juliet smiled and nodded her head softly in confirmation while she inclined her head lightly and set the necklace against her chest, biting down against her bottom lip idly while she listened to the area around them. Something told the twenty-three year old that she was finally getting somewhere. Looking at the card, Juliet reached down and took hold of it lightly, reading off the name before, "Reanna," pronouncing it Ree-anna with a questioning glance to the smaller female.

She offered the card back, before speaking quietly, "Vampire," while touching her chest. That word was usually known universally regardless whatever someone spoke and lightly, she thought about something before removing her phone from her pocket and pressed a few buttons before looking through the apps, selecting iSpeech. She had used it only once before because of a French speaking customer in her shop. Was it probably going to make the other laugh at her, Juliet didn't care.

I'm not going to hurt you. She spoke into the translator before she began to go through languages, pressing the phrase over and over again until one was the correct language. Even if it were butchered, Juliet wanted some way other than flailing to communicate.

Blinking at Reanna as the woman smiled, Juliet silently wondered what exactly she had gotten herself into before pushing the thought away when she looked down at the dirty hand touching her wrist and then gave a soft nod of her head, "Okay." She spoke softly, and let her fangs once more slide back into view. She didn't think she'd have to bleed her out completely, just a little... and softly, she moved a bit closer to the female with a hesitant expression playing across her features, clicking the button once more as she came to the Russian translator. I'm not going to hurt you.

[Juliet]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Reanna: “Ray-ah-nuh,” she corrected almost instantly, as if the answer was programmed on the tip of her tongue. Though the name was fake, and it didn’t really matter one way or the other, she was very precise on how it was pronounced. She figured it came from her mother, who was more than picky when people butchered –her- name. Names were unique in their own right, settling on the person like a second skin. When people said your name, you wanted to it to be said correctly and to be remembered for years to come – or, at least, that’s what her mother would say.


When the woman spoke of her origins, the term ‘vampire’ rolling so loosely off her tongue, as if it was something so natural, so normal, the Russian blinked slowly. She knew the term – she had heard it whispered in the streets, had seen it portrayed in books and on the theatre screens she snuck in to from time to time. ‘Vampires’ were creatures to be feared and run from, yet this woman… it was almost laughable. She was a vampire? Shaking her head slowly, she wrote the hysteria off yet again as a near death experience and just nodded her head. Of course, of course she would find a vampire.


Trailing her tongue over her dry lower lip, she felt the cracked skin and sighed. She was once a thing of beauty, someone to be admired and envied over. Now, she was no more than a street rat. It was disgusting; really, how far she had fallen. If this woman could save her, and get her back on her feet, she’d allow it. She didn’t care if she was the Easter Bunny - which she could be, with the way she just seemed to pop chocolate out of her purse – she’d let this lasting dream, this last grasp of imagined hope happen. Bracing herself on her palms, she straightened her form as the other toyed with her phone.


“I know you will not hurt me,” she spoke in Russian, though she frowned and tipped her head. She had not spoken to her, the phone had. With the realization struck, she coughed lightly into her hand and nodded her head, hand pressing to her temple. She had told herself over and over again she would learn this language she spoke, but she had never taken the time. Now, when it was appearing that it was too late, she was beating herself up over it. Oh, well, at least she was trying. That’s all that counted, right?


As the woman leaned closer to her, that expression worn so openly, Reanna arched a brow. She was dying, her heartbeat slowing, the blood struggling to pump through her veins. She could feel it, and it felt… she couldn’t describe the feeling, actually. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once – and she wanted it to stop. Either this woman was a psychopath and was going to kill her, or she was actually what she claimed to be, and was going to save her. Either way, this torture was going to be over in seconds. With a curl of her lips in a half-smirk, she nodded her head once. “Do it.”


