TP: Plan A: Telepaths Unite

Random Warehouse Complex Outside of Dallas

Several fluorescent lights, mostly broken, are held suspended from a high ceiling. They give little illumination to this dank, musty warehouse, leaving many portions hidden in shadow. The floor is covered in warped wooden planks, dark areas showing through where the primarily rotted wood has given way and fallen to the basement below.
A few large windows, placed high on the walls, have been boarded up, allowing no light to pass. A set of iron stairs at the far end of the warehouse lead up to a rickety looking catwalk which composes the second floor. Three doors are visible on this level. Also at the far east corner of the room is a ladder leading down to the basement.
The warehouse looks as though it has been abandoned for decades, dust littering the floor almost undisturbed, as though no one has even breathed inside this room for ages. However, there is something uneasy about this place, as if something horrifying had gone before.


A heavy sheet of black has fallen upon the area just outside the city of Dallas, the night feeling much darker than most though the full moon is less than a week away. The darkness settles over the warehouse district, the pale lights barely allowing the scant paths and walkways to be seen. Doors hang open on several warehouses, crooked and falling off.

Nary a sound can be heard except for cars in the distance. The eeriness is played up all the more by a fog that drifts along the ground, moving as though it has a purpose.

Intelligence states that one of the warehouses around here is playing "home" to the Sheriff of Dallas at the moment, but which can it possibly be?

Inside the warehouse in question, hidden down in the depths of the basement, is a vampire strung up with silver chains. With him is a woman, wearing period garb. She leans forward to whisper something into the vampire's ear, then smirks as she steps back awaiting the reaction.

-

Silver chains around his wrists, his throat, his chest and his legs, and the prisoner stares at the woman with cold and dangerous loathing in his eyes. Unblinking, despite the bloody trails and vicious burns that cover his almost-naked body, he simply stares. When his lips move, the voice that comes forth is cracked, but surprisingly level. It is also speaking in Latin. "Argentum capulus," he says. An oft-repeated threat of where the woman will finish her days.

-

Intelligence, that's what she was given. That, and a stern order to stay away from things. Chloe really should be following that order, but the fact is, being cooped up in an apartment for /days/ has made her a little stir crazy. So she's taken matters into her own hands. Before doing so though, she's had errands to run. The first of which was to call Josephine and tell her where things were going down, allowing the woman to make up he own mind as to what she wants to do. The second was to ask Mischa to run out and buy at least three or four cases of TruBlood. No telling if they've fed Will, and as she really doesn't want to be drained dry, it's only prudent. The third was to make a brief stop at the hospital to check on her parents and leave another note for her siblings before making her way out to the designated site.

The vampires are surely here already, or will be shortly… her motley crew of mish-mashed adventurers should be here as well. Yet she is a woman on a mission, and so dressed in black tank-top and cargo pants, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, she starts making her way toward the two warehouses at the back of the lot, trying to sense out minds or lack there of.

-

Fog is good. Josephine likes fog, it reminds her of home, early morning walks through the woods with the family dog. She takes a moment to watch it stir as he feet move through it, a whistful smile turning her lips for a moment as again she scolds herself, in English even, « Crazy, must be absolutely out of my mind… ». Still, she came here and she flicks her cigarette -maybe her last?- away. "Pssst…" she whispers once she discerns Chloe. No camouflage outfit for her, since that would've required a completely new outfit and that's stretching even Jo's willingness to help.

-

Sometime after Chloe has arrived, Mischa shows up in an incredibly old car that bears about four or five cases of TruBlood in the backseat. No sense in being unsure about how much Will is going to need to drink. In the passenger seat there are a stack of magazines, mostly nature-based and National Geographic-esque. He hasn't bothered with camoflauge or black clothes either, though he did manage to find dark shades to wear. Mischa parks his car away from the warehouses, deciding to walk the rest of the way. The door is shut quietly. When he makes out the figures of Chloe and Jo through the fog, his pace quickens a bit. "Ladies. What's the plan here?"

-

"Though painful," the woman muses, "A silver coffin is much better than meeting the sun, which will be your fate, Valentinus." She laughs, then goes into a rather graphic description of what took place the other evening with the Cornett's.

The telepaths will find that there is one warehouse that is busy indeed. Full of human minds, the void of multiple vampire minds, and several that are more difficult to place. They are all there, and the general thought is that they are waiting for something. The other warehouse contains only a few voids here or there, scattered throughout the building. A single human mind who's only thought is « I don't want to die! ».

-

The prisoner seems not to notice the description, seems not to care, the dark malevolence in his eyes not fading, even for a moment. He does not bother attempting to move. "You shall suffer, at my hands, succubus," he tells her, switching to English now. "You lack the girl, for you lack the ability."

-

Jumping at the bombardance of thoughts, and voices, Chloe spins around and whispers. "The plan… get me a case and a half of the blood, I'll throw it in my backpack." She glances toward the 'noisy' warehouse and then nods to the quieter one. "We'll have a better time checking this one first, until the vampires get here." She bites her lip, not wanting to give away Mischa's secret. "You have the special guest I wanted? The really big one with the claws? Once Josephine and I slip in, I'll need you to let it loose." The best way she can request it without outright asking him to shift.

