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Blaize
Sangue Bank had been open for a couple of weeks now, and was doing good. There were a few kinks, of course. There were those who disagreed with the concept, but it was all above board. Blaize had had to fight for many things. He’d had to jump through numerous hoops while also avoiding others. But his argument was sound, and no one could prove him wrong. If there were more humans willingly giving their blood to aid vampires, there’d be less theft from hospitals and less random attacks on the streets. All they needed to learn was that there were plenty of vampires who didn’t mean to harm their prey, they just had no other options.

Blaize
But, they were here, now. The medics had been hired, all above board. The blood was sourced elsewhere; there was complete anonymity in the giving. The décor was white, upon white, burnished with a few dark red fittings. The employees were dressed in white, the fit out a lot like a bank. The employees were protected behind glass, though there was a generous gap through which payment could be made and the purchased blood be handed over. There were panic buttons beneath their seats, so if anyone tried to rob the place secure grates would slam into place, protecting the employees from the customers.

Blaize
The ’menu’, for lack of a better word, was displayed overhead, almost like a fast food restaurant. It was a gimmick, but could also be taken completely seriously. Blaize stood to the side, dressed like an owner and boss ought to be dressed – though not in the same clinical white as his employees. He observed reactions; he wasn’t completely set on the uniform, wondering whether he should change it up.

Blaize
Wearing: https://i.p i n i m g.com/564x/a5/d5/ce/a5d5 ... 448bc0.jpg

Caralie
'Caralie, dear, you shouldn't have to worry about asking. Of course we'd take care of Nina.' The words of her neighbor ran through her mind over and over again. She always told herself that she'd find a more permanent babysitter, but it never happened. They insisted that having the little girl around helped mend their heart about the child they lost, but she always made sure that she called to ask if they needed anything before she returned. As she approached the Sangue Bank, she pressed her lips together into a frown. 'This will be the last time.' It was another lie that Caralie told herself. Usually, she got blood from willing donors - her usual was a pretty blonde, her name unknown, but her face one that that blood thief had committed to memory for her kindness.

Caralie
But, the powers had worn off. She hadn't had the time to make her trek down to the other vampiress, and Caralie didn't like being powerless. Not in the city that had turned into something out of a science fiction novel. Her tongue ran over her fangs lightly, still not used to the foreign sharpness in her mouth before she reached forward to pull the door open, holding it for a woman too pale to be human and stepping in after her. It had taken Caralie a few days to work up the courage to go inside. She'd been scoping it out every now and then, but there'd been hesitance. Nerve. Most of the time, however, it was easier to ask outside on the transits.

Caralie
Never did she do it where she could potentially be harmed. There was a need for some responsibility in her life after she'd become a parent, but Caralie knew she was looking for trouble. Eventually, someone wouldn't be nice. Eventually, someone would get angry with her. But, that was one of the reasons she kept a gun in her purse. And it was another reason that she'd learned she preferred taking from someone who could blind another - so that she could run, and lock them out using another power.

Caralie
wearing: https://i.imgur.com/cgY8xwM.png

Blaize
Blaize was busy watching the comings and goings. Overhead, music played -- he'd wanted something classical, but had been persuaded by more business-minded people that moods could be tense, given the newness of this concept and the pickets that had been paraded only the day before. There were plenty left in the city who thought all vampires should be eradicated, and wouldn't dare help them in any way. Which was why there was anonymity given to the donors. It wouldn't do, for them to be harassed. And that's when he saw her -- a human, where no humans should be. A human shouldn't need to buy human blood unless for a vampire friend, or a master. Was his sister a thrall?! No. Blaize pushed himself from the bench he'd been leaning against and approached, mindless of his appearance, of the fact his sister didn't know what he was. Or that this place was his. "Cara," he said, voice low and yet loud enough to reach her over the shortening space. "What are you doing here...?"