Juliet: "Reanna," She then gave a nod of her head softly, showing she understood and lightly reached up to tuck a few strands of light brown hair back behind her ear while she waited quietly, wondering what to do now as she stried to find the other's language. She took note of the other's cracked lips and began to dig around in her bag in search of the unopened tube of lipbalm that she had purchased in a double pack before offering it to Reanna. Juliet offered a faint smile and set it down in front of her before lightly leaning back. Let's see. Names. Oh. She reached into her bag once more, removing her wallet and then her ID card where 'Juliet Rayne Altaire' could be seen.


It was surprising to see the other give a shake of her head after Juliet admitted to be a vampire. She didn't know if it were from disbelief or just thinking Juliet was delusional - which, she couldn't blame her for either. The expression that crossed her features at the fact her plan worked could be one counted as upmost joy, comparable only to a child finding a christmas gift they wanted under the tree while she had figured a way to at least have a one-sided conversation with Reanna.


When Reanna told her to 'Do it', Juliet swallowed once before she gave a nod of her head and moved forward, casting a power to stop the pain - although Reanna would have a clear memory rather than be set into a daze due to Juliet's curse - as the woman sank her fangs deep into Reanna's throat, drinking enough blood as she counted to ten and then pulled back. Her skin had tasted nasty, but she couldn't blame it with how the other female looked. Juliet bit into her own skin, ripping the pale flesh open so the blood would come out in a steady stream and then moved her hand to Reanna's mouth. "Drink," She instructed firmly.


Reanna: Curling dirty fingers around the offered balm, she quickly began to open it. It took a few moments to get the cap off due to trembling fingers, but once it was free, she applied a generous amount to her aching lips. ”Thank you,” she whispered, the tube rolling from her fingers to rest on the ground at her side. She couldn’t assess the reason for the help she was receiving, especially when she had done nothing to deserve it. Over the course of her homeless years, anytime anyone offered her something, they always expected something in return – most of the time, sexual favors. However, as she gazed into the woman’s eyes, she knew that she wouldn’t demand such a thing. She could see the kindness.


The Russian was reminded a lot of her mother in this case, the genuine care and compassion that had poured from every part of Arina. The woman in front of her – this Juliet – was a lot younger, but she held strength and wisdom that she shouldn’t. She should be out partying – they both should – however, she was kneeled in front of her with trepidation and sympathy, offering her a gift that no one should have. She knew she should question every chance she could, but she could, quite literally, hear death knocking at her door. With one last look at the beauty in front of her, she closed her eyes.


In the years to come, if she survived this, they would ask her how she knew to turn her head a certain way. They would ask her why she didn’t fight back, or what it felt like. They would have questions, millions and millions of questions, and she would only have one answer. One simple answer that would leave them shaking their heads in wonder; ‘I don’t know.’ She didn’t know. How could she explain the voice in her mind or the brush of her brother’s fingers over her jaw, tilting her head in the right angle for the woman’s assault? How could she tell them of a feeling she had no name for?


She couldn’t, so she wouldn’t try. The seconds ticked pass, and she could feel the blood leaving her veins. With each passing drop, she grew weaker, her breath struggling for escape. Panic began to feel her, though her arms turned to lead. She couldn’t fight her. Oh, god. What had she done? Yet, as soon as the anxiety began, it ended, a feeling of pure peace settling into her heart. She almost felt despair when the woman pulled from her throat, though humiliation was quick on its heels at the brief look of disgust. She knew she needed a shower. Funny, how she was thinking of cleanliness as she died.


The command spoken in the air between them gave her pause, and she lifted leaden lids to study her. Drink? She wanted her to drink blood? Clearly, the woman was a few knocks shy of insane. So, what did that make her, when she parted her lips and took the first drop on her tongue? The moment it touched her taste buds, the sweet copper moving down the back of her throat, she wanted more. Her hands, somehow, managed to cut through the imaginary thick bonds that held her prone to latch onto the woman’s arm, holding her weakly in place as she drank.


