[fieldbox="Killian Brighton, maroon, dashed, 10"]Killian clicked his tongue in annoyance. He had expected shock, disgust, perhaps ever revulsion at his advances - and yet, the boy clearly hadn't understood what the vampire was really after, and it wasn't like Killian to get so upset... Usually he'd force himself onto whoever he could, he was that desperate to feed his need for warmth, but thisboy... His hand shot up, clutching Henry's face and unbalancing his glasses, so one side was a bit higher than the other from where his hand clutched a soft cheek with long, graceful fingers like it was a goblet full of blood.
He couldn't do that to him.
The grey, hungry eyes studied the other's face intently, bearing an unreadable expression.
"I might not come back tonight." The male's voice rang out, low and rough. "I'm a vampire hunter, you see. And tonight, my quarry is particularly dangerous. Here's my request - wait for me outside of the manor around midnight, I don't know what state I'll be in..." The hand abruptly released the other male, and Killian turned around as if he had somehow been scorned - he looked bitter about something. "I want at least someone to wait for me... Some to look like they care." He frowned, hating to admit just how much he really wanted the warmth of another person's appreciation - anyone's. The male went out night-after-night to hunt, and always came back unnoticed. When he announced that he had managed kill another leech, Killian felt as if his servants... Were unhappy with the news, or overall apathetic.
He figured that they wanted him die, and the feeling that though brought was a sign of Killian's secret softness.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Peter Harper, darkblue, dashed, 10"]Matilda chucked at Mary's words and waved her hand, "Oh not at all deary~."
In respose to the girl' question, Peter's eyes went dark with anger. "He's a sinful lecher - a night-prowler, vermin..." Immediately Matilda's eyebrows furrowed. "Oh, not another word out of you, Peter! Don't be a hypocrite. Should I tell the girl what you've done? Are you really any better?"
At this, Peter's eyes widened with hurt, and his mouth fell slightly ajar - the old woman sincerely regretted her words. "Peter, I didn't..." But, the damage had already been done. Peter stiffened, and made his way over to the entrance of the kitchen. "I must go see how the master is faring, I will return later." His head was turned, but the sound of his voice clearly conveyed the male's hurt.
He disappeared into the hallway, and Matilda sighed loudly... Then turned to face Mary again, looking older than ever. "I myself don't like Killian much, he's difficult to understand, you see. From the few times I met him, I could already see that he isn't really what he seems though. That boy tries too hard to look bad, like nothing concerns him, like the devil himself..."[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Henry Courteney, blue, dashed, 10"] Killian's hand shot up to grip his face, effectively tilting his glasses, but the gesture had confused him. Henry would have figured that he would have ignored his plea-not that he was complaining. The vampire's following words had confused him further. A vampire hunter? What? He hunted his own kind? All of this was honestly not making sense to Henry, given that he already had an image of how vampires usually are.
Thankfully, the male let go of him and turned away. The boy took a step back and tried to calm himself. "At midnight?," Henry repeated with a small nod. "O-okay. Anything else?" Henry questioned. The very fact that the vampire wasn't going to drink from him made him feel much more at ease. He figured that if doing things for the male then that would reduce the chance of having his blood sucked out.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Mary Courteney, green, dashed, 10"] Matilda had clearly said words that shouldn't have been said, that much was clear. It was also pretty obvious that Peter had been wounded by her words before deciding to leave. What had he done? It must not have been something good if he was reacting in such a way. Mary sat there quietly. There probably wasn't anything she could. She didn't know these people and they didn't know her. There was no way that she could bring them any comfort.
Matilda, breathed a sigh, then turned to her to talk about Killian. "I see...Does he come visit his brother?" Maybe if he did, then that would give her the opportunity to see her cousin.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Killian Brighton, maroon, dashed, 10"]The male settled behind his desk once more, reclining against the richly carved wooden desk chair with an inaudible sigh. "Yes, bring Keegan here. He'll clean up after you while you bathe and redress. Keegan will tell you where everything is, just ask him." The vampire rested his head in his hands, studying the human before him with an air of strange... Placation. He seemed a bit tired, or anxious. It was the thought of his mission later that worried Killian - it was strange, he had never been afraid of much... Undeath had a way of making him think he really could never die.
But tonight's quarry was a master of killing the undead, just like he was.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Matilda, purple, dashed, 10"]The woman felt bad for making a scene in front of the newcomer, but being tactful just simply wasn't in her nature. Matilda turned to wipe the counter with a plain white towel.
