Realistic or Modern A Night Bleeds (Closed)

[Rhyme]

Indy
Location: Downtown Brooklyn​

The bar was already in chaos by the time Indy shouldered her way past the regular smokers blocking the doorway.
She barely had her arm out of her jacket sleeve before her coworker had clocked out, his hair sticking straight up on end as he gave a joyless laugh in Indy's direction and threw up his hands. She rolled her eyes; this guy had been on her nerves for weeks. Greener than the peeling paint on the walls, she had told the manager not to hire him but they insisted. Staff was short.

Everything was short, including her temper.

"Hey! Hey! One more round!" A guy, the neck of his shirt ripped halfway to reveal his red shoulders, slapped a hand on the bartop.
She hadn't even clocked yet. With one hand she reached beneath her, juggling two glasses between her fingers as she pulled another empty two off the counter with the other.

The bar was three people deep and the music pounded with the rhythm of her pulsing temples. For the last two days, from dawn to dusk, every action had been punctuated by the pain in her head that refused to be defeated by any sort of headache medication. She hadn't even phased the day before, on her one night off, in order to do her typical prowling; the idea of walking along rooftops and balconies beside the bright city lights made her want to curl over a toilet.

"Busy night." A man with thick glasses and a body that seemed to swallow the barstool beneath him peered at her, speaking over the rim of his glass. A regular, from when her dad still owned the place.

"Yeah, well." The beer nozzle spit fat foam into the pint glass as she tried to pour. Newbie didn't switch the kegs.

"You hear about what happened?"

Someone else was pounding on the bar. Indy held up her hand, smiling lightly even as the gesture drove daggers into her skull. "Lot's of stuff happening tonight, anything specific?" The words came out harsher than she meant, in the fake tone she typically reserved for the types like ripped-collar, who was swaying against the bar dangerously close to a full glass.

"Up North, people are seeing some weird things happening. Niagara Falls flowing backward. Maybe it's aliens"

"Aliens? You need to get off those weird blogs man. You're reading too much crazy stuff on there. It'll rot your brain." But, Indy had heard of some weird things happening. Alone, after closing, when she would switch the TV from the typical sports channels to the news as she wiped down, she'd heard the anchors discuss weird occurrences happening all over the states. Birds dying in flocks, the like. It reminded her of the stories some of the strangest members of the commune would pass around, the ones who happened to indulge in certain substances a bit too much.

"Hey!"

Both Indy and her regular turned, the glass in her hand overflowing as ripped-collar and another man collapsed on top of each other, the glass between them tipped and dripping beer behind the counter. Indy watched as one reared back, fist curled tightly.

She jumped, leaping easily over the bartop as glasses clattered to the floor. Her body was between them both instantly, one stumbling to the ground as the other wobbled back, looking like a baby tasting lemon for the first time. Her head was truly throbbing now, her skin crawling with fire as her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. She could feel the familiar heat in her chest swell.

This was the part where she was meant to breathe. Like her parents taught her.
In through the mouth, and out--

A loud hiss echoed through the bar.

Indy clapped a hand over her own mouth. Both men now looked shocked and a bit disgusted, along with the others who had fallen silent in the bar.
"O-out. Out. Get out. Both of you, anyone with you." Had she really just hissed? Had she really just--

Her ears were burning.

She knew she shouldn't have gone to work, should have called out. She had nearly gotten into a brawl with the loud man in front of her ordering coffee the day before, had nearly fallen off a fence while phased after a sudden wave of what she could only describe as feline vertigo, and now she had hissed at a customer.

"Out! Everyone, just out!" There wasn't enough time. She pushed them both aside as she stumbled behind the bar, ducking into the staff room and slapping her hands against the table once, twice, three times.

It took her twenty minutes to calm the burning, to pull her ears back into their human form and to return from fire to that same, dull ache in her head. By the time she came back out, it was just her and the regular, who tipped his glass and continued to stare at the television in a perfect state of contrived ignorance, for which Indy was grateful.

She pulled out the broom and one last glass, filling it and setting it beside the old man before starting to brush up the glass shards. In them she could see the fractured reflection of her bright eyes, pupils two small perfect slits splitting bright sky blue. "Weird times." The old man's glass tapped the counter as he raised in to her. It was just past midnight, one of the rare city nights where the moon was visible through the bar windows.

Indy slowly breathed, focusing on the movement of the broom and the sound of broken glass being swept into the rubber dustpan. If only he knew.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Foster Croft

Tags: Indy Rhyme | Location: Brooklyn, New York​

The fire escape, rusty and precarious, was the best way to reach his target. The furred creature quietly scaled the metal rungs, making its way to the second floor. Music pounded out of the building, the bar still open at the time and doing a pretty good amount of business, judging by the bodies outside sucking on their cancer sticks.

The window was closed, but not locked. Claws dug at the base of the pane until there was enough of a space to wedge his body in and push it open. Ringed tail held upright, the coatimundi slipped inside the studio apartment.

The fire escape was on the West side, with a small chair and table between the two windows. The creature made ample use of both to descend from the windowsill. Chortling and chirping, the brown furred, raccoon faced animal proceeded to inspect this 'humble' abode.

On the North wall, there was a dresser with a mirror, next to a futon bed. On the South, there was a door, presumably the front door, a small dresser and even a table with a chair. The East though, the smells alone, were enough to draw the creature toward the small kitchenette. The side bathroom was ignored, as was everything else, save for the pile of dirty dishes in the sink.

The creature tugged on the drawers of the lower cabinets, pulling them out just enough to use them as a step up. Once it reached the counter, the chirping increased, a definite since of glee filling the sound. Something smelled really good in the sink, but it was not on the top of the pile.

Dishes were pushed aside, and fell to the floor, breaking in the process. One, two, a three. Three dishes until the prize was uncovered, a partially eaten pizza slice. It wasn't too old, slightly soggy from water at some point, but it had bacon. BACON!

The creature settled down on his haunches, merrily eating the leftovers. It was so rare to find pizza, most people ate it all gone before the trash can had a chance to see it. Who wouldn't have finished a bacon and.. cheese? Yes, cheese. Bacon and cheese pizza? The fool! The creature chortled.