-

"The… What?" Looking from Chloe to Mischa, who she almost recognizes, Josephine shifts uneasy, her eyes drifting to both warehouses, less sure than the other woman is. "Chloe, before we do anything really stupid… Which vampires." And to Mischa, "You hired a circus bear? Guys, help me out here." All said in that same, hushed voice.

-

"Yeah, I brought him." But where? There's clearly nothing big with claws in his car. Maybe in the trunk? Who knows. Mischa nods to Chloe, and Josephine gets something of an apologetic smile. He doesn't answer her question, but instead doubles back to the car to remove two cases of TruBlood. He brings them back over to Chloe and sets them down at her feet. "There you go. I'll be back over at the car. I'll wait until you two are inside before I let him out. Be careful, you two." He nods to both of the women before starting back towards the car once more, waiting to release the circus bear.

-

"She will be here shortly," the woman says with an eerie neutral tone. "We have those who were waiting for her at the hospital, who will be tracking her trail, all so that she can become your last meal."

As the warehouses aren't going anywhere, it is merely up to those present to choose which they enter.

-

"Your lies come as easily as your predecessor," Will replies to the woman, quietly. "How much are you being paid, girl? Enough to sell your soul?" Two can play the mind-screw game.

-

"It's a little… insurance," Chloe replies to Josephine. "The vampires I /trust/." Which is to say that she likely doesn't /really/ trust them, but they're the only ones that she can trust at the moment. "Jo, if you want to back out, feel free. I'm going in there, and I'm going to get back what they took, or I'm going to die trying. I'm pretty sure whoever did /this/ took some sort of supernatural hit out on my parents to get to me, and I'm none too pleased about that." She takes a deep breath, then chases after Mischa just to give him a hug. After all, she sort of forced all of this on him. "Be careful yourself." Then she starts to stalk toward the quieter of the two warehouses once more.

-

The decision to help Chloe just keeps getting bombarded and Josephine pulls a hand from a pocket, eyeing the tiny can of pepperspray rather doubtfully while Chloe rushes off to hug Mischa. A deep, deep breath, and she shrugs, "You're not doing this alone." Even if she sounds like she's regretting it. Stalking is harder when you're her height, but she's at least giving it a shot, appearing next to the librarian. "Did you at least tell them there are two of us?"

-

Mischa pats Chloe somewhat hesitantly, giving her a faint smile. "Don't you worry about me. Go on now." He says, before releasing her to stalk towards the warehouses. He's reserved about it all, trying not to show too much emotion. Mischa opens up the passenger door of his car and takes his glasses off, then starts to unbutton his shirt. He's waiting until the girls get what he hopes will be safely inside before he starts to work his own special brand of mojo.

-

The women are able to make it into the warehouse easily enough, no one will bar their way. Either those inside the warehouse are expecting visitors, or they were told to leave them unharmed.

"I need no pay," the woman says to Will. "I enjoy making you break your vows so much, that I choose to do this of my own volition."

-

The cracked voice of Valentinus manages to break into a short, sharp laugh. "You have been trained well, sweet princess, but the shattering of my vow matters not any more." The hatred throbbing through his tone drives him to twitch uselessly at the silver chains. "I am dead, my peace made, and your words will fracture against mine armour of faith."

-

"Thanks, Jo," she whispers, as she starts to head into the warehouse proper. Easy enough. Chloe reaches into her backpack, the bottles of blood clinking as she draws out a flashlight, and turns it on. "I left word for them," she says quietly, peeking over her shoulder to see out of the warehouse and find out how close her large helper is to catching up.

-

Josephine is right beside her, nodding, the doubt slowly being replaced by grim determination. No point in risking your life if you don't put all your heart and soul into it. Under her breath, she hushes, "Quiet…" And peers into the warehouse with growing unease, senses wide open.

-

When he's sure that the women are in the warehouse and there are no witnesses, Mischa strips down to nothing. He's stark naked in a parking lot somewhere, with a stack of magazines about animals in front of him. In a bit of misplaced frustration, he flings several of the magazines off of the stack. Without much thought he grabs the one that's nearest to him and moves it to the hood of the car. He stands in front of the magazine and concentrates. Concentrates.
A few moments later there's not a man anymore, but a rather large Bengal tiger. It starts to pad it's way after the two women, eyes glinting in the muted light of night.

-

"My words, my dear Valentinus, will fracture your armor, chink by chink." There are noises heard above, and she laughs. "I believe dinner has arrived."

Once the tiger has caught up to the women, and they are a few steps into the warehouse, the large, heavy doors slam shut behind them. The only light in the building now coming from the ray of the flashlight. Not too far off, somewhere in the large room, behind some crates, comes a muffled noise. Then another telepathic cry, « It's a trap! »

-

"You dream, woman," Will replies, venomously, "of scraping away at something beyond your ken. You are a child, playing within a game you will never understand." His mind works fast, throwing out telepathic contact; he's hoping to receive no response. « Who is there? » he queries, whilst lips continue to work their magic, trying to distract this creature with irritation. "A game that will see you spreadeagled on a silver crucifix, begging for mercy from those who play oh so much better than you."

