sixwordstories | (no subject)

What is it? Is someone bothering you?

Anything I can do to help?

"It's..." Ugh. Why her? She sighs and rubs her temple. If Vlad pays attention he may notice that Shadow isn't just out of sight, he's actually not nearby at the moment.

"My father seems to have gotten suspicious of the way his men keep disappearing. Since this is the last place he knows for sure I was, he's here himself investigating. He hasn't figured out I'm still here yet, but if he does..."

She's stronger now, she's danced circles around him since he showed up. But she remembers the things he did when she was young. She doesn't want to be found.

I'm not sure. I'm...kinda scared he'll find me. I'm stronger now but....it was bad when I was little.

If you're scared of someone... you shouldn't be alone. You got anyone you can stay with?

I.... might be able to stay with Vlad. But he's still at his rental and he's already got a swarm of kittens he snuck in...

[Vlad... She said that name before, in her thoughts. Dracula. How does he know that? He shouldn't know that, and it's a little bit worrisome that she knows Dracula. But. It's okay, right? It feels okay...]

You should stay with him. He'll keep you safer than anyone else...

"Damn it." He pulls her into a hug and rests his chin on her head in a protective gesture.

"Perhaps then it is time that your father met me. Not that I am seeking his blessing, mind you. Rather he needs to know that this city and you are protected."

She pressed against him, clinging a little. She let out a little snort of laughter.

"His blessing, I don't even have his blessing to be alive, much less have a boyfriend. But if he knows you protect me and my territory, he would probably leave me alone."

[It's very okay. She not only knows Dracula but is dating him, which means he's very protective of her. He's also quite a lot kinder than he had been. But she nods a little.]

He will. I guess I should hang up my pride for a while and let him.

Hanging up pride ain't a bad thing. It'll be where you left it when you want it back.

"You merely want him warned?" By now Dracula was well and truly ready to kill the sonofabitch.

[She remembered her!] How can I help you, miss?

No. Just...difficult to do. I grew up feline after all.

She's touching him, and she leaves herself open to him. So he'll feel and partially see her answer. A seething mass of anger, hate, and fear so tangled it's unclear where one emotion ends and another begins. Little flickers of memories. Pain, blood, suddenly finding herself alone in the rain. And over all of that a desire to see him in pain, to know he was dead. Her verbal answer is a single word, but she has no doubt that Vlad will understand what she wants. And understand just how cruel the man must be to get such a response from a girl like her. She doesn't wish that level of harm on anyone, not even the humans that shunned her.

"No."

[And she gets something of a smile.] I'm not sure. There's a man in town who means to hurt me, he doesn't know I'm still here yet though. Vlad has promised to deal with it though.

He nods, and kisses the top of her head. But a thoughtful silence follows. An idea is forming. Something worse than death, something which will drive her father away forever but also force him to live with his crimes. His enthrallment abilities will allow him to hypnotise the man and cause him to think, feel and believe whatever they want.

She makes a little pleased noise, feeling safe there in his arms. She feels the thoughtfulness easily, gets the edges of a plan, something worse than death, but specifics slip past her. And she doesn't feel like making the effort to chase them down.

"What are you thinking of?"

"Do you know that one of the most painful things a truly heartless man can face is the sudden realization of his own sins and depravity? I know this firsthand. I can make this man understand intimately the pain he has caused others. I can make him live with all of it, to the point where he can no longer function, let alone pursue you further."

She let the idea roll around her head a while. She even called out to Shadow through the bond they had to see what he thought. After a moment even the feline came back with the thought that he deserved it.

"He deserves it. He deserves to know exactly what he's done, how much pain he's caused."

"Then I shall make sure of it." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Have you had a chance to eat and rest in the midst of all this distraction?"

She frowned a little, having to think about the question. "Not recently. Shadow is tracking him for me, but the others pester me about taking care of myself a little. It's been since this morning though."

She's not terribly distressed about it, personally. She's used to going hungry. Something that probably needs correcting.

"Mmmmm, let's get some protein in you, you are under enough stress. Do you have a preference?"

"I-" It was going to be a protest, she's fine. But even across town Shadow would scold her. A sharp feeling that was the mental equivalent of a hiss. -Let him take care of you, kitten.-

She couldn't help smiling as she readjusted her thoughts. This was Vlad, she could set aside feline pride and accept help from him. "No, not really. I've never been too picky."

"Well, how about Chinese? There is a nice little place near the middle of town that serves excellent chicken dishes." He smiled and stroked her hair, trying to get her mind off of a problem he fully intended to solve with a vengeance.

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "That would be lovely, thank you."

He wraps his arms around her. "Here, stand on my feet and let's go."

And she happily steps onto his feet, wrapping her arms around him.

He flies into the air, carefully looking around to make certain no one suspicious (or with a camera) is hanging about below. Then off he goes, heading for town. He's careful not to go too fast, and to avoid swarms of bugs.

She loves flying with him. Part of her wishes she could fly on her own, but this is a good substitute. She's smiling happily as she watches the land go by.

He sweeps gently over the rooftops, and eventually lands in an alleyway that smells of Chinese spices and cooking meat.

"Come on, we'll have no trouble getting a table."

She smiles, holding his hand She knows this neighborhood, the people here had always been kind to her. She's very comfortable in this part of her territory. The smells of the food reminds her just how hungry she is. She may be used to going hungry, but it doesn't make it any more pleasant.

"All right, thank you."

He leads her out to the door and inside. The place has a few patrons--it's new--and they easily find a table. He passes her a menu and smiles a bit as the waitress brings a pot of tea.

"Have you thought about what you want to do once he is out of your life?" He treats the defeat of her father as a foregone conclusion.

The atmosphere is a friendly one, and that doesn't change once people start noticing her. She smiles easily here.

The question throws her, and you don't need to be an empath to see how uncertain she is. "I... had never even considered that he would be before... But...the people here are nice enough, save the ones too blind to see my actions are out of need. I... I'd be able to stop hiding, wouldn't I?"

"For the most part, yes. Some people cannot handle the psychically gifted. But I have friends here, so do you, and the number will grow. You can do anything with your life and your powers that you choose. I will back you."

She laughs a little bit. "I don't even know what I would do, I'll have to think about it."

He lifts the menu with a faint smile. "Please let me know what you decide."

"I will. I'll have to experiment a little for a while I think."

"Please let me know if I can be of any assistance."

"Well, if you feel like offering suggestions I'd love to hear them."

"School, a proper place to stay, and an enormous trip to the pet supply store?"

School. The last time she'd been able to go to any kind of school she'd been ten. She thought about it a moment, and then smiled. "That sounds perfect, actually."