- F L Y N N -
It was one of those nights. The kind that left Flynn wound up, coiled like a snake ready to strike. While he had made moves to distance himself from one high tension situation, he had merely traded it for another. If it were possible, he would almost say that it was worse this time around. And not due to the source of the tension himself, but rather the emotion attached to him, as it battled against a natural repulsion and hostility for his kind. And the paladin didn’t blame Azraeth for it; the vampire had no control over the reactions that came with his presence, nor could he do anything to lessen the impact of them. Flynn had to give himself credit where it was due, if only because he managed to repress them fairly well. That only sufficed so long, though, before he found himself in the literal **** holes of the city, seeking an outlet. It was no secret that the Disciples of Crow hung around in the abandoned sewers, and they made for perfect targets for any paladin. While he had his reservations about vampire kind’s need to die, he couldn’t let out his aggression on those he chose to spend his time with, and well...that left the poor Disciples
One of which dispersed into ashes before him, a massive canine standing overhead, teeth bared. “‘Atta boy, Ares...you will get the hang of this in no time,” the paladin assured the dog, reaching to scratch along behind his ears. Immediately, his entire disposition shifted from protectively aggressive, to gentle ball of fluff with tail wagging a mile a minute. The caucasian shepherd was new the vampire hunting game, but he had made a pretty decent partner thus far. Due to his size, picking off the weakest of the vampires after a few strategically placed shots from his master’s gun was hardly any trouble, and he seemed to embrace the exercise. Maybe he was like his master in that way, needing an outlet to the aggression in one way or another. “Shall we find another one, then? Perhaps, you let me get the kill shot, hmm?” he said with continuing affection for the pup, feeling no shame at speaking with him so casually. They were partners, after all.
- A Z R A E T H -
Some people might have called it slumber, but what happened to Az during the day was more like experiencing true death for however long the sun was up. He didn’t so much fall asleep as the moment the solar body hoisted itself over the horizon line, he was immediately out, and didn’t return until twilight hit. He woke with a languid stretch, only to stand on his bed, a hand lifting to scrub through his short, dark hair. He had recently decided to become a little more exclusive with his food choices. Which was to say that he only drank from one tap - that being the Grand Flynn Brewery. And he was parched. More than that, he just wanted to see the man, and that was all the excuse he needed wasn’t it?
He stumbled around, brushing his teeth, and pulling on some clothing - which mostly just entailed a pair of jeans, a button down shirt, and a jacket (because the weather didn’t seem to know if it wanted to dump summer or winter on Harper Rock). The next thing he knew, he was triangulating the human, and disappearing from sight. Only to be greeted by what appeared to be a ladder descending into the sewer. He stared at it for a few moments. And grunted. He figured his lover was probably in the middle of hunting, so he dropped into the darkness to seek him out. Flynn was totally making this romantic surprise visit harder than it needed to be. And within a couple minutes, he’d found his way down one tunnel, and was approaching the familiar aura and scent of the Paladin. Of course. He still wasn’t ‘properly awake’, as many humans called it.
- F L Y N N -
Before they set off to find their next target for practice, Flynn took the time to gather up the ashes in a small vial. He wasn’t sure what he would use them for, or if they had any use, at all...other than some twisted form of trophy. If it came down to it, he knew he could sell them to the shops around town, cheaply, but hey...it was money for his pocket, so what did he care why they wanted them? Tucking the vial away in his sweatpants pocket, he turned back around to Ares and reached out to give him an affectionate scratch under the chin. That it, until he felt that unease settling along the back of his neck, hairs standing on end. Every nerve was on fire with anticipation, fully aware of the vampire making their way toward them. It was almost the same instant Flynn knew that Ares caught on to the tension in his master, his attention quickly shifting to the entrance to the tunnel behind them. A low growl emanated from deep within the canine, the paladin slowly removing his touch. Taking a few steps forward, Ares dropped low, ready to pounce the instant he had an opening, and Flynn kept his gaze trained on the tunnel.
And then two things happened at once. First, his boyfriend’s appearance materialized from the darkened tunnel. Second, Ares made to lunge, intent on stopping the vampire before he got any closer to his master. Flynn’s eyes widened as it registered just a little too late what was about to happen, reaching out like he might be able to grab for the beast’s collar in time, “****! Ares, NO!” The command came while the dog was mid-launch, meaning there was no time to pull back, and Ares knew it as well as Flynn did by the way his legs moved, as if to backpedal from the situation. The paladin could only watch as a near 200lb dog collided with Azraeth.
- A Z R A E T H -
A few things happened very quickly. One. Az caught sight of Flynn, which resulted in an immediate grin, which spread over his features like the blossoming of a flower. And then he caught sight of the dog. He was still in a sort of haze. Like he was walking through this fog - which he had noticed never really dissipated until the sun was completely gone and darkness had settled in. Then he was on his back. And there was a dog on top of him, going for the throat. He had been lucky enough to throw his arms up at the last moment, which meant that he had teeth digging into his arm, ripping through his jacket and shirt, and into his skin. He acted really without thinking. There were any number of spells at his disposal, a lot of them harmful, but one he’d learned very shortly after being turned worked for the moment. He whispered a phrase in a language that had not existed in millenia, and suddenly Ares went slack at the jaw, his eyes glazed.
Az was able to pull his arm from a jaw and then scrambled up to stand, only to brush past the canine, who was in some sort of momentary trance, so he could point back at him. “What was that?!” He asked as he got closer to Flynn. Only to use his damaged arm to punch the other man’s shoulder. It wasn’t hard enough to actually hurt. Especially not when he stepped even closer, and curled his fingers against the back of the man’s neck, to kiss over his lover’s lips. “Okay. So seriously, that spell isn’t going to last for very much longer and I think I could actually ride that big guy like a horse. Tell me you have dog treats around here somewhere.”
- F L Y N N -
The Paladin winced at the sound of ripping fabric, and he knew that Ares had managed to land a bite somewhere. With no doubt that he was going to pay for that one, he quickly moved in a few steps so that he could try and peel Ares off of the vampire before things got any worse. Except, he apparently didn’t need to. Flynn blinked rapidly as the dog seemed to go still, with Az managing to crawl his way out from under the massive beast. Unsure what the hell had just happened, he opened his mouth to ask if his partner was okay, only to be punched in the arm. His eyebrows furrowed, expression twisting in disbelief while a hand reached out for the assaulted arm, “Hey! I d--...” The words were almost immediately cut off by the pressure of the vampire’s lips on his, and he leaned into it just as it was over. With every intention of protesting further, he huffed with a sour look at his boyfriend. “First of all...ow…” he said with a gesture to his arm, even if it hadn’t hurt. He just felt it was undeserved. Maybe. And who was he to complain about injuries, when Azraeth’s arm was ripped open. “Second...that was Ares doing his damn job! Protecting me. Don’t be mad at him...” he said, reaching out to take the aforementioned arm to examine it. Flynn knew it would heal quickly, but that didn’t stop the creeping guilt
A frown took over his face as he shook his head, “I’m sorry, I tried to call him off...I’ll make it up to you, though?” With a suggestive quirk of his eyebrow, he let go of the damaged limb to circle around the vampire, hands on his shoulders. He leaned in place a light kiss against the base of Az’s throat before backpedaling to where Ares stood, still lost in his own mind. “What did you do to him, anyway?” he said, kneeling down so that he would be the first thing the canine saw when he came to. If Ares managed to come out of it still feeling rather vicious, well… it would only take him a moment to realize he wasn’t attacking the right person, anymore, and settle.
- A Z R A E T H -
Flynn looked just a little bit frustrated. Like he had no clue exactly what to say or do. Az happened to think it was one of the most attractive things he’d seen in days, the way the human huffed at him with all of that indignation. “First.” He said, deciding to repeat the other man, addressing his points as they came. He leaned and kissed where he’d punched. The affection was brief, and soft. He then gripped the arm of his jacket and tore it away, along with the sleeve of his button down t-shirt, which revealed the wound. Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, because Az had acted fairly quickly, and there had been those two layers to contend with. Regardless, there was a little blood flowing, and held his arm up, as if to demand reciprocity. “Second. I don’t honestly mind all that much. Something tells me he takes after you, and that means I just need to work my way through his gruff outer shell to get to the warmth inside.” He declared.
