Realistic or Modern A Night Bleeds (Closed)

[Vinegar Bees]

For a reason she couldn't quite fathom, Maylee felt a sudden chill creep down the length of her back. Her senses had been on high alert since all of this intrigue with the bleeding moon started, but they had been frustratingly vague at the same time. Sure, her sense of smell in particular had improved sharply after she had submitted herself to the werewolf's bite, but whatever was going on with the moon certainly wasn't something she could sniff out.

To their benefit, though, it seemed as though their group did contain someone with senses keen enough to detect trouble, as Evelyn entered the apartment and let off a low warning that the men she and Shia had run into at Ms. Baker's shop were, apparently, on their way up the stairs.

"They spoke of 'setting up,'" Evelyn added, and Maylee's mind began to spin. Setting up what, exactly? Were they going to plant something in her apartment? Some sort of trap? Surveillance—?

A thousand questions thrashed in her skull, and Maylee began to feel her beast-blood roil—a sure sign that she was letting her panic take control. Beneath her skin, the wolf clawed for freedom.

Breathe, she ordered herself, sharp and decisive. You knew to expect this. You need to get out.

With the last of her supplies packed into her bag, she slung the latter over her shoulder and turned swiftly to face Shia and Evelyn, her voice an urgent whisper: "There's a fire escape outside my window. We should be able to get out without being spotted."

Hurriedly, she made her way to the window and pried it open (trying her best not to be too loud as the old window squeaked in protest) before turning to face Evelyn and Shia.

It occurred to her that this might very well be the last time she would lay eyes on her apartment—at least as it was now. And while she told herself she wasn't particularly attached to the place, she had grown familiar with the cracks and dings in the ceiling that watched over her as she fell asleep each night.

Her eyes began to sting a little.

"Go on," she said, swiping a quick fist over her eyes and then motioning for Shia and Evelyn to escape through the window. "I'll go last. I shouldn't have put you in danger like this."

maylee song.

hunter | werewolf

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Chase Moon

Tags: Maddox Ward KodakWolf | Location: Near Black Hills, Wyoming ​

Chase scowled, followed with a few wuffles as he shook his head. "Yeah, no service." Phone was tucked away and a hand ran through his hair, stopping to rub at the back of his neck, a familiar habit. A breath was let out after being held in and pushed into his cheeks, giving him a temporary chipmunk look.

"Yeah, driving. If we only drive at night, we should get there by.. Friday? Yeah, Friday I think. More or less." Hand remained on the back of his neck as he studied nothing in particular at his feet. "Other than the motorcycle, what do you have? Vehicle wise?" Leif had a black truck, and this was met with a nod, then eyebrows drew in close with thought. One could almost see gears grinding away as Chase wuffled off and on.

"Okay so.. are you protected in the day by the truck? Like.. you.. uh.. drink blood, soo if there's something other than .. vampire? Feel free to let me know." He gave a small grin, a little tense. Honestly though, Chase knew if the vampire had been planning harm, it would have happened in that dark chamber beneath the ruined church. Well, that's what Chase was going with so he could not feel like he didn't have to be on guard constantly. You know?

"If yes, I can drive during the day. Otherwise.. we can hunt down a hotel or whatever during the day. Uh.. whatever works best for you." He knew they needed every one they could get to join the cause, and method of transportation was, as they say, not the hill to die on. He'd rather not die anytime in the foreseeable future, actually. Wuffle wuffle.

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

BUG

Tags: Allison bread-and-butterflies | Location: Weaverville, CA​

Bug murmured, "Oooooh, must have been a doozy. Yeah, think Shia has been having them the worst of us so far." He leaned back in the chair, sipping the tea with a quiet chittering, something akin to cicadas at sunset.

He might have started to relax for the first time in several days, as the warm chamomile began to seep into his bones. Oh, but then the questions came, and turned his attention away from sipping the lovely quieting warmth. Bug leaned forward again, the teacup held in one hand, cradled by the other on the bottom. He gave his very best answers to the questions.

"So, this main guy is Devlin Wright. Heh, Wright, not wrong, get it?" He laughed at his own wit, which was usually the case anyway. "We're going to meet up in Houston, uh.. the city. In Texas." He wasn't quite sure of the exactly where part. "When we're on our way, we're supposed to text him and how we're arriving, and he'll send a car or something or other. Oooh, maybe we can request a limo? No, that would definitely draw too much attention. Hmm, maybe a Hummer? I always wanted to ride in one of those."

Allison had to interrupt with the next question, or he was likely to continue rambling. "Well, as soon as you're ready. I don' t know for how long, but it was hinted it could be a while. We started off with four..." He used fingers of his hands to count them out. "There's me, uh, Chase who is the wolf boy. Leviathan, which is pretty funny, his name. Cause like he is such a small boy. He's like some kitty cat shifter. And uh.. Shia, he's the magician. Weaver. Like cause he can see the weaves of magic or some such or something or other." Even did a little wriggling of the fingers of one hand when he talked about weaves of magic.

Truth be told, he almost used both hands, but remembered one held a teacup at the last moment. Whew. "And each of us were sent after others who were or are, tied to the moon too. So like, Shia calls it a tether, not a tie. Like bound to the moon, by something magical, for sure, if Shia can see it. And uh.. oh others. Well.. Levi had one in Colorado, and then another in Nevada. Shia went to New York, and then we nearly met up in Baltimore. And then he was going to .. to..."

Bug frowned as he fought to remember the latest string of texts. Snap went the fingers. "Maine! Yeah, and Chase went off to Wyoming. So that's.. uh.. more than four." He nodded sagely, math was hard and he wasn't going to attempt it if he could help it. "Oh, tea!" He had tea to drink! Sip sip. Of the loud sippy sip slurp kind, cause that's how Bug did it. Very rarely could something he did be construed as quiet.

"So whenever you're packed, we can get going. Only uh.." Bug looked worried suddenly, and his voice actually dipped in volume. "Are you going to want to fly there? Please say no. Please say no. Please say no."

coded by natasha.

 

[bread-and-butterflies]

Allison Hagan
Witch
Weaverville, California​

Devlin Wright. Allison wasn't familiar with the name, but then, she didn't have many dealings with people in Texas. In fact, she'd never been to Texas at all. It was a long shot, but as she relayed the name to the coven group chat, she asked if anyone had heard of him before. And when Bug went off on his car-related tangent, she interrupted as gently as she could, trying to get all her questions answered in a relatively timely manner.

Three shifters and a magician, all recruiting people in the States. Interesting. She tapped the side of her phone thoughtfully, wondering if supernatural beings of other kinds and in other countries were affected as well. Suppose she would find out, if this Mr. Wright knew as much about the bleeding moon as he claimed. Allison was particularly interested to meet Shia, since he could apparently see their “tethers” to the moon.

She began to stare idly out the window, wondering what the tethers looked like or could mean, when her thoughts were interrupted by Bug's slurping. Tamping down her annoyance, Allison sat back on the couch and closed her eyes for a moment, reminding herself that Bug was under the moon's influence as well. She swallowed a sigh, instead finishing her tea with a long (almost silent) sip. She was about to excuse herself to go pack when Bug mentioned his preference of not flying to Houston.

“Well, it sounds like we need to be there as soon as possible, and flying would be the quickest option...would that be a problem?” She remembered him mentioning airport troubles earlier, on her doorstep, and leaned towards Bug, resting her chin on her hand and narrowing her eyes at the shifter. “What exactly happened on your flight here?” She waved her hands, standing up. “Actually, you know what? Tell me as I pack.” Briskly, she walked to her bedroom, gesturing for Bug to follow her.

In about twenty minutes she had pulled out her old, battered leather suitcase and filled it with neatly folded clothes (enough for a week – if she stayed longer, she'd have to find a laundromat), as well as a few basic necessities. Once she was satisfied, she snapped the case shut, sent off a final text letting everyone know she was leaving and would be in touch later that evening, as well as sending a quick summary/itinerary to her mom. “If flying is off the table, that's fine. I can drive us there. Would that work for you?”

 

[AsherMasher]

Clementine Holt
​

The odd noise coming from the woods sent shivers down Clementine’s spine. As the voice came closer, she began to involuntarily shake in fear. Her breath came in short gasps as she waited for the taxi to finally show. She debated running away in the direction away from the singing, but as Grandma always said it was safer to stay where you are when you’re lost.

She covered her ears and began taking deep breaths to try and calm herself. When the voice slowly moved towards her, Clementine clenched her teeth and clasped her hands tighter around her ears. When the taxi was finally in view she let out a sigh of relief. She quickly walked towards the cab and flung open the door. Her body suddenly halted when she felt the presence of a claw. The muscles in her back straightened and she all but flung herself into the backseat of the car. She tried to control her breathing as the cab driver gave her a worried look in the rear view mirror.

“I-I’m sorry,” she breathed out anxiously. “It’s been a rough day.” She gave the driver her address and slumped back into the seat as the car pulled back onto the road. She looked out the window, briefly checking the surroundings before averting her gaze to her hands. Until now, Clementine did not realize her hands had been clenched during the entire ordeal. She groaned and brought them to her face. Why did I have to be born a witch? How did “Ash” know about Mom? Would he know about Dad? Grandma and Grandpa? What was that bubble??

Her mind raced with an onslaught of thoughts and theories that soon began to manifest in a throbbing headache. If Ash knew where she lived and he didn’t seem all THAT dead, were her grandparents in danger? If he knew about Mom, maybe she was still alive. Anxiety ripples through her tired muscles as the cab pulled into the city limits towards home. She played with the ends of her sleeves and waited for what seemed like hours. As the cab pulled Up to her home, she thanked the driver and paid her fare. As quickly as she entered, Clementine grabbed her things and flung herself out of the car towards the front door.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Shia D'Shire

Tags: Evelyn Maeteris Maylee Vinegar Bees | Location: Portland, Maine​

His expression grew a bit annoyed when he learned the ones they wanted to avoid, were coming here after all. Shia gave Evelyn a small, tense nod and a little gesture meant to indicate she should close and lock the door. As soon as it was done, Shia was making motions Evelyn might remember from the street when he put a silencing bubble around them.

"We'll head out the window." A small smile was given to Maylee at her suggestion. However, at her indicating she'd go last, Shia had to shake his head. "I am responsible for you, you and Miss Harper. At least until we can reach our destination."

Shia moved over to the futon, picking up the stuffed rabbit under its front legs. He had seen the way Maylee had glanced at it, and then froze with indecision it seemed. It also looked worn, which meant it was well loved. He handed it over to Maylee with a bow of his head. "I had a dragon."

He didn't linger over the moment, as soon Maylee had the rabbit, he moved to help the others exit swiftly and silently. Eyes were on the door, where the knob was starting to jiggle slightly. He was torn between leaving a little 'gift' or just leaving silently and hopefully, leaving them none the wiser.

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

BUG

Tags: Allison bread-and-butterflies | Location: Weaverville, CA​

Bug had opened his mouth to spill the beans, but Allison caught him just in time. Instead, he trailed along behind, the teacup set down on a table in passing. He knew he'd likely drop it otherwise, Bug knew most of his limitations. Well, most of the time.

He settled wherever his butt could sit, hands already moving animatedly as he talked. "Well, so like first, it was at night. Which was under the moon, which mean lots more energy than the day, which as you can tell is bad enough." Did he even breathe that sentence? "So there I am, by the window, by the wing, too. Cause the lights are really pretty at night, except for the moon, well, still pretty. Just all kind of red like now."

Occasionally, Allison would need to get his attention focused back on the main topic, but it wasn't too difficult to do so. Just a simple, 'you were talking about' and whatever topic she wanted him to focus on, and he focused. For a while. "And I like the peanuts they give on flights, but there were some other people next to me. And it wasn't very nice. They kept trying to take up my arm space, or take their shoes off, and it was just rude, and smelly, and rude and..."

Bug clasped his hands in his lap, refocusing. "I don't do well in confined spaces, with smelly, rude people, and without peanuts being served anymore. Did you know they don't even give peanuts these days? Like.. what.. why.. PEANUTS!"

Refocusing. "So, when the plane landed, I'm in the back, strapped to the aisle seat, duct tape on my mouth even, that wasn't very nice was it? I mean.. maybe I chittered, or screeched a few times, but I swear there was a gremlin on the wing outside the window! Oh well. maybe that was in a movie, but pretty sure I saw something out there!"

His right hand pressed against his chest, fingers patting over his heart in a self comforting manner while he had to refocus, again. "The authorities were nice, made sure I could walk between them, kept me safe by surrounding me on either side. Even gave me some bracelets. Oh.. wait.."

Bug stood up and fished out a pair of handcuffs, still locked, before sitting down again. "I had to wait until I was in the backseat of their car to get out of them though. They were busy talking, probably about where they needed to take me, I said anywhere with pizza was good, but they weren't listening. And so.. like.. no one was watching, and as much as I LOVE pizza... I had to get here. So I.. uh.. bugged out after a little and... here I am!"

He swung the handcuffs around on a finger, only they flew off and crashed against one wall. Bug's shoulders lifted as he sank and bit his lower lip before murmuring. "Sorry." He stayed apologetically low as he fetched the bracelets and sat back down, fiddling with them again. "Do you know how to pick locks? I wanna reuse these."

When asked about driving, Bug nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yes, yes, yes. Driving is so much better. I can point out some really cool scenery, and all the photo ops on the way, if you have a camera. If you don't, maybe we should get one. For the photo ops. And oh gosh, those little rest stops in the middle of the highways? They always have the best hot dogs ever. We can stop there too, right? Should be a lot. Going to be a long drive, right? You don't mind me singing along to the radio do you? Or do you have one of those CD player things? We need music."

It was going to be a long trip.

coded by natasha.

 

[KodakWolf]

Maddox Ward (Leif Hjalkarssen)
Location: Wyoming
Tags: Chase Moon ( Out Of Words ) ​

"I'm afraid we'll have to stop during the day." hiding in the covered truck bed was by no means an option. The truck would never offer enough protection, especially under the southern sun that time of the year, he knew better "If we are the first ones heading back means we have some time, I guess?"

Chase's apprehension could still be sensed in the air, though definitely not as heavy as it was before. He nodded for the shifter to follow him outside as he headed to where the truck was parked. They could tow the motorcycle if it could be somehow useful to whatever sort of work awaited them in Houston, as riding under direct moonlight never sounded less appealing, as reminded to him by the now habitual chanting, distant but definitely there.

"I've been around for a few centuries, I can handle my shit. I won't attack you." He said as they headed out, sparing Chase a brief glance. Before that thing with the moon started happening, he could affirm that with a very good degree of certainty. Now, however, he wasn't so sure anymore, especially since the whole thing was bound to get worse. Chase didn't need to know that though, wouldn't be any help. Maddox' voice, however, carried no hint of doubt, as over time he'd learned to say what had to be said convincingly, be it the truth or not. "Others along the way, probably. Not you." he added, searching for Chase's gaze with honest eyes. Always better to avoid unpleasant surprises, right?

The unsettling feeling the moonlight brought upon him eased significantly once he was inside the truck, about as quick as it'd settled when they left the cabin. It was still there, but apparently being in a vehicle offered some sort of much welcome protection, especially considering they'd be travelling at night.

"You said you're a runner... how's that, don't smartphones carry messages aswell?" he asked casually as he maneuvered the truck to head downhill towards the dirt road.

 

[Thropian]

Edwin Blut​

As the cat curled up in his chair, Edwin decided to use the time to meditate and think. Through the trip he drifted in and out of awareness, feeling for the pulse of nature, probing at his connections to the spiritual. He was amazed to find that his anchor in the woods was but one, and that the beat of nature was truly everywhere. It felt almost stronger out here, now that he was open to it, broken from his daily ritual.

When Levi ushered him off the bus, he took a moment to re-orientate and figure out how long he'd been drifting. The growl from his stomach was the best indicator, and he happily entered the diner to the smell of food. He barely registered Levi's question as he looked through the menu. "Huh? Oh, I'm doing okay. Ooh, fish sounds delicious." he said, as his stomach grumbled loudly. He patted at it, "Yeah, I hear you."

Between mouthfuls of food, Edwin talked with Levi. "We've got, what, another seven hours of trip right? You've been sleeping for a while now already. Is that your plan for the whole trip?"

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Current Timeline: May 12-13th​

Tags: Clementine AsherMasher | Location: Nevada

The taxi ride back to Clementine's house was, thankfully, uneventful, save for the driver inquiring if she was okay or needed help. When they reached her destination, the fare was more than the few dollars she had, however the driver had seen her distress. He refused the couple of bucks with a shake of his head, "This one's on the house. Just be safe, okay?" He watched to make sure Clementine made it inside before driving away.

It was early enough in the evening, her grandparents seemed satisfied with any plausible reason she gave for being late from school. They kept a plate of food ready, in the microwave to keep it warm. They were tired though, seemed to be tiring earlier these days, since the moon began bleeding really. So they gave her a hug, a kiss to the head, and hoped she had a good night. They'd have breakfast ready for her in the morning before school.

That night, the shadows might have seemed a little darker, deeper. The red of the moon was nearly impossible to shut out of her bedroom. It kept finding cracks to seep in, like some nocturnal invader, snaking out in an attempt to touch her with the blood hue. And then, there was that humming.

It was a low thrumming sound, actually relaxing and reassuring if Clementine focused on it. It was coming from a box, that box. When she would investigate the sound, it came from the pendant inside. A small soft white light emanated from the small crystal embedded in the middle of the finely crafted heart shape keeping the crystal safe. If held, it would be warm, something akin to holding a rose quartz tightly in the palm of the hand for several minutes.

More than warm, it felt safe, as if safety was now a tangible item one could hold. It felt like a warm bed in the winter, or a cool rain on a hot summer day. As long as Clementine kept it in contact with her skin, it felt safe, and the night felt a little less threatening.

She felt safe.

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Chase Moon

Tags: Maddox Ward KodakWolf | Wyoming Texas​

Chase settled into the truck, wriggling around now and then until he found a position comfortable for his legs. And yes, there was a good deal of wuffling in the process. Maddox's words in the cabin did help reassure the wolf shifter about riding shotgun with a vampire across several states. He wasn't anyone to judge a vampire feeding along the way, though he felt a twinge of guilt at feeling relief it wouldn't be from him. Or so Maddox said.

He was toying with the idea of asking a few questions about it, but Maddox got his words out first. Wuffle. "It's more than just a message. It's.. it is kind of an art form that is being lost among some communities. The more urban ones anyway."

One hand rubbed along the top of his right leg now and then as he watched the direction they were going. "It's mostly the more rural communities, and it isn't for a lack of cell service. Runner's have to relay body language and mimic the voice and mannerisms of the one giving the message." Wuffle. "Suppose it's mostly tradition that keeps us going these days. Though, not everyone trusts a text message, or a video over the air waves. Videos are faked, text can't relay tone of voice or body language."

Chase shifted a little so he could comfortably divide his attention between Maddox driving, and the road. "Runners have a long history of trust. The process to become one is pretty strict, not everyone makes it. We're also treated very well most of the time by the host, or the one the message is intended for. We usually have to wait until they decide if they have a reply, and if they do, then we spend at least a day learning all the nuances of tone, body, and so on. Nothing is ever written down, it's all memorized."

Wuffling in a soft chuckle, Chase sounded almost sad. "There are some who try to intercept Runners, for their message. Most of the messages are that important. Then you have the not so important ones, wasting our time but they pay for the Runner's service, and we see it through."

The question he wanted to ask followed after only a couple of moments. "I've worked with two vampires, but never felt like it was proper to ask. However.. I feel like I won't have this opportunity again, so, no offense intended. Just .. kind of always wanted to know more, you know? So.." Wuffle wuffle. "Do you kill when you have to feed?" There were too many stories, legends, movies and more to really know what was truth and what was fiction, unless it came straight from the proverbial horse's mouth.

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Leviathan Black

Tags: Edwin Thropian | Location: Colorado Nevada​

Levi chuffed with a big grin. "Well, cat naps are a thing." He had ordered a double bacon cheeseburger with extra bacon, side of fries, and a large chocolate milkshake with whipped cream, hold the cherry. He dug into the milkshake first of course.

Levi was careful to not talk with his mouth full, or if he absolutely had something to say that couldn't wait, he held a hand in front of his mouth first. "But yeah, about seven I think. I dunno, I tend to nap a lot, at least with the moon being what it is lately. I'm normally a pretty nocturnal beast. Heh." He totally just went heh out loud.

"Been hard to sleep, but the motion of the bus is just like a soothing blanket. So, catching it while I can." He dipped a few fries into the shake before nibbling on them. "Mmm, salt and sweet, perfect combination, eh?" Levi glanced around, actually taking stock for the first time since getting their food.

"Let me know if you want to order something to go and take it on the bus with us. Probably should put in the order now so it'd be ready before we have to get back on that thing." Levi seemed to be studying Edwin then as he did his best to finish up the rest of his meal. "I guess I should have a better plan than just show up and be all like hey.. you know that thing, we know it too, and we can fix it with your help, let's go."

He gave a bit of a shrug, "Maybe I can come up with something in the next seven hours. If you have suggestions, I'm all ears." He glanced at his phone and then swore. "Shit. I forgot to charge my phone. Well.." A shrug and he tucked it back into a pocket. "Hope no one needs to reach me for a while. You got the time? We have to be back at the bus station before the hour's up. Like.. forty-five minutes sounds good."

coded by natasha.

 

[Maeteris]

Yeo-Jin Park

“Yeo-Jin Park, I swear to God.”

Uh-oh. Yeo-Jin steels herself for the inevitable scolding. Footsteps screech on linoleum, turning to her desk and stopping. She’s staring at a leather belt buckle, straining to contain a pot belly, she drags her gaze up lazily across equally strained buttons. Double chin, check. A permanent scowl aimed at her, check.

“Don’t give me that look, Park.” Sergeant Hollander says, hands coming to rest on his hips. She shrugs.

“If it makes you feel better--” She starts.

“It does. But my feelings don’t matter none. HQ is going to bust my balls because I can't keep my officers in line.”

She purses her lips. Maybe ramming a shoplifter wasn’t the brightest of ideas she’s had so far, but it was called for. Sergeant Hollander raises his hands, sighing. “Whatever, Park. You write this shit up, I wanna see it on my desk by the end of the day.”

Jin nods, the least she could do for the trouble she’s caused. Hollander is a good man in her books, true and honorable to his cause but can be a stickler for rules. So what if a couple of degenerates lose an arm or a leg? Hollander slaps her boots, “‘nd get your feet off the desk!”
Her eyes roll as she acquiesces. Her legs dangle in the air mid-action, a sharp pain lancing through her legs. “Fuck ouch!” Hollander’s retreating back freezes, a sharp glare sent over the shoulder. “Sorry, mom.” She drawls.

Her legs had been acting up a lot recently, ever since the red moon. The magicians she’d been in contact with had been so adamant about fixing it, but all she’s been seeing is fuck-all. It’s probably getting worse by day. But at least it didn’t affect her swimming by much. Beats having to walk on these dirt legs. She sighs as she shakes the mouse, the monitor coming alive from sleep mode, she’d been daydreaming for the rest of the day until Hollander came. Time to finish up the report and get back in the water.

location: Florida • tags • mood • Outfit • interactions

 

[Vinegar Bees]

Maylee was a bit embarrassed when Shia rejected her offer to go last, insisting he was responsible for her and Evelyn. It gave her the strange, sudden sensation that she was a child again, and she was reminded in particular of Dad's stubbornly protective nature.

(She eavesdropped on the stairwell one night, listening to the gentle earnestness in Papa's voice: "Mal, she's going to fly the nest eventually whether we want it or not."

And then, Dad's voice, strained in a way she wasn't used to: "But what if she falls, and I'm not there to catch her?")

She nodded in Shia's general direction, though her gaze was fixed self-consciously on the floor, and hurried to the window, determined to make it her responsibility to at least ensure Evelyn got out safely.

"Sorry for the trouble," she said wryly, her gaze again directed at Evelyn's shoes instead of the woman's striking eyes. It occurred to her that those were the first words she had spoken directly to Evelyn—not exactly the boldest or bravest she could have painted herself.

Whatever sense of bravado or pride she was still feebly trying to uphold, however, was rather quickly extinguished when she glanced across the room and saw Shia scooping up her treasured rabbit.

Heat immediately flooded her cheeks. Shit, was I really that obvious about it—?

Shia's eyes and voice were gentle as he handed her the rabbit, mentioning a beloved stuffed dragon of his own, and as Maylee hesitantly reached out to take the rabbit into her arms, she felt a tingly, achy warmth she had long ago tried to suppress. It was the same warmth that had driven her to weep inconsolably when she found a baby bird dead below the nest Papa had been lifting her up to take a loot at, the same warmth that had made her ask at the end of a bedtime story, "Daddy, why can't the knight just be friends with the dragon?"

It was the warmth she had since suppressed as weakness, and it now brought a tender wetness to her eyes before she could even think to stop it.

"Thank you," she said quietly, without the hard edge she had taught herself to armor her voice with, and she took the rabbit and cradled it as if it were an old friend.

A moment later, Shia was motioning for her and Evelyn to exit, and Maylee snapped back to attention. Right—they were currently being tailed by some sort of unknown, malicious group. Now wasn't the best time to dwell on an act of kindness.

She quickly stuffed the rabbit safely in her bag as she waited for Evelyn to climb out the window, and then she followed, descending to the street below with careful movements designed not to make too much noise. Though still fully functional, that fire escape was a bit worse for the wear, and it offered meek groans of protest as it was put to work for the first time in, surely, years.

When her feet were firmly planted on the ground, Maylee collected her bearings, shifting the weight of her bag on her shoulders in preparation to run. Shia had paid the cab driver to stay nearby—she hoped he hadn't been labeled suspicious by the men pursuing them.

