Trash Panda

~Bonsoir~

Unprepared for Victoria’s sudden reaction, Vail tensed as she jumped. He had known his abrupt appearance would startle her, but not enough that she would drop the boxes in her arms. The loud crash they made as they hit the ground was jolting. However, his flinch was slight, and he recovered quickly to prevent her from noticing, standing aside while she collected both herself and the cargo that had slipped out of her delicate arms. If the boxes had contained anything but silver, he might have offered to help her gather them, but as it was, he didn’t want to get any closer to the ammo than he had to. Even being nearby was repulsing, since the metallic smell hung so thickly in the air, but his lust for her blood was just strong enough to keep him from backing down.

When she called him nosy, Vail just lifted his shoulders in response. Truthfully, he didn’t care what she was doing with the silver, since she had made it clear that she wouldn’t attack him out of respect for her father’s truce. He had just struck up the conversation as an excuse to stay close to her. He did find it interesting that she was arming herself against her fiancé though. It seemed she wasn’t as willing to accept her fate as he’d thought. An amused smile tugged at the corner of his lip. The Wynter who had chosen to marry her might find himself in over his head if she learned how to use silver weapons properly.

As the Lady continued to walk home, he trailed along at her side. “You could say that,” he answered vaguely when she asked if he was hunting. He didn’t want to scare her off or cause her to defend herself if she realized he was here to hunt her. The quicker he could make the ordeal, the better, but unfortunately, she continued to press him with further questions.

“Take it as you will,” he murmured, his gaze drifting warily down to the silver in her arms once more. Those boxes were the only thing standing between him and his prey. He wanted them gone, but it was probably going to take some effort to get rid of them. He could tell she was avoiding eye contact with him. She must have figured out that it was one of the ways he lured his victims in, which made it all the more difficult for him to get her to let her guard down.

As Victoria warned him about the nearby Saint, Vail wavered. As much as he wanted to feed on her again, he could still feel the ghost of the bullet that had struck him in the shoulder. He didn’t want to get caught a second time. However… His eyes wandered to her neck, and he swallowed. Now that he knew the member of the Order was out there, it would be easier to avoid him. He was sure he could get away with preying on the Lady if he was careful enough. All he had to do was take her someplace where the Saint wouldn’t find them.

“Is that so?” he queried, forcing himself to walk a little closer to her in the hopes of coaxing her to look up at him. Her feminine smell mingled with the silver, making his heartbeat quicken with anticipation. Even if it wasn’t safe, he knew he still wanted to feed on her.

“Good of him to help you,” he went on, his hazel eyes sweeping over her hungrily. “But I’m sure he won’t be a problem…” Having lingered around her for a while now, he decided to try to push his boundaries a little more. “You know, those boxes you’re carrying look heavy. Maybe you should set them down for a minute or two… Give your arms a break. I know a place nearby where you could rest, if you’re interested.”

~Bonsoir~

Vail could see his breath on the cold air that night. It was unpleasant, but it was also sobering. The further he walked away from the Hygrace manor, the more he wondered what he was doing outside in the first place. No good could come of seeking out Victoria Crest. He knew that, but he just couldn’t bring himself to turn his feet around. He was certain now that it had been a lie to say that he would just go for a stroll and return without doing anything rash. It had been his motivation from the start to find the Lady and secure another taste of her rich blood. No matter the consequences, he wanted to have it. He couldn’t get it out of his mind.

Running his tongue hungrily over his teeth, Vail followed the road that would carry him past the most popular taverns in the city. He remembered that he had come across Victoria this way the last time. With any luck, he would find her again, asking around about whatever she was trying to learn about her father. What would come after that was still up in the air though. She knew what he was, and it would look quite unusual if he suddenly appeared by her side after a week of silence. It wouldn’t take much for her to fathom why he’d sought her out either. Before he’d made her his prey, he had kept his distance from the Lady. Anyone would be able to put two and two together since he’d only started following her after she had become his meal.

Recalling his conversation with his father, Vail shook his head. A week ago, he had found it amusing that Peter would warn him against stalking the Crest heiress, but now, here he was, doing just that. Perhaps he should have heeded Lord Hygrace’s words more carefully. Although he hadn’t had much of a choice. The Lady’s blood was so enticing to him; he couldn’t have stayed away from her on that night if he’d tried. Any time her fair skin was broken with the slightest cut, he felt drunk with desire. It really had been only a matter of time before he’d given in to his impulses.

