restroom | ( open general rp post )

[ It is a dark and stormy night, only notable because Spock is in Riverside, Iowa at the height of one of the driest summers on record. His contact had promised both a quick hunt and beautiful summer weather. So far, Spock has received neither. The vampires he was sent for have gone to ground as though warned of his coming. The weather has remained a uniform, cloudy grey as tedious as Spock's search for his quarry. Even the local network of hunters, gruff and disinterested locals, is a frustrating exercises in futility, offering only placating nothings and dead ends that, he suspects, are designed to lead him on fruitless and wandering chases.

By the time a week has passed, Spock has seen far more of Riverside than he would ever care to.

It is a dark and stormy night, and Spock is beginning to consider elevating his mild distaste for the weather to outright dislike. Water drips into his eyes and soaks through his clothing, leaving even the innermost layers an unpleasant, chafing damp. The rain covers any useful scents, nothing but fallow earth and the faint rot-smell of decomposing vegetation mixing with the pleasant petrichor around him.

With a notable lack of enthusiasm, Spock swings open the bar door and steps inside the latest in the unoccupied string of possible dens.

This one he cannot call unoccupied.

The solid beats of booming noise nearly drive him a step back. Bodies cling together in one swaying mass of sweating, raucous humanity. Over the stink of the heavily recycled air, Spock catches an iron-sharp tinge. He steps inside, lets the door fall shut behind him. His mixed heritage means the dim lighting and flash of strobes presents no obstacle.

Tucked away in a corner booth, five men — vampires, their yellowed fangs glinting under the flickers of light — lean over a sixth. A human, stretched across the table, already bloody at the neck.

Spock shoves his way through the crowd — halfway there, he's met with another four vampires and their sallow grins.

There is no telling how many in the bar are human or part of the nest. It does not matter. Spock braces himself and swings into a blow, sending the first of his prey flying — right into the group intent on their meal. That the man lands on the sluggishly struggling human is immaterial; better bruises and cracked ribs than drained dry.

The fight is surprisingly short. These vampires are newmade and unpracticed, for all that they seem surprisingly organized. Most of the nest opt to flee with the screaming humans. Those who do fight find themselves quickly overwhelmed. By the time the bar is empty, Spock stands surrounded by a messy pile of bodies, blood running thick and tarry.

With a faint grimace, he flicks blood from his hand — and turns at the scrape of a chair.

Not so empty, then. The dark-haired man, leaning back, two legs of his seat tipped off the floor, has his fingers curled around the neck of a sweating bottle. Spock quells the irritated twitch of his mouth; he did not intend to put on a show.

He stalks over but does not attack, not yet. The vampire's lazy smile does not indicate hostility but it prickles irritatingly over Spock's skin nonetheless. ]

State your purpose and affiliation.

Wow, that's formal.

( he'd been watching the man since he stepped inside, tucking himself back into the shadows enough that the other vampire wouldn't notice him until jim wanted to be noticed. it wasn't all that hard since this man seemed to have a one track mind and he was intent on getting what he needed before anything else.

it's impressive, how he moves and how he works, and jim gives a low whistle, unable to be heard over all the other noise. he would even clap if it wouldn't draw attention to him before he's ready for it. )

Right now, I'm just glad I'm not the cleanup crew.

( because what a mess. he grins widely at the other man, not answering his question because he doesn't want to. not yet. )

That was efficient.

[ The vampire's unconcerned comment has Spock's eyes narrowing even as he becomes immediately more aware of the squelch of blood beneath his boot and the cooling tackiness of the spatters staining his clothes. No part of the bar escaped unscathed. Smears mark out the swift violence of the battle on the walls and two of the tables lie in splinters, casualties. The stink of the dead blood is everywhere, sinking into the wood floor, flooding Spock's nose; the stagnant stench will leave an unmistakable sign that vampires were killed here. There is no cleaning it from the boards. The nest has been soured. Sharp satisfaction twists in Spock's chest. ]

It was intended to be. [ The lack of answer rankles, but repeating his question would be pointless. ] What do you want?

Who said I wanted anything?

( that's very presumptuous. jim crosses his arms over his chest and looks around at the mess before his attention swings back to spock. )

I'm just enjoying the entertainment.

You would not be here if you wanted nothing.

[ Fled during the chaos, or at least not revealing himself to Spock. There is no reason for Kirk to be sitting here, speaking with a hunter, unless there is something he wants out of the interaction. Information, assistance, challenging prey — all possibilities, and all equally likely.

Spock tips his head and stares down his nose at the vampire and his mocking air. ]

Even if all you want is entertainment.

[ The contemptuous curl of Spock's lip makes his opinion on that possibility very well known. ]

I was here before you made your way in and decided to lay waste.

( he just has a need to point that out because while he'd been entertained, he hadn't come in here with the sole purpose of watching. he crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow. )

You looking to try and add me to your murder spree?

And you decided to remain while I did.

[ It would have been far easier to leave and avoid any interaction, and yet here this vampire stays. Some part of Spock suspects the man's aim is annoyance, but he quiets that flicker of irritation. It would have been easy for him to be drawn into the altercation. Unless he is truly unbelievably foolish, there is more to his presence.

His expression does not flicker. ]

Whether I add you to my kills tonight depends upon your intentions.

It's cute that you think I'm on their level.

( jim flicks a look down at the dead and scoffs before he moves towards spock a bit. )

You're not going to kill me.