Juliet: She gave a soft nod of her head, finally moving to sit on the dirty ground on in the alleyway before lifting her blue gaze to look at the walls around them. Although it had almost been a year, she remembered the entire situation as if it were yesterday. Phoenix had been left by her former partner. Juliet had left the graveyard, heard her sobbing. She had witnessed her first fadebeast, moved to check on Phoenix and a moment later, the pain. Tricked into helping a beautiful, but deadly inferno that she would grow to love and adore. That was probably one of the things Juliet wasn't quite sure about changing anything about that day - she was happy now.


"You're welcome," Juliet responded softly while returning her gaze to Reanna as she spoke. The scent of death was growing strong, churning the inside of Juliet's stomach and once more, she considered taking the other female to the hospital and paying for all of the expenses. She made regular donations, so it wouldn't be a surprise - would it? Probably not. She could hear the other's breath as she drank, the metallic sweet taste filling her stomach while she lightly moved her hand to softly rest it against Reanna's side in a sign of reassurance.


"I promise it'll all be okay." She whispered faintly, whether or not she understood her, Juliet nodded her head softly to her bloodied wrist before she used her other wrist to wipe the blood off her face. After this, she had a cot and a bathroom in her office at Refractions, she thought she still had some sweats and a tee-shirt at work that were clean because she often worked more than anything. When Reanna began to drink, however, the relief that crossed Juliet's features could be clear while she kept her wrist steady, watching her for any signs of struggle as she watched the turning.


Reanna: It was odd, the feeling of someone else’s blood moving through your system. It wasn’t the taste so much, but the thickness of it. At first, she found herself gagging, the hands that gripped her trying to push her away at the same time. Her stomach churned, and she soon found herself disappointed. Nothing was happening. She had just taken the blood from a crazy woman, claiming to save her and be a vampire. Seriously, what had she been thinking? Just as she was about to pull back and yell at her in Russian, she felt an unfamiliar shift in her form. At first, it was just a gentle prod, a warning.


Soon, however, it took a nightmarish turn. Her body began to tremble, the pain that raced through her causing her to arch backwards, Juliet’s blood smeared across her face as she screamed out in agony. The feeling of fire raced through her veins as she slammed into the wall, the convulsions strong enough that if her body hadn’t been in the midst of a life-altering change, her bones would have broken. Curling her fingers into her palms, she shook her head violently as she took a deep breath. The pain was horrendous, but pain was something that Reanna could handle. She dealt with inner turmoil every day.


Gritting her teeth, she hissed a few incomprehensible words in her native tongue as slender fingers curled into her hair, giving the strands a rough tug. Her leg slammed against the woman in front of her, though the attack was entirely on accident. As she took another breath, she forced her eyes open, staring at the woman in front of her as perspiration dotted her forehead. “What…” she gasped, trying to find the right words, yet none would come. Instead, she shook her head violently, the agony working its way through her body from her head to her toes, until it slowly began to turn to a dull ache. When she could finally breathe again, she slumped back against the wall, her fingers twitching as she stared at the woman in wonder – and wariness.


She didn't understand what was happening, or why her body felt as if it had just ran into an electric fence while being slammed in the back with bullets. She didn't understand what that weird feeling inside of her was. She had thought it was a simple joke, one last way to show the world that, despite the hell she had been through, she knew how to have a good time. Even in death. However, now she was beginning to realize she had more than likely bit off more than she could chew - and there was no one left in her life to pick up the pieces of her disastrous choices. Swallowing thickly, she pressed her grime covered palm to her neck, fingers gently prodding around for where the woman had bitten her. It was if she was coming out of a fog, clarity slowly sinking in.


"Oh ****," she cursed quietly in English, eyes opening wide as another bout of pain slammed into her, burning through her nerves like they were paper. She screamed out through her teeth, the pain like nothing she had experienced before. Yet, as instantly as it had hit her, it faded, becoming nothing but a tortured memory.