Now, he wanted to give in again.

He peered through the windows of the taverns he passed, hoping to catch the slightest sight or smell of Victoria. Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to be around. He slowed to a stop near the end of the street, clicking his tongue in disappointment. Perhaps she hadn’t left her family’s manor tonight? He had chased after her on nothing more than a hunch. Just because he’d run into her at pubs before didn’t necessarily mean she was visiting them every single night. It wasn’t unlikely that she was asleep in her bed at that very moment, and he was wasting his time by searching for her in the streets.

Vail sighed, his breath clouding in front of his nose. If she wasn’t even outside, there was no reason to keep looking for her. However, just before he could give up, his eyes widened slightly as a familiar scent rode to him on a chill breeze. He smiled victoriously to himself. It seemed Lady Victoria was still wandering about after all.

With a trail to follow, he turned and made his way down a different road, keeping a lookout for movement in the shadows as he walked. He didn’t want to come across any Saints while he was on the hunt. Closing in on his prey, he just wanted to feed again and go home without any more trouble. It was especially dangerous for him to be out tonight. Not wanting Peter to know of his recklessness, he had snuck out of the manor without alerting anyone. If something went wrong, no one would know where he’d gone or that he’d even left. For his own safety, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down this time.

After following Victoria’s scent for a while, Vail finally spotted her up ahead. He licked his lips desirously and took a step toward her only to freeze in his tracks when he watched her enter an old building up ahead. It didn’t look like a tavern. Curious, he edged closer to the place, keeping just enough distance that he would be able to run if he needed to. It didn’t smell like a tavern either. The strongest odor was gunpowder, but there was also a subtler hint of metal that made him narrow his eyes. It seemed the Lady had been serious about her intention to learn more about her father’s life. There was silver inside that building.

Deciding it was too risky to get any closer, he crouched down in a nearby alleyway to watch the door she had disappeared through. She had to come back out sometime, and he could be patient enough to wait. After all, just because she went somewhere unappealing didn’t mean he was going to give up on his hunt. He’d come too far to let her slip through his fingers now.

Luckily, he didn’t have to stay put for very long.

After about ten or fifteen minutes, Vail saw the door open again and Victoria step outside with her arms full of boxes. He wrinkled his nose as the acrid scent of silver wafted to him through the air. It was obvious what she was carting, but it wasn’t enough to deter him from going after her.

Slowly, he rose from where he’d been hiding and followed the Lady down the street, only pausing once to glance over his shoulder and make sure no one else in or around the unmarked building had seen him pass by. The area seemed clear, so he hastened his pace, eager to catch up with her before she got too far ahead. His movements were silent with practiced precision that he had mastered over the course of two centuries’ experience of stalking prey, and he appeared at her side as if from thin air.

“That’s quite the load you’ve got there,” Vail mused, eyeing the boxes in her arms carefully. Though he was still planning to prey on her, he couldn’t help keeping some distance from her while she was holding onto so much silver. It was an instinct to stay away from the metal. He would just have to figure out a way to make her part from it before she reached her family’s manor.

His feral eyes flicked away from her burden as he met her gaze. He needed to keep her talking long enough that she would be relaxed by his pheromones. “What on Earth could you need all that silver for?”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow followed at Penelope’s side as she led them over to one of the nearby merchant stands, silently chiding himself for letting his emotions get the best of him. The last thing he wanted was to ruin the one day they could spend together by moping about a decision he had made. Even though he didn’t enjoy nobility as much as being a criminal, it was worth it to be with her. Besides, it wasn’t really that bad. His freedoms had been lessened, but it wasn’t like he was miserable. The castle was a comfortable place to live, the food was good, and there were some people he got along with, like Naida. There was no point in focusing on the negatives when it wasn’t a bad life.