Caralie
Every now and then, she allowed people to feed from her. It wasn't often enough that it bothered her, or that it showed on her skin - although, since she'd started to drink their blood, it seemed she healed faster. But, she donated blood as soon as the zombies appeared. It wasn't something she could do regularly enough to get to a place on a monthly basis, but the little bit of pain knowing someone would be helped in one way or another helped. It made a difference - to a human, or a vampire. Her gaze slipped over the patrons, making a mental note of the amount of people in the room. At least, she'd started to until she heard her name. Her head snapped towards it, the recognition of her brother showing across her features as she cursed mentally. Why was he here? "I... was looking around. Might as well, given the amount of vampires in the city." It was half a truth.\

Blaize
Caralie would know her brother to be a serious individual -- one who rarely smiled. His bright eyes flickered over his sister, head to toe, before looking behind her, around her, out the door. He couldn't see Nina. Good. At least his god-daughter wasn't in danger. And why was he angry with her, anyway? He hoped that his establishment would one day be safe enough. And it should be safe enough. Inside, at least, the security was strong. Still. "There's a reason why the humans who give are anonymous," he said. "Plenty of people don't agree with this place. It's not safe yet," he said, already leading Caralie toward the door. As stern and angry as he always seemed to be, it was only ever for Cara's safety.

Caralie
"Plenty of people don't agree with the vampires and zombies, Blaize, but I'm not one of them. I've got a symbiotic relationship with some, you can say, and I wanted to pass along that this wasn't a bad place to be." It wasn't a lie, really. She did think it would be a good place to encourage some she'd seen to go. Although, Caralie didn't particularly enjoy the fact she'd compared herself to a parasite. "And the safety argument goes right out the window when you consider one can be turned into a zombie if they step into the wrong side of town." It was odd to say. It was even harder for Caralie to believe the words were coming out of her own mouth as she eyed his hand and then lifted her gaze to his face.

Blaize
"They can't. It doesn't work like that," Blaize snapped. Where had he heard that? Somewhere, from someone. But he knew a zombie couldn't turn a human into a zombie with a scratch or a bite. It was just spirits taking over dead bodies -- free hosts, as it were, with no brain function. "And I didn't say you were one of them. You're a mother now. Nina might not be here but she needs her mother. There were protests here last night and on this side of the counter, there are vampires thirsty for human blood. Just stepping inside a place meant for vampires, as a human, puts you in danger," he said. He'd grabbed her arm -- firm, but gentle enough -- and they were now outside, the breeze warm now in the height of Summer. Blaize was already looking for danger, though thankfully he could see none.

Caralie
"I didn't mean from a bite or a scratch. Have you seen the neighborhoods? The violence? Stray bullet, fatal injury." She nearly rolled her eyes before she frowned at him. It was a light motion, but Caralie knew he was just being protective. Although, "I'm careful enough for Nina, I have always put her first and don't you use my daughter to guilt me into doing things - our parents did that enough." She pulled her arm free, straightening her shirt as she said it. The words weren't meant to sting or guilt, but to remind him that she didn't need to hear it. Between dealing with the asshole that was her child's father, and her parents reminding her how she had needed to be an adult, to take care of her, it was enough. "I can take care of myself. But there's not only a supply for human blood, but for vampire blood. And you can't tell me to be careful when you're putting yourself in harms way in there, as well."

Blaize
Blaize snorted. He rolled his shoulders; there was still an ache, there. He still had no idea how it worked, the magic behind the wings; for weeks he'd not been able to leave the house. He'd had numerous panic attacks regarding the extra feathered limbs, not knowing whether they'd go away, or if they would. How would he go outside like that? They'd turn him into a circus freak, kidnap him and take him to some lab to experiment on. But eventually, with some meditation and a few different tricks, they'd retracted. They came and went depending on his moods, and he was terrified just thinking about them now would cause them to burst free. He shifted his thoughts and pushed his fingers through his hair. "I'm not in any danger," he said, simply, curtly. "Why would you care about supply for vampire blood? What have you got yourself into?" he asked. The mention of their parents barely caused a twitch. He had plenty enough guilt in his life -- probably why he steered clear of good ol' Ma and Pa.

Caralie
Caralie didn't miss the roll of his shoulders. She ran her tongue over her fangs once again. It was becoming a nervous habit. She didn't know if they retracted, or if they would stay around - but for now, they remained. His comment had her narrowing her eyes. At first, she thought it was in regards to her size - she was small, she knew it. The woman didn't pass five-foot-five even in three inch heels. But then, she took note of the subtle differences in his skin - paler, he'd felt cold. "Well, that would make sense to what you're doing in a blood bank." There was no numbness or question about it. She didn't have to say it, as she looked up and down before folding her arms in front of her chest. "People pay for it, I supply it." She said equally as simple, but she couldn't help the glint of her fangs in the lighting before her lips hid them. "Blood thieves, in particular."