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Block C | Current Timeline: May 14th​

Tags: Roje Britt-21 Coda Vinegar Bees
Location: Miami, FL

Key tilted his head, not moving or saying anything for about half a minute. Then one hand gestured to the trainer to stand up. "You should thank Coda." Which the trainer did, with a bow of his head before he returned to his chair, quiet and still.

Key turned toward the door of the classroom, "Walk with me, and I'll explain." Out of the classroom, he turned to head back to the little room he left Roje. His steps were slow, taking his own sweet time about getting back so he would have more time to talk.

"Did they not inform you, you would be assigned as a bodyguard? That makes the one you are guarding, your charge." There was a little look to the side at Coda, before his head turned forward again. "It's not just any charge, but one of the inner circle. A very, very important and respected position."

The guard outside the room with Roje was still there, and Key drew to a stop. "Now, to get there, we will be traveling with a few others. Part of the people skill training they were supposed to give you, is meant to help keep this trip smooth. Inside is another who is a bodyguard, but not to an inner circle member. Therefore, some things I will not be able to discuss with you in their presence."

Key had to emphasize, "We will be taking a private plane to our ultimate destination, so it is important we tolerate one another for the duration. Hopefully, we will leave tomorrow morning when everyone has arrived." A nod given to the guard, and the door opened.

Entering first, Key was already making introductions. "Roje, this is Coda. He will be coming with us on the trip as well. Coda, there is food in the fridge and cabinets, please make yourself comfortable. I am going to check on the progress of Roje's charge. I will return shortly." And then he was out, with the guard closing the door behind.

Key waited in the hallway though, intent on listening for a few minutes while the guard shifted his weight a little uneasy in the magician's presence.

coded by natasha.

 

[Britt-21]

Roje Jenkins

Interactions: Vinegar Bees Out Of Words | Location: Block C

Roje rolled her eyes when she was told not to leave the room due to security reasons. She honestly didn't think he realized that she was a Vampire who has been training for nine years, on top of her inhuman strength with it. With a shake of her head, she watched him leave as she continued to casually drain the bag of blood, while looking around. Security purposes, please. What am I gonna do, really? Get lost in the damn place and get killed because I was somewhere where I shouldn't have been? she thought to herself. Her life was already on the line if her charge ever got killed. No matter where she looked, death had most likely would follow after. Once she was done with her bag, she wrapped the straw-like plastic around it and got up from the chair, moving over to the kitchenette where she tossed her bag into the trash and looked around for some kind of mints, or something to freshen her breath up from her casual meal. Once she found something remotely close to freshening up her breath, she took it and ate it without issue and moved to the futon where she decided to just sit on it upside down. Her legs up the back of it while her head hung off the side. There was really not much she could do, aside from wait in silence...Or...Well...Almost silence. Hearing the guard's heartbeat was the only thing she could pick up.

However, she had fallen into a light sleep after hearing it for so long. This sleep didn't last too long as she heard more heartbeats filling her ears, and a familiar voice coming through the loud beats. Opening her eyes, she got up from the futon and stretched out her limbs, drawing out the sounds of the heartbeats and picking up more on the voices outside the door. Another roll of her eyes as she heard Key basically say that she wasn't part of the inner circle and couldn't speak about certain things. Putting her hands on her hips and leaning on one leg more than the other, she watched the door open to reveal a new face, his hair quite messy and was a white-gray color. Interesting one indeed...His scent was different, so no doubt he was another race. Key began to introduce the two, Coda was his name. Roje was a little tempted to call him "Soda" and see if he would actually be bothered by it, but she refrained for the time being. "You know Key, you have a lot of balls, talking as if I can't hear you~" she said in a sing song voice as he made his way out and closed the door behind him. Now leaving her alone with Coda.

"I see he has you dragged around too, huh?" she asked, crossing her arms. Taking note that he didn't look fairly happy, he seemed to reek annoyance and didn't want to be bothered "Well, as Key has spoiled, I'm Roje. Vampire." she couldn't help the grin that tugged her lips "I don't bite...Sometimes." the Vamp said with a casual shrug. I'm still picking up Key's scent. He has to still be nearby... her eyes narrowed just slightly. Though she couldn't keep her gaze off Coda. Something felt off, the air was starting to get tense and she wasn't sure how long it would be till something happened.​

 

[Maeteris]

Yeo-Jin Park

“Dhats bhoring.” She gulps. “You can’t always expect big catches, Banks,” She waves the Gordita infront of his face. “Sometimes you just gotta eat what you get… Even if it’s bait at the end of a hook.” The mutters the last sentence.

She agrees with him though, on a few parts at least. She’d eat an arm or a leg to just go ape-shit on a few convicts. Banks and her were on the same wavelength to some degree.

They got out of the car an hour later. The neighbourhood is silent, like aware of an impending conflict. It wouldn’t be far from the truth. She nods to Banks and gives the air a sniff. Smells like exhaust and cut grass, nothing out of the extraordinary, except for the wafting scent of chemicals.

“I swear to God, Banks.” She mutters as she bends down to pick the key. It slides into the keyhole effortlessly and she turns, entering with a hollered, “Hello, anyone home? Orlando Police Department.”

Her head is kept on a swivel and she puts on the PPE. Takes a while for her, the damn things weren’t exactly made to wear on the go, especially if it concerned hazardous materials. Every strap, zip and entryway had to positively be blocked. Once situated, she finds herself assaulted by her own breath fogging up the clear screen. Goddamit. She almost trips herself on the bottom staircase on her way to the basement door.

“Another lock.” She says to Banks as she grips the padlock.

location: Florida • tags • mood • Outfit • interactions

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

BUG

Tags: Allison bread-and-butterflies | Location: On The Road Again Houston, TX​

Bug hadn't really used a maps app before. He had accidentally entered more than one address, and the one they were being navigated towards, was the last address he used. Which wasn't Devlin Wright's. He didn't know it until they pulled up in front.