Juliet: When Reanna let go of her arm, Juliet healed the wound completely and then waited. "This isn't going to be pleasant." She spoke into the woman's mind softly, and just as everything began to kick in, Juliet felt the concern immediately kick in as she watched the reaction. Something told her that the other woman was strong enough to handle the change, and as she listened to the heartbeat, she ignored the screams while she began to count. One. Juliet's blue eyes watched as the woman's fingers curled into her palms and then into her hair. As Reanna's leg slammed into her chest, Juliet gasped out before softly, but firmly knocking the offending limb into the ground.

"You can do it." She spoke in Spanish, her eyes narrowing in a determined fashion, almost as if daring Reanna to prove her wrong. As it calmed down once more, Juliet seemed to relax, crossing her legs underneath herself before she warily and lightly studied the other female. She reached up and rubbed the offended breast that had ended up being assaulted before she watched the reactions carefully. Juliet's had been anger. Saige's had been acceptance. What would this be? She asked herself silently while she sat back up and then straightened out her sweater.

Five. Her blue eyes lifted once more as she heard Reanna curse, and lightly, Juliet reached out to pinch her childe on the leg idly to point out she didn't appreciate the language - granted, her mouth itself was not the cleanest. In fact, she swore like a sailor on their family board often. At the scream once more, Juliet no longer could hear the heartbeat that had been weakening over time and lightly, she stood up before collecting her jacket and offered her hand to Reanna, speaking into her phone and translating it into Russian. "Let's go back to my shop, I own two. A jewelry store and a photography store, the latter being where we're headed. We can get you cleaned up."

Reanna: As the pain faded and clarity set in, the woman slowly shook her head. Of course it hadn’t been easy. On one hand, she was thankful for the warning, however, it was like telling someone to not touch the stove when their hand was already one it. It had come way too late. “You could have warned me about it before,” she snapped in Russian, surprised at how strong her voice came out. The hunger had faded, and when she pulled her blanket back, she noticed the changes in her body. She had always been thin, but she always been in shape – toned. That is, until she began to starve herself. Now, she could see the strength rippling beneath her skin, and she shook her head slowly.

At the pinch to her thigh, she batted the woman’s hand away and bared her teeth for a moment before running her fingers through her hair. The woman looked torn between disbelief and indifference. She had made the deal, after all, even if she didn’t believe it was true. Shrugging a shoulder, she moved to feet as the other did, a brow rising slowly as she placed her hands on her hips. The look of her face said it all – the woman had just turned her, changed her life, ruined her plans and she just acted like it was no big thing. Yet, before she argued with her, she caught a look of a tangled mat of hair.

“Fine,” she spoke, clearly on the verge of using all her limited English in one sitting. She would argue with her later. She would demand to know what magic she pulled. She would get her answers. For now, she wanted a shower. And clothes. Clean clothes. Clean clothes that didn’t smell like a dumpster. Staring at her with that almost bored expression, Reanna pushed all her emotions down into herself to open and examine when she was alone. For now, all she wanted was a shower.

Juliet: "Brat." Juliet thought, blinking owlishly as she heard the Russian and didn't understand it, using the app on her phone to catch half of it. Juliet shrugged her shoulders idly before speaking into it, so the Russian would follow. "I gave you a new chance at life so you wouldn't die smelling like a trash can. And, I did warn you. Sort of." And with that, Juliet gave a friendly smile at the prideful woman. Sure. it was a mean thing to give a dig at her appearance, but at least she no longer looked like a human skeleton.

When her hand was batted away and Reanna bared her teeth, Juliet rolled her eyes and then gave a faint shake of her head. "You cannot tell anyone but our family what I've done to you. I will explain everything after you are clean and well rested." She then gave a nod of her head to follow up, the app then translating her words.

When Reanna was on her feet, Juliet then said, "Giving you a warning." Into her head before grasping the female's upper arm and then teleporting them to the employee's entrance of the 8th Dimension Mall. She removed her keys quietly, a hum escaping past her lips as she opened the door and held it open for the other. "Inside, to the escalator," She figured she didn't understand her, but nodded her head inside anyway.