Unfortunately, Penelope seemed to pick up on the change in his mood too. As she attempted to reassure him, he winced. He didn’t want her to know he wasn’t as happy as a viceroy, since she was the reason why he’d taken the position in the first place. His dissatisfaction wasn’t her burden to bear, but knowing her, she would probably try to take it on anyway. Everything she said was right too. It was a difficult season, but once he got to the end of it, he wouldn’t have to worry about pleasing anyone anymore. When he built up a better reputation in the castle, he could stop hanging around other noblemen; and when he married the knight, he wouldn’t have to keep rolling over to her father. The only person who would still have any say in his life was his father, and the king had been pretty agreeable so far. It wouldn’t be much longer before he could return to a similar way of life that he was used to.

“I can’t wait for that,” Crow sighed, not bothering to hide his somberness now that Penelope had already caught him. However, his mood didn’t stay down for long. When they approached the edge of the merchant stand, he noticed right away that the man was selling goods from Medora. The southern kingdom was known for its elaborate metalwork jewelry and crafts. His eyes swept over the wares with childlike fascination. He’d seen some Medoran art in the markets in the outer villages, but never anything this fine of quality. The copper pieces were inlaid with rubies and other jewels that had been cut to reflect the light. The artisan who had made them was highly skilled.

“Wow,” he whistled, fingering the edge of a metal pendant that had been shaped delicately into a leaf. “These are impressive.” Looking up at the merchant, he saw that the man was watching them with a pleased expression. He was probably the one who had crafted the goods on the table.

“Quant?” Crow asked, guessing the man had travelled from Medora.

The merchant raised a brow, seeming surprised to hear his native tongue in Brerra. His smile broadened as he answered, “Cinquanta peces d'or per al que esteu veient. Cent per les joies més grans.”

“Cinquanta?” Crow gaped at him in shock. “Per això només?”

“No trobeu joies d'aquesta qualitat a qualsevol lloc del vostre territory,” the merchant boasted proudly. A sly glint appeared in his eye. “A més, cap home no hauria de gastar cap despesa en la seva dona. Es veuria bonica amb el meu coure.”

Crow glanced at Penelope before turning back to the man with a shrug. “No puc discutir amb això,” he smirked. “Potser tornaré més tard.”

“Estaré esperant,” the man grinned.

Crow forced a polite laugh and then turned away from the merchant with a roll of his eyes. “He priced his goods at no less than fifty gold coins,” he explained to the knight, wrinkling his nose. “That’s more money than most villagers will ever see in their lives. Is everything in the inner kingdom this expensive?”

--

Translation

“How much?” Crow asked, guessing the man had travelled from Medora.

The merchant raised a brow, seeming surprised to hear his native tongue in Brerra. His smile broadened as he answered, “Fifty gold pieces for the one you’re looking at. One hundred for the larger jewelry.”

“Fifty?” Crow gaped at him in shock. “For just this?”

“You can’t find jewelry of this quality anywhere in your land,” the merchant boasted proudly. A sly glint appeared in his eye. “Besides, no man should spare any expense on his woman. She would look beautiful wearing my copper.”

Crow glanced at Penelope before turning back to the man with a shrug. “I can’t argue with that,” he smirked. “Maybe I’ll come back later.”

“I’ll be waiting,” the man grinned.

~Bonsoir~

Over the course of the next few days, Vail remained in the Hygrace manor to finish healing from the wounds he’d received from the Saint’s gun and Victoria’s dagger. The speed of his recovery was remarkable, even to him. Even though feeding on humans always helped encourage the process, he’d never experienced something like this. The morning after he’d drank the Lady’s blood, the laceration in his right leg had faded to a mere line of discolored skin, and the hole in his shoulder had closed up as well. It would only take two more days before both scars disappeared completely.

Throughout his time at home, Vail noticed that he was slowly reverting to a nocturnal rhythm as well. He continued to wake later in the day until he saw few hours of daylight before night fell. It was the more natural cycle for his kind, since they thrived and hunted in the darkness, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to continue it forever. His family had switched to waking in the morning for the purpose of being seen out and about during the day. It was another method of protection, since the Order seemed to believe vampires couldn’t handle standing in direct sunlight. While their fair skin was more prone to burning in prolonged exposure, it was easy to simply put on a tailcoat to cover the limbs and wander the town for an hour or so before returning to the manor.

