Of Blood, Wine, And Old Friends (Takoda Vega + Cookie Monster)

[Cookie Monster]

A young, sleek Egyptian sauntered through the hallway, her heels clicking on the stone tile with each step she took. Her long, once candy pink hair was now an amaranth hue (obviously dyed; her hair is (now) normally a deep coal black), the ends looking as though they had been dipped into black paint. She had it pulled back into a loose, messy pony tail. Her body was sleek and firm, curved and sharp - resembling that of an athlete's physique. Instead of fur, however, there was smooth tan skin in its place, taut with years of strenuous work-outs and healthy eating regimens. She was still at an unusual height of 5'2.7" (and still very particular on how she was measured), although the three inch black sandal heels did add some height to the usually short Egyptian woman.

A lilac mesh inset short sleeve bra top clung to her torso comfortably, exposing just a little bit of her navel. Low-rise black bootcut jeans clung firmly to her hips, backside and thighs, trailing down her legs until they flaired out around her lower legs. The only two attributes that seemed to set her apart was her disturbingly long six foot tail (which was now a deep tan hue, much like her skintone, and its tip also appeared to have been dipped into a black ink of some sort) and her fuzzy ears, which were now a tan brown colour and tipped black. Her eyes still, oddly enough, seemed to hold that luminescent neon green hue to them, only adding to the eerie factor with this one.

Exhaling heatedly, the young Egyptian woman ran her long pink tongue across her elongated fangs, making a sharp right down one of the corridors and pausing, listening and smelling for a particular person. When she found the trail again, she headed back on her way for her, hooking her thumbs - her nails were sharp and painted black, capped with a green hue similar to her eyes - onto the loops of her pants as she made a left down another corridor. She was close, she could smell it....

 

[TakodaVega]

Her search wouldn't lead her much farther. For Cage it had been another night where she had wandered if things would change. Her silver eyes watched the rain pattering outside from the window in the library. Where else would she be? This place, other than chapels, had been her haven for as long as she could remember. The amurjin's ears perking ever so slightly as she heard footsteps from the hallway. She didn't register who was there though right away.

It had been a long time since she had felt the pull of nostalgia. At 5'7" Cage was tall, well tall when it came to most women apparently. However she wasn't completely human herself. Her tiger striped tail coiled around the foot that rested on the floor as she pulled up her other knee against her chest. Dark velvet curved around her frame, the hood of the floor length coat hanging around her shoulders. Her ivory hair pooled into the hood, though once it was free it would easily fall past her hips. Black pants adorned her slender hips, corset style lacing flowing along the back of her knees in silk-like ribbons. From what could be seen of her belly from between the shirt coat and her pants was the top of the tattoo that had been imprinted on her hip for the memory's sake.

Memories which seemed to taunt her now even as the rain fell on the plants outside of the Terrace. Her home, well the only place that had felt like a home after she had lived with the Coven before it too collapsed. For Cage though there was more reasons this place became so nostalgic. There was no more of that murmurs and the laughter that had once stained the walls. No more of those nights where the girls had gone and reminded the boys, well save Clover, that this was their own doing. No more of those haunting eyes that watched her every move like it needed to be encrypted into ones memory. Neetle had left, had been gone a long time now. Clover, Bella, hell even Black Cherry had. Her mind skidded to a halt there.

Since when had Amkhai stopped being known has Amkhai and only as Cherry? Was it when they had actually started looking for the others? No, maybe it was because she hadn't seen her in so long. That had to be the reason. And that stung even more. Other than Belladonna, Amkhai had been the only one that Cage had allowed to get that close. Maybe because Amkhai had seen her when she had recently gotten free of the trade and build herself back up into someone whose mentality didn't haunt her wherever she went. Though the scars had run deep in her mind she had been close to her. At least she hadn't been one to take sides over things.

What would she do without that sharp tongue to keep her mind straight?

 

[Cookie Monster]

The young female stopped beside the large door that led into the library, her gaze scraping over the surface of the door. Her hand reached forward, but she hesitated - would Cage even remember her, let alone want her there? Would she be causing unnecessary tension by turning up again? How many times had she disappeared without a trace? The vampire ran her tongue over her fangs again - a silly, nervous habit she'd picked up over the years - before making up her mind. She wrapped her fingers securely around the handle and turned it, pushing the door open without a sound. Amkhai would deal with the consequences of her selfish behaviour, even if it meant Cage trying to beat her down.

She stepped into the library, closing the door silently behind her as she took in the strong, heavy, inviting scents of paper, ink, and Cage herself. Her neon hues adjusted to the new lighting before focusing on the cloaked femme, her head tilting to the left just slightly. She knew fully well who it was, cloak or not - although the white/silver hair would be a good give away. Her senses were never wrong... or so she'd like to believe, at any rate.