[Reanna]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Reanna: “Warning to wh---….” The words died on a low growl as she felt the world around her shift. Clearly, she needed to give this woman a lesson on ‘warnings’ – though she was beginning to suspect that she was doing it on purpose. Narrowing her eyes for a moment, she crossed her arms over her chest and settled her feet on the ground, almost refusing to follow her anymore. However, she found herself moving forward, suspiciously gazing around her, as if she were waiting for the attack. Whatever the woman had been through, it had left her paranoid and hardened.

Taking a breath, she glanced over her shoulder to her, before glancing inside. She didn’t understand the words, but she could tell where she wanted her to go. It was not only in the nod of her head, but the direction her body was pointed. Her brother had taught her at an early age how to read body language, and it was something that almost came naturally to her, like breathing. As she took a moment to think, she realized that breathing was something she wasn’t doing – another thing to hide deep down and lock away in a box. Gathering her wits, she took a step over the threshold, and was inwardly surprised when nothing exploded in her face. She wasn’t sure when the trap would come, but she knew –something- had to go wrong.

Wrapping her arms around herself, she moved slowly to the escalator, her gaze drifting over the various buildings around her. She was trying desperately not to freak out, and so far, that cool indifference was working well on her expression. When she reached the moving stairs, she pressed a foot on one and stepped on, turning to watch the woman with a raised brow, waiting for the next instruction.

Juliet: It had been on purpose, and most of it had been for Juliet’s amusement as she watched Reanna’s reaction to the show of power before she squeezed the other woman’s arm before letting go of her arm. Stepping in after her, Juliet locked the door and tucked her phone away while she sent a telepathic message to her partner, and then her sire, that she had another childe. She had the feeling that someone, probably Vigilant, would lecture her later about the language barrier. At least technology was a wonderful thing, right?

Following Reanna onto the escalator, Juliet blinked when she was faced afterwards and then she lifted her hand to the photography store as it would begin to come into view. ‘Refractions Photography’ could be clearly read in colorful letters. It was just one of the two that Juliet owned in the mall, the other being ‘Blood Diamonds’ overlooking the courtyard. “Calm,” She spoke softly, her expression and body language causing Juliet to be concerned while her own mirrored relaxation and contentment. At the second floor, the tall Spanish woman nodded her head once more towards Refractions as she moved her hand to collect the right key.

As if not to startle her, Juliet’s lithe form slipped past Reanna before she went to unlock the twin glass doors and then turned on the light. There were a few backdrops in five separate stations, all of the equipment new and clean showing that they had only recently opened to full scale movement. The area itself was both elegant and classy, neatly decorated to reflect the female’s modern style towards photography. This was her studio and she liked things neat. Juliet motioned for Reanna to follow her once more, inclining her head gently.

Reanna: Calm? How did this woman expect her to be calm? She had come into her life and turned it completely upside down with a serene smile! Gritting her teeth, the Russian narrowed her eyes on the other for a long moment, finally taking the time to study her. The Spanish woman was quite lovely, and she still didn’t allude to sense of threat – but that didn’t mean that Ray was going to trust her. How funny that she thought that now, after she had already signed her life over. Her brother had always warned her that she’d make a deal with the Devil one day. She just didn’t know that the Devil would take the form of a spritely young vixen that could pass as her sister.