"Aye, 'e comes here sometimes. Funny thing is, he always declines when the master invites him, but always shows up unannounced, whenever 'e feels like it," the old woman said, chuckling to herself and shaking her head. "Stubborn boy, won't admit he sometimes misses his brother..." The woman quickly added, "But don't worry, he doesn't drink the blood of other people's servants. Just his own, sometimes..." Matilda suddenly remembered the gossip she had heard about Mary's cousin going to Killian's household - oh dear, poor boy... "Oh! But don't worry, I'm sure nothing will happen to... Er, Henry, was your cousin's name, aye? As long as he doesn't get his master piss mad at 'im - or for him, I should say, he should be fine."[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Henry Courteney, blue, dashed, 10"] "I want at least someone to wait for me...someone to look like they care."
Killian's words were not what Henry had been expecting. It was strange to think that someone like him, a vampire and all, would even value such a thing. Maybe he was just stereotyping the guy, but what could he expect? Henry had spent half a year with abusive vampires. They showed no sign of morals or compassion, much less care about having someone that cared for them. This man was surely strange and different, especially since he was a vampire hunter. He was proving to be hard to read.
Henry's heartbeat started beating at steady rhythmic pace, signally that his fear had died down. Of course, it still lingered in the deep depths of his mind. Perhaps if he actually tried to-or acted-like he cared for him, then maybe the male wouldn't hurt him. It was a long shot, but he was willing to try. He had nothing to lose besides his life, but it wasn't like he wanted to be a slave forever.
"Yes, Master." Henry nodded before turning to head towards the door before pausing. "Thank you." He murmured, though he was sure that the male heard him. Not long after that, he left the room and headed back over to the kitchen to find Keegan.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Mary Courteney, green, dashed, 10"] Mary honestly wasn't sure who to believe. Peter clearly was saying the most negative things about Killian, while Matilda was defending the male. Just how much of what they were saying was true?
"His o-own?" Mary's widened and a sense of worry washed over her before the woman spoke out again. "Yes, Henry. I am not sure...Henry is not the most obedient person ever. " Mary murmured as she lowered her gaze down to her food, recalling the several times Henry had gone against their oppressors. "Ah, I apologize, but I'm too full to eat more. Perhaps I can save it for later?" Mary questioned as she rose from her seat and held the plate of food in her hands.
[/fieldbox]
Thank you? Thank you for what? When the slave was gone, Killian abruptly began to chuckle - thank you for mercy. It was slowly being extinguished, and Henry would soon likely learn about what his hunger looked like - sharp-toothed and passionate, angry and quick... But this time, he was sure it wouldn't come from lust, but rather a simple mistake. He'd fail to feed one day... He'd fail to control himself... Killian wasn't one to exercise restraint. The creature stood and crossed the room to the window, and he opened it to let in the fresh air with a fluent movement of his arms.
There was a newness to the manor thanks to Henry's presence... It complemented his technicolor moods.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Keegan Hill and Collin Hodges, red, dashed, 10"]Keegan glanced over his shoulder from where he was helping Collin make meatloaf to see the newest servant approaching... With the side of his shirt stained with crimson splotches... Blood. The butler immediately stiffened, and alarm crossed his features. "What happened? Are you hurt?" He asked, his short, black hair almost bristling as panic filled his chest. Collin regarded Henry with a quiet chuckle from between teeth tightly clutched around a toothpick. He had been expecting the male to return in such a state.... It wouldn't be a surprise if he was bitten, either.
He watched with an empathetic look in his eyes as Keegan dashed forward and fussed over Henry - quickly pulling down the collar of the other' shirt to look for bite marks while muttering, "Oh dear, oh dear..." under his breath.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Peter and Matilda, grey, dashed, 10"]Matilda chuckled and gestured at Mary with a hand, "Oh no, it's fine. Whatever you don't eat can go to the dogs. We 'ave plenty of food, the village likes the master... They have no problem sending supplies here - we have too much food, actually." The woman said, as she collected Mary's dish from her hands and placed it down on the kitchen counter.
She found herself charmed by the young lady - what a kind girl, she thought, what a polite manner. Truly, Matilda pitied Mary for what she must have gone through at the hands of the vampires. Nobody, especially not such a gently-looking girl should have suffered such torture. Perhaps... Perhaps she needed rest. To take it all in. "It's gettin' late... If you would like to, you may retire to your chambers. I'm all done here for today... Just about ready to drop..."