Blaize
Why hadn't Blaize shared his new state of being with his sister? Maybe he was afraid she'd disown him. That she'd renounce that title of 'Godfather' and he'd never see his niece again. She'd consider him a danger to her and her daughter; she'd not want him around. He always seemed so happy to be independent and alone, but there were things Blaize wanted that even Blaize didn't know about. The muscles in his jaw jumped as his teeth clenched, before he released them. "What do you mean?" he asked. He didn't deny the statement she'd made. "You..." he reached for her hand, felt the warmth of it. But then he saw them, the teeth. Teeth that he himself didn't have so could not tell that hers weren't as big as a vampire's should be. "What the ****, Cara. You're a vampire? Who sells blood to blood thieves?!"

Caralie
"Don't make this into a Twilight moment. You're a vampire. That's why you're in there." She looked at his attire and at the doors, and then back to her brother. Her big brother. They hadn't been as close as they were when they were younger, but it did sting Caralie a bit to know he wasn't the same. That he hadn't had told her during the times he'd seen Nina. Although, Caralie knew that she'd never be able to tear Nina away from Blaize even if she'd wanted to. The girl adored him and had even recently started liking dancing, just like her uncle. That time, Caralie did roll her eyes. "No. I'm a blood thief who sells blood to blood thieves, and occasionally to vampires who want it, or human. No, I don't steal it. I'm not stupid. As much as you'd likely beg to differ." She held out her hand, "Pulse is still as strong as it was when you last saw me." She was careless sometimes, yes. But Caralie had tried to stop, and it didn't work out the way she'd wanted.

Blaize
Blaize still didn't understand. "You... so you procure it. You go around getting blood from vampires to feed yourself and others like you? Why would regular humans want vampire blood?" he asked. Now, he was just trying to understand. "That doesn't sound safe," he said. There was still a note of anger to his tone but it had calmed. How could he remain angry at her for not telling him things when he'd kept things from her, too? "I'm in there because I own the place. It's mine," Blaize said, glancing up at the exterior of the Bank, mildly proud of what he had achieved. He was calmer, too. The endeavour was mostly selfish. He had access to blood, given willingly, and it eased his tension. "Why, Cara?" he asked, exasperated.

Caralie
"I wouldn't call it feeding in my case, I don't need it to live. I gain strengths - physically, powers, etc. But I'm still human, I'm just not as frail as I once was." She could do without the fangs. "Blood thieves aren't particularly regular humans. We're... sort of in between." She lifted her thumb and prodded at one of the fangs just hard enough so that it would bleed. It didn't heal as quickly as it would his, but there was no lingering wound after a few moments. Her gaze lifted to the bank once more, looking at it. Her expression shifted from the one it had been to one of joy. She was happy for him. "And to think, my big brother is doing something good for the city." Her gaze then went back to his as soon as she heard the exasperation, her expression falling once more. "If you haven't noticed, humans aren't exactly plenty here. And I would rather be able to fight off unwanted feeding than to end up someones dinner. I didn't become this way intentionally. I got mixed up with the wrong crowd at one of the clubs." She lifted a hand to scratch at the back of her neck, looking away from him. "Shouldn't have to explain more than that other than I wasn't thinking."

Blaize
In the end, Blaize couldn't argue with Caralie's reasoning. If she wanted to stay in this city she ought to be able to defend herself. Not all vampires were upstanding citizens, not to mention the other beasties around. And, at least she admitted that she wasn't thinking. Blaize relaxed, squeezing Caralie's shoulder reassuringly before tugging her into a side hug. "I'd say you should have told me, but that would make me a hypocrite, wouldn't it?" he said with a wry smile. He knew, now. And he could help in whatever way he could. "So what were you doing here? There's only human blood in there..." he said, nodding over his shoulder to the Bank.

Caralie
All in all, Caralie knew she wasn't doing the best that she could as a mother, but it was one of the reasons she didn't argue when it came to needing help. Julie had flat out told her to stop being difficult and to let them watch Nina on multiple times. Patrick had fixed her car more times than she liked to admit. And Blaize, well, although the two had their secrets - there was no one more she trusted to raise her daughter, if something happened to her. She sure was hell wouldn't let her go back to living with her parents. "Yes. And you still hadn't come out with it." She pointed out, but it wasn't something that bothered her, really. "Yes, but there are vampires." She lifted her eyebrow. "Ones who entered to feed. I take their blood and pay them, so it's typically more convenient if I do it near a place they can purchase more. Or well, I haven't been paying the blonde, but that'll change eventually. She's the one I usually go to, but I haven't had time to find her."