It was a poorer section of town, a typical residential city street. Houses were run down, paint peeling on the outside, cracks in the foundation, lawns more brown than green, unless it was overgrown with various weeds. Most of them were.

The house the car stopped at was just as dilapidated, abandoned to nature. Windows long since broken were boarded up, graffiti dotted the plywood here and there. Bug's head was turned to look out the window, silent for a while.

When he did finally speak, his voice was hoarse, a whisper of a broken down man barely managing to put words together. "Sorry.. I.. put in .. the wrong address. Can.. we.. just go? I'll.. fix it. Just.. drive, please." He kept his face averted, wiping at his cheeks but trying to hide it.

Fingers were already fumbling with the phone, trying to navigate the maps app for the correct address. Thankfully it had a history, so he wouldn't have to call anyone to get it again, because in that moment, he couldn't even remember his name.

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Clementine Residence | Current Timeline: May 13th​

Tags: Edwin @Thropian Winnie Vinegar Bees Clementine @AsherMasher
Location: Paradise, NV

The boy looked genuinely startled by the shouting, and looked confusedly at the front door. It took a moment to locate where the shouting came from. "Uh.. hi? I'm Levi.. Uh.. are you.. okay?" That was the most important question.

“No!” Clementine shouted in anger without thinking. “Why are so many people coming to my door today?! Why are you here?”

Levi blinked at the shouting. "Uh.. you've had.. others?" That was likely not good, and could explain for her upset state of being. "Well.. shit. Okay, so .. Hear me out."

He so had the urge to pull a Ghost quote and say 'Molly, you in danger, girl', but he refrained. Loved that movie, dammit. "I'm a shifter, do you know what shifters are?" He was doing his best to keep his voice down, but this might be the best way to approach it.

Clementine gripped the window sill tightly in frustration. Today did not seem like her day. She knew very little about shifters. She only knew small things her mother told her I stories when she was much younger, but those stories seemed to fade with age. The only recollection was a story of a man turning into fox, but everything else was fuzzy.

Feigning confidence, Clementine huffed. “Oh course I know! I’m not stupid!”

Levi gave a grin, he liked this one's moxie. "Well, good." Only, now what, smarty pants? "So, I say this, in case you'd like me to prove it. So you know I'm not lying. I'm not really good at lying anyway."

Maybe he was rambling now, but he tried to put himself in her position, hoping he'd wind up saying the right thing to help her. "I was going to lie. I thought about it. Saying I was .. your new neighbor.. or a classmate of yours. But.. lying doesn't really help. So, I'm gonna tell you what I know. Just. hear me out, okay? And in the end, if you want me to prove I am what I say I am, I will."

Levi raised his eyebrows, and made sure to keep his hair out of his face, which was a task, not going to lie. He used it like a curtain to hide behind. Something was telling him he couldn't hide now. "Something real bad is going on with the moon. I know you feel it. It hurts me to breathe at night because of it. And I can't sleep hardly a restful wink with it bleeding like it is. Only.. there's this guy, magician really. And he sees things I can't with my dull shifter eyes. And he said some of us have a part to play in fixing it. He says we can fix it. Me, Pops over there.. you, and a few others. Pretty big, I know. Pretty fantastical, yeah. But I believe it's only going to get worse, and worse. So.. if I can help, I'm gonna try. Now.. it's your choice, for sure. Just.. mebbe you can hear more? Or.. let me answer questions you got before you just say no? I don't even have to come inside, if you'd rather not. Maybe I can talk through a window in your backyard? Not everyone understands non-human things."

Clementine listened as the kid rambled on. At the mention of the moon she immediately tensed. She went to slam her window shut, but stopped when the stranger mentioned his sleepless nights. A twinge tightened in her chest as she felt a sense of understanding. She couldn’t deny her tired eyes and the fits of paranoia that have been plaguing her since the moon shift.

She felt a connection beginning to form with the stranger, but she began squashing the feelings down. She wouldn’t trust a stranger after Ash; and especially after the woman.

She drummed her fingers on the sill as she mulled over the boy’s request. As much as she didn’t want to trust him, the feeling began to blossom and become stronger. She felt the pendant weigh heavily on her neck and she grasped it tightly. Letting out a controlled breath, Clementine closed the window.

“Okay Clem, you can do this.” She walked the familiar trail down the stairs from her bedroom to the living room. Standing in front of the front door, her hand hesitated towards the knob. The fingers on her hand shook slightly as she grabbed the knob. “You can do this. Think of Mom.”
Taking another breath, Clem calmed herself and turned the handle. As the door opened, she met the boy face to face. She felt a neutral, slightly annoyed expression, and lifted her chin confidently.

“I’m listening.”

Levi worried when the window shut. His face scrunched up as he glanced over to where he knew Pops to be. "Well.. shit." Levi didn't move from the doorstep yet though. He glanced between the door and Pops, shrugging as if to say 'what now', but then he heard noise on the other side and held his breath.

When the door opened, it was let out in a slow chuff of a sound. Levi offered up a bit of a smile, this was better than talking to a window. At least now, he could talk quieter, these things were not meant for nosy human neighbors.

"So, there was four of us, sent out to find more that this magician saw. We've all got some part to play in fixing the moon. And we're going to Houston, Texas, where we'll learn more, meet the others, and hell. I'm hoping we can fix this and be back home by the next full moon. Maybe the one after, I'm not sure what's involved. But uh.. yeah. I can.. tell you about us, who and .. what we are, or.." Levi let out a little breath, moving some of the hair on the side of his face. "I'll try to answer any questions you have."

Edwin saw the window close, and Levi shrug at him. Struck out, he thought with a slight chuckle. Poor kid will be devastated. He was pleasantly surprised to see the door open though, and the kids talk face to face. Best not to ruin his roll.

Clementine’s face scrunched up I’m confused as the stranger explained his upcoming plan. Did this kid really assume she’d just go with them? She didn’t even know their names, let alone why she should trust them.