Which was about the moment Flynn took his arm up to get a look at it. And then there was talk of things being made up to Az and he just sort of lost his train of thought right there. What was he pretending to be annoyed about? Oh right. “I have no doubt you’re going to make it up to me. With kisses. Annnd not on my arm, if you get my drift.” Because Az himself was absolutely terrible at innuendo, and that was an affliction he was going to force his poor boyfriend to live with. He didn’t get a chance to say much more, before he felt lips on his throat, and hands gripping him. He probably could have gotten comfortable right then and there in the middle of the sewers, but there was the matter of Ares to deal with. “I just put him in a trance. He’s a little more open to suggestion right now.” He said as he got closer and then let one hand drop to push through Flynn’s hair, the other doing the same with the dog. “Of course, dogs understand some English, but they don’t actually speak it, so I’m not sure that helps.” He mused.
And then Ares began to move, so Az carefully put himself behind Flynn. Which was to say he draped himself against the other man’s back, arms around a neck to watch the way his partner interacted with the pet. Much like with Athena, he didn’t plan to get too close until he was sure he could do so without getting himself or someone else hurt. “Good morning, big guy. You’re just the handsomest doggo, around aren’t you?” He asked.
- F L Y N N -
“We should really work on your insinuation skills…” he said with a laugh, shaking his head at the wording choice. At the very least, his point got across and that was the point that mattered. Not that Flynn thought anyone could have mistaken the meaning if they knew Az, but at all. As the paladin settled down in front of Ares, a hand reached out to bury through the dog’s fur, soothing before he even became aware of his surrounding. Glancing up over the dog’s side, he watched Az move in closer, with some explanation about a trance. That much, he could tell from the glazed look in the canine’s eyes. “I would give some speech about using magic on my dog, but...the circumstances seem to negate that, so...you get off with a warning?” he said, pursing his lips in mock seriousness. Clearly, Ares was going to be just fine and there was no visible signs of distress on the dog’s part. Not that he could have been too upset even if there had been. And this sure was one hell of a way for the two of them to meet. “And for the record, I am not gruff... ” So, he may have huffed a bit at that, too.
Once the shepherd began to move, Flynn felt Az’s weight against his back with a pair of arms wrapping around his neck. Before Ares was fully back to reality, the human tucked his chin enough to press his lips lightly against the skin of the injured arm, much like the vampire had done before. And then Ares was shaking out, as if he had just come out of a fresh bath and wanted to dry off. The canine seemed to realize that he was no longer on the offensive as soon as caught sight of the paladin before him, nuzzling into Flynn’s palm as if he knew he had done something wrong. “It’s alright, Ares...we just realized who it was a little too late, that’s all…” he mumbled to the animal, providing plenty of attention to keep him distracted. “We have to play nice with this one,” he said, letting out a sigh as if it was a chore they had to contend with. “His name is Azraeth, and he’s a pain in the ***, but he grows on you.” Shooting a glare to the side, he added, “One comment and I feed you to him.”
- A Z R A E T H -
“Oh yes, because woozy dog trumps injured boyfriend. Priorities, lover, priorities.” He whispered against the other man’s ear from behind, his arms loose enough around a neck that there was no danger of him doing any real damage. In fact, most of his weight was balanced against a spine. Once again, the vampire felt immediately comfortable. It helped that Flynn was naturally warm, and Az occasionally considered himself a cold-blooded creature, drawn to heat not only for temperature regulation, but also for its relaxing properties. “No. You’re not gruff, but that expression you make when I say something like that is worth the lie. That and the sound. You just made it again.” He accused before his head turned to let him drag his lips against a cheekbone, just barely nosing the flesh in that spot. “As a matter of fact, you’re one of the most even tempered people I’ve ever met. Mr. Flynnstone, which I happen to find both endearing and painfully attractive.” He finally tipped his head back, if only because he needed to actually focus on Ares if the dog was ever going to like him.
He watched the way Flynn touched the pooch and then his own hand slipped, at first crawling over his partner’s arm, and then opposite the direction the human had taken. Up instead of down. He stroked between ears hesitantly, if only because he didn’t want his hand bitten off (possibly literally). And then the Paladin’s words hit him. And before he could make a smart *** comment, the human followed it up. Which made Az grin. Because clearly his boyfriend knew him well enough to be very aware of just how immature he was. “How about. If I don’t make the obvious joke, I get to eat you later?” He questioned before he finally pulled back, dragging himself away from the kneeling Flynn and Ares so he could stand, and glance down one end of the tunnel and then the other. He knew this place; it was where those crackpot disciples of the Crow liked to lurk. He knew enough about them to know they were in some kind of crazy cult thing. “So what are we doing here with handsome, baby Cujo?” he asked, suddenly very aware he probably should have brought at least a gun.
- F L Y N N -
It didn’t bother him that Az lied for the sake of getting a rise out of him, if only because the lie was entirely innocent. A way of poking fun, even if they both knew it wasn’t true. With a look at Az from the corner of his eye, he gave the subtlest shake of his head, “Even tempered? That just goes to show I’ve done marvelously at keeping my volatile emotions at bay, and apparently look damn good doing it.” He smirked, then, turning his focus back to Ares as Az reached out to scratch at him. Flynn could feel the way the muscles of the beast tensed at the touch, but at the constant contact with the paladin and no clear signs of a threat from the vampire, he remained perfectly still. So, maybe Ares and Az wouldn’t be best friends by the end of the night, but the vampire hunting partner would, at the very least, be able to tolerate the vampire’s presence. That was a start. And then his partner’s weight was gone, leading Flynn to glance over his shoulder to see just what he was up to. He watched as his boyfriend looked around, assessing their location as if he was just now seeing it for the first time. Standing up, but locking a hand into Ares’ fur, he cant his head. “I don’t know if that’s a fair trade. You get to eat me, and I have to make up for Ares? This seems suddenly very one sided…” he pointed out, offering a small smirk.
But then he sighed and looked down at ‘baby Cujo,’ “Well, this is as good a place as any to get him some practice on some...easier targets of the vampire variety. If he is going to be a serious hunting partner...then he needs to be able to recognize them, but also how to listen to my commands. Clearly...waiting for me to command him is a work in progress…” he muttered, narrowing his gaze on the animal who had his attention focused on Azraeth, still a little suspicious. It was hard to be impatient with Ares, though, as he was so well behaved on every other occasion. “Are you planning to stick around?” he asked of Az, raising a ‘brow up questioningly.
- A Z R A E T H -
There was a little tension in Ares, but not enough to make the dog act violently, and really that was all Az needed to know. If he could work with the canine without getting bitten every few minutes. As far as the vampire was concerned, if he was going to get mauled by some guy, he would have much rather it just been Flynn. “Peace, baby Cujo? If we can get along, there’s at least one big steak in it for you.” He offered by way of bribe. Thankfully, Az had at least brought his ritual dagger, which was honestly as much a part of his outfit as his cell phone or wallet. He literally didn’t go anywhere without it. Sure. That meant he couldn’t headshot any of the disciples, but he could still do plenty of damage in his own way. “I know. It’s not entirely fair, but honeymoon phase where I’m feeling extremely generous. In the future, I might start to really even things up.” He said, and then cast his partner a look, the light in his eyes seeming to dance with mirth.
It probably should have bothered Az that his lover was down there in the sewers with his attack dog, literally taking down his own kind. But wouldn’t that have made him a hypocrite? How many of the disciples had Raeth himself killed? Several. And how many vampires were down there, putting a sizable dent in the cult population? Also several. In fact, between the vampires in the sewers, the castle, chemical plant, and all over the place, of various factions, there was nobody who had clean hands. And as far as hands went, Az let his reach out so that Ares could sniff it if he so desired. There was certainly an ample amount of Flynn’s scent there. “The way I figure it, I plan to fight by your side whenever I can, so the sooner this big guy gets used to me, the better. So yeah, I’ll be sticking around.” He murmured before he pressed close enough to his lover to dot a kiss against his lower lip, only to slide his ritual dagger free from the sheath against his lower back.
The wound on his arm was almost entirely gone, and Az used the blade to help cut through the stitches on the opposite sleeve, so he could at least create a sense of symmetry. “This totally makes up for those pants of yours I ruined, by the way.” He called out with a grin. “Now let’s go kick some *** before I find a way to justify you owing me even more favors.”
