[i][center]On the street he waited, identifying and categorizing all who entered his field. By this point, sheer will was all that kept him in place. After some hours he found his mark as it stumbled down the street. The beast prowling the night felt sympathy for the unknowing warlock, cognizant of what exactly was about to happen to him.

The one who believed he was human planted himself before the dead-man walking.

[color=f0d1aa]"Hey there, bud. I'm Cain, Cain Fourier, and looks like you and I are both having an unlucky night, huh?"[/color][/center][/i]

[hr]
[indent][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ivA3L8f.png[/img][/center]
[b][color=aaf0d1]Time: [color=f0d1aa]Early Morning[/color]
Location: [color=f0d1aa][i]Fourier Residence[/i][/color]
Interactions: NONE
[/color][/b][/indent]
[hr]


[indent]For the second time in a span of twenty-four hours, the heir to the Fourier residence stumbled into his abode covered in gore. Though this time, it was not just his own.[/indent]
[indent]Indeed, Cain had satiated his hunger; but not without cost. The look upon the warlocks face as he drained him of life had been etched into his mind. [color=f0d1aa][i]A parasite[/i][/color], Cain kept telling himself. It was one less blight on the world they made unsightly, thus Cain knew he was just. He had to be.[/indent]
[indent]Although Cain had not noticed any noise previously, he now observed a distinct silence that came when he no longer hungered. And perhaps, even a sense of loneliness; though Cain would hardly call his starvation welcome. Like when one turned off a TV that had been buzzing with static interference.[/indent]
[indent]…[/indent]
[indent]Footsteps resounded from the bedrooms, and the thin figure of a groggy girl appeared in the hallway past the foyer. Though it was too dark to see her features, Cain already knew who it was. A smile packed his face, and this time, there was no malice behind it.[/indent]
[indent][color=aaf0d1]”Is that you, Cain?”[/color][/indent]
[indent][color=f0d1aa]”That’s right, Ava.”[/color] In the shadows, she couldn’t see Cain’s desolation.[/indent]
[indent][color=aaf0d1]”[i]Whoa[/i]. I can, like, smell you from here dude. Go take a shower.”[/color][/indent]
[indent]Cain laughed. [color=f0d1aa]”It wasn’t that long ago that mom and dad had to tear you away from your book every night to do the same thing.”[/color][/indent]
[indent]Ava sighed. [color=aaf0d1]”Big words, coming from a man who smells like absolute death.”[/color][/indent]
[indent]Cain beamed. His wonderful sister was never wrong.[/indent]
[indent]He was about to excuse himself to take that shower, but his mind wandered back to Rose. The hair she took from him, and what she said… It didn’t shake him at the time. It was one of his talents when it comes to salesmanship, he could stomach any burden for an increased payout -- and for him to eat ‘clean’, the burden he shouldered was Rose’s wrath. But when he thought back upon her visage, the way she curled and warped her form like a mirror of her animosity, he couldn’t help but shudder. The way she smiled through it all was distinctly different from Cain’s salesman smile he had learned to never let go of, Rose’s was depraved.[/indent]
[indent]More importantly was what she said after taking his hair. That she could learn about his loved ones. As he looked over Ava, fear began to grow in his stomach, but even more than that, wrath consumed him. Not due to hunger, but for the idea that anyone would dare touch Ava. Just the thought wiped any trace of that warlock from his mind.[/indent]
[indent]He took a more solemn tone. [color=f0d1aa]”I’ve heard from Abel. He says there’s been an increase in supernatural activity here in Ember Grove. I'm thinking about looking into increased security, for both of us.”[/color][/indent]
[indent][color=aaf0d1]”Yeah? I kinda feel like there’s always increased activity, though. I mean, not that it really bothers me.”[/color] She turned away from Cain and started away, presumably back to her room.[/indent]
[indent][color=f0d1aa]”Ava.”[/color][/indent]
[indent]She paused. [color=aaf0d1]”What, dude?”[/color][/indent]
[indent][color=f0d1aa]”If anyone bothers you… no, if you even think that anyone’s gonna bother you, then you know what I’ll do to them.”[/color][/indent]
[indent][color=aaf0d1]”Gross.”[/color] Ava continued walking until she was out of Cain’s frame of view.[/indent]
[indent]Cain remained in his foyer till he heard the sound of Ava in her room. He moved to the bathroom and carefully washed himself off so as not to leave traces. Fortunately his clothes were not permanently stained.[/indent]
[indent]...[/indent]
[indent]After the shower, he stared at his reflection. Alone in front of the bathroom mirror, he spoke to no one.[/indent]
[indent][color=f0d1aa]“I’ll admit, we were c͞l͜͡e̛v̶̕e̴̡r.”[/color][/indent]
[indent][color=f0d1aa]”...Why are you still here.”[/color][/indent]
[indent][color=f0d1aa]”What d̛͞͡i͞d̷̷̵ ͘y̷͠o͏̨u̶ ̵̷̧e̢x̨͡p̧ec̷̷ţ̷̀?̴ That I’d go aw̢͡a̵y͠ entirely?”[/color][/indent]
[indent][color=f0d1aa]”What are you.”[/color][/indent]
[indent][color=f0d1aa]”...I guess you c͜͡o̴͟u̢͡͡ld̢ ҉̛͟ć́all̵ ͜m̵e̛ the p͝ŕ̷o̢d͜u̴çt͞҉ of some u҉n͏̨h̡è͝͠a̧͞҉l̷̨t͟͠h͡͠y̴ habits…
...And as long as you keep those habits, Cain, I’ll stick around.”[/color][/indent]
[indent]As he talked to himself, he wondered if he was losing his sanity. At this point in time, Cain had absolutely no way to know. Regardlessly, there was some [i]business[/i] Cain had to attend to today. It wouldn't be easy, but Cain would find a way to come out atop his circumstances.[/indent]
[indent]First, he needed some allies. Allies of [i]parasitic[/i] nature.[/indent]