“Uh yeah I have question. Or like ten. Who even ARE you guys.” Anger tinged her voice as she huffed. “Why do people these days think it’s okay to just show up to someone’s house and say ‘Hey! Come with me we’re gonna save the world!’” Clementine says as she throws her hands in dramatically. “I have a life here. And school! Don’t you go to school? And what about him?” She gestures toward Edwin. “He’s like 35!”

Levi's nose scrunched up as he chuffed a couple of times. "I'm Levi, I said that at the start, and that's my Pops. Uh, Edwin. We all have lives, but.. this moon thing hurts, and I'd really like to stop hurting. So I'm going to go try and do something to fix the moon. What? I don't know yet. We're just getting people together first, everyone who has a part to play, meaning you're important."

Levi started to walk backward a couple of steps. "Look, if you don't want to hear more, then I'm not gonna make you. But if you want to be part of something pretty damn big.. like for reals, there's a very strong chance if we don't fix the moon, this crap's getting worse and it could be the end of everything, our lives, our friends, our family, everything."

Levi gave a little shrug of his shoulders, having exhausted anything that came to mind. "So, do you want to hear more, Clementine? Or.. do I turn and walk away now? I mean.. I can always leave you with a card, if you want to think about it and if you change your mind later. Just.. there isn't a whole lot of time."

Which is when Edwin would see a car approaching in a manner that showed it was going to stop at the same residence. Two older people in the front, a younger female in the back.

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Chase Moon

Tags: Maddox KodakWolf | Hotel in Kansas​

Chase did turn his head, as he attempted to see the blood on his shirt. "Oh, well." Wuffle wuffle. "Sometimes I get nosebleeds." The expression that followed was along the lines of 'totally got a nosebleed'.

He did start moving parts of his body, seeing how much he could move and get around. It was a practice he did when waking after a hard sleep anyway. Move the toes, rotate the ankles while wriggling fingers, then doing the same rotation with his wrists.

It helped get the blood circulating, or so he thought, and wake his body up. Better than trying to move too quickly, only to crumble to the ground. He did enough of that when they first arrived at the hotel. Wuffle wuffle.

By the time Maddox was sitting back in the armchair, Chase had worked his way into a sitting position. Head down, hands on either side of his legs gripped the edge of the mattress. Granted, there was was lightheaded spots going on in his vision, but he was managing.

"Might need to get more food for the road. Will help me recover faster. Lots of meat." Wuffle. "But.. should be able to walk with help in ten, or on my own in thirty."

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Griffin Banks

Tags: Yeo-Jin Maeteris | Location: Orlando, Florida​

Thankfully, the PPE they had to wear was pretty simple, gloves, face mask, and goggles which were the weight and style of normal glasses. Still, it probably added to an intimidation factor, if it came into the equation.

However, once they donned the glasses, it was very quickly evident why they were needed. As they approached the door leading down to the basement, they could see specks in all the colors of the rainbow. Faded and muted colors indicated they had been there for a while, it was on the floor, and in some cases, along the walls closest to the basement.

At the appearance of another lock, Banks gestured to the keys in her hand. "Try that one." And when tried, the lock did open. Banks would let Park go in first, if she wanted, otherwise he'd start down the steps to the basement.

There was a light on the side of the wall, so he flipped it on, but wasn't announcing their presence like Park had. He did have a taser he brought from his own personal stockpile of equipment, just in case, collar at the ready in the other hand. Park had the wrist cuffs. They didn't hook together like handcuffs, looked more like some fashion choice than an actual shackle of some sort.

The steps creaked, and a voice could be heard from below. "B.. brandon?"

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Morgan Feigh

Tags: Yeo-Jin Maeteris | Location: Orlando, FL​

The light had come on, alerting Morgan that someone was there. And there was the creaking of that third step, it always did that. Only something about it felt different. "B-brandon?"

He could see a shoe on the step, and moved off the futon bed with a lot of springs protesting the work. Morgan stood up, dressed in worn jeans, the blue faded with too many washings, and a plain white tee. Dark brown hair was messy, definite bed head going on, but when the two strangers finished descending the stairs, the glasses would show them what most others couldn't see.

Black cat ears twitched on top of his head, they flicked with almost any little noise, and a black cat tail, only human sized, swished behind him. And the basement room had a large quantity of the rainbow colored specks, like glitter, it was nearly everywhere.

Morgan was alarmed at the sight of two strangers, wearing masks and gloves and.. was that a gun? Ears flattened on top of his head as he held his arms up. "Hey! Hey.. Who are you? What do you want? Where's Brandon?" Had they hurt him?

With that one thought, ears flattened more, and a growl came from him. Small fangs were visible as he showed his teeth and worked on making the growl more fierce. "If you've hurt him..." Swish went the tail, flicking back and forth with irritation, overriding the initial fear.

coded by natasha.

 

[Vinegar Bees]

Coda could have laughed at the absurdity when the instructor actually thanked him. He wasn't much of the laughing type, though—not for a long time. Briefly, he wondered if he could even remember how to make the sound without sounding like a freak.

(Honestly, he wasn't quite sure how to make a lot of normal sounds without raising freak alarms. He would never admit it aloud, especially not to Key, but conversation was altogether more daunting than combat.)

He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he followed Key, keeping his head down and his ears sharp. So he was going to be a bodyguard, huh? And not just any bodyguard—he was to be guard dog to a member of the inner circle. Coda had to admit the thought got his adrenaline pumping a little. Finally—something real. Something that might give him some real answers, some real power over the roiling mess that had been his head ever since this bullshit with the moon started.

(As if his head had been screwed on straight before that.)

Unfortunately, it seemed they would have company. Key explained the presence of another bodyguard as they stood at the door of one of the facility's living quarters. Apparently, they would all be embarking on a trip together—a frustratingly vague trip—and they would be expected to get along.

Yeah, yeah. People skills.

Key wasted no time with introductions as he led Coda into the room, an irritatingly pleasing little place that seemed to better belong to a twee apartment complex than a shady joint like Block C. There was a woman waiting inside, lithe with dark hair and darker clothes. One glance at her face was enough to get Coda's hackles defensively raised—her eyes were bright, curious, intent. He could tell she was the type who would be able to see more than he liked.

