finger lickin' good. { sepsis }

[Opal (DELETED 5248)]

Hammer and Tongs.

It wasn’t a bad establishment. It needed a bit of work around the edges sure, but to get a drink in this stupid place they called Harper Rock – it sufficed. Opal had left Fiona not so long ago, it was odd that you come to a strange place you suddenly see things you don’t want to see. Vampires were real, and so were sorcerer’s and paladins. Her girlfriend was a Paladin. Kind of hot, she liked to trace her fingers down her tattoo’s obsessed with them. Opal on the other hand was different, she could channel chi, and she could see things – hear the dead.

These things played its toll on her but she didn’t mind so much, sure it wore her down talking to the dead – passing on messages. Some people threw words at her like fake. It’s how Fiona and her met, she had even called her fake until she had talked about her father, then it was dinner. What an odd meeting, but Opal loved the girl.

“Vodka and Tonic.”

She said as she slipped into a barstool. Ocean orbs looking lazily at the counter, then dragging her hues back to the man who had started to prepare her drink – god she was thirsty. She looked around, the faint smell of blood, sweat and beer filled her nostrils. She didn’t notice any ‘No Smoking’ signs so she tapped a white stick from its hiding place in her denim jacket and lit it. Her eyes alert for anything supernatural.

The drink was pushed in front of her, and she paid him in kind, she had money – she was good at acquiring certain things. She sold them off, sometimes even to vampires. She brought the glass to her lips and took a firm swig. The taste was strong, it dulled her senses she loved that sensation.

[Sepsis]

Walking slowly down the neon lit street, Sepsis gazed in childlike wonder at the bustling humans around her. So oblivious they were, scampering around like little worker ants, absorbed in their own little worlds. How beautiful each and every one of them were. Tucking a long blond lock behind her right ear, she unconsciously touched her left pocket, comforting herself with the knowledge that the product she had acquired from one of her many sources, was still there. On this evening, she was looking for something very special indeed. After all, not everyone was worthy of being one her most precious dollies.

Thoughts of dollies turned into thoughts of the business that she had purchased. The previous owner's secret has became known to her quite accidentally, and upon his unexpected departure, she had decided that someone had to continue his wonderful work. There had been stock left behind by the previous...physician of course, but business proved to be booming already, and new stock would soon be needed. Her ability to see the truly dead had helped her to procure the necessary documents to transfer the business to her, but the new location had been her choosing. The acquisition of the papers had proved to be an interesting side trip in itself. The dead liked to talk to those who listened after all, and are quite willing to share dark secrets just to see those who remained, suffer exquisitely. There was now one very nervous local judge who understood quite well, that it was better to keep her happy.

A group of young girls giggling in front of her shook her from her thoughts, and she focused once again to the task on hand. Ahead, she saw what she needed, and so aptly named it was as well. The Hammer and Tongs. It was far from the swanky uptown clubs many liked to frequent, but neither was it the dregs of establishments. It was exactly what she was looking for. She opened the door, and stepped inside. Scanning the tables, she mentally praised herself for her choice of attire for the evening. Although it was not what she would have preferred to wear, she looked at it as a costume for an actor playing her part. Clad in tight black skinny jeans, spiky read heals, and a matching red bustier, she felt her chances of finding what she needed here, would be to her benefit.

Sauntering up to the bar, she sat, a couple seats to the right of an attractive young woman with short blonde hair, and eyes that reminded her of the ocean. Sepsis noted the woman's small nose was pierced...and that she had simply beautiful fingers. She motioned to the bartender, who came over quickly, his eyes focused on her chest. 'Red wine, please', she purred to the man, while gritting her teeth mentally. Another place, another time, he would not have been so disrespectful as to not look her in the eyes when she spoke. But that was not for now. He returned quickly, sliding the glass in front of her. She couldn't digest the liquid of course, but it was necessary to at least pretend she was one of them.

Sipping the wine, she grimaced slightly at the bitter taste. It all tasted the same to her...like dirt. She turned to address the woman in a friendly, jesting manner. 'They never seem to be able to see anything but our boobs, do they.' Sepsis laughed softly, touching her hand to her left pocket once again.