Digging her nails tighter into her bicep, she stepped off the escalator as the other did, her troubled gaze following the direction of her pointing. It was only then, when she caught sight of the shop, that a spark of interest flooded her green eyes. As the other pushed past her, she willingly following behind, her fingers of her right hand – the one not on a death grip on her own arm – pressing to her lower lip. Photography had always been a passion, and for the first time since this entire ordeal started, she was beginning to feel a sense of comfort. Perhaps whatever was going on wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

As her emotions shifted and turned back and forth with enough speed to give someone whiplash, the Russian rocked back on the balls of her feet, watching every movement the other made. The faster they managed to get into the shop, the better. Already, her attention was beginning to pull from the doors and to the other buildings, a low sound emerging from her throat that resembled a growl as she stared into the shadows. The darkness held secrets she didn’t want to share, and the second light flooded the building, she all but jolted into the store and turned so her back was pressed to a unused wall, her hand pressing to shield her eyes from the sudden glare.

Juliet: "Sorry," Juliet dimmed the lights lightly, a concerned expression playing across her features before she locked the door back and double checked that no one could enter before she led the other woman to her office. Across from it, there was a bathroom with a standing shower inside - she had mainly put it there just in case of an accident with chemicals, but she slept in the office enough that it had become a second home. In the shop, it was silent without the soft music that Juliet had added to a soundtrack that would play daily. Sometimes she turned on the radio, others she just plugged in her iPod. A lot of different types of people entered the shop and she liked to entertain everyone.

She moved to light a few candles to create a better light rather than use something that could blind them both. Afterwards, she collected a towel out from underneath her desk and then a pair of loose fitting sweatpants and a longsleeve teeshirt that she set on top of the desk. Afterwards, she motioned for the woman to go and shower before she took a seat in the comfortable leather seat. She crossed her leg over the other and gave the woman a warm smile.

Afterwards, Juliet leaned forward and collected one of her cameras and idly fiddled with it in thought, nibbling on her bottom lip. It would be interesting, their conversations. After a moment, she collected a bottle of blood and set it down for later, knowing the female would want to feed.

Reanna: When the lights dimmed, she slowly dropped her hand and shot an accusatory glare to the woman. She knew in the back of her mind that she hadn’t done it on purpose, but she refused to let her get comfortable and think the other wasn’t out to get her. When Juliet moved again, Reanna gave her ample time to make her way across the room before she followed quietly behind, her arms wrapping around herself once more. “Where are we going?” she asked in quiet Russian, the language hanging uselessly between them as she shook her head.

It was clear she was going to have to learn their language, she thought. It wasn’t the first time the want had crossed her mind, but she had never had a reason to. What was the point in trying to speak with them, when they continued to cast her out like trash? Crinkling her nose up a bit, she brushed her fingers over the towel and clothing she had laid out for her, before giving her a curious glance. She seemed uncertain if it was really for her or if the woman was clearly teasing her. However, when she began to fiddle with the camera, the Russian gathered the items up in her arms and quickly turned.

Carefully shutting the bathroom door behind her, she turned on the shower and wasted no time getting beneath the warm spray. She wasn’t sure how long she was in there, allowing the dirt and grime to fade from her skin, leaving her feeling clean and invigorated. Finally, she stepped out, a frown crossing her expression at the mess she had left behind. With a sigh, she quickly dried herself off and pulled the clothing on, before getting down on her hands and knees to clean the shower. Once she was finished, she stepped out and pointed to the dirty towel, and the pristine walls of the shower.

“Cleaned,” she explained, testing the word on her tongue. It didn’t sound exactly right, but she had remembered hearing it before. Tucking a wet curl behind her ear, she fell into a chair and tucked her legs beneath herself, staring at the woman expectantly.

Juliet: It was easy for Juliet to ignore the glare, mainly because the small woman was often oblivious anyway as she pulled her hair over her shoulder and continued moving. When she heard Reanna say something, Juliet looked over her shoulder curiously, clearly not understanding her with the apology playing across her features. Juliet didn't know what it'd be like, not knowing how to speak English. Her father had trouble sometimes.

Stretching out her legs quietly, Juliet made herself comfortable and watched the door for a few moments after it closed, silently wondering what had happened to make the woman seem so... hostile. She made a mental note to ask her sometime later as she finished messing with her camera before beginning to do some paper work - and try to figure out which company she should offer to let the female work for. Both had a position open and with a curious expression dancing across her features, Juliet pondered about the entire event.