Vail had a bit of a pass to sleep during the day now though. Since he’d been identified by a Saint, there was no reason for him to continue feigning being human. The Order likely knew who to look for, so the next best thing was to wait for them to either forget about him completely or sit back until the current generation died off, as he had done once in the past. He was content either way. After all, waking at night didn’t necessarily mean he would be any more restricted than he was before. He was still free to come and go from the manor once the sun went down. He just had to watch his back a little more closely while the Saints were keeping a lookout for him. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but it was manageable.

Of course, just because he could leave didn’t mean he was going to.

Now that he’d fed recently enough to stave off the withdrawals, Vail decided there was no more reason to risk his neck by venturing into the city. Instead, he spent most of his waking hours in his room with the curtains drawn, so no one outside would notice the constant flicker of candlelight coming from his window each night, reading or painting or practicing any other quiet activities while his family slept. He found the time to be peaceful, enjoying the silence and the comfort of his own company. However, though it was mostly good, he couldn’t stop his thoughts from occasionally drifting to something else: The Lady Victoria.

Despite the fact that his cravings were gone, he couldn’t get her out of his head—or more specifically, her blood. Every time he thought about it, his mouth watered. It was like a drug that he couldn’t get enough of. The vitality he’d experienced after tasting a mere trickle of the stuff was like nothing he’d ever felt before. As dangerous as it was to hunt down the same target twice, he wanted more of it. He wanted to feel the high of drinking the sweet blood that flowed through her veins, just ripe for the taking. It was practically consuming.

Letting out a sigh, Vail set down the paintbrush in his hand. Only a week had passed since the night he’d preyed on Victoria, but with each day, the temptation to seek her out again grew stronger. He knew it was a bad idea. She’d only allowed him to feed on her once, and she was involved with a member of the Wynter clan. If her soon-to-be husband discovered that there was someone else drinking the Lady’s piquant blood before he could, he would surely be furious. Vail didn’t want to instigate a fight between their families by stepping on Spencer’s toes.

However, knowing that she was about to become the prey of another vampire made him bristle with annoyance. Even though he’d known from the start that she was to wed a Wynter and that he shouldn’t have even dined on her in the first place, there was a jealousy blooming inside of him that wouldn’t allow him to sit idly by and watch someone else have her instead. Knowing that someone else was a member of his family’s rival clan just made it all the more unbearable.

Suddenly restless, Vail stood up from his easel to pace the edge of the room. As bad of an idea as it was, he itched to go out and look for the Lady again. He was sure he would find her if he tried. The last two times they had crossed paths was because she had been trying to learn more about her father. He doubted she had stopped since then. All he had to do was pick up her trail, stop her before she went home… and then what?

He ran a hand through his hair. It was a terrible idea. Completely awful. He wasn’t even thirsty for more blood yet, so there was no reason to hunt her down after just a week. He should just stay in the manor until he needed to go out to satisfy his urge to feed. It was the right way to go about the situation.

Despite his reasoning, he found himself putting on a tailcoat.

I’ll just walk around for a little while, he decided. If he burned off his excess energy, he would surely be able to put Victoria out of his mind, right? With no better plan, he headed out of the mansion and into the dark city streets, trying to convince himself that he would stay away from the Lady if he saw her.

Match Up in Malibu [Bee & Summer]

Jett nodded absently when Nina explained what she thought about the confessionals. He wasn’t sure what to expect since he didn’t watch many reality TV shows, but he knew he had to be mindful about what he said when it was his turn to talk. If he made any comments that would hurt his reputation, he was sure his manager would bite his head off when he went back to New York at the end of the summer. It was hard to balance relaxing with work when someone was always watching him for news-worthy slip ups.

As Nina attempted to cheer Bella up, Jett turned back to the two, chewing on the end of his fork. Honestly, he thought Madison’s outburst was uncalled for. He’d never met her before yesterday, but he could already tell she was a grade A bitch. It was a marvel she was as famous as she was when she didn’t seem to know how to shut her mouth. Every other egomaniac he’d met in Hollywood was at least smart enough not to let it be known what they thought of everyone else. Charisma was just part of the job. No matter how terrible of a person someone was, they could still rise to the top as long as they could put on a friendly face for the audience. Madison seemed to have gotten around that rule somehow. She probably made a sex tape or something.