- F L Y N N - It was almost impossible to tear his attention from Az and Ares. That was, in part, due to the fact that Flynn wanted to be sure he could intervene if the canine decided he was going to be ballsy and attack, again...but, it was just as much about seeing the way the vampire interacted with him. Apparently bribery was going to play a role in their relationship, and it suddenly became blatantly obvious that Ares was going to be spoiled rotten...and the paladin wouldn’t have been surprised if was done behind his back. Of course, if Az was going to spoil Ares, he would have to spoil Athena, too. And two spoiled pups just sounded like a terrible idea. Maybe that would have be a talk he had with his partner, if only to tell him that his ability to spoil had limits. He was not the cool uncle or grandparent who got to give the kids whatever they wanted, because hell..they weren’t his. But, that whole thought process flew out the window at that single look. Dammit.
A slow smile formed on his lips from the kiss of confirmation, but he offered no words in response. He hadn’t expected any differently, especially when he had plans to stay down there. At least for a little while longer. Then, he would have to drag the massive fluff back up to the surface, and that would be a **** show and a half. So, having Az around may actually turn out for the best, at the end of things. Both eyebrows shot up toward his hairline as the vampire pulled out the small dagger, and soon proceeded to cut up the jacket even further. “My heart hurts watching you purposely destroy the remainder of that jacket...even if I understand the purpose…” he sighed, shaking his head. “But, yes, let’s go and find ourselves someone to impale with your wee little dagger and baby Cujo. I owe you too many favors already.”
Rather than head down the tunnel Az had come from, Flynn directed Ares to head off in the opposite direction, trailing alongside him. “So, let’s see how well my vampire radar works when there is one literally walking next to me...I am assuming...not too well,” he commented, shooting a look at Az.
- A Z R A E T H -
“You know, I was trying to make myself look less ridiculous, but I just don’t think there’s a way for me to rock this look.” Az admitted at his partner’s expressed disdain at the vampire’s destructive measures. He cast his gaze towards the Paladin. And it seemed that he couldn’t keep a sour expression when he was around the other man. Clothing was, after all, pretty easily replaced all things considered. Raeth might not have been the wealthiest man in Harper Rock, but he seemed to have the vampiric luck of never truly subsisting. “But you know. That just means that you get front row seats to the..” It was the most predictable line in existence. It was perhaps the cheesiest thing he had ever said to Flynn, and he totally knew it. His features reflected that self-indulgent, almost lazily roguish mindset perfectly. “...gun show!” He even lifted an arm and flexed a muscle. Not that he had a ton of those to show off, but that was part of the point.
“As far as my wee little dagger goes, he may be small, but he’s terribly reliable.” He said as he fell in line beside Flynn while they made their way down a tunnel. Of course Ares was right there as well. And though the vampire seemed light-hearted; it was something of a ruse. Oh. He was feeling in good spirits, but he was also paying very close attention to everything around him. He’d already been taken by surprise once (thanks for that, baby Cujo), and he wasn’t about to let that happen again. Despite being a self-proclaimed scholar, mystic, and overall nerd boy, the truth of the matter was that Az had been forced into a lot of violent situations as a vampire. He’d been forced to fight for his life, for his freedom, for his bloodline. He wasn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, the best fighter. But he could certainly hold his own whilst remaining pretty deceptively upbeat.
And as it turned out, they didn’t have a whole lot of ground to cover before they turned a corner into a little alcove or pocket in the sewer, where it looked like there were some of the disciples huddled together around a human which had been brought down into the sewers to be fed upon. The man was bleeding profusely, and there was a thin red sheen that coated his shoulders and chest, with thickening blood moving over his biceps. He was kneeling, and looked dazed. The vampires themselves were busily feasting and didn’t notice the trio observing them from behind the corner. So Az pressed a kiss to his lover’s jaw. “Ready to save some lives?” He asked. But he didn’t wait for an answer. Instead he slipped away from the comfort of the other man and towards the gaggle of ghouls. He lifted his hand, and dragged the ritual dagger across it.
That was when they took note of him. But before any of them could move though, a mystical portal opened above the four of them and the kneeling human. Az’s hand was held out, and at first fingers were splayed open wide, but then he squeezed them into a tight fist, blood welling and dripping onto the ground. Suddenly, a torrent of sunlight poured from that area above the vampires. He could almost feel the heat of it radiating towards him. Flesh began to immediately char and flake off. Skin began to melt away, and blood flowed. The human was, of course, totally unharmed by the assault. But the screaming. The screaming was immediate and then the drawing of weapons, the rage. “Alright babe, your turn! Softened em up a bit for ya!” He called out, before shifting his position into a defensive posture, flipping his dagger to hold out in front of him as if he were about to get into a knife fight.
- F L Y N N -
He wasn’t...Azraeth was not about to use the most predictable line in the book. He was not about to spout off something that cheesy. And when he did just that, Flynn bit down on his lip, eyes narrowing in an attempt not to laugh. To the vampire’s credit, he totally pulled it off, but that didn’t make it any easier to keep a straight face. Maybe that was, in part, due to the fact that the paladin couldn’t connect that level of self-interest with Az, which only made it seem that much funnier. “Well, you clearly set a new standard, because that’s the best show I’ve ever been to.” he said as they began to make their way through the series of tunnels, only after clearing his throat to prevent that laughter from accompanying it. He would have repay that favor, someday, once the opportunity presented itself. Rather than concentrate on that while in a sewer full of psychotic vampires, though, he reverted back to his practiced facade of indifference
His gaze dropped to the dagger, shrugging as if to suggest that he wasn’t about to judge. Any weapon was better than no weapon, and he knew better than to assume Az wasn’t capable. Sure, Longslade had involved more than that little dagger, but he had at least seen him in action. “I will take your word for it, and you will have ample opportunity to prove it to me, I’m sure.” He shot a wink to the man at his side, dragging his hand along Ares’ head to keep him calm and attentive to their surroundings. As the paladin fell silent, he tried to bring his focus onto his ‘vampire radar,’ which, as expected was already on high alert thanks to Azraeth’s proximity. Usually, when around more than one (like, Longslade), his body seemed to go into auto-pilot, reacting without much thought. That’s what he was hoping for, now, if only as an early warning system to their presence to keep Ares under control. Not that Flynn had any other vampires to keep him from chewing apart, per se.
And it didn’t take long for that unease to grow exponentially the closer they got, signalling to Flynn that they were coming up on more than just a lone wanderer. As they came to a stop around the corner, the paladin knelt beside Ares, quietly shushing the canine as he grew restless. Only once the dog calmed did he stand and peer around the vampire’s shoulder to get a look at the situation they had stumbled upon, and just in time to receive that light pressure of lips to his jaw. There was no chance to say anything before the man was walking off toward the group, who stilled and turned in a unified manner to find the intruder to their circle. And Flynn watched fascinated horror as the portal opened. And vampires thought paladin’s were destructive to their own kind? Yeah, okay. What use was an ability like that, other than harming fellow vampires?
The screaming quickly spurned him into action, his first concern being the human in the center of the enraged group. Knowing that canine would provide the perfection distraction, Flynn dropped to the animal, releasing his hold. “для крови “ The Russian command tone was quiet, firm. But the reaction was immediate, Ares entire demeanor changed as he dropped low just long enough to take off at a run for the group. There was only a momentary hesitation on the disciples’ part as the dog came charging at them. It was all the advantage the paladin needed to follow him out, grabbing hold of the nearest of the cultists from behind long enough to slice his trusty blade across the charred flesh of of the vampire’s neck, blood spewing out of the wound, the screams shifting into a choked gurgling. Wasting no time, Flynn flipped the blade in his hand to angle back toward the face, ramming it through their eye socket. And then the vampire went limp, effectively silenced.
- A Z R A E T H -
His smile would have put Conrad Veidt to shame. Okay. So the praise had been brief, but very sweet, and apparently Az was more of a doxophile than he’d originally given himself credit for. That or he just liked it when Flynn specifically offered up a kind opinion. Whatever happened to be true, the vampire made a note to demand his own show at some point. So he could give his partner exactly the amount of worship for those ‘guns’ that they required. “You know, that was exactly the sort of thing my brother would have done.” He admitted. Ah. Azariel. The black sheep. Nikolae had turned the both of them at the same time. Twins. It had been this whole big thing. Only where Raeth (Ghost, Casper, Wraith), had prospered as a vampire, Ariel (Mermaid), had essentially drowned. Az wasn’t sure if it was because his brother was a killer, and had lost more of himself than the mystic had when he’d been turned. Or if there was something darker there. They had talked about it once, and Azariel had intimated to him that he hated how he’d been this golden child as a human. How Azraeth had been the twin in the shadows. And then things had flipped. How the mystic had become greater than he’d ever been when alive. And how Ariel had turned into little more than a shell.