With a careful, steady hand, Juliet filled out the papers and then did one for employment while she crossed one leg over the other silently. At the sound of the door opening once more, Juliet lifted her lips in a smile and removed her phone from her pocket, fixing the translator from Russian to English before offering it to the other. "Better?" She asked softly.

Reanna: Nodding her head at the question, she ran her fingers through her hair as she watched her for a moment. She was trying to figure out how to speak to her, to ask her what had happened. To find more of an explanation as to what she had done to her, what she had made her – why she had done it in the first place. However, she could find no way to form the words, at least, not in a way the other would understand. So, she sat quietly, hoping that the silence would say what she couldn’t. As she waited, she twisted her fingers lightly in the shirt, giving it a tug as she felt the clean cotton against her skin.

It had been months since she had a piece of clothing that wasn’t covered in dirt or torn, and even if the fabric she wore now was cheap (she wasn’t even sure of that), it felt like Egyptian cotton against her raw flesh. Clearing her throat when she realized she had been toying with the clothing, she lifted her gaze back to the woman and tilted her head, a single finger pointing to her – before turning back to aim at the center of her question, hoping that simple gesture was enough to get the ball rolling. She had questions – and she wanted answers.

Juliet: Juliet watched Reanna and then tapped her finger against the phone screen before speaking, "Maybe this will work best for now?" She listened as it then translated to Russian a few moments later and afterwards, she spoke again, "Ask me anything that you need to." She waited for her phone to translate it again before she set the phone down in front of the woman. She got up a few moments later, collecting two coffee mugs that she would fill up with blood and set it down one down in front of her. She then went to set the dirty cloth off to the side, making a mental note to see if she needed to get anything for her while she shut the door.

Afterwards, she moved to sit down with her own mug and closed her laptop so the woman would have her full attention. Juliet inclined her head faintly, thinking back to her own turning. She'd hid for months. She didn't ask for help or an explanation. It seemed, however, that both of her childer were doing the opposite.

Reanna: Curling her fingers around the offered mug, she stared into it for a moment, before pushing it back with a look of disgust. As a shudder raced down her spine, she took a moment to collect herself before finally looking back up at the woman. She could tell by the look on her face that she would answer whatever questions she had. Did she know how easy she was to read, or was just doing it on purpose, to put the girl at ease? Shaking the thought from her head, Ray rested back in her seat and toyed with the phone for a moment, contemplation written clear on her features.

It wasn’t unusual that she was facing this head on. She had been raised to be a soldier, to never let anything slip through the cracks. Whatever had happened, she had to face it. Pressing a few buttons, she nodded her head as the words translated back to the woman. “You’ve made me a vampire,” she spoke, continuing the type away, the words moving quickly. “I am dead.” She paused then, her hands trembling before she collected herself. “What do I do, next?” she asked, her eyes defiant.

She knew she should ask a thousand other questions: what did it meant, what had happened, where was she – but she couldn’t. She couldn’t, because she knew. In the back of her mind, she knew. Ray was always quick to the draw, and she knew exactly what had happened. It had only taken a few moments to process it, to feel the change in her body. She had died, and this woman had turned her. That thought, however, brought up an entirely new question. “Why? Why did you… save me?”

Juliet: Watching her reaction to the blood, it amused her greatly before she took a sip, showing that it wasn't going to hurt her and then wiped her lips after a moment. Her long fingers moved to play with her own hair, braiding and unbraiding it in a nervous habit that she had since she was younger before after a while, she collected a piece of ribbon from her desk and braided it into a random strand within her hair. The hot pink shade stood out against her light brown hair. It wasn't until Reanna began to type that Juliet stopped her fiddling.

The brunette opened her laptop afterwards, pulling up another text-to-speech thing before she began to type, the voice reading off her answers. "I did, and I am your sire, we're part of the Altaire line." She paused, thinking about the question, "You start living and no, not back on the streets." Juliet reached over to gently squeeze the woman's hand.

