Deep Ellum
Temperature: 82F/28C Wind: 11mph SE Observations: Cloudy
Just a few blocks from Downtown, Deep Ellum acts as the arts and entertainment district of the city. With a myriad of live music venues, theaters, and a few small galleries, it has become the nightlife hotspot for the city. In addition to the usual arts, the area is prone to gaffiti art and murals, some of which appear overnight.
Deep Ellum is also becoming known as Vampire Central, thanks to the city's first and only vampire accommodating establishment - the Hotel Carmilla.
A little after sunset and Kate's on one of her infamous smoke breaks. It's pretty much her favourite hobby and second biggest occupier of her time, just after work. She's in her paramedic's uniform tonight, having actually been on bus duty most of the day today, but shift over she's gotten far more comfortable than on the job. Her blue shirt is unbuttoned, revealing her white tank top beneath. She's also got her sleeves rolled up and, now that the sun's down, most of the sweat on her skin has dried. She walks slowly through the nicer streets, a half smile on her features at the simple activity of this area of town. It seemed one of the more comforting, comfortable areas of Dallas. Sort of like Texas' East Village. The reminder of home has made her truly relax tonight.
—-
While the skies above are cloudy, they are warmer and more comfortable than the earlier night's drop in temperature, thus bringing lots of people out and into the streets. While Deep Ellum is quickly becoming 'vampire central', it still has a respectable amount of people who simply enjoy the area for its ambience.
The neighborhood has a good smattering of different offerings; dance studios, restaurants for both vampires and humans, theatres, bars (one in particular is an anti-vampire establishment!).. and the local blood donation center that no longer has a huge white placard with a red cross, begging for blood. Supplies have stabilized now that the immediate crisis is over and the refugees are now finding homes and jobs, or are being shipped home to begin reconstruction of their towns and city. Instead, in the window of the Lonestar Blood Services window is a red sign that reads, in large white block letters, 'Save a human, Feed a vampire, Donate blood'.
Such is the varied nature of the neighborhood.
Near the Golden Theatre, several blocks from where one would think a vampire would tarry, is the City's Whip, Marius Schlachter. His hands are in his pockets, his expression looking vaguely.. well.. human in the fact that he doesn't quite wear an impassive death mask. He walks slowly down the sidewalk, blue eyes watching the streets as he moves seemingly without regard as to his speed or his destination. A slow, casual stroll on a pleasant evening.
He cues in on several people.. some vampires' positions are noticed, a leggy blonde that makes her way down the street further beyond, and.. a paramedic of which he is acquainted…
—-
This distant, Kate doesn't quite recognize Marius yet. But it won't take long before that familiar creep comes across the back of her neck… Again. It's happened a few times already, this place filled with more vampires than she expected. Apparently, no one has told the semi-tourist/transplant that this has become a popping Vampire area. She passes by the anti-vampire establishment, arching a brow with a hint of a smile and mentally noting the name on the door. Somewhere to go when she was rather more dolled up. As is, she takes another deep breath of her cigarette and moves on…
Just in time to pass closer to Marius. She frowns, that shiver raising hairs on the back of her neck as her blue eyes turn, searching… Only to find someone she actually does recognize. That keeps her full lipped frown there, if not deepening it a bit. She tries to remain still, torn between retreating or sucking it up and going on with her business. Instead, she just tries for civil. If she manages to catch his eyes, even just a moment, she gives a single, quiet nod.
—-
It's just something about vampires and other supernaturals. Sometimes it 'works' and other times, it's more about oil and water. Sometimes, of course, actually translates out to rarely when it comes to actually working out. Magnetism doesn't always attract, after all.
Marius can sense the changes in body heat, in temperature of the air surrounding him, can hear the tempo of heartbeats and the *thrum* of blood through a body. It is all part of who and what he is, and over the centuries, he's able to cast it to the back of his mind. But, like any predator, any change in surroundings means that it comes to his attention immediately.
And that 'change' is in the form of a two-natured. After all, they aren't a common thing in this city. Far, far fewer than vampires.