Blaize
"I guess those who come here are probably the better sort, if they want to purchase blood above-board, morally. Guilt-free," he said. He sounded like some kind of hippie vegetarian but he'd been a vegetarian as a human, so there was no difference. "But it's still not safe to ask strangers. Come to me if you're desperate, okay?" he said, giving her shoulder another squeeze. Then he shook his head, releasing some of the tension he'd been holding. "No, I didn't come out with it. I've had... issues, adjusting. It hasn't been a secret but I haven't been open about it, either," he said. He'd toured with the dance company not too long ago and there'd been rumours, to help sell the show. Rumours that he neither confirmed nor denied. People could talk, he wouldn't make a spectacle of himself (unless for the purpose of the ballet, as he was paid for, as he was passionate about).

Caralie
The look that she gave him showed that she clearly thought he was falling into the overprotective sort, but she didn't say it. She knew it was just Blaize being Blaize, that he was worried about her. It was comforting, even if she had been doing it for a while now. "Like I said, not exactly as fragile as I look. Or well, when I feed. It's still wearing off." She looked at her hand and sighed. She could feel it. "As long as you do the same." It wouldn't surprise her if the above-board, morally, guilt-free reference was something he was applying to himself. After a moment, she returned the hug and squeezed him to her small form. "If you aren't being out right to me, your own blood, that's still a secret to me." That was at least how she would see it. "You should be glad that I'm not sitting in a club offering myself up. From what I've heard, some girls call themselves blood dolls and do it." And despite being a blood thief, she was picky about who she let feed on her.

Blaize
"Don't be pedantic," he said, rolling his eyes. He could have argued the point but let it drop. To be frank, he should have told Caralie sooner. Now that she knew, he felt the urge to just... tell her everything. "And yes, I'm glad you're not sitting in a club somewhere. But..." he stopped, sucked in a breath. Not only was she taking the blood of vampires, but she also sounded as if she frequently gave her blood away, too. But, 'sounds like' does not equal fact. "Should we find somewhere to sit? Catch up?" he asked. At least then they wouldn't be standing in the middle of the street. And then it struck him, the reason she was here. She'd mentioned the blood wearing off. "...or do you want to go somewhere private?" he asked.

Caralie
She did what she could at the moment and pinched his arm. Caralie then lifted an eyebrow as she watched him. "The wheels are turning, I see." The comment was harmless, light banter towards him. Afterwards, Caralie then smiled. "Sure, that would be nice." The blood thief then lifted a soft shrug of her shoulder. "We can go and sit somewhere. It's nice out, really." As she said it, Caralie began rolling up the sleeves of her shirt as if to prove it. "It's actually nice not to be in a studio or the booth, so, might as well enjoy my night out with my brother."

Blaize
"I guess I could carve out some time for you," he said with a serious tone but a wink that gave him away. "I'll just let them know inside that I'm going," he said, slipping back into the Sangue Bank for half a minute before returning outside. He'd watched Caralie rolling up her sleeves, and he shrugged. "I don't feel it," he said. "Well, I do. But it's warmer, I'm wearing a jacket. But I don't sweat. So it ... doesn't really mean anything to me," he said with a frown. Weather, and changes in said weather barely registered with him anymore. But had it before? He'd been so focused, as always, in his dance. He'd not ever really stopped to smell the roses, as the saying went. "Where do you want to go? Or should we just walk?" he asked. If she didn't want to go anywhere private, maybe she didn't, in fact, need a pint.

Caralie
"Remind me to be envious of you in the winter." She said, rubbing her arms as if warding off a chill already. "We can keep walking, gives me some time to stretch my legs." Caralie gave a small sigh in thought, her hand moving to rub at the curve of her neck at a phantom itch as she considered the idea. It wasn't something she liked to picture. "There's a few benches down by the river across from the mall? We can sit there and talk." Her hands went to her pockets, a roll of her shoulders following as she turned to face him. Waiting.




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This thread was submitted via a live roleplay chat in the Sangue Bank area. Participants and rewards were: Blaize earned 2685 RPP. Caralie earned 2998 RPP.

Blaize
"No," he said with a snort. "There's nothing to be envious of," he said, happy to go to the river as suggested. But then he rolled his shoulders, and shook his head. "No, to be fair there are perks," he said, pursing his lips. He figured the question would come sooner rather than later. She'd ask how it happened. Why. She'd ask if it was choice. He'd wait until they were sitting down. "I'm still undecided," he said, features settling back into their trademark frown.