"I own two stores. A photography one, obviously, and a jewelry store. You are welcome to work in either, if you'd like," She listened to the mechanical voice change her words from sincere to emotionless and flashed the woman a gentle smile, trying to show that she was being honest. At the question of why, though, Juliet thought about it for a few moments before moving her neatly manicured hands to the keyboard, "I saved you because you looked alone, like you needed somebody to be there for you. I felt that you needed a home, people to love you."

Reanna: As Juliet spoke, she listened intently, her head tilting to the side. It was as if she were looking for something – some slip of the tongue, some miscalculated word. Yet, she found none. Despite the fact the words had come from the disembodied voice of the laptop, she could see the sincerity in the woman’s eyes, tell the compassion from the gentle curve of her lips. Lifting her hand to her jaw, she gently dug her nails into the skin there, leaving faint crescent shapes in the wake as she shook her head. Sire? Altaire? None of that made sense to her, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

It wasn’t as if she didn’t live under an alias already, so changing her name wouldn’t be too much of an issue. In fact, it would probably help her to further sink into the abyss. Shifting in her seat, then, she opened her mouth to speak – before remembering that she wouldn’t understand her. It was a good thing, she figured then, when she heard the last words the other had to say. Narrowing her eyes, she hissed out something in Russian before her fingers worked angrily over the screen of the phone.

“I had a family. They are gone now. They loved me.” She frowned, staring at the screen as the words spoke into the silence before she lifted her gaze back to her, typing again. “I will do what I need to do to survive, because clearly, I am not meant to die yet. If it will be alright with you, I will work here.” She spoke, the edge of her earlier words dying off as her gaze softened momentarily. There was something about the woman in front of her that stopped her from being too angry and lashing out unneeded. However, if the woman was looking for a thank you – she wasn’t going to get it.

As the silence drifted between them for a moment, it became clear that the Russian wasn’t quite ready to accept all the changes in her life. She was facing it bravely, but her mind was still working overtime to adjust to what had happened to her. One moment, she had accepted it with perfect clarity, and the next, she felt as if she were back in the alley, confused and alone. It was then; she pressed her fingers back to the screen and wrote out a response as her eyes grew tired. “I need time.”

Juliet: When Reanna moved her hand to dig the nails into her own jaw, Juliet's features softened even more - she understood the motion and silently, she pulled on the inside of her cheek with her teeth. "A sire," She began to type, "is the one that turned you. Gave you this ability. Mine is named Phoenix, I've been a vampire for almost a year," She exhaled in thought, "I have several 'siblings', if you may. They're like me, vampires. Some I am close to, others I have yet to meet. In addition to you, I have a young woman named Saige that I turned recently. She was dying, as well. She was stabbed, though, not sick." Juliet wasn't surprised when she heard the hiss from Reanna, but she almost, just almost rolled her eyes.

"Reanna," She spoke aloud, allowing the name to actually be pronounced correctly before she began to type, "I did not mean to offend you." She paused, clearly thinking of the best way to put it, "You were in an alleyway and I could hear your heart fading. I didn't say you weren't loved before... but you don't need to be so cold." She then nodded her head softly in understanding and then began to go through her desk as she collected a key. Juliet wasn't too worried about the woman running off - she could literally track her down if needed be. There weren't too many places that she could hide in the city. "Take this key, you may stay here to rest until you feel comfortable enough to spend time with everyone. Take time in what you need."

Juliet reached forward and gently took hold of her childe's hand, setting the key in the middle of it before giving a gentle squeeze and then frowned, trying to think of a way for the woman to get ahold of her. She then moved back in her chair, opening up drawers in search of her old cell phone. After a few moments, she found it and then typed in her name and number, followed by her email. She then tapped at the keys, "If you need me, call or text that number. I can convert a text into English and reply."