At that moment, Peter re-appeared at the doorway, looking rather pale. "Mary, I have drawn your bath. The master's private bathroom is ready for your use, if you would follow me."[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Henry Courteney, blue, dashed, 10"] Henry was honestly surprised that he made it without getting a single ounce of blood sucked from his body. Yet, that didn't mean that in other encounters he would have with Killian would result the same. At one point, whether he liked it or not, the vampire would surely attack him. It was their natural instinct.
He only took one step inside of the kitchen and Keegan was quick to acknowledge his presence. He wasn't even given the opportunity to respond, when the butler was tugging down the collar of his shirt to check for bite marks. "I'm fine. Nothing happened. I only dropped his tea." Hisao murmured as he averted his gaze. He could still feel the cold touch of the male as his nimble fingers ran along his skin and over his protruding bones. "He um...told me that he wants you to clean up the mess. I'm sorry about that." Hisao apologized as he finally looked up at the male.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Mary Courteney, green, dashed, 10"] The village actually liked her master? She would have thought that they would have been repulsed by him. If this was the case, then surely he wasn't as bad as she was making him out to be. "Ah, thank you very much, then. It was very delicious. One of the best meals I've ever had." May stated with a warm smile as she watched the older woman, before Peter made a reappearance. "Oh! O-okay." The master's personal bathroom? Why there? Did she not have a bathroom of her own. Gulping, she step towards the butler. "I'll see you later, Ma'am." The brunette waved before following after Peter.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Killian Brighton, maroon, dashed, 10"]Keegan sighed. "Phew, I'm glad. It's no problem, I'll go clean up." He was too relieved to be angry, so the male turned to fetch a cloth and a bottle of an unknown substance before walking past Henry with only a hint of annoyance in his eyes. "Blood is so hard to get out of the carpets..." Suggesting that there had been much blood spilled in the master's chambers before. Oh, and there had been.
Colin gave laugh, "Looks like we need to teach you a thing or two about balance." He smiled at the male, reaching up to scratch his stubbled chin with the blunt fingernails of one large hand. "Don't worry, we'll make a proper servant out of you, boy." He knew the importance of professionalism in his line of work. A clumsy servant was never tolerated. Gosh, a clumsy servant was like having a non-Christian priest preach in church - it was utter blasphemy among their peers and employers.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Peter and Matilda, grey, dashed, 10"]Matilda smiled jovially at the compliments and turned to hang up the rag she had been using to clean the counter-top with. As if in concision to the hours of service she had done that day, the woman brushed off her hands against the skirt hanging loosely about her skinny legs, and walked towards the door along with Mary to leave the kitchen and go left. She usually preferred to go to sleep early, as the master tended to wake up early, despite being a vampire. Well, it was no problem - Matilda was an early-riser anyway.
Just like in all other small manors, there was only one bathroom, and it was typically for the master of the house only. "The master's bathing room is almost never used. Being a vampire, the master had no need for any bodily upkeep - his flesh is not alive, his skin was scentless and dry, and overall bears the same qualities that a porcelain doll's exterior does..." He described.
It was soft, but hard, too. Peter gulped as he remembered the master's last fit, and how the blade of a large chopping-knife glanced away and curved to the side when the master attempted to plunge it into himself. But, that was long ago, when the vampire was still in a deeply delirious state after his accident. In those days, the man barely even knew his name.
Peter proceeded upstairs and down the hall, past Mary's room... It was also very unlike a servant to live so close to their master's chambers, and Peter could not fathom a reason for it. Not even he, the butler, lived so close to his master. A small pit of jealousy rose in his chest, before it was quickly stamped out by the controlled man - he'd never let such feelings govern him. Peter stopped before a door, and pushed it open to reveal a large, beautifully decorated bathroom. Indeed, it looked unused. Warm water gathered in a fancy, golden-footed tub breathed hot steam in to the air. "I have scented the water with rich lavender, imported from the fields of Provence in France. I do hope that you will enjoy it. I have brought your nightgown here as well." Offering a polite smile, the butler slowly retreaded out of the room and turned to make his way down the hall.