Key introduced her as Roje, and in the next moment he had abruptly left, the door snapping shut in a sound reminiscent of a scoff.

Coda scowled, leaning up against the wall and folding his arms over his chest. He wanted to get a better look at the woman, but he could already feel her gaze appraising him, and he wasn't about to get into a staring contest with someone he just met. He kept his gaze averted, feigning disinterest, hoping he wasn't betraying any sign of weakness or uncertainty.

Roje was already trying to make casual conversation, and Coda's scowl deepened—Key was probably laughing his ass off right now, imagining Coda squirm beneath the pressure of small talk—but she caught his interest when she identified herself as a vampire.

"I don't bite... sometimes," she said wryly, and Coda shifted his gaze to look at her.

"Vampire, huh," he said quietly. "Word of advice, then."

Coda lifted a hand to his mouth, and, without hesitating, dug his teeth lightly into his wrist. He could already feel the familiar sting of scorched skin, but he tilted his wrist down before more than a couple of drops could get on his skin.

He clenched a fist, letting a few drops of blood puddle on the floor. His blood was a sickly, rusted color, closer to black than red, and a sizzling sound bubbled at the floor as his blood began to slowly eat a hole through it.

"If you try to bite me, my blood bites back."

He smeared the drops with his shoe, halting the corrosion process. He had only let out a few drops—not enough to actually eat through the floor, just enough to send the message.

"Demon," he explained curtly, and then a faintly sulky addendum: "Half-demon."

coda.

half-demon

 

[Rhyme]

Indy
Tags: Out Of Words
Location: Brooklyn​

She could still picture her father's hands. Every time she washed up at the end of the night, she could feel his long shadow washing over her as lithe arms reached across to inspect the countertop for missed spot of old, spilled, sticky beer. Her regular had left with a short parting word after two more free drinks, the price of silence. It was entirely possible he knew exactly what had happened, he had been a patron of her father's for long enough. A drunken night including a few too many spilled secrets was not beyond the realm of possibility, but men of their sort treated conversations split by bar tops as sacred confidences.

Indy slowly made her way around the counter, sneakers smacking against the sticky floor as she stared out the windows. She held up one hand, watching the red hue of the night sky dance between her long fingers. What would her father have said about this? Her mother was arguing it was a spiritual awakening, long prophesied by spiritual teachers preceding her. A spiritual awakening, heralding in a new age of global unity. Though, it was hard to understand what purpose cows giving blood rather than milk had in the "great spiritual awakening." The presence of the air, the mood, the tension so thick she could feel it crawl under her skin, it had nearly been deniable until tonight.

It wasn't scary, of course. A spare hiss, a mistaken set of ears, these were normal things. She had been taught well, she knew how to control herself, of course. If she happened to get stuck again, even without her father here, she knew she could get out of it. Otherwise, she would have gone home when her mother called, when her father vanished. She was here because she was capable and it would be fine.

Her hand drifted upward to scratch the fur on her upper arm. The soft cream colored fur that she had hidden under her sleeve.

It would be fine.

The streets were quiet when she finally locked up, slamming the gate over the front door and slipping her keys into her pocket. She just needed an Advil and some sleep, maybe another drink, and tomorrow she would go out and see what the cat colonies were up to. As she pulled down the fire escape ladder she glanced up to see the white chipped paint of her window frame raised. Someone had gotten into her apartment.

Slowly, she crawled upward, sliding her feet against the rusty metal steps as she listened carefully to the sounds of hasty chewing and shuffling coming from inside her apartment. Her long bottle opener danced between her fingertips, a thin sheet of metal rounded at both sides. It wasn't the best weapon, but curled in a fist it had fought off more than a few drunks fancying a trip up her fire escape.

The air carried a slight scent of not quite feline, but definitely smelly... Racoon? No, a bit more musty and... Indy peeked through the window.

Her apartment was messy as a rule. Discarded clothes formed a custom, ever-changing carpet composed of t-shirts and jeans. She hadn't seen the bottom of her sink in probably a few weeks, only ever doing a layer of two of dishes at a time before giving up and slumping onto the futon. But she didn't ever recall a time where her cabinets had exploded open, leaving food and scraps scattered across the floor in a gluttonous display of crumbs and empty boxes.

She jerked the window open, jumping inside as an upturned pizza box moved. Picking up a sweatshirt from the floor, she creeped closer, reading herself to trap whatever had crawled into her flat as she pulled back the box to reveal the bright eyes of what could only be described as a brown racoon with a stretched face, currently full of her damn snacks!

"Out!" She waved the jacket at it, not bothering to hide the hiss in her voice as she kicked the boxes aside, "Those are my snacks you little shit!"

 

[Maeteris]

Yeo-Jin Park

The padlock drops on the ground with a metallic clatter, she cringes from the sound. She descends into the basement first, stopping when a voice calls out. “Orlando Police Department! We’re coming down!” She hollers back, her voice resounds through the basement.

She bites back the first thing that comes to mind when she finally spots him, bedraggled hair, unkempt clothes and generally looks like he’d been living in the basement for a month. But that’s not what caught her attention. It’s a damn cat. A fae-cat. What the hell. But she knows better than to scare their quarry. Even mindless orcas knew better than to over-intimidate their prey.

She holds both of her hands up, moving slowly to a corner. “Easy, easy pal. We’re from the Orlando Police Department, it’s about your brother. But first, we need you to come with us.” She says diplomatically, casting a sideways glance to Banks. See? I can be diplomatic. The gesture is probably lost.

location: Florida • tags • mood • Outfit • interactions

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Foster Croft

Tags: Indy Rhyme | Location: Brooklyn, New York​

When startled, the coatimundi gave a hiss of his own, scurrying back along the floor until it felt the wall at it's back. And then, standing on its haunches, the form started to actually shift. It would take a couple of minutes, as the animal grew, stretched, fur became flesh, and in the end, quite naked flesh at that.

