restroom | ( open general rp post )

Should such an instance occur, I am willing to face that difficulty.

[ Even more dour. He glares into the gloom of the evening, and if that expression is more so due to "Roger's" tone of voice than the misty rain, at least no one is at an angle to see it.

Spock begins trudging through the alley outside, breathing deeply to catch what scents remain. ]

You're not a lot of fun, are you?

( he rolls his eyes as he moves to walk in step with the other man. )

What's stopping me from just taking off right now?

I am not.

[ It does not bother him. He is not required to be fun, or entertaining, or whatever else "Roger" might desire. ]

You are welcome to try. Should you do so, I will consider it an admission of your guilt.

[ He does not say that he will then kill the man. That should be obvious enough. ]

Yeah, that's valid.

( it would look pretty indicative that he had something to hide if he ran. still, jim waggles his eyebrows. )

You'd have to catch me, first.

[ Spock catches sight of the eyebrow waggle from the corner of his eye and resists the urge to scowl. ]

Catching you would be a simple matter.

That's what you think.

( jim knows he might not look like much but he knows how to evade people and he knows how to hide. )

I don't know if I like that you're underestimating me as much as you are.

[ At that, Spock abruptly stops. He turns to Kirk. The angle allows the rain to sleet in beneath his hood, damping his hair and one cheek. ]

Then assist me in eliminating the nest. Surely that would provide you with ample opportunity to demonstrate what skills you possess.

Mmm.

( jim stares at him for a long time. he's not exactly fond of killing other vampires just because that tends to get him on a lot of shit lists but it wouldn't be the first time. )

Fine.

[ If he didn't want to get dragged into a vampire hunter's extremely black and white view of other vampires, perhaps he shouldn't have stuck around to make chit chat.

In any case, Spock gives him a long look, clearly wary of this agreement, but ultimately nods. He turns back into the storm and leads them on again.

Twenty minutes of extremely wet trudging later and he stops in front of what appears to be an abandoned warehouse. Rotting boards cover blown out windows. Those few that remain intact are paned with greasy, greenish glass. Mildew creeps over the windows' edges, vanishing into the crumbling stone. No lights are on, but vampires would hardly need them — and as Spock leans closer to what looks to be a barred and chained metal door, his keen hearing can pick up the faint rustle of clothing, soft footfalls, and nervous chatter.

Even the sewage smell of the grounds and the mist of the rain cannot cover the iron tang of blood seeping into the air. ]

Are you familiar with this building?

[ He keeps his voice low enough that the storm will shield them from being heard by the vampires inside. ]

Vaguely.

( he's heard of this place through other vampires but he's never gone anywhere near it. he tends to be a loner even if he likes people. he just doesn't trust a lot of other vampires.

he looks up, squinting. )

You want me to get that?

( the metal door, that is. he could take care of that easily. )

[ Slowly, Spock looks between Kirk and the door. ]

Are you able to open it without drawing attention to our presence?

[ He does not know how "Roger" operates. He still does not trust him. It would be easy to slam the door down and draw every vampire in the nest directly to them. ]

Maybe.

( oh, he's definitely sure he can do that but he doesn't make to do that just yet. he looks over in spock's direction and grins. )

Ask me nicely.

[ Spock has certainly done more than his share of staring today. He would hope that "Roger" would have tired of it by now, but apparently not. The look he gives the man is openly dour, mouth a displeased flat line. He is silent and allows the moment to stretch into awkwardness.

But then, finally, he says, utterly toneless: ]

Please.

( jim considers adding that he has to sound like he means it but he doubts he'll get that. so, he just smirks and moves to the lock. he could kick it in easily but they don't want to wake anyone up so he puts a hand on the knob and tests it.

it's solid, locked tight but vampiric strength means he can give it a few nudges and it gives underneath the press of his hand, groaning open. )

After you?

[ That "Roger" does not ask for a more sincere request is something of a surprise. Spock lifts an eyebrow, but he does not comment on it, though he cannot help but think of the human phrase about looking gift horses in the mouth and how idealistic it has always seemed. Still, "Roger" does open the door with a minimum of noise that even Spock cannot complain about.