-

Chloe goes still at Jo's words, stiller at the first telepathic cry, and then the color rushes out of her at something only she can hear. "He's here," she whispers to Josephine, still talking for the tiger's benefit. « Will? Oh thank /God/ you're /alive/! » She starts to move forward, only to realize that the door behind them has slammed shut. "Shit," she says. The flashlight is tucked under an arm as she reaches into her bag. She pulls out two long lengths of silver chain, handing one to Jo, and a properly shaped stake, as though she'll actually be able to use it.

-

« No. Kidding. » Josephine spits out in thought once she's past the first shock that sent her heart to her throat. Some choice words in Dutch follow, but she knows better than to put breath behind them, flattening against the wall. Good thing she is yet unaware of a tiger. She feels the chain touch her skin and automatically, she accepts it, winding it loosely around a hand, the other checking again on the spray. « How. » she asks Chloe, then shakes her head. « Forget that - where. Shit, this is bad… »

-

The tiger is intent on being as quiet as possible. He doesn't want to alarm Josephine most of all — forget the very bad people who are lurking nearby. He moves over to Chloe's side and gives her calf a nudge, butting her leg with his head. He looks back towards the door that has slammed and then sits down on the cool pavement of the floor, tail swishing back and forth.

-

"Would you like that," the woman asks. "To see me all spreadegaled in front of you? They were not kidding when they said you so utterly corrupt."

Two women and a tiger? This is what they've sent to save the illustrious Sheriff of Dallas? There is an airy laugh from above, before the warehouse fills briefly with fog. The fog coalesces for a moment into a humanoid form, then disperses through a crack in the door and out into the night.

Can things get any worse? They can indeed. From the depths of the darkness appear three vampires. Three large vampires, one holding the human prisoner up against himself. The woman looks similar to Chloe - red hair, same basic shape. He has her neck yanked back, fangs bared, ready to sink into her at any moment. « HELP! »

-

Supernatural senses work their magic, and Will maintains a strict, rigid and terrible glare at the woman in front of him. Not entirely a mask; not even slightly, really. « By the sounds above you have fallen into their trap. Are you alone? » "Oh yes," Will tells his captor, darkly. "Spread wide, and flagellated to repent the foul sins you commit. Religious ecstasy is a wonderful feeling." « Your only chance is to remove the silver chains from me. Behind the crates there is a trapdoor down to my captor and I. »

-

There is a brief moment where she wonders if she's experiencing one of those out of body things, but then she realizes there are differences between the captive girl and herself. Chloe makes no move forward as of yet. She holds her ground, giving an odd little nod. « No, I have help… and yes, we have. If we survive this, I'll get you free. »

"Y-you won't do that," Chloe says, eyeing the vampire that's holding the captive. "Why kill her, when you can have the real thing, right? It's what y'all have been after, trying to kill my mama and daddy like you did…" And that is her big, brave plan. To sacrifice herself so her friends can get through and save Will.

-

Josephine at first thinks she's hallucinating as a tiger moves over to Chloe. As fog solidifies, becomes fog again. She closes her eyes, counts to ten, opens them again to find the tiger still there, and company arrived. She's not a religious person, but the « OH GOD. Chloe! » is a mental scream, a hand clapped over her mouth but still a frightened whimper comes out. The fingers wrapping around the librarian's wrist cling painfully, pulling her back, shaking her head franticaly. "What are you doing?!" Who cares, people know where they are anyway.

-

The large feline stands up once more and rests at Chloe's side. For the time being, he does little more than wait for command from his 'master'. He turns his head to look at Josephine, swishing his tail almost playfully at her as he does. After looking over Josephine contemplatively, the tiger whips his attention back to Chloe and the vampire captors. Save for that swishing of the tail, he's fairly still.

-

"The question then, Valentinus, is would you be the one offering the flagellation?" The way it is said, it is as though the woman may just enjoy pain a bit too much.

"Because," hisses the vampire holding the captive, "Now we can have twice the fun! GET THEM," he bellows of his two companions, who both move forward swiftly. One goes for Jo's throat, the other swinging a machete around in his hands as he zooms toward Chloe and the tiger.

-

« Their plan may be to feed you to me, » Will tells Chloe, « or capture you for another. If you can trick them into bringing you all to me, or fight your way through, we may yet tempt victory. » "Of course," he says aloud, righteous indignation riding high in his tone. "I would be honoured to flay the sins from such a debauched creature."

-

Fight or give in, fight or give in. It's a tough choice, it really is. Chloe doesn't have but a second to consider it, however. Much as it'd probably save /all/ their hides for her just to give herself over to them, she can't allow Josephine to get killed for helping her. "/NOW/!" She swings forward with her silver chain, trying to catch it around the vampire that's lunging at her. « Jo! Duck! Get down and use that chain! » She takes a deep breath as she lashes out again and again with the chain until it catches the vampire. « Gonna have to fight. Hang tight, hopefully these are the only ones we'll have to deal with. »

-

Funny enough, it's seeing the machete that puts Josephine back in her right mind. This, she knows. Too well, too many times. Her first reflex is to swing that length of silver chain in the direction of the vampire coming for her, the second is getting that can of pepper spray out of her pocket and at the ready. Pressed against the wall, it doesn't give her a lot of room to move.