Caralie
Caralie would agree to disagree. She didn't like the cold, but she didn't want to leave the place she called home to seek warmer weather. "And which perks do you find to be beneficial?" She questioned, beginning to walk towards the river her strides as long as her legs could allow. "Out of everything I've found so far, having fangs is not the most enjoyable aspect aside from having to drink vampire blood. That's likely the easiest, but most unpleasant part of the entire thing." It didn't help that she was picky when it came to physical contact. She usually had to get closer in contact to withdraw blood unless someone made it easier on her. That's where regulars came in handy.

Blaize
"The strength, and stamina," he said. Those were the perks. There were so many boundaries, however, which he could not step over. He couldn't even push them. The sun was the sun and there was no way to get around the way he passed out when it was in the sky. It limited his interactions and his jobs. "Having fangs has to be better than having none," he said, peering at his sister. That particular problem was the polar opposite to his own. "... why do you find it unpleasant? Why do it, if you find it unpleasant?" he asked. Hers was a choice. It was reversible, wasn't it? Couldn't it be?

Caralie
"That would make sense." And it did, really. He'd always been dedicated to whatever he put his mind to. "You don't have any?" She lifted her eyebrow at that, looking at him. And then Caralie frowned before she looked away and towards the river as she considered the best way to put it. It was unpleasant, but the benefits were worth it in the end. However... "If I don't take blood after a day or so of it being out of my system, I begin to go through withdrawal." She'd timed it and seemed to shrink into herself after the words left her lips, uncomfortable with it. "Despite that, and the fact that the taste is questionable, the strength that I gain, and the abilities, are helpful. I'm faster, I can handle myself and other people..." She trailed off.

Blaize
Blaize shook his head, tongue trailing over blunt teeth. They'd always been that way. He didn't know why. He was still frowning, concerned for Cara. "You're addicted, then," he said. It wasn't a judgment, just a statement. "That's just a hurdle though, right? With help, you could get through them. Quit," he said. Like drug addicts, it could be done. It wasn't pleasant. "But it doesn't sound like you want to," he said. "And I get it. I can't tell you to stop. I'd prefer you to be safe. Just..." he stopped, bit his tongue. Shook his head. He was at risk of sounding like their parents again.

Caralie
"Mhm." She made the noise and didn't bother nodding her head. It wasn't something that she was proud of. She'd been a party girl in the past and she'd almost fallen over into it in the past. That was before she'd buckled down and realized there were more important things. It had been before she'd busted her *** to graduate so that she could get her internship and done herself right. "It gets worse day by day, so I haven't gone past two." As he said that she didn't want to, Caralie then shook her head to confirm his theory. "I'll be careful, Blaize. I promise. It's just... easier, I guess, knowing if I got pulled again..." She could do something about it. "There's been more positives than negatives, at least." She shrugged, kicking her feet lightly at the ground. "What happened to you? How did you end up this way?" The subject change was abrupt, she knew, but she was interested.

Blaize
The river hadn't been too far away, and soon he could taste the salt on the air. It was cooler as the wind blew off the water, tugging at Blaize's hair. He knew that Caralie was probably in need; he knew that it would hurt him to give -- that he himself struggled to feed, and he'd yet to feed that night. Or had it been two? But this was his sister. He wasn't going to not offer, not give. "It was during Swan Lake," he said. Someone threw a rose on stage and I landed wrong, snapped the tibia in my left leg. Could see the bone and everything," he said, cringing at the memory. "It was either turn and heal, or never dance again. Not properly," he shrugged.

Caralie
She began to unroll her sleeves the closer to the water that they got. Despite that, it still felt rather nice on her skin. The woman removed a scrunchie from her wrist, twisting her hair up and into a knot at the top of her head before securing it to balance out putting her sleeves back into place. At the news of breaking his tibia, Caralie couldn't help the visible flinch the image put in her mind. "I can't blame you for making that decision. Not with how much dancing has always meant to you." She said quietly, understanding. "You wouldn't have been able to continue without some sort of miracle, so it makes sense. So how long how has it been?" She asked, thinking of Nina. Did she just miss it? Did she completely not see what had happened to her brother?

Blaize
There was plenty that Caralie hadn't seen, but it was nothing Blaize would hold against her. He hadn't let her. He hadn't let any of them see it. He'd only ever visit when he knew he was okay; when his mood was not suicidal, when he'd fed, when he was as happy as he could be. There would have been no signs, except that he'd only ever visit at night. And with a new baby and her ******** ex, Cara was preoccupied. He counted on it. "A few years," he said, tight-lipped.