Az was careful not to think a whole lot about his brother, because there was nothing he could do about him. Nothing to make him stay. Or make him stronger. Flynn and Az had met looking for the cure. Would Raeth have given his sibling that to restore his life and his glory? Of course. But that hadn’t been the choice he had made. And ultimately that was the problem. The mystic had new family. The Dragomir. The Voodoo Dragons. The entire vampire community really, in its own way. There had been a time when he would have done anything for Azariel, given anything for him. But the moment he’d realized that his choice was always going to choose the greater good. Well. That bond had just withered. Shrunk. It was something he couldn’t help but look at with a certain amount of bittersweet nostalgia. Bitter because he had lost the person who had been most important to him for most of his life. Sweet because he had grown because of it, because he had been given back so much in return. And at the end of the day, he would have done it all over again. Walked that same path. “Remind me to tell you more about him at some point. You would have ******* hated him.”
Az heard as Flynn used the Russian command, and for a second, he was confused. It seemed that today was destined to be a day for memories, because the phrase brought to mind Andrei, his first childer and best friend growing up. Az hadn’t had a lot of those. Friends. But Andrei had stuck by his side, the awkward ‘new kid’ and the equally awkward bookish recluse. Az had spent years learning Russian so nobody would understand what he and Tiaz were talking about, an ultimately frivolous pursuit, but that’s what childhood was for. Did Flynn speak Russian, or was it one of those cases like with German taught dogs, where his canine companion was just keyed into particular phrases? Note to self: Find out if the boyfriend speaks Russian. If not. Teach him how to say dirty things for entirely scientific reasons..
And there was Az, with a katana swinging towards him. Flynn was in the process of taking out the vampires around the human, presumably to ensure that he could get him out of the situation before one of the Disciples decided to try and cover up their tracks by ripping a throat out. That left the mystic to clean up the scraps so to speak, or specifically the ones who charged at him. One of the Disciples was trying to use the superior range of the katana to get intimate with his chest, and Az just wasn’t having it. He caught the downward arch of the attack with an upthrust ritual blade so the two bits of metal clanged as they crossed. Before she knew what hit her, the Disciple found a hand burning right into her face, a thumb sinking into her eye socket as she screeched. This gave Azraeth the opening he needed to slam his dagger right into one temple, the point and hilt sticking out from opposite sides of a head. He yanked it free and she dropped so that he could retrieve her sword. Which. He totally intended to use since he hadn’t brought his own.
He stomped down on her face firmly, because killing a vampire was an exceptionally difficult task and it required a hell of a lot of follow through, only to clean his dagger at the same time and sheath it. “Got one, handsome!” He called out. “How’s the mortal? You got him covered?”
- F L Y N N -
Dropping the limp form of the vampire he had just took down, he glanced over at Az as he called out. Something about the term ‘mortal’ struck him, considering the fact that he was just as mortal as the human in the middle of that circle. At least, he was to an extent, outside of the magic tattoos that kept his body in a relatively good place. Most days. It probably shouldn’t have bothered him, and it was entirely possible that Az hadn’t even meant it that way. It was a technicality and one that didn’t warrant a whole lot of thought, but he knew it would come up with the vampire, later. He was truly terrible at keeping his thoughts to himself, once he felt comfortable enough to share them and...oh well for Az, he was going to hear about them, now.
If they hadn’t gotten themselves in the middle of their murder spree, Flynn might have asked why Az felt he would have hated said brother. It generally took a lot for Flynn to have any strong feelings one way or another in regards to someone else, and they really needed to make an impression. That only lead him to wonder just how different Az and his brother actually were, and had to imagine it was pretty substantial. With all intentions of asking more about that when their current situation was taken care, he instead found himself thinking about his own brother. It had been a couple of weeks since the surprise visit from his mother, Liam in tow. Before that, it had been at least a year since the seven year old had seen his much older brother, and the kid practically worshipped the ground he walked on. And if they were going to be discussing brothers in the foreseeable future, well...then Az would have to learn about him. And the potential of Flynn’s ‘brother’ role to shift into more of a ‘parent’ one. Which still hung over the paladin’s head like a dark cloud. It was a dread thought, Liam living in Harper Rock. Not to mention the fact that Flynn was hardly the best option as a caretaker considering the...well, the very thing he was doing right now.
Shaking it off for now, Flynn overstepped the couple of bodies laid out across the sewer floor so that he could reach the human huddled there. Ares had managed to take down a couple of the others on his own, and at the end of their little skirmish, he owed the dog some serious praise for that. The canine had also managed to keep the Disciples distracted enough to keep them from trying to intercept him as he knelt down before the man. He was conscious, thankfully, but only just and there was no saying no much longer he would stay that way. It was clear he was dazed from blood loss, and more than likely in shock. Having only been bitten once, and by his vampire boyfriend, no less, his knowledge on the effects of multiple vampires feeding on the same human at once was...pretty non-existent. And honestly, that didn’t matter. “Covered, sure...but, we need to get him out of here. Sooner, rather than later!” he replied, circling around the male to hook his arms underneath his, effectively dragging him from the bloodbath around them.
Only a few stragglers remained, now, as Flynn propped their new charge against a far wall of the sewer. He needed medical attention, and the fastest way to disperse their current enemies...would have been his gun. But, gunshots in the sewers sounded like a truly terrible idea. So, instead, he turned his focus on the few vampires remaining. “Let’s wrap this up, yeah?” Taking in a deep breath, he concentrated on one of the few incantations every paladin learned by heart, and one he had said enough to no longer need to speak aloud. Raising his arm, he took aim and threw his blade at one of the vampires, where it was quickly followed by a blue wave of raw power. The blade buried squarely in the vampire’s chest, the magic crashing into her only seconds later, draining her of the remaining blood from the inside out.
- A Z R A E T H -
The clock was ticking, and there was a pretty definite countdown point. The truth of the matter was that they had gotten there just at the right time, because only a few minutes more, and the human victim would have been totally drained. Now the issue was getting him to the hospital before he bled the rest of the way out into the murky sewers. The situation wasn’t great, and there was a lot of pressure. But in a way, that was the best part. Because Az didn’t have to analyze anything. He had the freedom to just act and worry about consequences later. He got a moment to look up, and appreciate the sight of Flynn taking down another of the undead with a little bit of magic, and some fancy swordwork. “Working on it!” He called out in his partner’s direction, stepping over bodies in order to get closer to Ares, Flynn and the downed man.
Of course, they had been making a hell of a lot of commotion while they were down there, so it didn’t come as much of a shock that in a moment of quiet peace after the last body dropped, Az heard footsteps moving down the tunnels towards them. “I think we’re about to have some company.” He said aloud. He wasn’t opposed to fighting his way through a wall of bodies to get to the exit. Except. Well. Again with the whole ticking clock thing. There was no guarantee they could keep the mortal alive through a dozen more disciples. And even if they could, he was still pouring his red vitals out. Besides. How were they going to get Ares up? Strap him to Flynn’s back? Have Az pick up one end and Flynn pick up the other? So he made a judgment call, and slid an arm around his lover’s shoulder, only to grab the guy they were saving by the arm.
“Seriously, **** you guys and this whole damn place.” He said as new bodies came into view, weapons already drawn. Someone was taking aim with a handgun, about to fire it. Az grinned and subtly flipped her off over Flynn’s shoulder. “**** you, and **** your Crow dude, and **** this culty ********, and Az out!” Suddenly they weren’t standing in the sewers at all, but were right in front of Harper Rock General Hospital. Raeth wasn’t about to go in there. He had a really good grasp on his hunger. Ironclad. But he didn’t think he was going to test his luck. “Okay, handsome, you get our new friend in there, and I’ll stay out here with Ares. Have a real bonding moment.”
But before he let Flynn go, he grabbed the man they’d just saved, carefully pulling him closer, to stare into his eyes. “Look. I’m a vampire. I’m a vampire and my boyfriend and I just saved you. Not all of us are like those monsters down there in the abandoned sewers. When the cops come, I want you to tell them that. Understand?” He asked. His voice was normally a very soft thing, like silk. Warm. Not necessarily deep, but certainly masculine. But for once, it was like steel. A rare and direct command. Then he let the mortal go and stepped back, nodding towards the emergency entrance.