He was running out of time, and there were many, many things that he needed to prepare for tonight.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Henry Courteney , blue, dashed, 10"] The butler picked up a rag and some bottle, before making his way past Henry. It was clear to him, due to Keegan's words, that there had been more than one occasion where blood has been shed in that room. Henry grew uneasy. Surely his own blood would have been on that carpet if not for the vampire having a change of mind.
Henry knew how to balance, the vampire had just muttered words that infuriated the human boy. He felt that the vampire was just mocking him, claiming to feel empathy towards him, when in reality it was just a way to get him react. The words had served their purpose. "Do you know in which room I'll be staying in?"
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Mary Courteney, green, dashed, 10"] A porcelain doll? Mary had honestly never held such a fragile doll before, so she could only imagine the smoothness of its body.
As they made their way up the stairs and down the grand hall, they passed the door to her room. Finally they arrived at the bathroom and she was taken aback at how nice it was. "Thank you very much, sir." Mary waited until he was out of the room, to begin undressing. She folded the rags for clothes and set them down on the floor, before lifting her leg to step into the tub. The water was very warm and she immediately felt a shiver run up her spine. Soon enough, she submerged her body in the water and stopped until it reached her collar bones. The water smelled lovely.
For a couple of minutes, she just sat there, enjoying the warmth of the water before deciding that it was time to begin washing off. Rising up, she grabbed the bar of soap and began to run it along her arms before moving to her torso. Faint pink scars were prominent against the creamy white skin, marring its beauty. They were all clear signs of just how terrible she had been treated. Mary ignored them and continued on, because acknowledging them would bring back horrible memories. Once she was done scrubbing her hair and everything, she unclogged the tub and stepped out. Reaching for the towel, she dried herself off then slipped on the silky nightgown. The material was soft and refreshing. It was a nice beige color and she loved it. Mary ran her fingers down the fabric in admiration before picking up her belongings and making her way out of the bathroom. Immediately, headed towards her room.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Colin, grey, dashed, 10"]He grinned at the boy's annoyance, even though he hadn't meant to offend. I the boy was so quick to anger, then surely Killian would have a good time with him.
"Yeah, in the servant's quarters. Yours were decreed to be in the attic, got that? I'll show ya' where that is." Quickly, Colin made his way upstairs to the topmost landing, and gestured to the plain wooden door of a small, dusty room. Rafters and beams made up a large part of the ceiling within, and a single, circular window allowed for just barely enough late-day sunlight to be able to see. An old oil lamp sat beside a narrow, dusty bed in the corner. Colin coughed against the dust, and muttered, "Ya' might want to air this place out... Sorry, but this was the room that the master wanted you in..." It was the closest room to his chambers, after all.
Colin gave Henry a slightly-too-rough pat on the back, wished him luck, and made his way back down the stairs to continue cooking and cleaning through the night.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Killian Brighton, maroon, dashed, 10"]Killian stood like a stiff board and stretched, loosening his muscles.
It was time, and he didn't want it to be as much as he did. Time to unleash a terrible, terrible vengeance upon the vampire Clementine - she could not continue living, for Killian feared that she would continue to prey upon their village. That would mean that the villagers would begin to suspect that there were vampires in the area, and all fingers would point to Killian, who was isolated from the people, unlike his brother, who often visited the town center and gave aid to those that needed it... But that was not the only reason he would have to kill her, of course. That secret pit of gold in his chest felt a strong empathy towards the villagers, no matter how much he hated to admit it.
Killian, from all his years of life, knew that it was simply too dangerous for him to be around living people - he could not control himself because he simply never bothered to learn discipline. Like a ghost, the creature passed down the stairs in heavy boots, gauntlets, and leather armor. A sword clinked against the thigh-plates clinging tightly to his skin, and the sound was what told the servants downstairs that it was time for him to leave, and they may relax, and hope he does not come back.
Henry was supposed to wait for him - that was what Killan had wished he would do. So, the vampire stood in all of his armor-clad glory and waited by the door for the black-haired male.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Peter, white, dashed, 10"]It was time to go.
He folded the large sack neatly and hid it among the other tools in his hide bag, slung the thing over his shoulder, and clad in all-black, left the manor.