Caralie
She considered punching him in the shoulder for not telling her that it had been years, but she knew it wouldn't be fair. Not with everything that had been going on. Nina was a handful without the help of her ex, and she worked when she had the chance. Sometimes, she didn't even leave her studio. If it hadn't been for Julie and Patrick, she likely would have forgotten to eat dinner on occasion. Their parents had tried to budge in, but she'd budged them out just as quick. Instead, she let out a low whistle. "Well, there goes that 'Sister of the Year' award I've been gunning for, hm?" She lightly teased. "Should probably return the others."

Blaize
Blaize shook his head and nudged at Cara with his elbow. "Nah. You had enough to deal with without dealing with me, too. I was fine," he said. Caralie remained the only one (now aside from Aleksandra) who knew about his issues with his dance instructor when he was seventeen, when he'd gone away for school. He'd been a boarder. He'd been independent. He'd always done **** on his own, not because he had to, necessarily, just because it was the way he was built. He pointed to a seat, half in the dark, and would wait for Caralie to settle before he did.

Caralie
"It wouldn't have been dealing with you, Blaize. You're my brother." She said quietly, but she wouldn't beat herself over it. The frown that played across her lips had been thoughtful, showing that she wasn't going to beat herself up over it. As she moved to take a seat, Caralie slid further against the bench so that he would be able to take a seat. She leaned back, getting comfortable as she looked at the moon glistening off the river. She'd always liked the riverside. "But, you always have been strong enough to deal with yourself."

Blaize
"Mm," he said, a noncommittal noise rumbling in his chest. "I have to introduce you to Aleksandra," he said. Poor Caralie. It wasn't just that he was a vampire, but he'd sired other vampires, too. There was so much she didn't know. At what point would she start shouting at him for not telling her? There were words he didn't speak, sentiments he didn't utter. Let Caralie believe he'd got through it with his own strength. There was plenty that would have killed him if it weren't for Aleksandra. "I haven't been completely alone.

Caralie
At the mention of a woman's name, she gave him a dry look. "If you eloped and did not tell me about her..." She didn't really know what she'd do, and in reality, it was an empty threat - what could she do? Really, Caralie didn't think that he did. But she supposed this was where she needed to give him some trouble, somewhere. "Well, I'm glad you have someone that you can turn to, even if you did." She leaned forward slightly, making a face as she readjusted herself on the bench until she was more comfortable.

Blaize
Blaize laughed. "No, not quite yet," he said. He'd not had many partners in his life. Dance always came first. He'd never had time. He'd even resisted with Aleksandra, for that very reason. He didn't think he'd be able to give her all that he should. He then turned to Caralie as she shifted, the genuine, beaming smile collapsing into concern. "Okay, so how do you go about it?" he asked, grabbing at the lapels of his jacket and swiftly removing it from his shoulders. "We don't have any instruments here. Are you okay with your brother in your own comfort zone?"

Caralie
"Good. Because I'd... yeah, I have no idea what I'd have done. Your imagine can take over." She waved it off, but there was a smile across her lips before she chuckled. "I hope she treats you well, but I'd be happy to meet her. I'd love to." At first, she was confused. When he said instruments, she thought about her music - it was never too far from her mind, but as he removed his jacket, it clicked. "I've never had an issue with you in my comfort zone." It was mostly strangers, the unknown. Doctors, etc. "You want me to drink your blood?" It was an odd thing to say, let alone think.

Blaize
"Yeah. You said yourself you're addicted. You look uncomfortable. You wouldn't have come looking for it tonight if you didn't need it," he said. To Blaize, it wasn't so strange. No, he'd never thought he'd be in this situation with his sister, and it was surreal. But nor had taking or giving blood ever been anything to Blaize other than clinical. Something he needed, but didn't particularly like. Not that Caralie needed to know that. "Would it help?"

Caralie
She looked a bit confused and then tilted her head lightly. It made sense, but... She cut her thoughts off before she thought too much about it. "It's odd not having the abilities when it starts to wear off, yes." She admitted, "And it would help." A frown turned down her lips, before she then held out her hand. To answer his previous question, she said, "Your wrist would work, there's a vein." She pressed her lips together, but a question lit up in her mind, "How have you dealt with this... given you have never had preference to meat?"

Blaize
The folded jacket was draped over the bench's arm, before Blaize turned back to Caralie. He scooted a little closer and held out his wrist. "It's fine," he said, shaking his head. He didn't want to give her any reason not to take what he was offering. "I can't promise you'll get anything too... fantastic from me, but we'll have to wait and see," he offered. The abilities he'd developed were of the weird and wonderful sort, more odd than defensive. "You know about the different paths...?" he asked, flicking the hair from his eyes and trying for a change in topic.