-

When the vampires come charging towards the two women and the tiger, the latter of the trio reaches out with his paw and tries to catch the vampire nearest to him with his very sharp claws. Soon after, teeth follow in the hopes of making surface wounds — no blood can be ingested, for that'd surely spell the end of Mischa's night masquerading as a Bengal. If he can just immobilize the vampire, Chloe can finish him. He tries to pay attention to Jo too — his attention turning to her for a moment as he tries to take down this assailant first.

-

Humans, despite their lack of speed, are crafty and devious. The two flunkies that go on the attack get bombarded with silver chains. The unlucky machete wielder is taken down when a tiger tears open his ankle tendons. Teeth nip into his cold flesh, the weapon is dropped, and the chains are about him weakening him immensely.

The vampire after Josephine has his arm extended, almost preparing to crush her windpipe when the silver chain catches him across the cheek. A sizzling, burning sound can be heard, the smell of searing flesh coming from both vampires.

"Do you think the King will allow you to walk away so easily from all of this, Sheriff? Do you know what the Magister will do to you if your pets harm any of our kind?"

-

"The Magister will judge fairly," replies Will, darkly, "when he discovers the true aims of your organisation. You are attempting to start the war, endangering us all. Foul and foolish reprobates."

-

Thank goodness for tigers. When she spots that the vampire after her is nearly downed, she lunges at him. Stake held in a hand, hoping against hope that /this/ time, she doesn't miss. The pointed end is aimed right for the heart, her aim staying true in her anger. « Jo, wrap the chain around him! It'll weaken him faster than hitting him! »

-

"Rot op rot op rot OP!" Josephine yells at the top of her lungs, starting to feel high on adrenaline - though it's the last thing she's aware of. Wide eyed, she swings again at Chloe's suggestion, this time allowing the chain more leeway, holding on to just the last few inches.

-

Seeing that Chloe has the situation under control, Mischa runs for Jo's vampire. He aims again for the legs — more precisely, the man's Achilles heel. The sharpened claws strike out rather viciously. He definitely doesn't show this one as much mercy or restraint as he did the first one. His animal instincts are taking over a little more, and the way that he lashes out is enough to get that point across.

-

"It is not my organization," the woman retorts, "Nor has it ever been my desire to start a war. However, following our traditions, Valentinus, I do as my King bids, and do not make a fuss when what he bids goes against my desire for power." Leading one to believe that perhaps she was promised Will's position for all her troubles.

The stake hits true in the vampire's heart, his lips beginning to spew copious amounts of blood before his body near literally explodes all over poor Chloe, leaving a mess of sticky entrails and black goopey blood in its wake.

As the tiger strikes at the vampire, he does quite a bit of damage to the leg, though the leg still lashes out with a harsh kick, trying to send the beast toward the third vampire which holds the captive girl.

Jo's throat is grabbed briefly, given a sharp squeeze, but is released as the vampire goes down to one knee. The silver chain goes around him, though he struggles against it trying to pry it off himself despite the searing flesh.

-

"Then you are as unintelligent as you are cruel," Will tells her, twisting his lips into a vicious smile. "If mortal authority determines that we are a threat, then the war will begin, surreptitiously at first, but then open. Retaliation will lead to retaliation, until people fight simply because that is what is done." He shakes his head. "I feel for you, child; and I forgive you."

-

Entrails and bits of vampire cover Chloe from head to toe, leaving her to fall into the pile of black goop as the vampire she was atop of just… disappears. She hits the warehouse floor with a thud, too shocked to shriek or make any other noise. Working to right herself, she takes hold of the fallen machete then pushes slowly to her feet. A piece of vampire is extracted from her hair, and she just stands there shocked.

It takes a good few minute before she can even think about breathing, and when she does it's to get a bit of vampire blood up the nose. On one hand, this could be a good thing, make her a little stronger. On the other hand, she wasn't expecting it, so it causes her to choke involuntarily, and drop the machete near Jo's feet as she hits the floor on her knees.

-

Clutching her throat with one hand, breath wheezing, Josephine stumbles towards Chloe, aiming for the machete only to find it dropped at her feet. Another moment is lost while she regains her footing as she turns around, before that blade arches back-handed through the air, aiming for the vampire's head about ear height. Rather precisely. No cursing, no statement, just a hateful grunt.

-

The tiger is effectively kicked near the neck, more towards his shoulder. It gives a very distinct rumble of displeasure before moving once more towards the vampire and jumping higher this time, attempting to rack it's claws down the man's back. His attention is focused solely now on the destruction of those doing harm to his friends. Chloe's current state of affairs is one of the last things from his mind. When Jo aims the machete at the vampire's head, he stops clawing so frantically and moves out of the way, expecting the man to topple on him.

-

Like his vampire brother before him, upon the machete cleaving through his skull, the vampire simply explodes. Blood, guts and gore raining down upon his two attackers. Somewhere in the mess a growl is heard, then the cry of a human as teeth pierce flesh. Even a well-behaved vampire can only go so long what with all the blood being bandied about.