[Opal (DELETED 5248)]

Opal hadn’t really been doing anything interesting in this pub really, she was simply sipping away at her vodka and tonic, enjoying the refreshing taste it gave her. It hit the back of her throat easily as she took another swig, this one flaming the back of her mouth – causing her to thrust the glass back down onto the counter with a cough to boot, you could really taste the vodka at the bottom of the glass. She shook her head to the side, her golden short bob whipping from side to side a voice grating the fringes.

”There is someone watching you.”

It told her. Opal could hear spirits. They would never leave her alone, at times Opal thought she was crazy, this secret she had shared with only one person. Fiona, well – lots of people knew, they had met whilst Opal was passing messages along, but here in Harper Rock no one knew her secret, not even her best friend Nelle. What would she think if she knew the truth about Opal. So distracted in her own self esteem she didn’t notice the clip of heels hitting the pub floor and taking a seat next to her, eying her up.

Opal turned her ocean blue stare to the side to view this woman and her eyes were instantly drawn to the woman’s breast. The very, tight top the woman wore seemed to make them look rather large. She turned her head to her empty glass before she could get the other woman to notice she was gawking like a dog on heat.

“Another Vodka Tonic, laddy.”

She told the barkeep as she kept her eyes strictly on the counter – no way would she find herself looking at this woman’s breasts again. She didn’t even notice how red her heels were, or how oddly she looked at Opal. Nope, she didn’t notice at all.

[Sepsis]

The woman could hear them too. The spirits.

Sepsis knew this to be true...she has seen the dark shadows surrounding the woman, but she could not hear the whispers. Those whispers were not for her, but they gave her pause. Would they warn her of what was to come? Or, would they, as many spirits do, merely stand by, watching with their lifeless cold eyes as hell unfolded for some unwitting creature?. Sepsis rather hoped that it was the latter. It would make her own job much easier. Sepsis pulled her long hair over one shoulder, exposing the top half of a full back tiger and dragon ying-yang tattoo. She smiled mischievously as she noted the woman's eyes linger on her breasts. The sweet thing beside her would be perfect for what she was looking for.

"Let me buy that drink for you." Sepsis told the woman, determined not to allow her to decline. "Us girls shouldn't drink alone, now should we?" She smiled mysteriously, breathing deeply so that her chest swelled tight against the restraint of the corset. Lifting the wine glass to her lips, she allowed a trickle to enter her mouth, and she masked a grimace as she swallowed the dirt tasting liquid once again. She remembered she had enjoyed different foods when she was a human, but even the mere smell of most food made her stomach clench in protest now. Really now, the things she had to put up with in order to perfect her work.

"You lived in Harper Rock long?" Sepsis asked, hoping the woman would take the bait. It would make it so much easier if she could find a way to slip the contents of her pocket into the woman's drink, instead of having to take her off the street when she left this place. She wanted this woman for her collection, and she would have her. For now though, she allowed herself to enjoy the thrill of the chase, and watched the woman with a pleasant and welcoming expression upon her face.

The prize would be sweet indeed.

[Opal (DELETED 5248)]

Opal turned her eyes back to the woman with the busty breasts that she had been trying so hard to avoid. Raising an eyebrow – she was offering to buy the sorcerer a drink, well she didn’t mind so much but she didn’t want to get too drunk. She liked to know where she was walking nine out of ten times. It usually helped.

"Us girls shouldn't drink alone, now should we?"

True story. Women should never drink alone; to drink alone was to be rejected or to be a loner. Opal was never alone, she always had the voices of the dead to keep her company, and sometimes she could see their bodily forms drifting around her – asking her for help. Tonight though, she didn’t see any. Only heard one, this one always stuck around her – she called him Bob. Bob never left her, sometimes it drove her insane and sometimes, only sometimes it was actually comforting to her.

“No we shouldn’t, lass.”

She said, her ocean hues looking over this woman curiously as she picked up her empty glass and scooted one seat over – enough to close the gap between them.