The night-dance of Jack the Ripper was set to once again commence.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Hisao Tachibana, blue, dashed, 10"] Decreed to be in the attic? Why the attic? Despite his confusion, he followed closely behind Colin as they made their way upstairs. Once they reached a small wooden door, he stepped inside. The space was big and if felt completely empty, even with the bed there. The circular window didn't even allow for much sunlight to shine through. It was truly unpleasant, but he would need to accept it eventually. "It's fine, I suppose." Henry murmured before Colin could leave. Then it occurred to him that his master had wanted him to wait for him, so he gave his new room one glance before turning on his heel to head downstairs. Sure enough, Killian was standing right besides he door.
"Forgive me, master. I was just introduced to my quarters. Ah..." Glancing down at himself, he forgot that he was still wearing his blood stained clothes.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Mary Courteney, green, dashed, 10"] Mary set her dirty clothes on the small table near the door, before making her way over to her bed. Her first day here had gone better than she would have ever dreamed it to go. Now though, she wanted something to do, given that she wasn't sleepy. Maybe the desk would have something for her to use, so she walked over and much to her surprise, a pencil and some sheets of paper rested inside of one of the drawers.
Pulling them out, she started a rough sketch.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Killian Brighton, maroon, dashed, 10"]Soon he spotted Henry coming down the stairs towards him. Ah, it was no surprise - surely the boy would never go against his wishes, for he knew there would be sharp-toothed consequences for it - payment in blood.
This Killian was different than the one in his study. This Killian was focused, without all the sultry wine-red touches and half-lidded bedroom-eye stares. This Killian was afraid, but also excited to fight - fighting was a passion much like lust, and thus the moments before his hunt thrilled the vampire like the moments before he spotted his quarry. Always a lovely lady, a Londoner, a fair-skinned maiden with green eyes - that was what he had wanted. He would have pinned her against the bed, like he pinned his enemies against the ground, and dug his teeth into her flesh as he took her, like he dug his sword into his enemy's hearts. There was no other way to feel alive, and there was no other way to kill a vampire, he figured. He would have felt more confident about the upcoming battle had Clementine had less lackeys to attack him with. He'd be swarmed with them - that he was sure of.
Henry looked down at his clothes, and Killian figured that they weren't very comfortable. "That blood on you... That is the blood of another human being. Does it make you uncomfortable, knowing that?' His sharp, grey eyes studied the other's expression, before the male walked towards a table, heavy boots clunking against the ground as he moved. The vampire picked up a folded plain shirt from the top of the table and threw it towards Henry, expecting the male to catch it. "Change into that." It didn't matter to the vampire that they were his - scented with sweet rose, and musk. "I should be back in at least two hours. If I am not back by three, then I am dead, and you, along with the other servants, are free. Leave without telling anyone, as it is my rule that keeps them from feeding on you... So, run if I do not come back." And with that, Killian turned around and headed out the door to battle.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Henry Courteney , blue, dashed, 10"] Killian's words made the boy's discomfort grow even more. How had they even gathered so much blood? Was it from several humans or just one individual? "Yes, they do." He answered in a murmur while the vampire walked over to a table. Suddenly white fabric was thrown at him and his hands instinctively shot up to catch it. The fabric was soft-clearly this wasn't the type of clothes a servant would wear. Then why was he giving him this? With a bit of hesitation, he pulled off his tattered shirt, exposing the smooth white skin he and Mary had in common. Much like his cousin, he was covered in his fair share of bruises, scars, and dirt. He pulled on the shirt and smoothed it out. Due to the malnourishment he faced at the auction house, the shirt appeared to be far too big for his torso, but what did that matter?
At Killian's departing words, Henry furrowed his brows in confusion. The others were...vampires? Was he the only human in this damn manor? Dear god, this was practically a death trap. What if one day one of them just snapped and attacked him? Would the others watch, or help, or would they also join in on drinking him dry? The door shut behind Killian and Henry was left to wait for two hours. What could he do until then? Maybe he could catch a small nap? Disappearing down into the kitchen, he returned with a stool and took a seat near the door before leaning against the wall. After five minutes or so, the male had dosed off.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Killian Brighton, maroon, dashed, 10"]Killian made it to a ferny outcropping in the woods, and in the distance, past the fog, he could see the glow of lit torches against stone and moss - torches fixed against the gaping maw of a cave, where surely many-a human has been taken into and eaten.