( it's not suggestion or trying to push his will on the other man. he just that confident. )

[ His expression flickers momentarily at being called in any way cute. Mockery, he is prepared for. It is a common pastime of vampires weak or strong, young or old. Something that might be construed in any way as a compliment, though, is more startling. And more disturbing.

Spock does not allow himself to move. His hands do not rise in preparation to tear out the man's throat — but the urge is there. ]

You are unreasonably confident in that statement.

[ The nest had been made of inexperienced vampires, hardly a challenge. But he is still a hunter. More than that, the vampire insinuates a decision to allow him to live rather than an incapability to kill him. Spock cannot think of a reason why he would find this the preferable path. ]

Elucidate.

Why?

( he doesn't think he necessarily needs to. spock wants him to because he probably wants to size jim up, see what kind of reasons he gives. )

Maybe I'll just walk right out of here and go on about my business instead.

You may attempt to go about your business.

[ This time, deliberately, Spock flexes his fingers and allows his nails to lengthen fully into claws. ]

However, if I do not receive an explanation for your presence and purpose, I will have no choice but to assume you are an enemy and react accordingly.

[ An enemy who he cannot allow to walk away, to attack later or to share information with the fleeing members of the nest. For all that he is one, Spock has no love for vampires. It will not be a hardship to see one more slain. </small]

I have to give you an explanation for being here when I was here first?

( he'd just been here to sit down, have a drink and go about his business. jim tuts a little, arms crossed over his chest. )

I haven't done anything to make you think I'm an enemy. I haven't attacked you, I didn't help them, I just stood here. Just impressed with it all.

Indeed, you just stood here. As you sat there drinking while they drained a human in plain sight.

[ The body lies still on the table, blood dripping sluggishly from its neck. Spock does not need to look over to it to know it is a corpse when there is no echo of a third heartbeat or sounds of another person breathing. The vampires abandoned their food easily when it came to saving their lives. ]

You are a vampire. That is reason enough to consider you an enemy.

I am.

( he's definitely not wrong about that. but, jim shrugs. )

Does that mean we have to be enemies though? Vampires can't be friends with other vampires?

I am not a vampire. [ Flat. ] I am a hunter.

[ Bred for it, vampiric blood running in his veins, but still undeniably the enemy of any vampire who walks. He glares coldly at the man; that there is even a question of this fact is so far beyond ridiculous that he hardly knows how to react. ]

Ooooooh.

( jim's eyes widen comically and he nods. a second later, he laughs. )

Makes more sense. But, you still aren't going to kill me. If you haven't yet, you aren't going to.

[ It is readily apparent the vampire is not impressed. Spock stifles the urge to roll his eyes at the theatrics. ]

I have not yet decided if I will kill you. [ A snippy correction. ] You have yet to provide an adequate reason I should allow you to live.

Because I've got no beef with you. And I gave you a compliment.

( he'd done impressive work. )

Why are you going to kill someone just because of what I am?

If I allow you to leave here unharmed, you will eventually seek out a human and kill them for a meal. Your biology requires it.

[ He lifts an eyebrow. ]

Am I incorrect in my assumption?

Yep.

( he smiles widely because no, you are not correct. )

I don't have to kill people to get what I need. I try not to. It's messy. So much effort to clean up. I take what I need and they wake up with a little headache.

[ The wide smile is not conducive to trust. Similarly, the vampire's far too casual attitude does not lend itself toward confidence in his claims. The logical course of action would be to kill him and move on before Spock wastes any more time and allows the nest's trail to grow cold.

Logical. And yet there are two options before him that make Spock hesitate.

Either what the vampire states is true and Spock's actions would be counterproductive, or the vampire is powerful enough to be unconcerned by the presence of a hunter, and Spock will surely waste a greater amount of valuable time. Perhaps that is the vampire's ultimate goal, a distraction.

Spock narrows his eyes. ]

You will accompany me. [ Flat, a little snippy despite himself. He has no desire to complicate this hunt, and the vampire's presence guarantees complications. ] I do not have time to linger here. Either your words will prove true, or you will reveal yourself and I will kill you with the rest.

I will accompany you?

( he doesn't exactly like being told what to do by anyone. he rolls his eyes. this guy was so uptight and while there's an urge to try and fix that, jim stays calm.

he doesn't want to end up staked. )

How am I going to prove myself? Are you going to watch me bite someone?

[ An arch of one eyebrow, then Spock turns and strides for the door, clearly expecting the vampire to follow. Over his shoulder, he snaps out: ]

If what you say is true, it should be a simple matter for you to demonstrate the behavior you claim while in my company.

[ You know, no biting a human and draining them dry, or trying to get in the way as Spock kills the vampires who do make a habit of doing that. Simple. ]

And if I say no, you'll just kill me?

( that doesn't seem totally fair to him. but, he also doesn't want any problems so he holds his hands up. )

Fine, you want me to show you, I will.

[ He doesn't offer a response to the question; perhaps he would not kill the vampire if he does not comply. It is more convenient to allow the impression that he will, and to have the vampire's agreement as a result. In return for the concession, Spock allows his nails to shrink away. He gives the vampire a short nod and heads to the door. Before heading out, he rubs his index and middle finger in a smear of spilled blood, and lifts them to his nose for a sniff.

It seems absent when he asks: ]

What is your name?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject