OTA

[miss_ives]

Vanessa had always had sharp instincts, and had long since learned to follow them. That night, as she walked home after dark, there was that odd pinprick on the back of her neck. Someone was watching. And as it lingered, she trusted that she wasn't simply being watched, but actually followed.

Her heart beat a little faster as she picked up the pace, cursing the fact that she was far from any busier street.

London, her home, the city she knew and loved, suddenly felt like a strange, dark, dangerous place. The lampposts felt less efficient than normal, and her steps on the pavement sounded louder than they ought to. She glanced back and saw three men a few yards behind her, hardly more than dark figures, doing nothing to hide themselves.

When she turned into the next street over and they were still following, her mind was made up. She stopped walking and turned around, a forbidding look on her pale features.

The three men slowed their steps but eventually came into clearer view, stopping a few feet from her. They were even paler than her, with sunken, abnormally clear eyes, and they felt wrong to her. Not, she reflected, unlike Mina had.

"What do you want with me?" she demanded.

They shared a look, and the one in the middle replied, "We don't want anything with you. We're not allowed. Our Master, however..."

Their Master. Mina had used that word as well. "Where is he?"

"Do you want to meet him?" the same one offered, stepping slowly nearer Vanessa.


((Feel free to stumble across Vanessa having a chat in a dark street with some vampires, Penny Dreadful style! They'll probably attack you if you try to jump in and get her away from them. Good times!))

Comments

[yves]

"I'll need you to keep a close eye on the sprite while we're on the road," he said, leading them out to a very plain looking black car that was parked around back. "They can get a bit over excited."

[miss_ives]

"Let me drive," Vanessa suggested. "I know how to handle a car much better than an overexcited sprite."

[yves]

Yves looked unsure, clearly a bit unwilling to give up control in this situation- Or any, if he were honest. She had a point though, and after a beat he reluctantly offered the keys.

[miss_ives]

With someone else, Vanessa might have promised not to get a scratch on the car. As it was, she had an inkling that Yves' reluctance was about more than just the plain-looking car, and she simply took the keys with a short nod, then walked over to the driver's side.

[yves]

Looking just a tad petulant about it, Yves made his way to the passenger side and climbed in. The sprite was still in his hand, and he opened it slowly.

"You are to stay in the car, do you understand?" he asked it. "I need you to guide us from here- As though we were on a boat, searching for land."

The tiny sprite made a jingling sort of sound, flitting about the car for a moment, before fluttering over the dash and pointing itself north east.

[miss_ives]

Vanessa took a moment to adjust the seat and rearview mirror, then only started the car and maneuvered out of the parking space, driving down the street so she could head in the general direction the sprite was indicating.

[yves]

"Based on what she tells me, I believe we need to head towards Stratford for now," the fae stated, glancing over at Vanessa- His gaze lingering a beat longer than he intended. He didn't often admire people, but Vanessa was... Strikingly attractive.

The fact that he thought that made him frown, and he huffed a bit to himself.

"Left here," he muttered.

[miss_ives]

Vanessa drove safely but briskly, taking a turn when indicated, following the instructions of the sprite through Yves. There was a tension to her that would not relent, in that moment, belied in her posture and her every move, never mind the sharp glint in her eyes. They reached an industrial area, and were directed towards a specific warehouse. Vanessa killed the engine and simply stared at the building for a moment, breathing and sorting through her emotions, the hope just as dangerous as the rest of them, if not more so. Mina needed her.

"Thank you," she added, turning towards Yves. "For leading me here."

He had not had to, and now she could not ask him to come with her, for all that she would welcome his help. She shuddered at the thought of what she might have to resort to if she were to attempt this on her own, but she was resolute. Mina was more than worth Vanessa's soul.

[yves]

Yves wasn't really the helping sort- Not unless he was helping himself. So he was a bit surprised by his own words when he said, "I can come with you, if you want."

[miss_ives]

Vanessa was quiet for a moment, after his offer. "It will be dangerous," she then answered, although they both knew it already. She was giving him a chance to take back his offer, but she did hope that he would not.

[yves]

"Mmm, the interesting things always are," the fae murmured, already moving to get out of the car.

[miss_ives]

Relief and gratitude mingled in Vanessa's chest, along with something else. Something best left until later to explore. She got out of the car and locked it up before handing Yves the key. She did not reiterate her thanks, but they were there in her eyes all the same.

Before they hardened as she turned towards the warehouse. The creatures had not seemed to want to harm her, but Yves was another matter. "I think that I might be able to walk through the front door," she said, glancing at him. He could accompany her, of course, but she might serve as a great distraction if he wanted to try sneaking in another way.

[yves]

Yves considered the building for a moment, his nose wrinkling just a bit.

"It seems likely, yes. ...I'll meet you inside, I'm going to walk around the back," he decided, starting to walk away, and then pausing. "I'd advise caution, but you've never struck me as the cautious type."