Civil works. Courteous nod in his direction is noted, and the greeting is returned in kind, his voice low, "Lamb..". He can tell 'civil' was a conscious decision on her part; the tell-tale signs are all there. Before he is to say more, however, a loud *pop* is heard, the echo in the streets reverberates against the building. A car backfiring, perhaps?
Must be.. until a scream is heard further down, and Marius' head spins to look in the direction of the scream…
—-
The comment of 'Lamb' gets more of a reaction than anything. Pride bristling, a touch of anger, it's a conscious thought to pull herself back into civil, as she decided before. Kate breathes and quietly corrects, "It's Katherine… thank you very much. Not lamb." Ahh, pride is such a noble and yet such a dirty thing. It's also an effort to keep herself distant. She is certainly no body's lamb. She's about to walk on, when that sound echoes down the street. Her eyes jerk wide, head snapping in that direction.
"That…didn't sound like a car…" The scream confirms it and, without another second of thought, the paramedic is in action. She's dashing, buttoning her shirt as she goes so the fabric doesn't get in the way of any fast treatment she might need. The transformation in her body is really quite remarkable, almost like being two-natured, this is another part of her soul. Adrenaline ramping up, but slowly, professionally steady. She's like a trained machine, going into action for the scene of whatever disaster is coming next. Pulse faster, but totally steady. Mind calm and clinical. The fastest motion about her is the tread of her fleetly running feet.
—-
The words, or rather, the name offered instead of his moniker for pretty much everything that lives and breathes and is considered a potential meal is heard, noted, but seems to be destined for use at another time. Now, what is no longer considered to be a car backfiring, garners his attention as well as the healer's.
Her speed is remarkable; for a breather, that is. Perhaps two-natureds can move a little more rapidly than normal humans? Something he hadn't considered before, and something, once again, for further consideration.
Or could simply be the realignment of humours due to undue stress. He's seen that as well.. in battle, under his skillful hand to pull information. Speed and strength of several men when needed.
Regardless, he too follows, but… slowly. He can smell the blood, and it's a slow path he takes to be sure his fangs don't drop simply out of pure instinct.
Upon the scene itself… people are scattering, screaming— at least those who are closest to the victim, who now lies upon the ground in a fast growing pool of blood.
It's a young woman, a blonde.. and she lies upon her side, the wound on the side of her neck. Her hand is clutching it, and she's crying, trying to move but yet simply can't. Blood pours from between her hands, and in the surrounding area, there seems to be no help. After all.. there is still the shooter?
—-
Probably a bit of both, really, muscles that are built in a way that is used to both animal and human use, more lean, longer, well developed but lithe. Made for running, not strength. And adrenaline is certainly a part, used to pushing herself to that next level when someone's life is on the line. So, Kate's running like a metaphorical jackrabbit, her ice eyes only taking a few moments to jerk around the area and ensure that she doesn't -immediately- catch notice of a gunman. She's protective, not a complete idiot. But if she sees no one waving a gun or claws, she continues dashing, shouting as she goes.
"Someone call 911 NOW!" It's made towards Marius more than anyone, considering he's at least moving a bit closer to the scene where as everyone else seems running firmly away. She drops to her knees next to the woman, reaching into her pocket and pulling out one of the little antiseptic wipe packs she always has all over her. She rips it open, reaching down to the woman's throat and trying to clean enough of the blood away she can see the exact vein that needs pinched. No needless swearing, no panic, just determination. But there is so much damn blood, it's nearly impossible. She ends up going in, bare hands, using sensitive fingertips along to feel around for that delicate and all too quickly leaking vein. There. She pinches, direct pressure straight at the area. Hopefully the woman isn't bleeding out any more at least, but she'll need surgery. "Tell them massive throat trauma, she's bleeding out!" She catches at least two key words that will put the dying victim at the top of the priority list. She knows the lingo to speak to a 911 operator.
—-
'Bleeding out'.
