The librarian didn't hear any more from Victoria, not before he left. Her eyes had steadily narrowed as he spoke, taking in and processing the information given. She didn't move, not an inch, until well after he had left. It was hard to tell she was even breathing, her movements had slowed and quieted to the point that she seemed more statue than woman. Pallor lent her the appearance of marble, as though she'd turned to stone before their very eyes.

Her eyes, in fact, were the easiest way to tell she was listening at all. The way they narrowed, shifted, moved from point to point with an undeniable intensity. Dana's behavior elicited the phantom of a smile, but her focus was absolute. Caution crept into her features, into her body language, just like the chill settled deep in her bones again.

The vampire, Crowe, didn't worry her. Maybe he should have, if Pierce was right, but he didn't. A man fearsome in life would be fearsome in undeath, but at the end of the day he was a vampire. Not an especially old one, either. The only worrisome thing was his intellect. [i]That[/i] was where the danger lay, if he was as dangerous as the librarian thought. He didn't lack for cunning, if last night was any indication. Simple though it may have been leading the group into a trap like that had certainly caught them off guard. Vampires usually operated with little more than thuggish coordination, alliances through common goals rather than any real ideology.

If Crowe's gang was more militaristic, that could be a problem.

Still, he wasn't on her mind. The Slayer was. The girl with military training, inhuman abilities, and a willingness to use them both. Washington, as strange as it was to say, had felt... Safe. The vampires were a threat, but they were a threat everywhere. And in Washington, she had a team. A group, ragtag though it may be, to watch each other's backs. And they were good at it, too. [i]That[/i] didn't bring fear; hearing the librarian cast doubt on their abilities made her [i]angry[/i]. She didn't particularly care what he claimed to know. Or who he claimed to be. His knowledge was an asset, but one that had been vague at best up until now. He could claim responsibility for their success if he liked, but it was meaningless. He was hands off. Laissez-faire. He wasn't in the trenches with them each night, fighting for his life and the lives around him. He didn't watch [i]her[/i] back, and he didn't watch their backs either. Her trust was theirs, when it came down to it. They'd earned it. Her life was as much in their hands as theirs in hers and they hadn't given Victoria any reason to doubt them.

Dana was right. He was covering his own ass.

And she could see why. The Slayer had not been the picture of stability, and [i]she[/i] was the source of her fear. That their 'ally' might decide they weren't her concern after all. Or, even worse, that they were in her way. Casey's support for her hadn't been a surprise; he'd always struck her as the most trigger-happy when it came to the supernatural. If he couldn't look at it and see a white hat, something he could empathize with, it was the enemy. That was what she'd seen, at least. He'd probably put it a different way. The reservations others had, though... They'd all made good points. Showed yet again that they could be trusted.

That was something the librarian and this Slayer would have to earn, though given the choice she'd rather they were both three states away.

Victoria moved for the first time since Pierce left, stepping forward to briefly lay a hand on Dana's shoulder. She [i]did[/i] give a faint smile this time, one earned by her friend's comments. Having her around fought off the chill, just a little.

"Easy, Dana. Time enough to make enemies later." She looked, briefly, at the other people in the room. Adam had left, but she knew how to reach him later. If she needed to. It was the others she wanted to say a few words to. "But I think Dana's right. If Mr. Pierce and this Slayer are allies, great. But I don't trust either of them. Pierce kept us in the dark, and his intentions had nothing to do with keeping us safe. Leveling with us when he realized what was going on would have saved a lot of trouble. His intentions are his own, and they're not necessarily the same as ours."

"And I'd prefer this Slayer was nowhere near here. I'm going to try and do some research later. Blaine, if you end up doing some, let me know what you find. Please. Dana... I think I'd be happier if we kept some of your toys a little closer to hand than normal."