It was one of those nights. The kind that left Flynn wound up, coiled like a snake ready to strike. While he had made moves to distance himself from one high tension situation, he had merely traded it for another. If it were possible, he would almost say that it was worse this time around. And not due to the source of the tension himself, but rather the emotion attached to him, as it battled against a natural repulsion and hostility for his kind. And the paladin didn’t blame Azraeth for it; the vampire had no control over the reactions that came with his presence, nor could he do anything to lessen the impact of them. Flynn had to give himself credit where it was due, if only because he managed to repress them fairly well. That only sufficed so long, though, before he found himself in the literal **** holes of the city, seeking an outlet. It was no secret that the Disciples of Crow hung around in the abandoned sewers, and they made for perfect targets for any paladin. While he had his reservations about vampire kind’s need to die, he couldn’t let out his aggression on those he chose to spend his time with, and well...that left the poor Disciples
One of which dispersed into ashes before him, a massive canine standing overhead, teeth bared. “‘Atta boy, Ares...you will get the hang of this in no time,” the paladin assured the dog, reaching to scratch along behind his ears. Immediately, his entire disposition shifted from protectively aggressive, to gentle ball of fluff with tail wagging a mile a minute. The caucasian shepherd was new the vampire hunting game, but he had made a pretty decent partner thus far. Due to his size, picking off the weakest of the vampires after a few strategically placed shots from his master’s gun was hardly any trouble, and he seemed to embrace the exercise. Maybe he was like his master in that way, needing an outlet to the aggression in one way or another. “Shall we find another one, then? Perhaps, you let me get the kill shot, hmm?” he said with continuing affection for the pup, feeling no shame at speaking with him so casually. They were partners, after all.
- A Z R A E T H -
Some people might have called it slumber, but what happened to Az during the day was more like experiencing true death for however long the sun was up. He didn’t so much fall asleep as the moment the solar body hoisted itself over the horizon line, he was immediately out, and didn’t return until twilight hit. He woke with a languid stretch, only to stand on his bed, a hand lifting to scrub through his short, dark hair. He had recently decided to become a little more exclusive with his food choices. Which was to say that he only drank from one tap - that being the Grand Flynn Brewery. And he was parched. More than that, he just wanted to see the man, and that was all the excuse he needed wasn’t it?
He stumbled around, brushing his teeth, and pulling on some clothing - which mostly just entailed a pair of jeans, a button down shirt, and a jacket (because the weather didn’t seem to know if it wanted to dump summer or winter on Harper Rock). The next thing he knew, he was triangulating the human, and disappearing from sight. Only to be greeted by what appeared to be a ladder descending into the sewer. He stared at it for a few moments. And grunted. He figured his lover was probably in the middle of hunting, so he dropped into the darkness to seek him out. Flynn was totally making this romantic surprise visit harder than it needed to be. And within a couple minutes, he’d found his way down one tunnel, and was approaching the familiar aura and scent of the Paladin. Of course. He still wasn’t ‘properly awake’, as many humans called it.
- F L Y N N -
Before they set off to find their next target for practice, Flynn took the time to gather up the ashes in a small vial. He wasn’t sure what he would use them for, or if they had any use, at all...other than some twisted form of trophy. If it came down to it, he knew he could sell them to the shops around town, cheaply, but hey...it was money for his pocket, so what did he care why they wanted them? Tucking the vial away in his sweatpants pocket, he turned back around to Ares and reached out to give him an affectionate scratch under the chin. That it, until he felt that unease settling along the back of his neck, hairs standing on end. Every nerve was on fire with anticipation, fully aware of the vampire making their way toward them. It was almost the same instant Flynn knew that Ares caught on to the tension in his master, his attention quickly shifting to the entrance to the tunnel behind them. A low growl emanated from deep within the canine, the paladin slowly removing his touch. Taking a few steps forward, Ares dropped low, ready to pounce the instant he had an opening, and Flynn kept his gaze trained on the tunnel.
And then two things happened at once. First, his boyfriend’s appearance materialized from the darkened tunnel. Second, Ares made to lunge, intent on stopping the vampire before he got any closer to his master. Flynn’s eyes widened as it registered just a little too late what was about to happen, reaching out like he might be able to grab for the beast’s collar in time, “****! Ares, NO!” The command came while the dog was mid-launch, meaning there was no time to pull back, and Ares knew it as well as Flynn did by the way his legs moved, as if to backpedal from the situation. The paladin could only watch as a near 200lb dog collided with Azraeth.
- A Z R A E T H -
A few things happened very quickly. One. Az caught sight of Flynn, which resulted in an immediate grin, which spread over his features like the blossoming of a flower. And then he caught sight of the dog. He was still in a sort of haze. Like he was walking through this fog - which he had noticed never really dissipated until the sun was completely gone and darkness had settled in. Then he was on his back. And there was a dog on top of him, going for the throat. He had been lucky enough to throw his arms up at the last moment, which meant that he had teeth digging into his arm, ripping through his jacket and shirt, and into his skin. He acted really without thinking. There were any number of spells at his disposal, a lot of them harmful, but one he’d learned very shortly after being turned worked for the moment. He whispered a phrase in a language that had not existed in millenia, and suddenly Ares went slack at the jaw, his eyes glazed.
Az was able to pull his arm from a jaw and then scrambled up to stand, only to brush past the canine, who was in some sort of momentary trance, so he could point back at him. “What was that?!” He asked as he got closer to Flynn. Only to use his damaged arm to punch the other man’s shoulder. It wasn’t hard enough to actually hurt. Especially not when he stepped even closer, and curled his fingers against the back of the man’s neck, to kiss over his lover’s lips. “Okay. So seriously, that spell isn’t going to last for very much longer and I think I could actually ride that big guy like a horse. Tell me you have dog treats around here somewhere.”
- F L Y N N -
The Paladin winced at the sound of ripping fabric, and he knew that Ares had managed to land a bite somewhere. With no doubt that he was going to pay for that one, he quickly moved in a few steps so that he could try and peel Ares off of the vampire before things got any worse. Except, he apparently didn’t need to. Flynn blinked rapidly as the dog seemed to go still, with Az managing to crawl his way out from under the massive beast. Unsure what the hell had just happened, he opened his mouth to ask if his partner was okay, only to be punched in the arm. His eyebrows furrowed, expression twisting in disbelief while a hand reached out for the assaulted arm, “Hey! I d--...” The words were almost immediately cut off by the pressure of the vampire’s lips on his, and he leaned into it just as it was over. With every intention of protesting further, he huffed with a sour look at his boyfriend. “First of all...ow…” he said with a gesture to his arm, even if it hadn’t hurt. He just felt it was undeserved. Maybe. And who was he to complain about injuries, when Azraeth’s arm was ripped open. “Second...that was Ares doing his damn job! Protecting me. Don’t be mad at him...” he said, reaching out to take the aforementioned arm to examine it. Flynn knew it would heal quickly, but that didn’t stop the creeping guilt
A frown took over his face as he shook his head, “I’m sorry, I tried to call him off...I’ll make it up to you, though?” With a suggestive quirk of his eyebrow, he let go of the damaged limb to circle around the vampire, hands on his shoulders. He leaned in place a light kiss against the base of Az’s throat before backpedaling to where Ares stood, still lost in his own mind. “What did you do to him, anyway?” he said, kneeling down so that he would be the first thing the canine saw when he came to. If Ares managed to come out of it still feeling rather vicious, well… it would only take him a moment to realize he wasn’t attacking the right person, anymore, and settle.
- A Z R A E T H -
Flynn looked just a little bit frustrated. Like he had no clue exactly what to say or do. Az happened to think it was one of the most attractive things he’d seen in days, the way the human huffed at him with all of that indignation. “First.” He said, deciding to repeat the other man, addressing his points as they came. He leaned and kissed where he’d punched. The affection was brief, and soft. He then gripped the arm of his jacket and tore it away, along with the sleeve of his button down t-shirt, which revealed the wound. Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, because Az had acted fairly quickly, and there had been those two layers to contend with. Regardless, there was a little blood flowing, and held his arm up, as if to demand reciprocity. “Second. I don’t honestly mind all that much. Something tells me he takes after you, and that means I just need to work my way through his gruff outer shell to get to the warmth inside.” He declared.