« I'M GOING TO DIE! »

"I need not your forgiveness, Valentinus. You destroyed all chances of me accepting it when you murdered me the first time. You are not a priest, nor a God. Merely a broken man who lost his heart and soul to a woman who dragged him into sin. If either of us is to be called unintelligent, allow it to be you, who followed lust rather than his God."

-

"Poor, blessed child," Will says, the venom draining from his tone, carefully replaced with gentle sorrow. « How goes it upstairs? » he queries of Chloe. "You are no Ysolde, no true creature of darkness. I can help you, help you to avoid those terrible errors that have marred my existence. I can take you to the light, child, where happiness lies, rather than the bitter and brutal path of the darkness that leads to destruction."

-

« Two down, one to go… bit bloody up here… » Chloe affords only a moment to get the message to Will before she's moving forward. She's throwing herself at the last vampire and his prey, attempting to knock the poor woman aside. "Let her /GO/! She's done nothing to you, nothing wrong!" She can't look back at the others just yet, afraid of what she might find. Scared, really, that she's gotten her friends killed. The only thing keeping her sane at this point is their brain signatures.

-

Josephine receives a stream of blood in the face as much as anywhere else, her still open mouth filling, making it even harder to breath. Unceremoniously, she drops to her knees, coughing, retching, sending out a terrified, « Chloe! » while she tries to rub the bloody mess from her eyes, her face, her… Her stomach can take no more and empties.

-

Chloe's screaming lets the tiger negate the fact that he's covered in all manner of unpleasantries — something that he'll probably be less thrilled about when he's feeling more himself later. He starts to run quickly towards the third captor, trying to bump Chloe out of the way as he jumps into the air to rake his claws across the predator's neck, attempting to drain his life force much in the same way the vampire himself might intend to do to the other redheaded girl.

-

"I do not need your pity, or your offer of light. Should I wish to take myself out of the darkness that I have chosen, I would meet the sun like any self-respecting vampire." The woman moves forward, just close enough to get behind Will and grab him by the hair to yank him back against the chains more tightly. "Were it not his ultimate plan, I would kill you here and now. You bore me."

Chloe's tackle of the vampire is replaced midstream with that of a much larger, much stronger tiger. The claws rake across the vampire's neck, his hands going up to his throat. His teeth sink deeper into the woman as he tries to get enough blood to heal himself, but it would seem that the damage is too much and he drops away from the girl, blood pooling up on her neck, before he too explodes in a mess of entrails, blood and goo.

-

The head of the Sheriff snaps back, and the delicate hiss of burning flesh starts to rise, the stench as fresh silver touches unburnt skin. If there is pain, he does not show it; his smile does not lessen. "Ending me would serve no purpose for you, child," says he, barely above a whisper as his throat tightens. "Show true strength, and walk the path of light within the darkness. Free me, and follow me to glorious truth, to the realities and walk away from the lies and the folly. Your way will lead only to doom, and not simply your own."

-

At the nudge, Chloe falls to the side, taking the poor girl with her. Unfortunately, she lands atop her backpack, and the sound of breaking bottles can be heard. Hopefully she'll still have enough. She takes a moment to check the girl's pulse, and satisfied she has one, she makes for the trap door. Trying to find it and pry it open. The blood covering her body making it nigh impossible thanks to how slippery it's made her hands. "Will? /WILL/!? We're coming. I'm coming. Soon as I can get this danged door open…"

-

With all of dinner gone, Josephine can finally focus on breathing, something that comes easier than she expected. Her fingers touch the chain on the floor and she picks it up, rising slowly, slippery with both it and the machete. When she can finally open her eyes to look at the scene, it's with disbelief and a deep suspicion rising, making her regrip the blade, holding it like someone who certainly has before. Seeing Chloe work fruitlessly on the trap door, she runs over and wedges the weapon in the crack, "Let's kill these fuckers," she croaks, the hate dripping off her ruined alto.

-

The tiger tries to help too — really, he does. But the vampire blood all around him is making him more than slightly apprehensive. That, and the fact that he doesn't have opposable thumbs. He bats at the door for a moment before stepping aside and shaking his fur like a dog would, sending tiny rivulets of blood into the air, along with other large kibbles 'n bits of vampires.

-

The leverage the two women use is enough to pry the trap door open. It creaks loudly, alerting everyone in the warehouse to their presence. Though there are only two void brain patterns left in the building, both emanating from down below.

Their voices can be heard now, or at least that of the female. Sharp nails dig into Will's flesh and she hisses, "Dinner time."

-

The smell of blood wafting down towards Will forces his fangs out, his eyes glittering with hunger and dark menace. "Incorrect," says he, barely at a whisper. "Let this be your final opportunity to repent."

-

There is a ladder. Chloe can see it in the dim light, thanks to the involuntary intake of vampire blood. She forgoes using it however, hopping down into the basement without a care to the fact that there's another vampire in the hole. She gives the scene a quick look, then takes a deep breath, "Let him go you… you /bitch/."