Here, where the air was chill and the moon showed not even a glimpse of its pale face... Where the gods have abandoned mankind, where Diana does not hunt with her hounds, not Zephyr lead his wind, nor Zeus take offerings - here he though of the creamy expanse of skin Henry had revealed in the second it took him to change shirts. It was surely a sight that a painter might have wanted to illustrate- to outline the shapes of every edge and curve with the fine tip of a pencil, to thread carefully between bone and bone to weave an image of silky, pallid perfection... Yet it was marred by the signs of captivity and vampires - clawed hands that have bruised, hands that have cut, starved, and bound...
Killian shook with rage. He'd cut their hands off and offer them as gifts to Henry, as a mark of his favor. Yet he was sure the human would not see the poetry in the gesture - he'd be repulsed.
The leeches stomping through the woods noticed him - they had been staggering over the flora with their backs burdened by leather sacks of stolen goods, and the long-dead body of a child - hanging limply like a cloth doll from the dirty hands of one bulky monster. In his mouth was a cigar, and the fingers grasping the youth's small ankles was weighed down with heavy rings bigger than the child's wide-open, glassy eyes.
At that moment, Killian lost his mind - he stormed towards them with his sword unsheathed.
...
He tore through the ranks of undead with his sharp blade, severing heads, severing arms, anything he could do to slow them down. They kept pouring out of the damn cave, and he kept... Swinging. Every collision of bodies was like the colliding of hulking mountains, and sounded like the footsteps of nephilim - giants. Vampires really were hard to kill. One without an arm and a leg hobbled towards Killian and ripped through his shirt to rake a dagger down his back before he killed it with a swift thrust of his sword. At that moment, Clementine appeared with her feather black hair and beady gaze. She came as the raven does when it spots a shady grave - such lethal, ominous grace. The woman danced before his blade and sank her teeth into his shoulder - Killian kicked, she chimed a laugh and twirled, striking him in the side with the dainty dagger in her hands and he doubled over.
...
Slowly, unsteadily, he made his way forward. The mansion was within view - it was nearing the third hour. Killian could not let himself be late - Henry was waiting for him. So he limped onward through the fields, silently over the streets, and only realized that he had made it to the door when his body collided with it.
He made it, the vampire mentally cheered, then slid down the door and fell from the weight of countless wounds.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Henry Courteney , blue, dashed, 10"] The boy had been startled awake at the loud thud that resounded from the door, which effectively caused him to slip off the stool to land painfully on his butt. However, that wasn't his concern. Scrambling to his feet, he rushed to the door and pulled it open only for his blue gaze to land on the vampire on the floor. Henry starred down at him for a second, taking in all the visible wounds, before collapsing down onto his knees.
Pretend to care...
"M-master?" They was a sense of panic in his tone as he moved the strands of hair away from his visage. "Are you okay to stand with my help?" He questioned as he wrapped an arm around the vampire's shoulders and helped him sit up.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Killian Brighton, maroon, dashed, 10"]Killian expect to have been left there. He would have waited for his strength to return, then slipped inside... But surprisingly, Henry opened the door and fell to his knees before his body.
Before he could feel grateful for the other's presence, Killian had something else to do - something more important. He lifted a shaking hand - it was clutching something so tightly that the vampire's pale knuckled were even whiter from the strain. He searched for Henry's hand and when it was found, he finally opened the fist - out came a pouring of blood, and four rings - one blue, one red, one gold, and one green, all were the colors of the gems set in the fine gold bands, made by a master craftsman and clearly the mark of a wealthy lineage. Next, Killian opened his mouth - and there also came a pouring of bright blood, this time his own, and a loud cough as he choked on the fluid. "They're... There was... One of the managers of the auction house you were... In. I killed him... For you." He gasped out, then retreated the hand from Henry. In fact, his whole body drew away from the male, and Killian stood up with great effort. "Thank you... For waiting. Clementine got away... Don't go outside... Don't tell Koshi..."
His eyes were glazed over, focused on some distant point in the manor as he slowly limped indoors and struggled towards the staircase like he was about to keel over and die. The vampire left behind splatters of blood as he went, and it was unclear if most of it was his own, or from other creatures of the night.[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Henry Courteney, blue, dashed, 10"] The vampire didn't utter a single syllable, instead his hand searched his and when he did find, blood purged down into his hand. What? Suddenly the sight of four gold rings, all with different colored gems, appeared on his hand. His gaze snapped over to the male when he coughed out some blood before speaking out to him.
He killed one of them for him? The boy leaned back onto his legs, baffled. Why? The vampire could have just gone about his business without even caring about his former oppressors.