"Hold the fuck up!" Palms were outstretched toward Indy, as a bare ass young man stood where the coatimundi once was. He looked to be about nineteen perhaps, five feet four inches, decently toned but he wasn't going to win any body building contests for certain. He had curly hair that would not be tamed, dark brown, with eyes to match. He was circum... "HEY!" Hands then lowered to cover himself.

"Look, if you hadn't been so fucking late, I wouldn't have gotten hungry. Oh, shit. Yeah, you don't know the four one one." He leaned forward just enough to stretch out his right hand, as if she would shake it. Cough. "I'm Foster. And we need you, Indigo. We're gonna save the goddamn world from this fucking moon."

Yeah, he had a mouth on him. One that was currently turned upward in a boyish grin that said he liked comics and all that hero shit. "You in, supergirl?"

coded by natasha.

 

[Britt-21]

Roje Jenkins

Interactions: Vinegar Bees | Location: Block C

Roje was very unsure as to why Coda decided to bite into his own flesh. The smell of sulfur rushing into her nose from his blood. What the fuck? Why the hell does his blood smell that way? she asked herself, controlling her blood lust with ease. Her eyes followed the drops of blood onto the ground, watching as it began to sizzle and begin to ruin the floor just barely before he smudged it with his foot. Furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, she lifted her eyes back to Coda as he revealed his own race. That alone would explain it...Demon, hell, sulfur smell... It all makes sense. But he was half demon, so why did his blood smell so strong? "If it makes you feel better, kid, I don't feed off of living beings unless it means life or death for me." Roje said with another careless shrug, "Appreciate the warning though. Noted." she took her hand and tapped her head before moving to the chair by the desk and taking a seat. "So you're a body guard for this 'really important person' too? Looking forward to working with you, Soda." she said with emphasis on his name, waiting to see how he'd react. Teasing is where it would start, just to see how far she can get away with certain things.

The Vamp tried to keep a cool demeanor, though if he started to get aggressive, she wouldn't mind getting aggressive back. She waited for just a moment for him to process what she said before getting a bit more into the conversation that she seemed to be filling more than him "Don't get in my way when it comes to protecting him." her tone had changed to something more serious. "If that bitch dies, I'm dying with him. And it's not some star-crossed lover bullshit." leaning forward in her seat, she raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips a little bit before speaking "I may not be part of your fancy 'inner circle', but I will do anything to keep my ass alive." in all honesty, she felt like she was a dog on a leash, having to be called back to something she had gotten herself into. Biting her lip, she looked down at her hands that were folded in front of her before she shifted in her seat and leaned back once again, crossing her arms and looking off to the side "No hard feelings if someone wants you dead on this end."​

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Morgan Feigh

Tags: Yeo-Jin Maeteris | Location: Orlando, FL​

The cat ears turned forward when the woman said it was about his brother, and they were police. Morgan's tail curled close to his body, hands even filtered down to hold his tail, fidgeting with it in worry. The glasses displayed a small sheen of yellow dust starting to show through the black fur of the fae's ears and tail, falling where he was fidgeting with the latter.

"Brandon? Police? Oh no, is he okay? Did something happen?" The concern was quite evident, even without being able to see the ears and tail. He took a couple tentative steps toward them, but hesitated as Banks still had the taser out.

"Do you.. can I .. see your badges?" It was an afterthought, but he knew Brandon usually locked him in the basement lately during the day, which meant.. "Are you two.. really cops? How.. how did you get down here?"

Ears began to flatten against his head, and he retreated the few steps he had taken forward, suddenly filled with doubt and fear. The yellow started to shift hues, growing paler, and toward the white end of the spectrum. Yet still it fell from his fidgeting, occasionally it flicked free when an ear sharply twitched.

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Griffin Banks

Tags: Yeo-Jin Maeteris | Location: Orlando, Florida​

Banks wasn't ever really a patient type of man, fingers itched, his body wanted to bolt forward. To put it simply, he wasn't very diplomatic when there wasn't someone watching. Park didn't count, they knew the other fairly well, and would cover each other's asses when they needed to.

"Fuck it." His finger squeezed and the taser projectiles shot forward, into the Fae cat thing. There was a definite yowl of pain as the body seized and convulsed before Morgan fell halfway over the futon at his back.

Banks gave Park a shrug and a grin, "Got tired of waiting." The Fae boy was laying still, doing that weird soft yowling sound he'd heard cats do sometimes. "Let's do this and get out." He moved forward with the collar held in his gloved hands.

"Get the cuffs on him, just watch for that dust." Banks made sure to get it under the collar of the boy's shirt, so it had full skin contact before he snapped it shut. The cat tail flopped once, twice, and then Morgan was slowly trying to get up, hissing and spitting.

There were little claws at the end of Morgan's fingers now, and they made a wild swipe in the air. Very nearly sliced one of the gloves Banks wore. "Shit!"

coded by natasha.

 

[Vinegar Bees]

Kid. Coda bristled at the moniker—it wasn't the first time, and he was sure it wouldn't be the last. What was it about him that made it so easy to see him as a child? He tried to project strength, intimidation—so why did so many people, Key and Roje alike, see right through it?

To his chagrin, Roje then decided to nickname him Soda in a jeering tone, and he whirled to face her.

"Hey!" he called out sharply. "That's not my na—"

His face burned in anger, but shame followed swiftly thereafter. Getting riled up over some juvenile name-calling? He needed to project a stronger image than that. Maybe that was why people were always calling him kid.

"Whatever," he grumbled, folding his arms again and looking away.

Roje started waxing heroic about her charge, then, declaring her intent to protect him and stay alive and other such cliches. Coda couldn't stand people who talked like that.

Don't worry, Mae. I promise I won't let the monster get you!​

He had always hated looking in the mirror, after all.

Still, Roje didn't seem to know that he hadn't technically entered the inner circle yet—she seemed to have the impression that he knew more than he actually did. That was fine by him—he needed to project a strong image.

One of the voices hissed: Bad liar.

"I won't get in your way as long as he doesn't get in my way," he said harshly, tossing a sharp glare at Roje like a throwing knife. All at once, though, he thought of Key and the man's smug, snakelike grin—

This will be a good learning point.