-

The flying blood and pieces bring the tiger back to Jo's attention and rather than jumping after Chloe, she holds the door, making room for the overgrown cat to jump in first. Maybe later she'll wonder why she even invited the beast in words, right now, the need is just logical. She'll wait above for now, machete at the ready.

-

Mischa-tiger jumps down into the hatch as Josephine holds it open for him. He lands rather gracefully before starting to pad towards the source of unfamiliar voices, letting out an incredibly loud and pissed off roar. His steps are rather deliberate — he tries to stay ahead of Chloe just a bit in order to shield her from whatever arsenal the crazy vampire holding Will might have up her sleeve. Or in her mouth. Etcetera.

-

"Like a lamb to the slaughter," the woman says with a laugh. She edges out from behind Will, spots the tiger and sniffs the air. "Who did you bring with you, girl? Do you think one of their kind can compete with me?" She laughs again, and reaches into her bodice. She pulls out a knife, holding it at Will's throat.

Jo, luckily, is left unmolested upstairs. No one leaps down to attack her, but she can likely hear noises from a nearby warehouse now thanks to the silence up there.

-

"I fear not death," says Will, looking directly at Chloe as he says so. « You should allow her to take you. Your twin-souled friend should free me. I will end her. » "By my authority as Sheriff, I hereby summarily order your death as penance for treason against rightful authority." Then he starts to laugh, though it is weak. Blood trickles anew from inside his mouth, where teeth nip open a wound, starting to fill his mouth with blood.

-

"Jo? May need you down here," Chloe says cautiously. Then she moves a step closer to Will. "Put the knife down, and y'all can have me. But I ain't letting you take me unless you let him free. Those are my terms." Her voice takes on a bit of a Texan accent as she gets more and more nervous, but she doesn't stop moving forward. « Her choice to help or not, either way, if it means my life, you'll be free. » She looks to the tiger, reaching a hand out for his flank, and gives him a reassuring pat. "You see an opportunity, and you take it, alright?"

-

Another roar is given to the vampire woman as she insults him. He doesn't quite lean into Chloe's patting, far too on edge for that at the very moment. The tiger instead starts to circle his way around Will and the woman, stopping for a moment to stretch out in a 'pouncing' position. A smaller cat doing it might just look cute, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out when a large mammal of prey is incensed, and Mischa definitely is.

-

"Shit…" The nearby warehouse has Josephine's nerves standing on edge, but what choice does she have, having made it this far. Slippery Allstars make it down the ladder and the machete is held at the ready while she joins the small group, eyeing both vampires with equal hatred. When the tiger starts to circle, she starts to move with him. "Chloe…" she murmurs roughly, « Hurry ».

-

"Over here then," barks the woman. "He will not spare you an ounce of pain. You have a choice, give your life for this one, or become a slave to someone much more powerful?" Hearing Will's words, she laughs. "I work for a higher power Sheriff, and you hold no authority here, we are no longer in Dallas."

-

"Your crime was commited, and any Magister would see you burn for this," whispers the Sheriff. « We need a true idea, and quickly, » he tells Chloe, through their link.

-

A plan? Chloe is not a tactician! Everyone seems to think that she'll bring forth these brilliant and dazzling plans. Truth of the matter is, she's not even supposed to be /here/. She's supposed to be safe, and let the vampires do their thing, but she was stupid and determined and stubborn. Wiping the blood from her face, leaving the drying, caking mess in a big streak, she takes a deep breath. Focusing her thoughts on all those present, she tries to broadcast louder than ever before. « Jo? Try and chop that bitch's arm off. I'm going to keep heading forward and try to drop the chains from the ceiling. » She looks at the tiger, curiously, and adds, « Tiger? Maim and maul, then get the Hell out of here and go find your… er.. master. » At least that should afford Mischa some time to change back and clean up before she gets back up top with Jo and Will.

Then forward she moves toward the woman. "Seems to me that my choice is the same either way, really. Give my life up for him, and become a slave to this whoever it is you're talking about, or… give my life up trying to undo your handiwork. Either way, I'm pretty much doomed…"

-

When the vampire woman laughs, the tiger sees that opportunity that Chloe was talking about. He jumps at her from behind, attempting to lock his teeth into the back of her neck. The teeth are sharper than the claws — the paws are holding her by the shoulders now. Any blood that the tiger ingests will make him ill, but if that's what it takes to distract the woman even for a minute, then so be it.

-

Josephine glances at Chloe, missing the first opportunity to get at the woman together with the tiger and her feet slip, her sneakers soaked with blood and gore. The blade in her hands twists, scratching her own skin by accident, pained hisses coming from her lips. The chain she was holding drops, ends up at Chloe's feet when Jo straightens again and swings the machete at the woman's side, at last. Not perfect by far.

-

Things happen near simultaneously. The woman bites off a reply as the tiger uses her as an oversized chew toy. Despite this distraction, she laughs. Then she sneers, "Planning on dying tonight, were you shifter? I hope it was worth i—" A sharp hiss is elicited when the machete chops into the hand holding the knife. Both knife and hand clatter to the floor without much pomp or circumstance. Blood flowing from the wrist stump. Her good hand lashes out at Josephine, grasping at the silver chain to use it as a weapon of her own, not on Jo, but on Chloe. The burning, searing flesh smell wafting up as she swing it toward the red-head.