Caught up in his thoughts, Jett blinked when Anna suddenly spoke up. She’d been so quiet until now that he’d almost forgotten she was still sitting with them. At least she wasn’t siding with Madison. After the way she’d spoken to him at the breakfast bar, he didn’t know what to expect from her anymore. Last night, she’d seemed like a cool person, easy to talk to and fun to dance with. This morning, she acted like she didn’t want anything to do with him. He glanced at her subtly. Right now, she seemed like the girl he’d met at the party. It was hard to keep up with her mood swings when she switched from vixen to viper at the drop of a hat.

As she suddenly drew him back into the conversation, he smirked amusedly and took the fork out of his mouth. “I think you already know what I think. Right, Bella?” he asked, turning to the other singer. He guessed that Anna didn’t know he and Bella had been friends before the start of the show, since she hadn’t even known who he was before last night. Of course he was going to pick her over Madison any day.

“Yeah,” Bella smiled back at him. “You always hated people like her.”

“For a good reason,” Jett nodded. “Who cares what anyone else thinks? Do what you want. Eat, drink, and be merry.” Having said his piece, he picked up his empty dishes from the coffee table and stood up. He wanted to explore the rest of the house now that his stomach was full. “I’m going to see what else this place has to offer,” he announced. “There have to be some cool rooms in a mansion this big.”

“Sounds like fun,” Nina got up too, jumping at the chance to tag along with him. “Mind if I join?”

“Go ahead,” Jett shrugged, turning back to Bella. “I’ll see you later. Enjoy that grape juice.”

Night and Day [LunasRose & Summer]

Chase noticed that Alix seemed just as distraught about the findings as he was. He was slightly relieved to know that it wasn’t just him who was concerned about the possibility of a serial killer. She had been in this field a lot longer than he had, so at least he could be sure he wasn’t overreacting. But, then again, someone who had been a detective for three years was just as concerned as the rookie who didn’t even have his own ID card yet. That had to mean this wasn’t the average, easy-to-solve case. If she was worried, it was probably going to be nothing short of a nightmare.

He wanted to groan in frustration. His meeting with the chief had gone smoothly enough, but it seemed his bad luck had caught up to him in another, much more twisted way. Who else but Chase Wolfram would be assigned to take on a dangerous serial murderer on his first day on the job? The odds of being struck by lightning were probably better. Yet, here he was, walking out to the parking lot with his new partner on their way to investigate the scene of a double homicide. It felt like a scene right out of a bad movie.

At least the rain had cleared up to a steady drizzle.

As Alix asked if he wanted to drive, Chase turned to her just in time to fumble for the keys she had tossed at him. It looked like he was driving whether he wanted to or not. Not that he would have turned down the offer though. He didn’t have a car of his own—it wasn’t practical in Manhattan, where walking was almost always the faster way to get around—but he’d liked patrolling in the squad cars provided by the station. Driving around the city with the music turned up was how he and Jake used to unwind on shift.

Circling around to the driver’s side of the car, he unlocked the doors and climbed into his seat. Compared to the vehicles he used to drive, being in the SUV made him feel like he’d won a game show. It was obviously a new model with all the fanciest bells and whistles he could think of, and it still had the infamous “new car” smell that he could only get with Christmas tree air fresheners in the old police cars. Even though it wouldn’t have the same oomph as a sports model, he couldn’t wait to see what it felt like on the street.

Taking a minute to adjust the seat and mirrors to fit his stature, Chase glanced at Alix who had just shot him a wink. Despite the dismal reason for their excursion from the office, she was keeping the mood light. Just like Jake, he thought with relief. “Nah,” he grinned. “Dead bodies and psychotic serial killers? Just another day at the office.”

Finished setting up to drive, he turned the key in the ignition, listening to the satisfying growl the engine made as it revved to life. “Yeah, I’ve got an apartment a few miles from here actually,” he answered her next question as he backed the SUV out of its space. There was a video of the rearview on the dash—another fancy upgrade—but he looked over his shoulder out of habit anyway. “It’s nothing special. Just a one-bedroom loft I share with a buddy of mine. Everything is so expensive around here that it’s nice to split the rent.”