Coda gritted his teeth. That bastard had said that they would be testing his performance today. Was Roje the test?

He sucked in air through his teeth, frustratingly lost on how to speak without venom lacing his words.

"What I mean is—"

A puff of air through his cheeks.

"I don't know why Key has us working together, but I guess it's just... how it is. I don't plan on making trouble for no reason. Making your job harder would just make mine harder, too."

And that last thing she had said—no hard feelings if someone wants you dead on this end.

He couldn't imagine what good him being dead would do for the brat she was babysitting.

"As for killing me," he said, his voice dropping a little, "I—"

Shut up, he told himself. Stop talking now.

He had never been good at following orders.

"I don't much care what happens to me anymore. But I've already figured out who's going to kill me, and it's not you."

Too soft. His voice was too soft.

"So no hard feelings, but I'm not ready to stand around and let someone else kill me."

coda.

half-demon

 

[Vinegar Bees]

Maylee's head was spinning more than a little as Devlin laid out the itinerary for the evening—a barbecue? Music? It sounded like he was throwing a veritable bash. Just how many others were on their way at this very moment, united by some strange fated thread that tied them as fast to the moon as it did to each other?

She supposed she ought to be a bit more wary of accepting such a lavish meal from a stranger. Sure, Dad and Papa had taught her to trust, to view others through a kind lens—but everything that came thereafter had taught her that the world was something she needed to protect herself from.

Devlin and Tilly's genuine warmth and hospitality made her concerns seem dubious, but on the other hand, wouldn't a smart predator adopt an affable persona?

In the end, her heart won out over her head. Devlin tugged too deeply at the memory of Dad for her not to instinctively trust him.

Briefly, Devlin explained the living arrangements—plenty of guest rooms to spare, she assumed, as well as two full bathrooms. While she could imagine two bathrooms filling up rather quickly in what was to be such a full house, it was still preferable to the single bathroom of her childhood home. She could still remember the morning scramble as she and her brother alternately seized the bathroom to wash up for school.

Her heart sank like a stone in her chest, and deep within her belly, it began to burn.

Devlin snatched her attention, though, when he excused himself to the restroom, looking a bit ill. Maylee frowned, wondering whether he had seen something disturbing with that preternatural sight Shia had described. Dread clawed at her from within, stirring the wolf in her blood. Answers would be coming soon, she told herself. She just needed to be patient a little while longer.

"I, um... I hope he's okay," she murmured, troubled.

Maylee turned to look at Shia and Evelyn, taking note of Shia's clear familiarity with place. Devlin had asked the younger man to show them the guest rooms, after all.

"Shia, um—" She cleared her throat, stretched out her knuckles to crack them. "Do you... live here, too? For now, I mean. I... I hadn't thought about it before, but... you must have had to leave your home behind, too."

Heat flooded her cheeks as she realized how much she was prying. "Wait—" Maylee clapped her hands over her cheeks, gritting her teeth. "No, that's—private. Sorry, I... I guess questions are about all I can think of right now." She let out a little laugh—nervous and self-conscious, but a laugh nonetheless. If Shia or Evelyn were surprised by the sound, they certainly wouldn't be as stunned as Maylee was to have heard it from her own mouth.

It had been a while, and only now did she realize she had missed it.

maylee song.

hunter | werewolf

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Basement | Current Timeline: May 14th​

Tags: Yeo-Jin Maeteris | Location: Orlando, FL

Got him! Hook, line and sinker! Her hand digs into a pocket, the PPE gloves made every move so cumbersome it took her a while. By that point, she might as well not have bothered because Banks tazes the poor sucker. “What the fuck?”She manages, flailing her arms.

“What’d you do that for?” She glares through the visor. But her eyes widen when she sees the cat-fae still moving, almost got Banks if he hadn’t dodged at the last second. She recoils on instinct. Brows furrowing a second later as she bulldozes into a dazed Morgan, tackling him by the midriff.

Morgan wasn't yet all the way standing, so he hadn't his feet fully on the floor when he felt himself falling right back down again. He yowled and tried to bat his attacker off, hissing through his fangs again.

Banks stood free once the cat thing swiped at him. His part was done, he got the collar on. Besides, was fun to watch Park go to work.

"Ay! Ay!" She shouts as Morgan's tries to swat her off. She grabs his wrist, twisting it to the small of his back and reaches for the weird ass cuffs, a little ungainly to click on. "You. Have. The right. To--" She huffs as she tries to lock the damn thing, finally giving up trying to recite the guy's rights. Not that it mattered where he was going, but she did have an image to keep up.

"Gee thanks, Banks." She murmurs.

coded by natasha.

 

[Rhyme]

Indy
Tag: Out Of Words
Location: Brooklyn​

"I, are you, what?"

Indy had watched as the fur of the weird racoon creature morphed, melting and stretching until a naked young man with hair like a furious black storm cloud stood, naked, atop the snacks he had apparently ravaged.

Another shifter. Another shifter? Obviously there were other shifters, her father had said so, but she had never knowingly met one and now, here he was; the first shifter she had ever met aside from her father, and he was some kind of weird racoon ranting about the moon?!

There were obviously two conclusions; either he was insane, or he had a little bit too much of certain foreign substances in his bloodstream. She knew how to deal with this, staying calm and easy in the ways best reserved for children and drunks. Still, actions spoke louder than words as she hurled the jacket in her hand at him, meeting his gaze furiously with slit eyes and a curled hiss.

"First of all, excuse me for being late to a meeting with some psycho I don't remember signing up for. How the fuck did you find me anyway? Four one one?! The only 'four one one' here is that you broke into my apartment, ate my food, and are now standing naked asking me to shake your hand. Who the hell are you? Did my mom send you? Is that how you know my name?" As she spoke she charged forward, fully aware her ears had stretched back into their feline form only to flatten against her head as her face got ever closer to the strange man's.

"And I am not shaking shit until you cover yourself," she tossed the jacket at him, backing up and letting out a slow breath.

Even in all that anger, somewhere deep in her chest was a small bubble of nervous joy. Of curiosity that was, frustratingly, weighing back her hands which gripped her own arms tightly from reaching out and throwing the stranger through the window.