Are there any better two words to a vampire's ears? As he approaches, Marius can now see who it is on the ground, and simply stares impassively before he looks around the immediate area. While he's not familiar with firearms as a whole, he has a pretty good idea that this attack wasn't upclose and personal. If it was, he'd have seen it just before.
//'Someone call 911 NOW!' is yelled, and … they are simply words. Marius has very little use for cell phones, and while he's just recently mastered the 'art' of texting, that is, at least he knows how to retrieve messages, what is 911?
Another, then, picks up the slack, but the man who is dialing is tucked away in an entryway, hoping against hope that he's not targeted for simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time. "There's a young woman.. she's been shot.. on Market Street, Deep Ellum. Yes.." He takes the cue, "Massive throught trauma.. a lot of blood.."
As it is, the blonde on the ground is whimpering, her skin is growing pale in shock and loss of blood. Covered as it is in blood, when cleaner, there are tell-tale puncture marks on the side of the girl's throat; a sure sign that, should anyone follow the news, that perhaps this was no accident?
The young woman's blue eyes look up at the woman tending her, and she tries to speak.. mouthing words, but from the look on her face as another shadow passes her vision, Marius, she cries, the words barely audible, "Turn me?"
—-
The bleeding has greatly decreased, almost stopped from where the worst of the damage is. Yes, there will still be internal hemmoraging, and Kate's fingertips are almost all that's keeping the young blonde alive, but she's still alive and if the ambulance makes it in decent time, she can probably remain that way. As she tries to speak, Kate shakes her head gently, over and over, "Shh… don't move, I've got pressure on the vein, you'll make it, but don't move, you'll rip things… more…" But then Kate actually hears the words she's rasped out and Kate's stomach drops into her shoes. She goes cold, stiffening just a bit, but not pulling away her life-saving touch. Sharp blue eyes suddenly jerk back up to Marius.
"I've slowed the bleeding. She has a chance… a good chance… to survive." Surely the Ambulance was on the way? Someone called, right? "You don't need to kill her." Kate states, firmer than her first slightly breathless, on the edge of shock words.
—-
There are sirens in the distance, certainly. With everything that's been happening in the city, the police seem to have found that an added presence is probably a good thing. The police, anyway, will be here within seconds; as long as traffic allows them through, anyway.
Hearing another voice through the haze, and it's not a male one, the young woman is confused. Easily explainable by the fact that so much of her life's blood is on the sidewalk. She tries, or rather, she thinks she tries to move, but her limbs are growing heavier, and there's that real desire to simply close her eyes. She's tired.
Marius isn't far behind the paramedic, standing there. His fangs are down.. he's fed from this one before, and he knows the taste of her as well as the scent of her blood. At the request, the vampire remains still.. impassive. There is obviously no desire to either rush to make the turn, or perhaps he has no plans to do so? It's not long in question, however, when Marius answers Kate rather than the girl. "I would not give her that grace." Unspoken, she is not worthy, but it hangs there, and in the silence, could speak volumes if the shifter understands it.
If the girl hears it, she doesn't give any indication..
Turning his head again, Marius looks into the now slowly growing crowd, his mouth open slightly which does wonders for keeping most of the onlookers at bay. "They will be here shortly."
—-
"Good." Kate states flatly. Whether it's to the fact that he won't turn the blonde, or that the ambulance is nearing, it can't be told. Probably to both. Kate's free hand reaches up, very gently smoothing her fingertips through the blonde's hair, trying to soothe and calm her patient at the same time as keep her head certainly still. She doesn't need panic to pull that precious throat from her so precisely placed fingertips. Kate swallows her pulse back, forcing herself to calm a bit more now that all important action has been taken and it's nothing left but to wait.
There's blood everywhere now, mingling dirty in the streets, spread across Kate's pale, steady hand and running around the edges of her boots. She doesn't seem to mind, but it probably makes a tempting, if sullied, picture of a meal. Her eyes flicker back to Marius, watching him in a mix of distrust and half curiosity… "What's this woman to you? Do you know her blood type, if she has any allergies? The more information I have to give the paramedics, the better." He might not turn her, but he could very well help save her.