""You lived in Harper Rock long?" "

No, she hadn’t. She had moved here to live with her pen pal, who had been her pal’ since she was a kid, she had met a woman along the way – brought her with her but only to find her pen pal was dead. It had shocked Opal, hardened her – the very same night she had met her best friend, Nelle.

“Not long. You?”

[Sepsis]

Sepsis couldn't help but smile as the woman moved closer to her. Such beautiful blue eyes the woman had. They would be a joy to watch as she did her work. Sepsis called out to the bartender, and motioned towards the woman's drink for a refill. Sepsis knew that she would only have one chance to get this done, and she casually reached into her pocket, pulling the capsule out. Leaning forward to disguise her movement, she slid her hands between her knees and discreetly emptied the contents of the pill into her hand, crushing the capsule into an indistinguishable lump with her other before allowing it to fall to the floor. The bartender slid the drink in front of Sepsis, staring at her chest once again. Sepsis smiled, imagining ripping his throat out and drinking his warm blood. Reaching, she allowed the colourless powder to fall to the surface of the drink, pausing just a moment to allow it to be absorbed. Sepsis smiled, and slid the drink over to the woman. "No...I haven't been here long..yet." Sepsis laughed.

She wondered how long it would take for the drug to effect the woman. The man that she had got the drugs from had guaranteed her that one was enough to down an elephant in less than thirty minutes. And keep them down for at least twelve hours. That would be more than enough time for her preparations to take place. "Just opened up a shop actually." Sepsis continued. "Bought out the business you could say." She chuckled slightly. "What about you? Are you one of the natives too?"

Sepsis tried not to watch to appear nonchalant as she sat in anticipation, waiting for her prey to take the bait.

[Opal (DELETED 5248)]

Opal hadn’t seen the woman slip anything into her drink, how could she? It had happened so quick. Opal smiled as the woman pushed the drink into her general direction as she took it cupping the glass with both hands and lifted it from it’s resting place on the counter to the edge of her lips. After a moment’s pause her mouth opened and the contents of the glass were drained, entering Opal’s fragile human form. The effects didn’t start straight away. It would be far too obvious, her arm lifted to get another. It had slipped down so easily. She wanted another; she had forgotten the reason as to why she was even drinking.

The barkeep eyed her suspiciously looking from woman to the other, she didn’t even notice the other woman wasn’t drinking – she could feel it then, the effects. The room became a little bigger, the floor seemed to be right next to her face. (which it wasn’t) The floor was moving upwards. Opal screeched then. She closed her eyes and planted the palms of her hands against the counter and counted to five within her mind slowly.

“Sorry.” She said.

“I think that last drink went straight to my head.”

She laughed a little, echoing Sepsis’s laugh. She steadied herself then. Opening her eyes, the room had become normal again, a breath escaped her lips. She was good. She just needed some air. Sepsis asked if she was native and she shook her head.

“Just moved here from Scotland.”

She said getting up she wobbled to the door not without smiling to the woman.

“I need some air.”

She had said and slipped outside, and soon as she did get outside her body collapsed against the concrete. Whatever the vampire had given her had knocked her for six. Opal was out for the count.

[Sepsis]

Sepsis smiled to herself as the woman rose from her chair and headed towards the door without so much as a glance. The drugs appeared to be working faster than she would have expected, or hoped. Sliding from her seat, Sepsis made her way to the door, exiting quietly into the night air.

There, in a heap, lay the woman. Looking over her shoulder, Sepsis quickly scanned the surrounding area for any signs of witnesses. Seeing none, she knelt beside her fallen doll, and reached to brush a lock of hair from the woman's face. So beautiful. The street lights cast a glow on the woman's face, and made her golden hair shimmer. Not wanting to waste a precious moment, she carefully scooped the woman into her arms, and ran towards the vehicle she had procured earlier for this task. Laying her across the back seat, Sepsis then slid behind the driver's wheel, making sure to follow all the mundane human road law so as to not attract attention. Humans with their rules. Sepsis quietly scoffed in disgust.