Amkhai walked toward her slowly, her gaze focused solely on the cloaked woman. She moved close enough until she was merely a foot away or so from her side, and instead of speaking right away, she chose to let her gaze drift out of the window to stare down at the courtyard. Nostalgia immediately washed over the young Egyptian woman, although it didn't show. Her face appeared blank, similar to a slate or a fresh, untouched canvas. It was a look she had long since mastered over the years; a stony, statuesque appearance that many learned to hate. It was her mask.

"All of this time," she began slowly, her words laced thickly with her accent as she spoke, "and I'm to find you tucked away in a library looking like a lost kitten." She shifted her gaze down to study the young woman, scanning over every available inch of her that she could. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Cage, and so she was going to absorb as much of her appearance as possible. Time had been very good to her old friend, it seemed, as she was still as lovely as ever.

 

[TakodaVega]

The opening of the door didn't detour her from her thoughts, even as that familiar scent of the desert and sugar greeted her nose. No it was that Egyptian's soft words flowed from her lips that the woman finally turned away from the window to look over into those neon green eyes that seemed to draw her in. Her silver hues calm, though there was a sadness buried deep into them. A woman who had seen many things in her life. She carefully dropped her other leg from it's perched position to have it lay along the cushioned seat along the window.

Hands moved, slowly at first until she touched skin. Real. Those same hands moved to slither around the woman's waist, and pull her closer. If she could she'd pull the woman into her lap like she had once upon a time, if not she would simply hug the woman close. "I wouldn't quite say a lost kitten Amkhai." She said softly, "A lost kitten tries to find their way home." Those silver eyes flicked as she let those fingers move up her back to slide through the longest strands that could be reached from the pony tail. "You've changed." Hopefully not for the worst, she'd make anyone regret hurting Amkhai, even when at one point they were strained to speak to each other.

Amkhai had been right though, and Cage hadn't listened. She slowly released her hold on the woman though she absently stroked along that long furred tail, slow delicate strokes meant for soothing. So many things had happened since she had last seen Amkhai, her ear flicked the scar standing out. Old, she had been there when Jillian had sliced that whip across her delicate ear in retribution. However there had always been something about Amkhai that had made her want to stay close. Even after she started to associate herself with the Devil. Quite Literally. For the longest time she was afraid the reason why she hadn't seen Amkhai was because she had lost her soul.

Over the years, knowing the vampires she had met, she had disregarded the notion that they had lost their 'souls' per say. Simply because if the person had no soul, then they had no conscience. If they had no conscience they should, in theory, not care about if they hurt anyone or understood the morality of right and wrong. Vampires did, usually. However she had seen Cherry after that, hadn't she? When Clover had given her the deeds to this place. Damn it she did it again, slipping the two names interchangeably. No, no it wasn't quite. She only thought of Amkhai as Black Cherry in regards to something related to the Hunters. At least that was what she hoped was the case.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Amkhai wasn't sure how to react at first when she felt the woman's hands moving along her sides, a slight chill catapulting up the Egyptian's spine from the delicate touch. She made no remark when she was drawn closer, although she did make sure that she wasn't pulled into Cage's lap. She hadn't submitted to anyone in a very, very long time, and she wasn't about to start back up. Her dominant and power-hungry mentality simply wouldn't allow it.

A smirk stretched its way across her lips, but it didn't seem to reach her eyes. She raised her left hand, moving it up to Cage's ear, stroking the soft velvety fur that covered it and occasionally tweaking her ear. She did love playing with her ears, if only for entertainment value since they were nice and soft. "It's quite a wonder, what scientists have developed so far... black markets offer such a wide variety of unapproved experiments." She chuckled throatily, raising her other hand to smooth her fingertips along the side of Cage's neck gently.

She inhaled slowly, contently, as Cage petted her tail, her gaze drifting South to watch the younger woman in wonder. Cage seemed to possess a more melancholy air about her than she really liked, but there wasn't much she could do at the moment to raise her spirits. Biting back a sigh, she leaned forward and nosed gently at the woman's other ear, closing her eyes almost sleepily. The vampire couldn't recall any time in her life that she had slept, or craved sleep for that matter, and yet the woman's touch to her tail and hair seemed to be relaxing her greatly.

Wrinkling her nose slightly, she reopened her eyes and moved her hand down from Cage's neck to slip her fingers through her long silver hair, drawing it out of the hood so she could comb her fingers through it and play with it.

"What ails you, Cage?"