-

With a gentle hiss, Will twists weakly against his bindings, teeth out and seeking a part to gain purchase on. The only working part of him left; his fangs.

-

Just as Chloe is leaping up for the hook that holds the chains, a silver chain broadsides her. She falls to the ground within ample reach of Will. A dangerous situation to be in, no doubt. There is more broken glass as the synthetic blood spills from her backpack. Groggily, she shakes her head. She reaches into the pack, her hand getting sliced open on a piece of jagged glass. This is offered up to Will as her other hand grabs for one of the few remaining bottles of blood and she tries to open it one handed.

Someone might just have a deathwish, yes.

-

The tiger attempts to bring his paw around to the front and across the vampire's neck. There's no telling how much longer he'll be able to keep up the transformation, though his willpower is speaking volumes at the moment. His breathing grows a little heavier and he lets out a noise that's almost distinctly human. The claws rake across the front of the woman's body, trying to at least make a dent in her progress. When Chloe goes down, the movement becomes all the more frenzied and frantic.

-

Josephine reels back at the impact, but recovers better then she did last time and with the machete raised double handed over her shoulder, she uses the wall behind her to push off and jump at the female vampire - swinging with everything she has. "Chloe, /get going/!!" It's not a question, not anymore. Kamikaze-Jo.

-

Between the tiger and the telepath, the poor Ysolde look-alike is finally taken out. The claws tear her bodice, leaving the dress pooling about he feet. The machete slices her head clean off, and it falls rolling along the floor like an unwanted bowling ball. The body then drops, exploding as it does so.

-

Teeth sink in to Chloe's hand, and Will starts to drink. His eyes close, and his arms begin to shiver against the silver chains. Blood starts trickling where silver needles and spikes are embedded in his skin, and he continues to feed from the hand. The shivering of his arms starts to loosen his bindings; his strength is beginning to return. Suddenly, his eyes snap open, his mouth the same, removing himself from Chloe's hand by sheer force of mind. « More blood, » comes the thought, eyes flick meaningfully to the bottle and his head tilts back.

-

There is a sharp cry as her hand is fed from. Chloe braces herself, careful not to just pull it away. Though she's weakening a little, she fumbles with the bottle of TruBlood, and gets the top off of it. She holds it up, tilting it toward Will's mouth as she tries to scramble to her feet. "Jo, get the chains? I… ow… probably don't have the strength now."

-

That vampire blood that poor Mischa ingested is catching up with him. The mere thought of it is burrowing into his mind, tampering with his consciousness. After yet another vampire explodes on him, he takes a running leap for the hatch that leads to the main level of the warehouse. Once upstairs he starts to run for the doors that they entered in. Rather, he runs into the entrance, headbutting it. This, coupled with the vampire blood that he's swallowed, makes him shift back rather suddenly. Within a moment's time he's naked and wretching in front of the door, unable to get the 'distinct' taste of vampire skin/blood out of his throat. Even while puking, Mischa's the determined type, and he starts prying the door open with a shaking hand.

-

Left by herself, a dripping statue in a puddle of goo, Josephine feels how her legs start to shiver and when she looks at the vampire and the librarian -once she's wiped blood from her eyes-, the tension of it all is visible in her eyes. Shuffling, she moves over to the chains and starts to work on them, her height helping. The machete doing the rest. When the last chain drops to the floor however, her hands are shaking. "If h-he tries anything…" She warns in a whisper.

-

The door is not barred, it was merely shut as they entered. Once it is opened by a hand, no matter how shaky it is, it swings outward. The dim lighting from the other warehouses showing the path toward the vehicle.

-

Will drinks, deep and long and true of the bottle, emptying it in one draught. His arms start to tug more strongly against the bindings, his body and supernatural strength drawing him back to his full might. As Josephine helps, he shrugs off the chains, his body slick with blood, not all of it his own, his hair stuck down with sticky red substance, some drying to a brownish mess.

Finally, freed at last, the vampire straightens to his feet, naked except for a pair of black shorts. He is covered in blood and gore, only his eyes are a splash of blue against the bloody red visage. When he speaks, his voice is low, level and emotionless, though scored with an accent long-forgotten in this world. "Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him." He stares at what used to be his captor, face blank and emotionless. "But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. May the Lord have mercy upon your immortal soul."

His look flicks between Josephine and Chloe, his expression lacking emotion, though there is hunger and rage burning deep within his eyes. "Thank you. Your twin-souled friend also. I require more blood, before I lose control."

-

"He won't," she says to Jo. "He won't because I won't let him. Go… go see to the girl upstairs. Go to the car, Mischa's car. He'll be there." At least Chloe hopes he will be. "There's a hotel nearby. Get her there, get everyone cleaned up. Feed her. Just /go/." Because like Jo, she can hear the noise next door and she doesn't want them getting caught up in that either. She does pause as she pulls out another bottle of TruBlood and gives Jo a look. « Thank you, Josephine. You have my gratitude, and I am in your debt. » Then the bottle is shoved at Will, and she starts to reach for another.