He glanced at her again as he drove the car out of the lot, “What about you? Do you live in Manhattan, or are you a commuter?”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow got a little distracted ^^;
He doesn't like feeling trapped

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

When Penelope returned his banter with a sultry offer of her own, Crow grinned. Since it was turning out to be a busier day than he’d expected, he hadn’t been sure if she thought they would have time to be alone. Now that he knew it wasn’t off the table, his spirits lifted even more. It had been a while since the last time they had been able to be together, so he was looking forward to it quite a bit, especially after everything that had happened with Elizabeth. He wanted to get the other noblewoman out of his head and remind himself even more of his feelings for the knight.

As Penelope went on to explain why she had to dress up for the party, Crow shrugged. “Well, if they can’t appreciate you without fine clothes, then that’s their loss,” he asserted. Of course, after going through his titling ceremony two weeks ago, he understood that she was right about having to keep up appearances in front of the other people in the castle. It was the reason why his father’s servants had worked so hard to clean him up into a “respectable” looking nobleman. If he had stood in front of the crowd unwashed and ragged, none of them would have taken him seriously. They cared far more about what someone looked like on the outside than what they were actually like on the inside, as the peasants did. It was frustrating, but if the knight was going to convince anyone, she had to play by their rules.

“I won’t,” Crow casted Penelope an amused look when she told him not to judge her. “I know I’ve been teasing you, but I do understand why you need to do it.” He sighed, letting his gaze wander over the other people in the market. “As much as I hate to admit it, you were right before when you told me you can’t go through life in the inner kingdom without caring what other people think—at least a little bit. Other nobles’ opinions matter a lot more than I thought they did.”

He frowned as he considered it more. He couldn’t even make personal decisions without getting someone else’s approval anymore. As a peasant, he’d never had to think about how his desires impacted anyone else, but now, he had to work constantly to please the people around him who had a say in his life. He pandered to his father to keep his position as viceroy, he pretended to be interested in shallow conversations to befriend men like Wayne, and he was always walking on eggshells around John, since he had to get the knight’s permission to marry Penelope. With so many people tugging him in different directions, he felt like a puppet, no longer as free as he used to be to live life as he pleased. It was a discouraging thought.

Realizing he had fallen quiet, Crow turned back to Penelope to answer the question he had neglected. “Not particularly,” he mused with a half-smile, still slightly somber due to the things on his mind. “We can go wherever you’d like. I’m sure anyplace you choose will be great, love.”

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow maaay be getting ideas in his head about the market ^^;

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

As a blush appeared on Penelope’s face, Crow studied her curiously, wondering what had crossed her mind that would make her so flustered. Personally, he’d thought their conversation had been quite lighthearted. Had he said something that embarrassed her? He opened his mouth to question her about it but didn’t get a chance before she told him where they were headed to now. Apparently the marketplace was next on the list. He put his brief confusion behind him as his eagerness to explore the city with her replace the emotion.

“I can’t wait,” he said with genuine excitement. No matter where they were, marketplaces had always been a scene he enjoyed. The lively crowds of vendors and consumers were thrilling, and there were often stands of goods that had been traded from neighboring kingdoms. He liked seeing the artistry and exotic produce from places like Medora and Waithen. This was a noble market too. That meant there would be a surplus of expensive products like jewelry and weapons that he wouldn’t be able to see in the outer villages, where there was no demand for such fine items.

Plus, the busy streets were the perfect cover for a thief.

While he had been keeping his hands to himself since he took on the title of viceroy, Crow couldn’t help but feel tempted to pocket a few coin purses or rings. Stealing was his favorite part of visiting any marketplace. He had gotten quite good at it and hadn’t been caught in years—aside from once in Younis when Hartley had sold him out to the local guards. There was no bratty kid to ruin his odds this time though. As long as he was careful, it could be the perfect opportunity for him to brush up on his skills.

Keeping the thought to himself, he met Penelope’s gaze with a roll of his eyes, “I may have my clothes picked out for me, but they’re nothing I would have chosen for myself. Everything is so bright and gaudy. The only nice thing about them is that the fabric is softer than what I wore as a peasant.” He shrugged and casted her a playful smile. “Besides, I don’t know what you’re worried about. You impress me no matter what you’re wearing, love… even if you’re not wearing anything at all.” He added the last part in a lowered voice, winking at her flirtatiously.