 

[TakodaVega]

Her power hungry mind might not allow Cage's nature to pull Amkhai into her lap but that didn't matter, so long as the woman was close enough to touch, the first time she has touched someone in a long time, she was fine. A soft purr echoed in Cage's throat when she felt the gentle touches along her ear, the velvet like ears sensitive to every stroke. Even though through the lull of the strokes and the purrs she didn't move until Amkhai had finished speaking. "You best be careful dear," she said softly, "You don't know all the side effects, and I'm not sure you want to loose your long life just yet."

She would seriously have to get used to not seeing a white furred feline with cotton-candy pink hair, however she was rather intrigued if the Amkhai that she had known for a long time still lingered beneath the colder front she had put in front of her. Her fingers still stroke along the silk fur that was within reach, her own feline tail slowly snaking around her waist to make sure she didn't just run away from her. Even with the rain, Amkhai seemed to be bringing out the calm that Cage had always had to keep herself going in the end. "It's been a long time since anyone has come here." A very long time. The last person who had been here had been Onnen.

Which, in Cage's mind, had known was a bad idea. Honestly though what could she do? It's not like she could kill him. She never had the heart to. However, as she looked up into those electric neon eyes, "Amongst other things." Cage had missed her. Damn it, Amkhai had been through all of it with her. Well except for the past few years. Those had cut her deep. Neetle's assumed death, the birth of the twins she never saw again, Clover's disappearance with said twins. It all had slowly broken down the amurjin.

 

[Cookie Monster]

Another chuckle rumbled in the back of the vampire's throat, though she otherwise remained silent for the time being until she was sure Cage was through speaking. "Ah, but what is life without a little risk to it?" She mused, leaning in closer to run the tip of her tongue along the edge of her ear, nibbling lightly at the tip before she teasingly added, "What would life be like without a little adventure?"

Her neon gaze drifted down to the striped tail that had found its way around her waist, a nearly soundless laugh shuddering in her diaphragm, but never escaping her. Lifting her head, she shifted her gaze around, peering outside briefly before allowing her attention to return to the amurjin who was borderline clinging to her (or so it seemed in Amkhai's mind, at least). "Has it now?" The Egyptian drawled, sliding her hand up to trail her forefinger along the amurjin's jawline slowly, her cool touch gliding slowly from her jawline to her chin before drifting down her throat, her movements sluggish, teasing.

"And what might these 'other things' entail? Or is this a path you do not wish to venture down at the moment?" Amkhai could understand that. There were times when no one - herself included - wanted to regard past situations that could very easily put a damper on the mood. This could very well be what Cage was going through. It had been forever since she had been around or even checked back to see how everyone was doing. She had selfishly left her friend behind, despite knowing that she had a lot on her plate, what with the mutt and the vampire and all that. She would simply have to find a way to rectify her past wrong-doings.

 

[TakodaVega]

She gave the former Turkish Van a look. "I believe that was one of the reasons we became bounty hunters." She felt a shiver run go straight down her spine. Damn the woman for knowing how to make her melt easily enough. She kept her face still though, even the little bit of warmth dying a little bit, "Besides if I recall correctly, you are the one who has a far longer life span than the rest of us." Well Laikhan had really been the unknown factor, other than herself. To date she still had never seen another of her own kind to see how long they lived.

Though her mind came full question as she asked about the 'other' things. The things which had driven Cage to become a hermit, she had been hurt too many times to trust people to stay in her life that had meant the world to her. Belladonna was no exception to that rule. "I think Laikhan is dead." She said very softly, "And Clover is missing with the twins. I can only hope it's for protection sake." She sighed, her silver eyes flickering. "It seems as though everyone dispersed again. It's okay, but sometimes it would be nice to see someone who isn't constantly trying to get me into bed."

Well that answered her opinion of Onnen. They couldn't quite be Friends, and they couldn't quite be lovers - no matter what he thought about that. He needed to be fed. She should know by now the natural progression of feedings with Onnen, but of course she let things happen. Her inner thoughts were much more pessimistic than they needed to be. "You're the first person I've seen in three months." Three months.

 

[Cookie Monster]

"Indeed." The Egyptian drawled coolly, knowing fully well that that's why she had been one in the past. Now she had no real desire to be one, finding the work frivolous and boring. Yes, it was fun to steal, gather intel, and occasionally kill, but the same routine over and over again just got too old too fast. She felt like she could find something better to do with her free time, and she had plenty of it.

She smirked slightly when Cage shivered, and she merely quirked a brow at her comment. "Perhaps, although that may have been a fool-hardy, blind-sighted choice on my part." She shrugged - there was no sense in her regretting her actions, as it had been years ago since she'd been turned, and perhaps just as long since she and the "master" had gone their separate ways. Her head canted as she regarded Cage with careful, stony eyes, studying her facial expression and her eyes for any slight twinges.