A short time later, their destination was reached, and Sepsis carried her precious treasure inside, and to her waiting workshop. Flipping on the light switch, Sepsis carried the woman over to waiting hospital bed, easily lifting the woman over the side bars, and placing her carefully on the mattress. She fingered the material of the woman's shirt, and pursed her lips together in annoyance. Couldn't her dollies come already pre-dressed in hospital scrubs for examinations? A short moment later, Sepsis rectified the problem, and turned her focus to the straps at each corner or the hospital bed. Each strap was padded so her dollies did not get friction burn during their operations. She preferred her treasures to be awake, so they could appreciate the art of her work. Sepsis gently placed each one of the woman's limbs into a strap, pulling it tight enough to prevent escape, but not tight enough to cut off circulation. A patient hand was needed for her work after all.

Several minutes later, Sepsis's work was complete, and she paused to appreciate the beauty of it all. She still had several hours before the drugs should wear off, and she still needed to take care of a few tasks before she could give her newest treasure her undivided attention. Flipping on one of her workbench lights, she shut the overhead ones off, so her dolly could rest without the lights glaring on her face. Looking back once more, she smiled to herself, and slipped quietly from the room.

[Opal (DELETED 5248)]

Opal didn’t realise that her drink had been drugged, actually she didn’t notice much. The woman was out for the count, darkness had welcomed her into its embrace. The sorcerer was caged within blackness. Hours passed before the woman finally roused. When she did her hands were bound, her legs bound too, slightly apart. She was on a hospital bed. She growled to herself. The blonde hair stuck to her skin, from sweat. Was that nerves? How the hell had she got here, was the first question that came to mind. Then she remembered the woman in the corset back at the pub. How her smile had seemed so innocent at the time, but now. Yes, now it made perfect sense. The woman had been plotting this. She had bought her a drink.

The beverage had been drugged,

Stupid, Stupid Opal. The voice inside her head coaxed.

Opal, who had been pulling at the binds to her wrists wriggled, and writhed until it ceased. There was no use, she couldn’t get out of this. Her head lifted then – looking at herself then, her clothes had vanished and been replaced by hospital scrubs. What the actual ****. Opal began to writhe again, this time out of panic. There was no one in the room with her at the moment, it was empty.

“Heeeelp!”

Opal screeched. That’s it, tell your captor your awake now, idiot. Opal shut up then, her lips closing quickly. She closed her eyes, her small, but useful fangs that had been chiselled down by the blood thieves, well – they could work against her captor, if they came close enough. She was sure they would. Then the smile appeared, a smile that had begun the construction of a fine plan in motion, she would bite her captor – and let her bleed to death. That worked. Did Fiona even know she was gone? - How long had she been out? All these thoughts suddenly began to run through her head as she began to panic again.

[Fiona (DELETED 5617)]

It wasn’t a usual thing for Fiona to be able to wake up from a nap slowly. It was usual for Opal to come home and make her wake up to do something or other. Her girlfriend couldn’t seem to appreciate a nice nap. The fact that she was waking up slowly, stretching her arms above her head with a huge yawn and slowly blinking eyes didn’t seem to come to her attention at the moment. She was luxuriating in the warm cocoon she had made for herself.

Until she reached behind her to pat the empty other side of the bed. If she had woken up, then maybe Opal had been kind and just let her sleep. The blanket was cold and there was no indentation. Opal hadn’t been to bed and the lack of noise in the apartment meant she wasn’t home, either. Fiona turned her head, one eye opening a crack to spy the time on the clock.

The little digital numbers had her awake in an instant. It was far, far too late for Opal to not be home. She scrambled for her phone and checked if she had any messages. She didn’t, so she texted the blonde.

Where the hell are you at this hour?

It took her a grand total of sixty seconds of waiting before she was vaulting out of the bed and tearing through the closet to find a pair of pants and a bra. If she had learned anything from the relative short time that she had been a resident of this stupid city, and a paladin at that, it was that people didn’t randomly disappear. They were kidnapped.

Fiona’s girlfriend, the tiny and adorable love of her life, had been kidnapped by vampires.