Maylee glanced up at Evelyn beside her, realizing once again just how much taller the woman was—a mountain beside an anthill. It would be foolish to say she wasn't still intimidated, but she felt a bashful sort of gratitude that she and Evelyn were on the same side.

"Oh, um, and thank you, too," she said to the taller woman. "You have good hearing."

maylee song.

hunter | werewolf

 

[Maeteris]

Evelyn Harper

Evelyn replied with a disinterested hum. She’d heard that particular excuse far too much in her line of work. She spared Song another look, the woman’s gaze focused solely below. Evelyn angled her head curiously. At least this mortal has the decency to appear earnestly apologetic and even humbled in the face of Elven superiority. That was new. Humans were always first to uphold the sorry notion of earnt respect. A completely welcomed change and all it took was a red Luna..

While both mortals discussed who went first, Evelyn took the initiative of vaulting over the windowsill. Evelyn understood responsibility, she was burdened with one up until a few days ago. Now she was only responsible for herself. She landed with a creak, the platform dilapidated. Once confident that the whole apparatus didn’t threaten to demolish itself, she descended.

She set foot on the ground with as much grace as she could muster; dusting off the unseen motes on her person and adjusting the lapels. Song was the second to land, hefting that bag of hers. A stillness caught the air, drowning the busy hubbub, her ears tingled. Evelyn drew her hand up, dragging it over her lips to silence the bubbling sigh. “You’re welcome.” She said, “Yes, I would hope so,” She glanced down towards Song, “Knife ears.” She clicked her fingers, dispelling the illusion momentarily before casting it back. “It would be impractical for them to appear as they are if not for a purpose.” She added. Curious, curious woman this Song was and deliciously innocent as well. The plush object hadn’t helped her in that regard nor did the abashed looks. What kind of hunter was she? Evelyn rubbed her chin as she bent over slightly to examine Song.

The spoken words did help, but it was more to coerce the specimen of her scrutiny to give in to pressure and let the secrets flow through physical cues. Though, it may be harder with a supposed hunter. Or perhaps, she was akin to a Geisha. A hunting through pleasure. Like the vampires of old.

Varya, cease!

She stopped, her eyes narrowing. Then slowly she straightened her back and diverted her gaze elsewhere. Embarrassing. The stone-cold facade worn back over a flushing inner persona.

location: Portland, Maine • tags • mood • Outfit • interactions

 

[KodakWolf]

Maddox Ward (Leif Hjalkarssen)
Location: Wyoming --> Texas
Tags: Chase Moon ( Out Of Words ) ​

Chase's description of what a runner actually was couldn't be any more different than whatever Maddox could've come up with for a guess. You're never too experienced to learn something new, after all. He momentarily diverted his gaze to Chase with an impressed nod as the shifter spoke. Definitely, a form of art. He liked traditions, the good side of them; a lot of terrible things were perpetuated in the name of tradition, too. From Chase's tone, he figured the man probably had a good share of good (and not so good) stories about that peculiar career.

Him not knowing about runners was most likely a consequence of living mostly isolated from other supernatural communities, a choice that carried both pros and cons, as everything else really. He actually couldn't quite grasp how vampires could ever be expected to live reasonably among other kinds nowadays, as that would require relinquishing their own true nature. The only reasonable option would be other vampires, and that usually ended up drawing too much attention for their own good.

Maddox figured his words had been effective at reassuring Chase, and the shifter's reaction to him preying upon others had been... well, as positive as it could be. Chase'd obviously not endorse it, but he also didn't seem like he'd be the type to play hero and try to protect the innocent victims. And apparently, he had questions of his own, that for some reason he never felt it was proper to ask the vampires he'd worked with, but wouldn't miss the opportunity to ask someone he'd just met. The idea was a bit odd, but it'd never really strike Maddox as offensive, so he didn't really mind answering. With the truth, why not? Might not be pretty, but he saw no reason to lie.

"I usually do." he spoke, casually scratching his chin, fiddling with the facial hair that was slightly longer than he usually kept it. "Not by draining them dry though, that basically never happens. If you drink your fill they'll recover some time later, and if you're self restrained you can feed on sleeping victims without them knowing; they'll wake up the next morning extra tired, but that's it." That was what most city vampires did, what they had to do to not end up dead or behind bars. A lifestyle Maddox considered unthinkable. "But a vampire wants to kill almost as much as they crave blood. Those who choose to suppress such nature often lead pretty miserable eternal existences. I'm speaking from my experience, those I've met, but I believe the whole class to be not so uniform." Whatever sort of thing originally gave rise to vampires, Maddox believed wasn't very benevolent, but neither was the rest of the world, really.

The vampire spoke of death in a casual tone, almost as if talking about the weather. You really shouldn't make that much of a big deal out of it if you're bound to (theoretically) live forever. That fact definitely played a role in shaping his world view.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Griffin Banks

Tags: Yeo-Jin Maeteris | Location: Florida​

Banks let out a bit of a laugh as soon as the Sergeant had disappeared, or at least was out of earshot. "Trouble again, Jinny?" Banks worked in the same department and had been sitting pretty much opposite of Park's desk for a few months now.

He took a glance around before rolling closer, keeping his voice down, still smiling he chuckled. "What did you do this time?" Banks also had some 'problems' following the book, but only when it came to some of the supernatural types.

"If it'll make your day better, I can share you a real doozy." He shook a manila folder, the one he had wheeled over from his desk, like three feet away. "They had this jumper over on 8th street. Got a couple of different reports, one saying the cop stopped him before he could jump. Normal, sure. Then.. then..." He leaned in a bit closer, knowing Parks also liked the supernatural cases.

There were a few in the precinct that were 'in the know', whether they were one themselves, or they had someone who was. Somehow they just 'magically' worked in the same section. Helped keep things under wraps supposedly. "There's a witness who claims the guy jumped, but then floated, like didn't fall, floated backward to the roof where the cop grabbed him." Eyebrows wriggled. "Want more?"

Banks rolled back to his desk with a shit eating grin, shaking the folder as bait. "Have a drink with me tonight."

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Shia D'Shire

Tags: Evelyn Maeteris Maylee Vinegar Bees | Location: Portland, Maine​

While they descended the fire escape, Shia did a small spell. A cantrip really, he hadn't the time or the number of people to make it more. It would be essentially a booby trap of sorts, if they thought to move the dresser where Maylee had her hidden storage spot. It should be just enough of a bang with smoke to have a nosy neighbor call the police. There was always at least one in an apartment complex, and that was if you were lucky. More if not.

The taxi driver had waited a block ahead like instructed. Shia did a quick scan of the main road before they emerged out of the alley. "Maylee, walk on the inside, Evelyn if you would walk between her and the street, we should be able to slip past the pizza eating lookout in the blue Honda on the opposite side of the street. Walk normal, slow, and do not look around, if you please. I will follow a few seconds later and join you in the cab."

Shia thought a group of three would draw more attention than just two, and then a single a few moments later. He hoped so, he didn't really have much more in him for more spells right now, but he wasn't going to say as much. He counted to about fifteen after Evelyn and Maylee turned on the sidewalks before he strolled toward the taxi as well.

Once inside, he quietly told the driver to take them to the airport before settling back in the seat. Eyes closed, and he took in a slow breath in, then out. When there was the sound of a small explosion, he actually gave a small grin at Evelyn along with a small wriggle of his eyebrows. "That should keep them busy." Shia looked relieved, then the business expression fell over his face again. "Do you need to call anyone to have the plane ready?"

coded by natasha.

 

[bread-and-butterflies]

Allison Hagan

relaxed on the road outfit Bug Out Of Words

As she packed, Allison nodded along as Bug began to tell his story. And having mentored more than one easily-distracted witch, she was practiced at calmly and patiently guiding him back on topic whenever he strayed. Who knew someone could miss airplane peanuts that much?

She nearly dropped a small folded stack of clothes when he mentioned the words "duct tape." Her head whipped around to face Bug, but before she could get a word out, he said he saw a gremlin? Could this be an affect of the moon, like the nightmares? ...ah. A movie. Tsk.

Back to the point, who put duct tape on his mouth, why was he arrested? She stared mutely at the spot where Bug had been sitting as he slunk across the room to retrieve the thrown handcuffs, a thousand thoughts rushing through her head. “Ah.” she blinked. Did she know how to pick locks? “Uh, no, I don't.” Suddenly she was very grateful that she had her own vehicle – public transportation might be a bad move if Bug had managed to get arrested.

“Bugged out...” something clicked in Allison's head. Bug must be a cipher, then. Interesting. Also, not so surprising, now that she thought of it. She grabbed her overcoat and the now-packed suitcase and led Bug to the front door. “It'll be a long drive, so I think we'd better not stop for photographs.” She scrunched her nose in thought, deliberating whether she really wanted to try these rest stop hot dogs, then sighed in defeat, her shoulders slouching ever-so-slightly. “Though I suppose it wouldn't hurt to visit a rest stop for lunch.”

She knelt down to say goodbye to Berkley, scratching behind his ears and telling him to be a good boy while she was gone. Then she led Bug out to her garage, yanking up the slightly rusty garage door with a grin to reveal a black convertible sports car. She patted the hood, her mouth now split into a huge smile, and walked around to the driver's side, loading her coat and suitcase neatly in the back, before hopping in the driver's seat.

It had been a while since she had gotten the chance to take her car out for a spin. Living in such a small town, she didn't often take it out, choosing to either walk, or borrow her mom's smaller, more practical car. She put the top down, assuming Bug didn't object, and let him choose the radio station. She was a little tense and didn't speak much as they navigated the town and smaller streets, but once they got on the highway, Allison breathed a sigh of relief. For a while, both the pain in her wrists and arms, and Bug's imperfect singing, were barely perceptible as the speedometer ticked up and up, outpacing many of the other cars around her. Being out on the road, in the open air and surrounded by redwoods on either side, Allison was able to relax, letting the sound and sensation of the wind drown out her worries. After a long month of blood-red nights, she had a concrete path towards possibly fixing whatever was happening to the moon, and she felt downright excited to finally be getting some answers.

code by yousmelldead

 

[Thropian]

Edwin Blut​

"Oh, yeah." Edwin laughed, and pulled up his arm as though to check a watch he wasn't wearing. "Just a freckle past a hair, we got time. Seriously. I've literally been living under a rock for the last 20 years. I have no electronics or understanding of modern life." He continued to half laugh as he scarfed down the last of his food.

After he finished eating, he returned to serious conversation. "Well, we don't want to freak Nevada out, so probably best if I'm not the one approaching them. Maybe you could show up at their house, say you are a classmate or something. Talk to them in their home, let them feel extra safe so you don't scare them off. Maybe have at least an introduction planned. Less random rambling like you gave me, and more planned speech, you know? After the introduction, it'll probably be answering their questions."

Edwin looked at the empty plate before him, and briefly thought of licking the last of the flavor off it, before an idea hit him. "I've got it. We bring them some food. A gift always helps ease tensions. Maybe say we are new neighbors? Could get both of us in for a dinner or something, which would give you time to talk to the kid while I distract the parents." He nodded to himself as though it was perfect. "We'll stop off at a store and pick up a tray of food, stop by just before dinner time, say we just moved in and are meeting the neighbors, and they'll invite us for dinner, it's perfect!"

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Out Of Words

Conversations in the Truck | Current Timeline: May 13th​

Tags: Maddox Ward KodakWolf | Location: Wyoming Houston, TX

After mulling over what Maddox said, Chase found himself wanting to know more. "Do you have... criteria for who you pick?"

"Opportunity." Maddox wasn't really that picky, so opportunity was criteria number one. "But if I can pick... it's usually anyone healthy and not too old." Come to think of it, that brought up a curious concept. "Unnatural selection, I think." he added. "How were the vampires you worked with?" he asked after a bit

Chase wuffled a couple of times, "They were... secretive about it. Only one made me feel uneasy about staying there. I think they were actually drawing it out as long as possible, sending a reply message." He added for clarification.

"I only saw one feed in front of me, and they called them a blood doll. Said it was by their choice, but to be honest, it looked like they were spelled or hypnotized?" Chase gave a bit of a shrug.

"I wasn't about to question them in their court, and to be honest.. I mean.. I kill to eat as a wolf." Chase wuffled. "I will admit, I'm not sure I could stand by if it was a child." He glanced over at Maddox with a little bit of a hopeful expression. Hopeful Maddox didn't feed on children.

"If they looked like it, then they probably were spelled or hypnotized." Then Chase's previous contact with vampires hadn't been in a very friendly context, which explained why he thought it'd be a better idea to ask Maddox instead. "But there is a niche for everything out there really, I've been asked to bite people a couple of times. It's a thing."

Maddox did notice Chase's glance after the shifter mentioned feeding on children, and while he had done it before (there were few things he hadn't), it was definitely not a habit, so he figured the shifter could be spared of that information. He was already more non judgemental than most, no need to test his boundaries. "I was a human once, had a kid, so... not that fond of the idea either."

"Word of advice for next time you're working with vampires: supernatural blood is ten times more tempting than that of humans. No wonder they were drawing it out." he chuckled. "You got lucky."

Chase tilted his head as he looked over to Maddox with the last bit of information. "Really? Huh." Wuffle. Both hands ran along the top of his jeans, fighting the urge to ask more, but he lost that battle. "Why is that?"

"I don't really quite know how that works, we just feel it. It smells better, tastes better, it's more tempting. Kinda feels like blood mixed with smart pills too, in a way." Maddox seemed to have lost the thread for a moment, and made a bit of a longer pause. "If it's pure enough it grants sunlight protection." After the last phrase, he seemed to have snapped back.

Maybe he shouldn't have said all that, the crimson hue coming from the guilty moon above reminding him it could still reach them, even though the truck offered a considerable level of protection. Too late, anyway. "Guard that last piece of information very well, many vampires don't know about it." his casual tone had suddenly turned more serious, and he switched his glare over to Chase for a moment before focusing back on the road.

Chase's expression revealed, pretty clearly, he hadn't known that particular tidbit of knowledge. Eyebrows lifted, his mouth formed an 'oh' shape, and he leaned back into his seat, quiet for a minute.

When he did speak, it was with a hushed tone of voice. "Holy shit. Yeah, no... I mean.. if more knew.. I doubt I would have made it unscathed through the two encounters I did have."

One hand rubbed along the top of his head, back and forth, much slower than normal as he was processing it still. "I would have absolutely no reason to tell that to anyone else." But it was really good to have as personal information. "Thank you for telling me."

"You're most welcome." Maddox answered with a nod, finding Chase's surprised reaction rather funny, though pretty appropriate. "Either they didn't know, or the message you were carrying was more important." he added with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't think your Devlin knows about any of that either." A whole group of new supernatural friends, why not? Keeping his word to Chase was one thing, to a whole group was something else, with the moon acting up like that. That was a problem for the future, though, and the decision had already been made. Didn't mean the thought didn't still lurk around his mind.

Chase wuffled as he sank just a bit deeper into the passenger seat. "Wow. No, I'm sure he doesn't. He didn't know what we were. Just we were tied to the moon, and would be the most affected, well, until the world ended from it." Chase gave a small snort.

"After we all got together and talked, we told each other what we were. Like.. to work together, we need to be able to trust each other and that was one step toward such, I suppose." Wuffle.

"Right." Maddox paused. "Sounds like it could backfire. How about not being as honest as I was with you?" He asked casually.

Chase's expression scrunched up for a brief moment. Runners were made on trust and honesty. However, he couldn't say he hadn't ever lied a little now and then. "Yeah, I'll just not.. ever mention it." It would be for the best.

"Appreciate it." Maddox said with a glance to Chase and a nod. He'd have to abide by his part of the 'deal' too, or Chase not telling the others the whole truth would be useless.

For now, though, Maddox could just focus on getting to their next stop, which is what he did. He tuned in a classic rock station, glad night vision allowed him to see the landscape pretty well at night.

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Chase Moon

Tags: Maddox KodakWolf | Wyoming Texas​

Chase would be lying if he tried to claim he didn't fall asleep in the truck next to a vampire. He totally did. Something about the motion of the vehicle helping him stave off some of the pain enough to catch some shut eye. He did one of those jerk awake when his head started to tilt forward a little too much kind of naps. Then he'd wuffle, shift around a bit and rinse, repeat.

When Maddox decided it was close enough to find a hotel, Chase woke when the vehicle rumbled to a stop. A hand rubbed his eyes, and he groggily said, "I'll get the room, Devlin's paying." The grin he gave was relaxed and a bit goofy, still not fully awake yet. Well, until he opened the truck door to get out, and tried to stand.

Knees buckled, and the landing was hard, and loud, and followed with an irritated sounding wuffle. It only took a moment before his voice, laced with strong discomfort in the very least, came from the ground next to the passenger side of the truck. "How about you get the room and I'll just give you the money. Here..."

From the viewpoint of the driver's seat, there would be a small bound wad of bills, tossed upward. The intention was for it to land on the seat somewhere. It fell right back down. Wuffle wuffle.

"Goddammit."

coded by natasha.

 

[Out Of Words]

A NIGHT BLEEDS
A story by Out Of Words​

Leviathan Black

Tags: Edwin Thropian | Location: Colorado Nevada​

Levi chuffed and gave a good chuckle when it was clear Edwin didn't have anything to help tell the time. "Well.. let's eat and get some food for the road and go back to the station." He was quiet after flagging the waitress down to put in their to go orders, so it would be ready sooner rather than later.

When he was finished with his food, and the to go boxes were being put into a bag, Levi grinned across the table at Edwin. "Clementine, not Nevada. Clementine, like the song. I wonder if she gets that sung to her all the time. But yeah.. was thinking trying the go to the same school, and just hope she doesn't really know everyone in the class, right?. She'd be all like, 'who are you'?" Levi imitated a female voice for Clementine.

"And I'd be all like 'You know.. from geography.' Cause like every year there's some geography class, boring class, I swear. I don't know, maybe that'd work. And we can get food as a backup." Levi gave a nice tip, and grabbed the bag of food to go. "Ready?"

Once they stood up and were heading to the door, Levi was still toying with plan A or plan B. "If we were new to the neighborhood, like what.. would I call you Dad then? Oh oh! Does that mean I get an allowance?" Levi laughed at the idea, "How much of an allowance, Dad?"

Grinning still, they headed out of the diner and across the street to the bus station. Even if they were early, at least they wouldn't be late to the next leg of the journey.

coded by natasha.

 

[Vinegar Bees]

She had been working hard in recent years to get her face under control—to stay vigilant for any minute changes of expression that might betray her feelings—but as Evelyn momentarily let slip what must have been a spell concealing her "knife ears," Maylee was certain her eyes must have quite visibly widened. Long, sharp, elegant—it seemed Evelyn's ears matched everything else about her.

An elf? Maylee had seen illustrations of elves, dignified and proud and experienced far beyond what a human could imagine, in the tomes she had pored over for research, but she had never encountered one in person. She was under the impression that they were exceedingly rare—or, at least, that they were adept at hiding their existence from humankind. Even as they lived in the human world, she had read, they transcended it altogether; a human lifetime was little more than a blink for the oldest of elves. How old, then, was Evelyn? How much had she experienced? She must have already lived more lifetimes than Maylee could possibly imagine.

She realized with a start that she must have been staring, because Evelyn was leaning down to peer at her, her keen eyes opaque in their intent. Maylee felt her heart begin to thump as the woman appraised her. What was she thinking? Was she unimpressed—?

If Maylee had been a noble elf peering down at a small, greenhorn hunter, she would have been unimpressed, too.

Before either of them could speak, however, Shia descended the fire escape and began swiftly to execute the next part of their escape. Maylee did carefully as he instructed as they headed to reconvene with the cab driver—walk on Evelyn's inside (a tactic that was expedited by just how much shorter she was than Evelyn), presumably for cover from some sort of lookout keeping tabs for them. A thousand questions stirred within Maylee as she hurried to keep pace with Evelyn's long stride. Someone really was looking for her, and judging by their appearance at Ms. Baker's shop and even her apartment, they were quite dogged in their pursuit. But why? What could she possibly offer them that was so important?

As much as she tried to deny it, she was just a lonely girl—a girl only a couple of years away from a past as an entirely-normal human, a girl who still clutched a stuffed animal to help her sleep.

To her relief, the three of them managed to make it to the cab without incident, though as the driver began to pull away, Maylee was aware of a small explosion that sent fear shooting down her spine. A quick glance at Shia, though, confirmed that they were in no danger—rather, the explosion was something Shia had deployed to delay their pursuers.

In her apartment. Maylee chewed at her lip, more troubled than she would like to admit. That place wasn't home, and she had always operated under the assumption that it was nothing more than temporary, but still—the thought of an explosion, of a group of unfamiliar, sinister individuals all meeting at once at her most private place—it felt as if someone were invading her head, too.

(She thought again of those unsettling, off-kilter images she had seen of herself in the lake of blood and shuddered.)

With a short breath, she told herself to relax and turned her attention to her companions. They were headed, now, for an airport, and Maylee found herself wondering how they intended to get through security with all of the weapons she had just retrieved from her hidden stash.

But then Shia asked Evelyn about the plane directly, and the woman answered: "No need. The plane is always ready."

And it occurred to Maylee that they were to be taking a private jet.

"You... you have your own plane?"

She became quickly aware of her mouth falling open and snapped it shut, placing a hand over her mouth for good measure. So much had happened in just a few days that her head was spinning. There was so little she knew, still, about this eerie phenomenon, about her mysterious new companions, about her place in all of this.

"That's, um... that's handy," she murmured through her fingers.

maylee song.

hunter | werewolf

 

[Vinegar Bees]

Winnie stared down at her lukewarm cup of tea, gently turning the stirring spoon in loose circles. She had picked up the habit due to the way it dispelled her reflection in the liquid with distorting ripples, but now, even after she had learned pouring milk into her tea blotted out her image altogether, she liked the soothing repetition of the motion.

Every now and then, her spoon gave off a tiny clink against the porcelain of the teacup, and she shot up a nervous glance, hoping the noise didn't irritate her partner—

—but, as usual, his gaze passed through her as if she were glass: at times a relief, at others a wound, as if something as small and feeble as her was beneath notice.

"Are you enjoying the food?" she asked in a small, meek voice with a small, meek smile to match.

Her partner's eyes flicked surreptitiously down at his half-finished plate of French toast, smothered in butter and syrup, and she swiftly wondered whether he had taken her comment as an underhanded insult—she had noticed he tended not to indulge his sweet tooth in front of the others...

"Ah, um, pardon me, sir," she said hurriedly, dropping her gaze to her lap. "I-I didn't mean to speak out of turn..."

He cut her off with a scoff. "Seriously? Look, I know I can be a dick sometimes, but I'm not a dictator." He pinched his brown eyes shut and ran a weathered hand over them. "And enough with the "sir," for real. I already told you to call me Kessler."

She timidly folded her hands on the table. "Okay, Kessler."

She hadn't run into many magicians like Kessler—though, to be fair, she hadn't run into many magicians at all until this new job. Still, she had come to expect a certain grace, an air of dark mystery—and Kessler's frankly titanic height and build (at least compared to her) and gruff manner of speaking didn't quite exude elegance.

He was ex-military, she had learned, and in his late twenties—but that was about as far as she had gathered from their sparse conversations, and she was far too timorous to ask for more. He seemed more comfortable wielding the pistol he carried around than any of the spells in his arsenal, and she wondered why exactly he had taken this job. Was he a mercenary type, looking for pay and nothing more? Or perhaps a family connection? Or...

"What about you?" Kessler asked suddenly, and Winnie stiffened to attention. "Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen you eat. You can't live off pretending to drink tea, you know."

She flinched, glancing at her still-cooling teacup. Oh—had he noticed? Their employer had rationed out money for their meals, and it occurred to her that she was wasting resources by ordering tea for show and nothing more.

It wasn't that she couldn't eat or drink, just that it wouldn't do anything for her—and she didn't like feeling eyes on her when she ate or drank either way.

Still, to allay Kessler's concerns, she gingerly picked up the teacup and took a long, slow slip, trying to let the liquid pass down her throat without touching her tongue any more than necessary. As she drank, her ears pricked at a snatch of familiar words from across the diner—

Clementine.

Nevada.

She placed the teacup swiftly back on the table, straining for a peripheral glimpse of the owner of the voice that had spoken—a young-sounding voice, light and airy and easygoing. The conversationalists were a party of two, a wily-looking boy around her size and a much-larger man with a stolid, rugged appearance, and by the looks of things, they were on their way out.

"Something wrong?" Kessler asked, and Winnie glanced nervously between the retreating pair and her partner.

"Clementine," she said quietly. "They're going to meet someone named Clementine. She goes to school. In Nevada."

Kessler's eyes flashed in recognition, and he furrowed his brow thoughtfully. "Think that's our mark? I don't suppose there are droves of high-school girls called Clementine in Nevada."

"They're leaving," Winnie said in building panic. "A bus station—?"

"Right. We'll tail them." Kessler tried flagging down the waitress, but it seemed she was occupied, so in a rather swift motion, he slapped some bills on the table and headed for the door, Winnie scurrying after him.

"We can't just—" she began in meek protest.

"I left more than enough," Kessler said gruffly. "There's plenty money to spare when you're traveling with someone who eats like a bird."

As she followed at Kessler's heels, Winnie heard him muttering something under his breath, punctuated by a few colorful phrases like "shit" and "better fuckin' work this time," and then he let out an aggrieved sigh. "Right, so I threw up one of those catnip things. Should help us blend into the crowd."

Catnip? What in the world was he talking about?

"Um... y-you mean cantrip?" she ventured timidly, trying to sound like she was merely suggesting rather than correcting.

Kessler glanced back at her, a hint of embarrassment only briefly discernible in his deep-set eyes before they returned to cool indifference. "Whatever," he muttered. "I'm more of a dog person, anyway."

winnie sawyer.

psychic vampire