—-
The manner and mien of the vampire is very much the cold and impassive granite creature as they can be; mainstreamers like to pretend, at least, they have some vestiges of humanity left. "She is a lamb that enjoys my attention." As she holds it now for the simple fact that her blood is spilled all over the ground. It is more than enough to arouse his hunger— thus the fangs. He will wait to feed, but it is a conscious effort on his part to delay.
But, as for blood type? Marius is from a time when humours ruled the blood stream. He could do a taste test and tell which is closest.. The letters on the bags at the Estate have little meaning to him and it never really.. matters to him. He knows what he likes.. and what he doesn't.
"As for.. type?" The concept sounds foreign. (After all, he's only truly been in a city, lived in a city, for the last six or so months. Before that?) "I know not." Undoubtedly not much help.
The police cars make it to the scene, made obvious for the crowd remaining mostly at bay. There are onlookers; there always are. Emptying their cars, two jog to where the EMT is, a couple others radio in their location and look to find someone who could bear witness as to what happened. The guy with the cell that called it in is a likely 'target'.
It's not long after that the ambulance arrives, and pulling out a gurney, the medics run to the spot, looking for enough information that will, at least, keep their patient alive, if not stable, until they arrive at the hospital.
—-
Kate swears deeply there, the first real outburst of anger since this started, at his complete lack of helpfulness. He drinks it all the damn time and he can't even give her a type. She keeps her hand in place as the paramedics arrive, nodding quickly to both of them in greeting, giving the one she recognizes just a momentary shrug as if to say 'No, apparently I can't go off duty'. She keeps her hand in place as they get her onto the gurney, she following the trio up into the ambulance before completeing the hand off, including letting the man with gloves on pinch down that vein instead of her unprotected skin.
Not on duty and not being family of the woman, once she's done with the hand off, legally she's back out of the ambulance. She shuts the doors with her hip, giving the driver the All-Clear wave so they can peel back out into the streets, lights and sirens the whole way. It leaves Kate, covered in blood, the mess in the street quickly being taped off by the cops, and a very hungry vampire. Kate steps back slowly, exhaling another adrenaline-shaky breath as she makes it to the sidewalk. Her eyes linger on Marius a few more moments.
"You know… if you enjoy your meals and respect them one little bit…it's worth knowing a few details that could keep them alive should something really go wrong. Like a blood type." It might be foolish to take her anger and concern out on the vampire, but he's the only one around she knows and he knew the victim, so she says it anyway.
—-
It's an easy hand-off, thanks to professionalism on both sides. The hip-bump of the back door and the wave-off make it just that much easier for the ambulance to head off quickly towards its destination.
Once that emergency vehicle is on its way, the police can truly begin to shut the crime scene down for forensics.
Marius stares at Kate impassively; there is nothing behind those cold blue eyes of his. "Blood type." It's not a concept he's really attuned to. "Her humours were such that her sanguis held sway. There was the occasional shifting when melankholia ruled her body." He pauses, but it's only for a fluttering of a heartbeat before, "Is that of any use?"
He looks past her now, and his gaze locks on to a target. While in the area of blood, his fangs still remain lowered.. and he takes a step seemingly towards Kate, but more likely he will pass. "There is something to which I must attend.."
—-
His explanation gets a genuinely confused blink from Kate. She has practical, modern training. She hasn't gone to long lenghts of medical school, or history school at that point, to entirely catch onto what he is saying. Still, she's smart enough to half catch on to the fact that he doesn't seem to be teasing her. She exhales shortly, shaking her head. "No… that doesn't help. Talk to one of your thralls, maybe they'll understand better. If not… come to me, I'll give you a lesson." She seems serious about that. It's his dinner's lives on the line, after all.
And then he's moving towards her, fangs out, and that's enough to touch some of her panic button. She moves back and to the side, letting him pass without another word. Stopping a clearly hungry vampire isn't, apparently, in her book of wise ideas. She at least does something sane concerning the man tonight.