Which was about the moment Flynn took his arm up to get a look at it. And then there was talk of things being made up to Az and he just sort of lost his train of thought right there. What was he pretending to be annoyed about? Oh right. “I have no doubt you’re going to make it up to me. With kisses. Annnd not on my arm, if you get my drift.” Because Az himself was absolutely terrible at innuendo, and that was an affliction he was going to force his poor boyfriend to live with. He didn’t get a chance to say much more, before he felt lips on his throat, and hands gripping him. He probably could have gotten comfortable right then and there in the middle of the sewers, but there was the matter of Ares to deal with. “I just put him in a trance. He’s a little more open to suggestion right now.” He said as he got closer and then let one hand drop to push through Flynn’s hair, the other doing the same with the dog. “Of course, dogs understand some English, but they don’t actually speak it, so I’m not sure that helps.” He mused.
And then Ares began to move, so Az carefully put himself behind Flynn. Which was to say he draped himself against the other man’s back, arms around a neck to watch the way his partner interacted with the pet. Much like with Athena, he didn’t plan to get too close until he was sure he could do so without getting himself or someone else hurt. “Good morning, big guy. You’re just the handsomest doggo, around aren’t you?” He asked.
- F L Y N N -
“We should really work on your insinuation skills…” he said with a laugh, shaking his head at the wording choice. At the very least, his point got across and that was the point that mattered. Not that Flynn thought anyone could have mistaken the meaning if they knew Az, but at all. As the paladin settled down in front of Ares, a hand reached out to bury through the dog’s fur, soothing before he even became aware of his surrounding. Glancing up over the dog’s side, he watched Az move in closer, with some explanation about a trance. That much, he could tell from the glazed look in the canine’s eyes. “I would give some speech about using magic on my dog, but...the circumstances seem to negate that, so...you get off with a warning?” he said, pursing his lips in mock seriousness. Clearly, Ares was going to be just fine and there was no visible signs of distress on the dog’s part. Not that he could have been too upset even if there had been. And this sure was one hell of a way for the two of them to meet. “And for the record, I am not gruff... ” So, he may have huffed a bit at that, too.
Once the shepherd began to move, Flynn felt Az’s weight against his back with a pair of arms wrapping around his neck. Before Ares was fully back to reality, the human tucked his chin enough to press his lips lightly against the skin of the injured arm, much like the vampire had done before. And then Ares was shaking out, as if he had just come out of a fresh bath and wanted to dry off. The canine seemed to realize that he was no longer on the offensive as soon as caught sight of the paladin before him, nuzzling into Flynn’s palm as if he knew he had done something wrong. “It’s alright, Ares...we just realized who it was a little too late, that’s all…” he mumbled to the animal, providing plenty of attention to keep him distracted. “We have to play nice with this one,” he said, letting out a sigh as if it was a chore they had to contend with. “His name is Azraeth, and he’s a pain in the ***, but he grows on you.” Shooting a glare to the side, he added, “One comment and I feed you to him.”
- A Z R A E T H -
“Oh yes, because woozy dog trumps injured boyfriend. Priorities, lover, priorities.” He whispered against the other man’s ear from behind, his arms loose enough around a neck that there was no danger of him doing any real damage. In fact, most of his weight was balanced against a spine. Once again, the vampire felt immediately comfortable. It helped that Flynn was naturally warm, and Az occasionally considered himself a cold-blooded creature, drawn to heat not only for temperature regulation, but also for its relaxing properties. “No. You’re not gruff, but that expression you make when I say something like that is worth the lie. That and the sound. You just made it again.” He accused before his head turned to let him drag his lips against a cheekbone, just barely nosing the flesh in that spot. “As a matter of fact, you’re one of the most even tempered people I’ve ever met. Mr. Flynnstone, which I happen to find both endearing and painfully attractive.” He finally tipped his head back, if only because he needed to actually focus on Ares if the dog was ever going to like him.
He watched the way Flynn touched the pooch and then his own hand slipped, at first crawling over his partner’s arm, and then opposite the direction the human had taken. Up instead of down. He stroked between ears hesitantly, if only because he didn’t want his hand bitten off (possibly literally). And then the Paladin’s words hit him. And before he could make a smart *** comment, the human followed it up. Which made Az grin. Because clearly his boyfriend knew him well enough to be very aware of just how immature he was. “How about. If I don’t make the obvious joke, I get to eat you later?” He questioned before he finally pulled back, dragging himself away from the kneeling Flynn and Ares so he could stand, and glance down one end of the tunnel and then the other. He knew this place; it was where those crackpot disciples of the Crow liked to lurk. He knew enough about them to know they were in some kind of crazy cult thing. “So what are we doing here with handsome, baby Cujo?” he asked, suddenly very aware he probably should have brought at least a gun.
- F L Y N N -
It didn’t bother him that Az lied for the sake of getting a rise out of him, if only because the lie was entirely innocent. A way of poking fun, even if they both knew it wasn’t true. With a look at Az from the corner of his eye, he gave the subtlest shake of his head, “Even tempered? That just goes to show I’ve done marvelously at keeping my volatile emotions at bay, and apparently look damn good doing it.” He smirked, then, turning his focus back to Ares as Az reached out to scratch at him. Flynn could feel the way the muscles of the beast tensed at the touch, but at the constant contact with the paladin and no clear signs of a threat from the vampire, he remained perfectly still. So, maybe Ares and Az wouldn’t be best friends by the end of the night, but the vampire hunting partner would, at the very least, be able to tolerate the vampire’s presence. That was a start. And then his partner’s weight was gone, leading Flynn to glance over his shoulder to see just what he was up to. He watched as his boyfriend looked around, assessing their location as if he was just now seeing it for the first time. Standing up, but locking a hand into Ares’ fur, he cant his head. “I don’t know if that’s a fair trade. You get to eat me, and I have to make up for Ares? This seems suddenly very one sided…” he pointed out, offering a small smirk.
But then he sighed and looked down at ‘baby Cujo,’ “Well, this is as good a place as any to get him some practice on some...easier targets of the vampire variety. If he is going to be a serious hunting partner...then he needs to be able to recognize them, but also how to listen to my commands. Clearly...waiting for me to command him is a work in progress…” he muttered, narrowing his gaze on the animal who had his attention focused on Azraeth, still a little suspicious. It was hard to be impatient with Ares, though, as he was so well behaved on every other occasion. “Are you planning to stick around?” he asked of Az, raising a ‘brow up questioningly.
- A Z R A E T H -
There was a little tension in Ares, but not enough to make the dog act violently, and really that was all Az needed to know. If he could work with the canine without getting bitten every few minutes. As far as the vampire was concerned, if he was going to get mauled by some guy, he would have much rather it just been Flynn. “Peace, baby Cujo? If we can get along, there’s at least one big steak in it for you.” He offered by way of bribe. Thankfully, Az had at least brought his ritual dagger, which was honestly as much a part of his outfit as his cell phone or wallet. He literally didn’t go anywhere without it. Sure. That meant he couldn’t headshot any of the disciples, but he could still do plenty of damage in his own way. “I know. It’s not entirely fair, but honeymoon phase where I’m feeling extremely generous. In the future, I might start to really even things up.” He said, and then cast his partner a look, the light in his eyes seeming to dance with mirth.
It probably should have bothered Az that his lover was down there in the sewers with his attack dog, literally taking down his own kind. But wouldn’t that have made him a hypocrite? How many of the disciples had Raeth himself killed? Several. And how many vampires were down there, putting a sizable dent in the cult population? Also several. In fact, between the vampires in the sewers, the castle, chemical plant, and all over the place, of various factions, there was nobody who had clean hands. And as far as hands went, Az let his reach out so that Ares could sniff it if he so desired. There was certainly an ample amount of Flynn’s scent there. “The way I figure it, I plan to fight by your side whenever I can, so the sooner this big guy gets used to me, the better. So yeah, I’ll be sticking around.” He murmured before he pressed close enough to his lover to dot a kiss against his lower lip, only to slide his ritual dagger free from the sheath against his lower back.
The wound on his arm was almost entirely gone, and Az used the blade to help cut through the stitches on the opposite sleeve, so he could at least create a sense of symmetry. “This totally makes up for those pants of yours I ruined, by the way.” He called out with a grin. “Now let’s go kick some *** before I find a way to justify you owing me even more favors.”