-

The look in Will's eyes only enhances the distrust in Josephine and she takes a weary step back. "If you think that religious crap is going to give you a free pass…" she warns, lifting the machete that much. "And twin-soul my ass. I hardly know her," she states, giving Chloe a pointed look. « Remember your promise… ». Still inching backward, she moves to the ladder, quick as she can climbing up. Upstairs, they'll hear her pick up the girl, or at least drag her to the door.

-

Mischa runs (quite nakedly) all the way to his car after the door is open. The remaining cases of TruBlood are swiftly taken out of the backseat and set down on the ground. Hurriedly he reaches for his pants and shoes, pulling them on. The shirt is made into a wipe for the disgusting remnants of vampire ooze on him. He tosses the bloodied rag into the backseat, grabs his glasses, and slides into the driver's seat. The keys are swiftly put into the ignition, and Mischa revs the engine a few times. He glances towards the magazines in the passenger and reaches over, tossing them back as he gives a rough cough into the steering wheel. "Well, I was wrong. Hangovers do get worse." The slightest bit of absurd laughter comes out of his mouth after that, sweat beading on his brow.

-

"Won't let me." The voice of Valentinus lets those words drift forth languidly, apparently amused by them. Or something like amused that is decidedly less pleasant. He switches his attention to Josephine, testing the air with nostrils. "Do not test me, mortal," he says at a whisper, as he takes both bottles from Chloe with practised ease, lifting them both to pour down his throat.

-

"That's right, I won't." Chloe gives him a stern look, chastising, « Don't scare off the people that risked their lives to save you. » Yet she's told them both to get gone in case he's unable to sustain himself with what little TruBlood she's got left in he backpack. She pulls out one final bottle, the remnants of a previous inhabitant in her pack slicing into her wrist. She lets out a yelp of surprise, winces, and forces the bottle at Will again. "Last one until we get upstairs and out of here. Something's going on in another warehouse, and you need your strength before heading in." Beat. "If you're planning on heading in. My head hurts."

-

Josephine manages to get the girl outside, slipping once or twice, muttering in her native tongue all the time. The noise coming from the next warehouse is not exactly easing her nerves and the revving of the engine has her jumping at first, then work with renewed energy, "Help me," she calls out to softly Mischa. "We have to go. Now."

-

The librarian hops out of his car and moves to Jo's side, wrapping his arm the girl and trying to support the bulk of her weight as he moves her towards the car. "You don't say," Mischa says, with a sarcastic tilt to his voice. It's not at all his usual mannerisms, but the whole situation seems to have most everyone on edge. The sound of flesh on metal makes him quirk a brow, but only momentarily. After that, he's moving quicker towards the vehicle with the girl and Josephine. "Are you alright?" He asks, though it's not clear who the question is directed to.

-

The final bottle taken, Will snaps his head back and drains the bottle with alacrity. His tone is distant, now, as he stares at the wall, as if distracted. "The adjacent warehouse may contain my true enemy. Something inside me has broken, and there is but a single method of repair."

The very image of a bloody-handed god of war, dripping crimson gently, Will tosses the empty bottle to one side, starting to walk towards the ladder, graceful as though his feet barely touch the floor. "I will meet you outside this warehouse in five minutes. I go to feed."

Then there is a blur, as the vampire snaps into his full, terrifying speed. A dark shadow blurs out of the warehouse, a thud of metal against flesh the only sign of his passing, as he vaults from Mischa's vehicle to get a better distance. A bloody footprint is left on the bonnet.

-

And so the heroine is left alone? Chloe just stares in disbelief as she's left in the bloody basement of the warehouse. She reaches up to scratch her head, pulling a piece of viscera from behind her ear. It is then, and only then that she drops to the ground, allowing herself to be sick. Her body racking with dry heaves until there's absolutely nothing left to come up. Once she's done, she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand, only to get more blood in her mouth. A gagging noise is made, but she stops herself from vomiting again. Once she has herself under control, she slowly climbs up out of the basement, and out of the warehouse, where upon she simply falls to the ground by the door. Waiting.

-

Since the girl is still out, Josephine's the one to answer, "Not. Really, really not." Her alto sounds like she's coming down with a bad cold and is tight with the effort it takes her to not break down quite yet. Lucky for her, she misses the blur, and the foot print, though the thud has her head whipping to the warehouse. She pulls harder, "Move-move-move!" Later, she'll wonder about the tiger, right now, there's a different need that trumps everything else.

-

"Pushy," Mischa mutters as he helps put the girl into the backseat of the car. He gets into the driver's seat and pushes the passenger's seat open for Josephine, murmuring something about chivalry being dead. There's a brief glance to the warehouse and an instant of Mischa-like concern on his features before he's revving the engine once more.

-

Somewhere nearby, a quiet grunt sounds as a man travelling innocently down an alleyway suddenly finds himself pinned and fed upon. Quickly glamoured with finesse, he is rapidly uncertain as to exactly why he's feeling pretty faint. Must have been a dodgy sandwich. The blood covering his back is less explainable, but he doesn't really seem to care.

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