His out-stretched hand held open in front of her. She looked hard at it, lips pressed into a hard line. That hand could carry answers.

"You have three minutes"--she emphasized with three outstretched fingers, tipped with sharp claws--"to explain how you found me," each word dropped heavily from her lips with calculated tension. "And watch your goddamn mouth in my apartment."

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Foster Croft

Tags: Indy Rhyme | Location: Brooklyn, New York​

Foster had opened his mouth a few times to try and speak, but the woman kept on talking, and then was throwing a jacket at him. Snort. "Well I didn't ask you shake shit, just my fucking hand. Jimminey fucking crickets on a goddamn pogo stick."

He held the jacket in front of his waist, not like wearing the thing would have covered anything up, anyway. "Look, I don't know your ma. I've been sent by a magician. He like sees shit and whatfuckall he sees." The hand not holding the jacket in place waved around like you'd expect a human to do when talking about magic hocus pocus.

"And this bleeding fucking moon.." Yeah, he wasn't so good at 'watching' his mouth. "It's messing us up, like I can barely take a piss without having some goddamn back pain at night. Sometimes so bad, I can't change forms. And this magician guy says it's only gonna get damn worse from here. Like we're talking apocafuckinglypse style worse. But see... here's the kicker."

He gave Indy a bit of a smile and a head tilt, "Some of us can be big damn heroes, and save the goddamn world. Like the Avengers! We just gotta meet up with the others, and fix the moon. Easy peasy, lemon squeezie, right? The magic guy found you, he found all of us. Save the moon. Save the world."

He held out his hand again, "So.. you joining the supersquad? What name do you want? I'm taking Reaper I think."

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Morgan Feigh

Tags: Yeo-Jin Maeteris | Location: Orlando, FL​

Morgan's breath had been tackled out of him, and then his arm was wrenched behind his back and something slapped around his wrist. He did his best wriggling, but knew it was futile, two against one and everything. Ears drooped, tail twitched vigorously in agitation, Morgan just lay still and let the cuff be closed.

When he was actually allowed to move, Morgan hissed, but it lacked the earlier ferocity when he was fighting. His voice sounded as defeated as his cat ears looked. "What do you want? Why are you doing this? I haven't done anything!"

Banks just grinned, talking to Park more than the fae-cat-thing. "Got the other one on? Watch your skin. Don't let it touch your skin."

Morgan's eyes went wide for just a moment as the idea hit him. Banks saw it too late. The tail attempted to brush against the exposed part of Park's neck and ear, trying to get just a smidgen of dust on the woman.

It hadn't occurred to him until the one with the taser had brought it to his attention. He knew the dust affected others, though hadn't ever intentionally attempted to do so. Well, once, just once before. Now though? That tail could be classified as a deadly weapon! Swish, swish, motherfuckers.

coded by natasha.

 

[bread-and-butterflies]

Allison Hagan

concerned Houston, Texas outfit Bug Out Of Words

As they entered a poorer part of town, Allison felt a small wave of comfort come over her. She'd assumed this Devlin Wright would be living in some kind of mansion, or vast estate, but the run-down houses and overgrown lawns reminded her of the neighborhood she'd grown up in. Though it was halfway across the country from that neighborhood, she felt a little at home here.

It was only once they'd pulled up to the house Bug had lead her to that she began to sense something was wrong. Though she'd only known him a couple of days, Bug had never been this quiet for this long. Her suspicions were confirmed when he finally spoke, his voice breaking with emotion. Concern was etched on her face as she watched him fumble over his words. Allison wanted to comfort him, and began to lift her arm to wrap it around his shoulder, but when he insisted that they leave, she decided that this wasn't the place.

“Yeah, of course.” She spoke in a soft voice, as she automatically put the car into reverse and began pulling away from the house. While they drove, she kept turning as inconspicuously as she could to check on Bug, her lips pursed in thought. It might be considered rude to pry, but if there was something in Houston that had such an affect on Bug, it might be prudent to get a handle on what it was. She didn't want to cause more pain than was necessary, so she chose her words carefully.

“Hey, Bug.” She had waited until they were stopped at a red light so she could give him her full attention to gauge his response. “Are you alright? You seemed really upset at that house we stopped at.”

code by yousmelldead

 

[KodakWolf]

Maddox Ward (Leif Hjalkarssen)
Location: Hotel in Kansas
Tags: Chase Moon ( Out Of Words )​

"Course, it was some heavy nosebleeding." he said with a theatrical nod.

It wouldn't take long for the woman next door to sneakily leave the room and pace swiftly down the hallway, most likely struggling to fish back any memories of the previous hours. Maddox remembered she'd mentioned heading home later, so she'd probably not be in the hotel restaurant for while, though he preferred to not take chances. "There's gotta be a steakhouse on the way." he fished his phone out of his pocket to get an exact address. "Looks like you get to pick." he added with a glance to Chase, tucking his phone away again but leaving the addresses tab open.

"Ten. So I can prove you the sunscreen effect." he leaned forward and spoke with raised eyebrows.


It was a lot easier to stand close to Chase now that the bloodlust had been appeased. It didn't matter that he'd had human blood a couple of hours ago, as only supernatural blood could placate that kind of need. It was the closest he could usually be to being just human, as it was easy to shut off the sound of heartbeats and blood running within the shifter's veins and arteries.

They hadn't actually gained much time, as since Chase needed some recovery time, they left at about the same time they would be leaving if Chase hadn't offered his blood and they had to wait for the sun to completely set. Of course Maddox wouldn't bring that up. The weak rays of sunlight felt good on his skin for once, and he could tell the blood would grant him enough protection to stand some brighter light.

"Now, I wouldn't go to a pool party at noon in Texas..." he spoke as they reached the truck and Chase was helped inside. Once in the driver's seat, he rolled up the sleeves of his jacket, letting the weak sunlight hit the skin on his arm to no harmful effect (and no sparkling). "But you're a pedigree wolf." he teased, with a small sideways smirk.