The vampire stood with much of a struggle, yet Henry was glued to his spot, unable to process it all. It occurred to him to help the vampire when he was going up the stairs. He placed the rings into the pockets of his pants, got in, closed the door, and rushed to Killian's side. "Let me help you, master." The male murmured as he quickly wrapped a frail arm around his shoulder.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Killian Brighton, maroon, dashed, 10"]Killian fully expected for Henry to go on about his business, maybe go back upstairs to his quarters and sleep - but, he felt a frail arm wrap itself around his torso, and Killian stopped walking. He contemplating pushing Henry away, it was embarrassing for a powerful vampire to accept a puny mortal's help... "I don't need your help..." He uttered.
And despite this, Killian raised an arm and threw it around Henry's neck to help himself stay upright. "Thank you." No matter how much he wanted to discourage the other' help, it made his chest feel remarkably warm, knowing that there was someone helping him. Sure, he had blackmailed the male into doing it for him, but nevertheless... Killian climbed up the lavish staircase, leaving smears of blood along the handrail as he struggled to keep going, struggled unlike all the other times he had gone vampire-hunting... This time had been a failure - he had been too callous, too untrained, and Clementine had the upper hand in terms of number and agility. He had been outmatched. "That bitch - that cheater..." The vampire hissed under his breath. "Who has that many thralls? Building an army...? I'll tear her limb-to-limb the next time I see her!" Enraged, he sent his fist flying into the nearest thing - a vase on a pedestal, it shattered when it his the floor, producing a jarring clamor. "Nobody is stronger than me! Nobody!" Next, a painting was sent flying. It clattered down the staircase, and the frame split in two under the impact. [/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Henry Courteney , blue, dashed, 10"] Henry half expected for the vampire to push him away, but shockingly, he wrapped his arm around his neck and even thanked him. Perhaps there was much more to him than he was showing. They finally reached the top, when Killian suddenly lost it and cursed.
Henry flinched when the case broke into pieces on the ground, emitting a loud shattering sound that seemed to echo throughout the mannor. Next was a picture frame, that was sent down the stairs. The vampire was clearly pissed at the fact that he had lost his target and it was making Henry grow extremely nervous. His heartbeat picked up and sweat broke out from his temple.
"M-master, please calm down." Henry attempted to stop the vampire by standing in front of him with his arms extended out. "Please calm down." He repeated as he starred up at the male. He was honestly hoping that his words would get through to him, because if he kept on going like this then surely the valuable thing in the hall would be destroyed and he feared that he would get hurt in the process.
[/fieldbox]
[fieldbox="Killian Brighton, maroon, dashed, 10"]Henry stepped in front of him - he he should have known better, because that was like stepping in front of an angry bull. Injured, and all too weary to control himself, Killian lurched forward and seized Henry by the outstretched wrists, tugging the boy harshly towards himself.
"Don't tell me to calm down, cattle." The harsh words came out a low growl, and as he spoke, his detracted teeth were clear and sharp - two steak-knives, taunting the ripe mammal standing before him. What more were humans then walking sacs of blood and water? What more were they than food? He couldn't think straight - too many injuries, too much blood lost, and he needed more... So much more...
No. "Gah, Killian, get a hold of yourself..." He was not one to cheat a bargain. Henry had fulfilled his side of the deal - the male had waited for Killian to return, so he... He couldn't just... His hands let go of Henry to press against the sides of his head. It was clear that something awful was taking a hold over the male - a crimson, burning lust. Since when had he been so weak towards the humans? He had always taken without question, without permission. So why...
The open window, the fresh air, and Dorian Grey. His collapsing morality had been the cause of many sleepless nights, and Killian knew that he needed to change.[/fieldbox]
Of course. That's all he would ever be to the vampire: a blood bag with arms and legs. It was stupid to think that Killian had actually killed a vampire for him, a mere mortal. That it would actually mean something. He was nothing to the vampire.
So when the creature elongated his long sharp fangs, Henry didn't bother to fight back. Maybe now he would drink him until there was nothing left in his body. He preferred that than constantly living in fear that one day, he would just loose it way worse than he was now and actually hurt him before killing him. It seemed that fate other plans for him because Killian released his wrists after he had murmured a few words to himself. With brows furrowed, Henry took a step back unsure whether remaining in the vampires presence was a good idea. "M-master..?" Henry was frankly considering on just running away towards his room, but what if Killian chased him down.
[/fieldbox]