- F L Y N N - It was almost impossible to tear his attention from Az and Ares. That was, in part, due to the fact that Flynn wanted to be sure he could intervene if the canine decided he was going to be ballsy and attack, again...but, it was just as much about seeing the way the vampire interacted with him. Apparently bribery was going to play a role in their relationship, and it suddenly became blatantly obvious that Ares was going to be spoiled rotten...and the paladin wouldn’t have been surprised if was done behind his back. Of course, if Az was going to spoil Ares, he would have to spoil Athena, too. And two spoiled pups just sounded like a terrible idea. Maybe that would have be a talk he had with his partner, if only to tell him that his ability to spoil had limits. He was not the cool uncle or grandparent who got to give the kids whatever they wanted, because hell..they weren’t his. But, that whole thought process flew out the window at that single look. Dammit.
A slow smile formed on his lips from the kiss of confirmation, but he offered no words in response. He hadn’t expected any differently, especially when he had plans to stay down there. At least for a little while longer. Then, he would have to drag the massive fluff back up to the surface, and that would be a **** show and a half. So, having Az around may actually turn out for the best, at the end of things. Both eyebrows shot up toward his hairline as the vampire pulled out the small dagger, and soon proceeded to cut up the jacket even further. “My heart hurts watching you purposely destroy the remainder of that jacket...even if I understand the purpose…” he sighed, shaking his head. “But, yes, let’s go and find ourselves someone to impale with your wee little dagger and baby Cujo. I owe you too many favors already.”
Rather than head down the tunnel Az had come from, Flynn directed Ares to head off in the opposite direction, trailing alongside him. “So, let’s see how well my vampire radar works when there is one literally walking next to me...I am assuming...not too well,” he commented, shooting a look at Az.
- A Z R A E T H -
“You know, I was trying to make myself look less ridiculous, but I just don’t think there’s a way for me to rock this look.” Az admitted at his partner’s expressed disdain at the vampire’s destructive measures. He cast his gaze towards the Paladin. And it seemed that he couldn’t keep a sour expression when he was around the other man. Clothing was, after all, pretty easily replaced all things considered. Raeth might not have been the wealthiest man in Harper Rock, but he seemed to have the vampiric luck of never truly subsisting. “But you know. That just means that you get front row seats to the..” It was the most predictable line in existence. It was perhaps the cheesiest thing he had ever said to Flynn, and he totally knew it. His features reflected that self-indulgent, almost lazily roguish mindset perfectly. “...gun show!” He even lifted an arm and flexed a muscle. Not that he had a ton of those to show off, but that was part of the point.
“As far as my wee little dagger goes, he may be small, but he’s terribly reliable.” He said as he fell in line beside Flynn while they made their way down a tunnel. Of course Ares was right there as well. And though the vampire seemed light-hearted; it was something of a ruse. Oh. He was feeling in good spirits, but he was also paying very close attention to everything around him. He’d already been taken by surprise once (thanks for that, baby Cujo), and he wasn’t about to let that happen again. Despite being a self-proclaimed scholar, mystic, and overall nerd boy, the truth of the matter was that Az had been forced into a lot of violent situations as a vampire. He’d been forced to fight for his life, for his freedom, for his bloodline. He wasn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, the best fighter. But he could certainly hold his own whilst remaining pretty deceptively upbeat.
And as it turned out, they didn’t have a whole lot of ground to cover before they turned a corner into a little alcove or pocket in the sewer, where it looked like there were some of the disciples huddled together around a human which had been brought down into the sewers to be fed upon. The man was bleeding profusely, and there was a thin red sheen that coated his shoulders and chest, with thickening blood moving over his biceps. He was kneeling, and looked dazed. The vampires themselves were busily feasting and didn’t notice the trio observing them from behind the corner. So Az pressed a kiss to his lover’s jaw. “Ready to save some lives?” He asked. But he didn’t wait for an answer. Instead he slipped away from the comfort of the other man and towards the gaggle of ghouls. He lifted his hand, and dragged the ritual dagger across it.
That was when they took note of him. But before any of them could move though, a mystical portal opened above the four of them and the kneeling human. Az’s hand was held out, and at first fingers were splayed open wide, but then he squeezed them into a tight fist, blood welling and dripping onto the ground. Suddenly, a torrent of sunlight poured from that area above the vampires. He could almost feel the heat of it radiating towards him. Flesh began to immediately char and flake off. Skin began to melt away, and blood flowed. The human was, of course, totally unharmed by the assault. But the screaming. The screaming was immediate and then the drawing of weapons, the rage. “Alright babe, your turn! Softened em up a bit for ya!” He called out, before shifting his position into a defensive posture, flipping his dagger to hold out in front of him as if he were about to get into a knife fight.
- F L Y N N -
He wasn’t...Azraeth was not about to use the most predictable line in the book. He was not about to spout off something that cheesy. And when he did just that, Flynn bit down on his lip, eyes narrowing in an attempt not to laugh. To the vampire’s credit, he totally pulled it off, but that didn’t make it any easier to keep a straight face. Maybe that was, in part, due to the fact that the paladin couldn’t connect that level of self-interest with Az, which only made it seem that much funnier. “Well, you clearly set a new standard, because that’s the best show I’ve ever been to.” he said as they began to make their way through the series of tunnels, only after clearing his throat to prevent that laughter from accompanying it. He would have repay that favor, someday, once the opportunity presented itself. Rather than concentrate on that while in a sewer full of psychotic vampires, though, he reverted back to his practiced facade of indifference
His gaze dropped to the dagger, shrugging as if to suggest that he wasn’t about to judge. Any weapon was better than no weapon, and he knew better than to assume Az wasn’t capable. Sure, Longslade had involved more than that little dagger, but he had at least seen him in action. “I will take your word for it, and you will have ample opportunity to prove it to me, I’m sure.” He shot a wink to the man at his side, dragging his hand along Ares’ head to keep him calm and attentive to their surroundings. As the paladin fell silent, he tried to bring his focus onto his ‘vampire radar,’ which, as expected was already on high alert thanks to Azraeth’s proximity. Usually, when around more than one (like, Longslade), his body seemed to go into auto-pilot, reacting without much thought. That’s what he was hoping for, now, if only as an early warning system to their presence to keep Ares under control. Not that Flynn had any other vampires to keep him from chewing apart, per se.
And it didn’t take long for that unease to grow exponentially the closer they got, signalling to Flynn that they were coming up on more than just a lone wanderer. As they came to a stop around the corner, the paladin knelt beside Ares, quietly shushing the canine as he grew restless. Only once the dog calmed did he stand and peer around the vampire’s shoulder to get a look at the situation they had stumbled upon, and just in time to receive that light pressure of lips to his jaw. There was no chance to say anything before the man was walking off toward the group, who stilled and turned in a unified manner to find the intruder to their circle. And Flynn watched fascinated horror as the portal opened. And vampires thought paladin’s were destructive to their own kind? Yeah, okay. What use was an ability like that, other than harming fellow vampires?
The screaming quickly spurned him into action, his first concern being the human in the center of the enraged group. Knowing that canine would provide the perfection distraction, Flynn dropped to the animal, releasing his hold. “для крови “ The Russian command tone was quiet, firm. But the reaction was immediate, Ares entire demeanor changed as he dropped low just long enough to take off at a run for the group. There was only a momentary hesitation on the disciples’ part as the dog came charging at them. It was all the advantage the paladin needed to follow him out, grabbing hold of the nearest of the cultists from behind long enough to slice his trusty blade across the charred flesh of of the vampire’s neck, blood spewing out of the wound, the screams shifting into a choked gurgling. Wasting no time, Flynn flipped the blade in his hand to angle back toward the face, ramming it through their eye socket. And then the vampire went limp, effectively silenced.
- A Z R A E T H -
His smile would have put Conrad Veidt to shame. Okay. So the praise had been brief, but very sweet, and apparently Az was more of a doxophile than he’d originally given himself credit for. That or he just liked it when Flynn specifically offered up a kind opinion. Whatever happened to be true, the vampire made a note to demand his own show at some point. So he could give his partner exactly the amount of worship for those ‘guns’ that they required. “You know, that was exactly the sort of thing my brother would have done.” He admitted. Ah. Azariel. The black sheep. Nikolae had turned the both of them at the same time. Twins. It had been this whole big thing. Only where Raeth (Ghost, Casper, Wraith), had prospered as a vampire, Ariel (Mermaid), had essentially drowned. Az wasn’t sure if it was because his brother was a killer, and had lost more of himself than the mystic had when he’d been turned. Or if there was something darker there. They had talked about it once, and Azariel had intimated to him that he hated how he’d been this golden child as a human. How Azraeth had been the twin in the shadows. And then things had flipped. How the mystic had become greater than he’d ever been when alive. And how Ariel had turned into little more than a shell.