He nods and brushes past the vampire, stepping inside the building.

It is obvious enough that this part of the warehouse is seldom visited, the vampires' trust in their locked door enough to keep it from their minds. Dust covers empty shelves and the air smells of more mildew, and even more strongly of blood, fresh and sweet.

Spock wrinkles his nose. ]

What do you know of this clan?

[ Addressed to "Roger," though he still refuses to use that name. ]

Not much.

( and that is honesty. he rubs his hands together and then slides his fingers through his hair before blowing out a breath. )

Very dangerous, no morals. And before you say something, yes, some vampires have morals. They kill because it's fun. It gets them their food source too but they like the act. Not good to invite to parties.

And yet you invited yourself to one of their parties.

[ Dry, but it is meant only as an observation, even a point of curiosity. It would be counterproductive to pick a fight with the man who is supposedly his ally, at least for the moment.

Carefully, Spock begins to pick his way down the hall. His steps are silent against the concrete floor, head tilted as he listens to pick out anything of substance from the low scramble of sound. ]

I like parties.

( he's not going to apologize for that. he likes parties and he likes free drinks and sometimes he can meet someone that he can enjoy some time with.

he shrugs, unapologetic. )

Can you blame a guy for having fun?

Yes. [ Flat and immediate. After a moment of thought he adds: ] Easily.

[ One of the rooms off the hallway has light spilling out from beneath the door. Spock slows as they approach it. He raises his head, sniffing. The scent of blood is nearly overwhelming.

He turns the handle and cracks the door. Inside, humans hang from the ceiling, their feet dangling above the floor. Blood drips down their naked bodies from small wounds carved into their skin, collecting into vats beneath their feet. Not a single human reacts as the door swings wider. They all stare blankly ahead, their eyes glassy. Every single one of the humans breaths at the same rhythm. ]

Wow.

( the scent of blood fills his senses and he can feel his pupils blowing wide but he resists the urge to do anything about it. that would just make him look terrible in front of his new friend. )

Before you ask, no, I don't know what's going on. This is beyond me. It looks like a farm. Harvesting humans for blood and keeping them in their thrall.

I agree with your assessment.

[ His own pupils have gone wide, and Spock finds himself clenching his hand at his side, an unforgivable show of emotion. He forces himself to loosen his grip and takes a few steps further into the room.

None of the humans react.

He prowls around the room, examining the equipment, the sturdy structures bolted to the walls and floor, the oddly sterile cleanliness of the room. As he crouches by one of the vats, his nostrils flare. Old blood has dried down the side of the container, rusty and dark. ]

This is not a recent installation. The nest is far more deeply entrenched than I was told. [ He looks over to "Roger". ] Leave.

What?

( you dragged him here and now you want him to leave? jim makes a face and looks like he's going to dig his heels in. )

You brought me here. Why am I going to leave now?

[ Abruptly, Spock stands. He brushes off his fingers even though they did not actually touch the vat. Without looking at Kirk, he moves to a door on the other side of the room and begins examining it for signs of use. His tone, when he speaks, is the same as it has been despite the strangeness of his words. ]

I was unaware of the true level of danger here. In asking you to prove yourself to me, I do not intend to ask you to die to do so.

[ Perhaps "Roger" is not the harmless, moral vampire he claims to be. It does not matter. Spock cannot draw him into danger he is unlikely to walk away from. If the nest is so old as this room suggests, he will not be able to protect the other man. He will only be able to care for his own life. ]

I'm not going to die.

( damn, stop underestimating him, spock. he makes a face and shakes his head, not going anywhere. it would have been easier to do that, step out and just let this whole thing be forgotten but he can't. )

You might have skills but I don't know if you can take this on on your own.

I am equally uncertain. [ Matter of fact. ] However, my chances of success increase if I need not be concerned with an untrustworthy factor at my back.

[ This is a secondary concern, but it is pertinent to the other man's objections. Stating that he has doubts about "Roger's" ability to protect himself would be redundant. The danger is clear and present. One need only take a second look at the humans hanging peacefully in their bonds to see how old and established the nest is. No doubt there are vampires to match that age somewhere as well. ]

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