[miss_ives]

"Wait," Vanessa told him, before he was even done speaking. She walked over to him. "If you come across Mina... she is fair, in every way." Both blonde and beautiful, and most importantly, not to be harmed, hence her telling Yves about her.

[yves]

Yves raised a brow, wondering if she warned him so he might protect her from others- Or because she feared what he might do himself. He did have a reputation after all, in some circles. Either way, he had no interest in this Mina- At least, not outside of what she meant to Vanessa. For that knowledge alone, however, he'd take great care.

Silent, he nodded his understanding.

[miss_ives]

Vanessa nodded in reply, grateful for his understanding, and turned once more to the building. She squared her shoulders, then walked over to the large door as Yves slipped down the side of the building. She gave him a few more seconds, and herself as well, to compose herself and steady her fear, then slapped her hand three times on the huge metal door, the only appropriate knock for a building of this size.

Ten seconds or so later, it was slid open, and the vampire from earlier peered at Vanessa curiously, then stepped aside. "The Master will be so pleased."

Despite the unease stiffening her spine, Vanessa walked into the warehouse.

[yves]

Watching her vanish inside, Yves stalked around to the back, moving slow and observing everything. He could see a few of the windows near the roof were currently open, and he considered his options for a moment before finding a shadowed wall and beginning to climb. Honestly, this was all a bit beneath him- What was he even doing here.

Huffing to himself, he managed to drag himself to a window. A peek inside showed the space below was empty, but he could hear voices nearby and moved with caution and grace as he slipped inside.

[miss_ives]

"What does your Master want with me?" Vanessa asked, striving to show none of the anxiety she felt as the door closed behind her.

"That's for him to tell you, miss," the vampire replied, gesturing for her to follow him.

More vampires were drawing near; their attention was clearly on her, for all that none of them came close. The only one near enough to touch her was leading her farther into the warehouse. She looked at their faces, all of them. They were all sorts, all ages and genders, all skin colours but all of them paler than they ought to be, almost sickly, their eyes sunken. And none of them were who she hoped to see.

"Is Mina here?" she asked, looking back at the vampire she was following.

"The Master will have all your answers."

That was when she saw the first body. A young woman, drained of blood, lying on the ground. And there were more corpses, scattered around the warehouse. Vanessa's breath caught in her throat.

[yves]

Yves could hear voices through te floor, but hesitated to get closer just yet. No doubt the vampires would smell him, but a spell with the right amount of stink would help. Sandalwood was very good at confusing noses, he'd found.

He didn't depend heavily on his fae abilities often, but soon enough he was invisible, and a strong scent of sandalwood and a heavy musk filled the warehouse, making it easier for him to creep down and keep an eye on things.

[miss_ives]

The vampire leading Vanessa on stopped walking, frowning, a few seconds before she noticed the new scent. She slowed to a halt as well, confused. Was this Yves?

"So you haven't come alone," the vampire remarked. "Find the intruders!" he snapped at the others, who reluctantly broke off to search the warehouse. The vampire stepped closer to Vanessa, a little too close for comfort. "It won't change anything. The Master will have you."

"Tell me where Mina is," Vanessa retorted, glaring at him, her heart thudding against her chest.

[yves]

Yves moved carefully as they searched, every step silent, every move cautious.

Slowly he made his way to Vanessa, still unseen as he rolled his sleeve up and once again summoned pure sunlight, the shimmer of it fracturing the illusion around him that kept him unseen. This time he didn't throw it though- Instead, he pulled a dagger from his pocket, dragging the blade through the light. The blade caused the light to bounce and reflect, burning any of the creatures it hit, but when it was done the blade itself was pure light.

"I don't think he knows," the fae drawled.

[miss_ives]

There was such comfort in hearing Yves's familiar voice, and when Vanessa glanced at him, he was striking, a pale figure in dark clothes holding a blade of light. A Knight of Swords.

The moment was ended when several of the vampires launched themselves at Yves, completely ignoring Vanessa in their violent attack.

[yves]

Lovely, more fighting. Scowling, Yves swung the blade without hesitation, striking the first to get too near across the cheek, then slamming the blade hard right through the chest of the next. He was graceful, and the damage he dealt was nearly surgical in its precision.

"Call your idiots off, unless you want to watch me remove their heads one by one," the fae snarled, turning the dagger over in his palm and swiping it gracefully through the air. The action elongated the blade of light, leaving it less a dagger and more a rapier as he pointed it towards the next attacker.

[miss_ives]

Instead of putting them off, the threat made the vampires attempt to overwhelm him with numbers. Vanessa stepped in the path of some of them, counting on their reluctance to harm her to give Yves a more manageable number to deal with.

And indeed, the vampire who had been leading her shouted, "Don't harm her!", right when one of them snarled at her.

[yves]

It was a lot, and Yves was a bit rusty. One vampire managed to claw at him, ripping his shirt and leaving angry red lines of blood down his shoulder. Yves didn't react though, he just swung, moving and swinging as he fought them off.

One by one they dropped, and by the time the ones Vanessa had thankfully stalled came towards him, the fae was looking a bit worse the wear.