Yeah… she probably looked like quite a dunce just standing there asking questions like his human friend didn't just get attacked by a fanger! This was why she preferred animals… they were easier to talk to. To be around. Never judgemental and only ever loving… well, mostly. But you try sticking a thermometer up your butt and see if you retain being a furry ball of sunshine.
All in all, he had a point. It wasn't as though he was asking for her number. He was just offering his. What could really go wrong, especially if she never sought to use it. "Um… sure. Yes. I'm sorry…" She'd blame her all nighters at the pet hospital as of late, but this was how she was around people most of the time. If she wasn't in an adversary's face barking at them to get off their turf, she was busy stumbling about with her tongue like an idiot.
"Better to be over prepared, like you said." Reaching upward to tuck some lunar colored locks behind an ear, she opened up a note on her phone and looked at him expectantly.
Maxim - along with a series of numbers that was his number just in case she ever thought she would need help from one of the other creatures of the night. Doubtful as instincts deep in her stomach still told her to run and not look back, but he'd yet to bare teeth and go for her throat… He didn't seem like such a bad guy. Especially not in the way his demeanor continued to shift every time he looked at the human in his arms.
"Thank you. I hope your friend feels better." Simon. Her mind filled in the blank as it was the name Maxim had called out as he barreled down the alleyway at full speed. Her eyes shifted to the human's features. It could have just been her eyes, but she thought he didn't look as pale anymore. A shade darker. With the glaze present in his eyes seeming like it was slowly dulling. For as bad a wrap as humans earned from the darker side of the world, she pitied them, really. She couldn't imagine being so helpless while in danger. Or what had to have been going on in his head during the attack. He must have known he was going to die, and yet he tried to fight. It was valiant even if it wouldn't have been enough.
"Get home safe," she bid while taking a step back as though that were the final gesture needed to end their conversation. Her first with a werewolf, to her knowledge, where it wasn't so obvious that they were wishing the other one dead. She stood there while the other two disappeared from the alleyway, taking a moment to reflect in the silence while the brightness of the moon made her form cast a shadow as though it were sunlight.
Colette was on her way out of the alleyway then too, just her boot hit the forgotten metal object on the ground, still glistening with a bit of red. Not knowing what compelled her, she reached down to take up the glitter of the knife. Observing it minutely, she'd wipe the crimson of it upon her black colored scrubs, cleaning it as best she could before silently folding the blade inward to hide the silver point. Then she placed it in her pocket for safe keeping as she began the rest of the walk home in silence.
~
Her feet didn't stop till she could see the soft light flickering in the lanterns outside. The gentle living light of which she wasn't sure why the hell Eagan didn't just get with the times and get electricity for the outside like he did the inside. Said something about how he preferred the vintage look… what a loony. Someone had to go out there and light them every night and he seemed to get kicks out of it like they were preparing a ritual. She really didn't understand the man most days, but she supposed she didn't have to. He made this place home for a good chunk of her life, and they all regarded him in kind as their caretaker.
Through the surprisingly quiet black iron fence she went. Past the tall standing lanterns that led to the grand from porch where a set of double wooden doors stood looking impenetrable. She wouldn't have been surprised either… they were heavy and built solid. The grinning gargoyles for door knockers grinned at her as usual with their secretive smirks, and she ignored them as usual to push upon the door and let herself in to the main foyer.
It was quiet as always, and a wash of calm came over her while she shrugged off her jacket and went to place it within the large closet - one better suited for use if they were to host a lively party that this place hasn't likely seen in a century. Maybe more. This house was old, but Eagan put a lot of money into it in order to make it look like new. Keeping it up with the modern age — besides those damn lanterns outside.
She was ushering the smaller wooden door closed with a click, enjoying the feeling of her shoes being off her feet as she carried them in her fingers instead so she wouldn't track litter into the household. Nor upon the fancy looking rug at the entrance that almost looked too pretty to step upon. She was about to take her first step up the grand wooden staircase when her body flushed with goosebumps. She turned about with heart a flutter to see Eagan standing over her, like a silent shadow he could have crept from anywhere! And he seemed to love the fact that he was even too quiet for any of them to ever hear.
"Why must you do that?" she asked with a huff of breath outward to calm her frantically beating heart. A rumble of a chuckle left the large man dressed in business casual with a head of silvery grey colored hair that always had a natural wave that formed over his eyes. His fingers were nonchalantly pressed into his pockets with the sleeves of his maroon colored button up rolled to below his elbow.
"I only wished to welcome my child home." Though the slow curl to lip expressed otherwise. There was also a purring fluff ball settled upon his shoulder. A cute one at that with golden colored eyes and black and white marbled fur. His tail flickered before he was nosily bumping his head into Eagan's cheek with a request to be let down. With a chuckle, the man did so, grasping him about his belly and setting him lightly upon his paws. "He was pawing at the door again so I thought I'd let him out for a short spell."
"He'd be a lot more content if you allowed me another…" Colette tried her hand as the kitty cat trotted up to rub against her legs and purred like a running truck. "… lonely kitty needs a friend, right Sage?" she asked and without hesitation picked up the cat to house in her arms while abandoning her shoes to the floor for now.
"If I did I'd only be opening the opportunity for another… and another… and another." Eagan grinned easily and closed the distance, reaching to ruffle her hair like she was thirteen years old again. She huffed and sidestepped, making him laugh. "Was your shift that bad?" he asked, genuinely interested as he reached down to take her shoes, beginning a slow meander toward her room that resided up the stairs along with the others.
"No, it was… fine," she assured, giving a little gnaw to her lip - prime evidence of her nerves of which Eagan caught on swiftly.
"What happened, Colette?" His tone changed and she could tell he wasn't exactly asking about work. Damn, he was too sharp for her own good most days!
"Nothing. Everything's fine."
"You have a strange smell on you."
"I'm around animal fluids all day, I always smell weird after work," she countered to which he gave her a look within ocean colored eyes, raising a brow before it was clear she wasn't about to elaborate. He hummed softly and gave a little nod.
"Well… alright then. Clean up and then come eat before you settle for the evening. You must keep your strength up if you're going to be doing all these long shifts." He reached to initiate the ruffle of her hair, earning a dissatisfied sound before he was away like he'd never been there at all, her shoes dropped promptly in front of her door that they'd stopped at.
Nosy old man.
She sighed and dipped to grab her shoes while assuring Sage remained in balance upon her shoulder. He liked to pretend he was so agile, but he was pretty clumsy for a cat. "Bet you're hungry too," she offered while he meowed in seemingly reply.
A day in the life for a vampire… surely not exactly what others imagined when they thought of a monster.