Caralie
"I'm going to have to get you a shirt with 'It's fine' and 'I'm fine' on it." She said as she tucked her leg underneath herself, shifting to face him as she took hold of his wrist. It only dawned on her momentarily that she didn't have a knife on her - truthfully, she didn't think she'd need one. Her hand went to lightly poke on his arm, searching for the vein that she wanted. "I've noticed that it varies per vampire. The woman I usually take from is different from one of the men who sells to me for others. I didn't realize there were different types of vampires."

Blaize
Blaize rolled his eyes and shook his head. Cara probably had him pinned; she was seeing right through the 'fine' answer. It wasn't much of an answer. But she'd also grown up with him, and knew that he took time to open up. Like those flowers that only bloomed once a year, he took his time. He didn't like talking about himself. "Mm," he said. "What abilities do you get from her?" he asked, curious.

Caralie
As she searched, finding what she was looking for after a few moments, Caralie lifted her gaze. "Well, the most useful when a conversation doesn't go well and turns a bit rough is blinding someone. I didn't know what I was doing until I did it. That's another thing - I have to figure them out. I did find out that I can sort of... react a bit better? Like a reflex. I notice movements easier." She paused, thinking about it. "I can lock vampires out of buildings, I did that the other day. I sort of 'claimed' it and he couldn't get in." She made air quotes with her fingers and sighed. "My own abilities as a blood thief, though, are mostly geared for me to keep powers longer. My fangs obviously help me 'feed'." It was one thing she'd be happy to do without.

Blaize
"Ah," he murmured. "You'll get much the same from me, then. The...claiming, and the blinding," he said. Things he'd discovered by accident but rarely had any reason to use. "I just..." he sucked in a breath and clenched his fist, almost as if he were contemplating taking his hand back, second-guessing. But the wings were recent. Surely.... "I ah... there are wings? It was painful. I felt like I was being ripped to shreds. But I haven't heard of anyone else who's...got them, so it might not be an issue..." he said. He might have mumbled it if he weren't such a precise and well-spoken individual.

Caralie
That was something she definitely didn't expect. Caralie didn't quite know what to think about that as she tried to take it in. "Well, she hasn't anything like that, that I've found. I'm not really surprised that you got wings, however." The idea of him in agonizing pain, however, wasn't something that Caralie liked. His leg, the wings... what else had he dealt with while she was focusing on her life and her child? What else had she missed? "There are some who can turn into animals - I haven't bitten someone with that ability, yet. But I've seen it. I've seen shadows move by themselves, too."

Blaize
Blaize near shuddered. He'd known vampires to turn into animals, too. He'd never seen it, but he'd heard about it. Given how painful the wings had been, he certainly didn't want to find out how bad it'd be to turn into the animal completely. "I was afraid they wouldn't go away," he said. Even while he talked about it, he could feel the itch in his back shoulder blades. He released his clenched fingers and let loose a breath. "Okay. I think it'll be fine. Go for it," he said. "You might even... I find I've not stuck to my own path, entirely. It's Mystic, by the way. It's what we're called..."

Caralie
It certainly didn't sound like something Caralie wanted to find out for herself, the fear they wouldn't retreat. "I feel the same way about my fangs." She said, frowning. She then hummed. Mystic. It sounded interesting. Leaning forward and down, Caralie didn't wait any longer and bit into his skin - trying her best not to allow it to hurt. It was clear she didn't need to be told twice. While she might've been an addict, it was more the withdraw that always had her willing to move quicker. Her fangs pierced his skin with a soft pop, the noise felt rather than heard for her before she began to drink.

Blaize
Blaize made note to relax. And as Caralie bent over and sunk sharp teeth into vein, Blaize distracted himself by looking around, making sure there was no one watching, no one who'd give them any trouble. The Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed the anxiety, as he felt the blood leaving his body. The blood that he would have to replace. Because if he didn't replace it, if he let himself go, he'd do something stupid, something hasty. Something violent and out of control. He'd go back to work -- he'd started that business for a reason. He'd drink, despite not wanting to. His jaw clenched as he made the promise to himself.