Az was careful not to think a whole lot about his brother, because there was nothing he could do about him. Nothing to make him stay. Or make him stronger. Flynn and Az had met looking for the cure. Would Raeth have given his sibling that to restore his life and his glory? Of course. But that hadn’t been the choice he had made. And ultimately that was the problem. The mystic had new family. The Dragomir. The Voodoo Dragons. The entire vampire community really, in its own way. There had been a time when he would have done anything for Azariel, given anything for him. But the moment he’d realized that his choice was always going to choose the greater good. Well. That bond had just withered. Shrunk. It was something he couldn’t help but look at with a certain amount of bittersweet nostalgia. Bitter because he had lost the person who had been most important to him for most of his life. Sweet because he had grown because of it, because he had been given back so much in return. And at the end of the day, he would have done it all over again. Walked that same path. “Remind me to tell you more about him at some point. You would have ******* hated him.”
Az heard as Flynn used the Russian command, and for a second, he was confused. It seemed that today was destined to be a day for memories, because the phrase brought to mind Andrei, his first childer and best friend growing up. Az hadn’t had a lot of those. Friends. But Andrei had stuck by his side, the awkward ‘new kid’ and the equally awkward bookish recluse. Az had spent years learning Russian so nobody would understand what he and Tiaz were talking about, an ultimately frivolous pursuit, but that’s what childhood was for. Did Flynn speak Russian, or was it one of those cases like with German taught dogs, where his canine companion was just keyed into particular phrases? Note to self: Find out if the boyfriend speaks Russian. If not. Teach him how to say dirty things for entirely scientific reasons..
And there was Az, with a katana swinging towards him. Flynn was in the process of taking out the vampires around the human, presumably to ensure that he could get him out of the situation before one of the Disciples decided to try and cover up their tracks by ripping a throat out. That left the mystic to clean up the scraps so to speak, or specifically the ones who charged at him. One of the Disciples was trying to use the superior range of the katana to get intimate with his chest, and Az just wasn’t having it. He caught the downward arch of the attack with an upthrust ritual blade so the two bits of metal clanged as they crossed. Before she knew what hit her, the Disciple found a hand burning right into her face, a thumb sinking into her eye socket as she screeched. This gave Azraeth the opening he needed to slam his dagger right into one temple, the point and hilt sticking out from opposite sides of a head. He yanked it free and she dropped so that he could retrieve her sword. Which. He totally intended to use since he hadn’t brought his own.
He stomped down on her face firmly, because killing a vampire was an exceptionally difficult task and it required a hell of a lot of follow through, only to clean his dagger at the same time and sheath it. “Got one, handsome!” He called out. “How’s the mortal? You got him covered?”
- F L Y N N -
Dropping the limp form of the vampire he had just took down, he glanced over at Az as he called out. Something about the term ‘mortal’ struck him, considering the fact that he was just as mortal as the human in the middle of that circle. At least, he was to an extent, outside of the magic tattoos that kept his body in a relatively good place. Most days. It probably shouldn’t have bothered him, and it was entirely possible that Az hadn’t even meant it that way. It was a technicality and one that didn’t warrant a whole lot of thought, but he knew it would come up with the vampire, later. He was truly terrible at keeping his thoughts to himself, once he felt comfortable enough to share them and...oh well for Az, he was going to hear about them, now.
If they hadn’t gotten themselves in the middle of their murder spree, Flynn might have asked why Az felt he would have hated said brother. It generally took a lot for Flynn to have any strong feelings one way or another in regards to someone else, and they really needed to make an impression. That only lead him to wonder just how different Az and his brother actually were, and had to imagine it was pretty substantial. With all intentions of asking more about that when their current situation was taken care, he instead found himself thinking about his own brother. It had been a couple of weeks since the surprise visit from his mother, Liam in tow. Before that, it had been at least a year since the seven year old had seen his much older brother, and the kid practically worshipped the ground he walked on. And if they were going to be discussing brothers in the foreseeable future, well...then Az would have to learn about him. And the potential of Flynn’s ‘brother’ role to shift into more of a ‘parent’ one. Which still hung over the paladin’s head like a dark cloud. It was a dread thought, Liam living in Harper Rock. Not to mention the fact that Flynn was hardly the best option as a caretaker considering the...well, the very thing he was doing right now.
Shaking it off for now, Flynn overstepped the couple of bodies laid out across the sewer floor so that he could reach the human huddled there. Ares had managed to take down a couple of the others on his own, and at the end of their little skirmish, he owed the dog some serious praise for that. The canine had also managed to keep the Disciples distracted enough to keep them from trying to intercept him as he knelt down before the man. He was conscious, thankfully, but only just and there was no saying no much longer he would stay that way. It was clear he was dazed from blood loss, and more than likely in shock. Having only been bitten once, and by his vampire boyfriend, no less, his knowledge on the effects of multiple vampires feeding on the same human at once was...pretty non-existent. And honestly, that didn’t matter. “Covered, sure...but, we need to get him out of here. Sooner, rather than later!” he replied, circling around the male to hook his arms underneath his, effectively dragging him from the bloodbath around them.
Only a few stragglers remained, now, as Flynn propped their new charge against a far wall of the sewer. He needed medical attention, and the fastest way to disperse their current enemies...would have been his gun. But, gunshots in the sewers sounded like a truly terrible idea. So, instead, he turned his focus on the few vampires remaining. “Let’s wrap this up, yeah?” Taking in a deep breath, he concentrated on one of the few incantations every paladin learned by heart, and one he had said enough to no longer need to speak aloud. Raising his arm, he took aim and threw his blade at one of the vampires, where it was quickly followed by a blue wave of raw power. The blade buried squarely in the vampire’s chest, the magic crashing into her only seconds later, draining her of the remaining blood from the inside out.
- A Z R A E T H -
The clock was ticking, and there was a pretty definite countdown point. The truth of the matter was that they had gotten there just at the right time, because only a few minutes more, and the human victim would have been totally drained. Now the issue was getting him to the hospital before he bled the rest of the way out into the murky sewers. The situation wasn’t great, and there was a lot of pressure. But in a way, that was the best part. Because Az didn’t have to analyze anything. He had the freedom to just act and worry about consequences later. He got a moment to look up, and appreciate the sight of Flynn taking down another of the undead with a little bit of magic, and some fancy swordwork. “Working on it!” He called out in his partner’s direction, stepping over bodies in order to get closer to Ares, Flynn and the downed man.
Of course, they had been making a hell of a lot of commotion while they were down there, so it didn’t come as much of a shock that in a moment of quiet peace after the last body dropped, Az heard footsteps moving down the tunnels towards them. “I think we’re about to have some company.” He said aloud. He wasn’t opposed to fighting his way through a wall of bodies to get to the exit. Except. Well. Again with the whole ticking clock thing. There was no guarantee they could keep the mortal alive through a dozen more disciples. And even if they could, he was still pouring his red vitals out. Besides. How were they going to get Ares up? Strap him to Flynn’s back? Have Az pick up one end and Flynn pick up the other? So he made a judgment call, and slid an arm around his lover’s shoulder, only to grab the guy they were saving by the arm.
“Seriously, **** you guys and this whole damn place.” He said as new bodies came into view, weapons already drawn. Someone was taking aim with a handgun, about to fire it. Az grinned and subtly flipped her off over Flynn’s shoulder. “**** you, and **** your Crow dude, and **** this culty ********, and Az out!” Suddenly they weren’t standing in the sewers at all, but were right in front of Harper Rock General Hospital. Raeth wasn’t about to go in there. He had a really good grasp on his hunger. Ironclad. But he didn’t think he was going to test his luck. “Okay, handsome, you get our new friend in there, and I’ll stay out here with Ares. Have a real bonding moment.”
But before he let Flynn go, he grabbed the man they’d just saved, carefully pulling him closer, to stare into his eyes. “Look. I’m a vampire. I’m a vampire and my boyfriend and I just saved you. Not all of us are like those monsters down there in the abandoned sewers. When the cops come, I want you to tell them that. Understand?” He asked. His voice was normally a very soft thing, like silk. Warm. Not necessarily deep, but certainly masculine. But for once, it was like steel. A rare and direct command. Then he let the mortal go and stepped back, nodding towards the emergency entrance.
[To Be Continued]