Caralie
She wouldn't take much, she never did. It was always just enough to get what she would need. She straightened up quickly, using the long sleeve of her shirt to clean any traces of blood away from her mouth. She reminded herself, as she did with every other 'feeding' she did, that it was for a good reason. And this was Blaize. Her brother, her blood. She tried not to think too much on it as she patted her pockets down for the mints she kept on her. While she did so, she offered Blaize a close lipped smile.

Blaize
As soon as she was done, Blaize didn't immediately pull his wrist back. He left it open to the elements, waiting the half minute or so until the puncture wounds healed. Only when the remaining drops had dried would he pick at them so they'd flake away. He didn't want to get any blood on his clothes. "All good?" he asked, noting Cara's silence.

Caralie
She waited until the blood would be gone from her teeth before speaking. "Mhm, thanks." A mint or two was popped into her mouth, as it would help rid the taste from it. She had her tricks. Later on, when she went home, she'd brush her teeth for any remaining residue that could be visible. "A cup and knife is easier, usually."

Blaize
"I mean, yeah," he said with a shrug. If he went out with the intent to feed, if he was getting it from a live source -- which, these days, he did less often -- he'd have a knife on him somewhere. "I've never used a cup, but a knife's a requirement," he said with a small smile. It wasn't funny, nor was it pleasant. But it was what it was, and he'd finished complaining about it. There was no point. It would change nothing. Though he hated thinking about his little sister in some alley somewhere getting her fix from some vampire with a knife and a cup. He cleared his throat, but didn't say anything. He'd think about it. He'd talk to Aleksa. Surely there'd be a solution, to make things easier for her.

Caralie
She felt her lips twitch, understanding. "It's kind of odd, a vampire without fangs and a human with them. We've never been normal, have we?" She questioned, but then drummed her fingers against her thigh. She still didn't know what to make of that, that he was a vampire. And one that didn't have fangs. How did that even work? She wondered. Another change of subject presented itself as her phone vibrated in her pocket, Caralie digging it out and opening the text message to find a picture sent from Julie. She turned the phone around, a picture of Nina cuddling a small cat visible. "Their kitten has apparently fallen in love with my little one."

Blaize
"No. I blame the parental unit," he said, shaking his head. When the phone was offered, the light highlighting the new gauntness to his cheeks. He wouldn't have known it, though, and the smile that stretched his lips was as genuine and warm as it always was when presented with his niece. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact he was a vampire when she was born, knowing he could never have one of his own. Or maybe it was just normal. "Oh, that's adorable," he said. "Can you send that to me?" he asked. He had a growing collection of photos of his niece, all sorted in a cloud so he'd never lose them.

Caralie
"And that is why you are deemed Godfather of all my children, be it only Nina or future ones." And her parents would never have guardianship. She then smiled, seeing the happy expression on his otherwise serious face. "Of course. You should swing by sometime, and Aleksandra, if you'd like. She must be important to you if you'd introduce her to me." She lifted her lips lightly before she turned her phone around, sending him the picture of the two and a few others that she'd taken recently. "Nina's gotten a bit better on her feet, and she's started to want people to play with her more. I think it'd be good for her."

Blaize
"Not a loner like her uncle, then," he said with a lopsided grin. "And we can't complain, really. We didn't want for anything, really. We had a roof over our heads and were bought new uniforms when we grew out of our old ones. We could have done without the pressure and expectation, of course, to be supported a little more. But so many would have so much less," he said. He always tried to justify his childhood, tried to explain away his parents' disinterest. But he was over it. It didn't mean anything to him anymore. "Thank you," he said as his phone vibrated in his pocket. "And she is, yes. We live together," he said with a smile, pushing his fingers through his hair. "You could bring Nina, come visit us, too."

Caralie
She merely shrugged. She didn't hate her parents, but she didn't want them pushing Nina and showing disappointment if she didn't do what they wanted. "There will be many other pictures sent. I have some on the computer I've been meaning to email to you a while ago, some of you two when she was still newborn." She scratched at her cheek before the same light smile still remained on her lips. "That'd be great. Is it the same place? Or different?" She asked, checking her phone to see if she still had the correct address.

Blaize
"Mm, same place," he said. He'd convinced Aleksandra to move to his apartment. It was more secure, less weirdos around peering through her windows. "And yes, email them through, thank you," he said, relaxing a little in the seat. He tried not to think about the work he had yet to do that night, nor the choreography he was still trying to perfect for the Academy's next tour. He should check in with Pierra and Breno, too. "You should know that Aleksa is a vampire, too. And there are others -- Breno and Pierra. I'm responsible for them," he said, glancing sideways.




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