"Laikhan could be a lot of things at current. He doesn't stay still for prolonged periods of time. He's a mutt, after all; all mutts enjoy taking off to go find females to terrorise, or rubber balls to annihilate. He isn't worth the worry. Werewolves are just... strange. As for Clover," she stroked her chin thoughtfully, humming. "Well, I'm sure he and the little ones are fine. He's Clover, after all. He wouldn't let anything happen to them."

Her lips twitched slightly as she considered the amurjin's words. People always tried to get into her pants, but would that really come as a surprise? She was gorgeous, and a major temptress/cock tease. Her little dances weren't exactly going to push the men away. Oh, no. The dancing would only lure them in and strengthen their resolve to get her into bed. As she finally absorbed Cage's comment on the three month of loneliness, she cocked an eyebrow at her. "You really need to get out more often. Behaving like a hermit won't do you any good."

Amkhai moved both hands up to Cage's ears, tweaking and stroking them casually, as a way to pass the time. Plus they were soft. Who didn't enjoy petting soft things?

 

[TakodaVega]

"I haven't danced in a long time Amkhai." That should probably startle the hell out of her. Those silver hues flicked. "Sorry..." She mumbled before she gently nuzzled against her sternum. When Nefarious Pleasures had been attacked so many months, wait, no a year now wasn't it?, Cage had taken a blow which had gained her certain gifts. Amongst them small bouts of telekensis and telepathy. It just made it easier the fact Amkhai was touching her to make the gift that much easier to read.

Only a glance, that's what she had always told herself though she knew given the right mind she could control it temporarily. Not that she used it much. It wasn't something she wanted to exploit that she could do - she was wanted enough as is to turn into someone's lap cat. And pet psychic. Bleh the thought made her stomach twist. She didn't even want to know what the Rat would do if he found out she was still alive amongst other things.

"I don't mean to behave like a hermit though. I leave to go get the basic things and then come back. I don't like leaving this place unattended for too long. We may be hidden but sometimes strangers do find this place by accident and need a place to stay." She honestly was going to be one of those Phantoms at his rate. Tied to the spot she had poured most of her self into this place. "It was different when the others were here though." She sighed and pulled out of Amkhai's hold slowly despite the ear rubs. Those ear rubs were doing things to her that hadn't happened in a long while. Too long. She tilted her head to look up at her carefully. "Would you like to go down to the bar?"

 

[Cookie Monster]

Amkhai was surprised by the news of her having not been dancing, but she tried her best to not let it show. Instead, she opted for nodding her head as if to show understanding, when truly she had no idea if she understood. It seemed like a passion of Cage's a long time ago, but then again, the amurjin now seemed to possess an air of... loss? She reminded her of a statue of some sort. Blinking out of her train of thought, she glanced down at Cage when she felt her chest being nuzzled, a hand gently patting her on the head - almost awkwardly, too.

"You could simply seal it off. Surely setting traps along the trail in the forest that leads to this place would deter them away? You know, things that hack trespassers to pieces, or blow them up, or shatter bones, or cause limbs to be severed..." She trailed off, her mind drifting into gory, horrific imagery as she pictured all of the unlucky travelers getting completely raped by a bunch of traps. The wolves would eat well, at least.

She eyed Cage when she withdrew from her touch, but made no effort to try and attack her ears again. She wanted her personal space and she respected that. Amkhai considered the woman's offer before nodding her head slowly. "A nice glass of absinthe, whiskey, or Everclear sounds just marvelous right now." Stepping back to give the woman some room, she unwound from her tail and turned to the door, wordlessly walking over to it and pulling it open, waiting for her to pass through the doorway before she would follow her out and to the bar.

 

[TakodaVega]

"If I sealed it off properly there wouldn't be a way to get to here, let alone get out. Being sealed off in the winter is bad enough as is Amkhai. Do you remember? There'd be times where Clover would send us out in the worst snow storm because we blended in and wouldn't be noticed." She twitched her nose, "Besides, the random tourists who come through here will get their directions home, spend the night, and go about on their merry way."

She shrugged carefully after a moment though, "I vaguely remember you being one of the worst predators. I believe you dragged an arm to the bar once and started to use it as your chew toy for the duration of the day." How she had obtained the arm, Cage had no desire of knowing. Watching her nom away at it like it was steak had been bad enough. She had grown to most of Amkhai's habits by then too.

Rising to stand, the Amurjin stood five inches taller than her companion, the trail of her coat covering sliding over her hips to hit just an inch above the floor. Had Cage been wearing her normal heels, Cage would have easily been at least nine inches taller. At bare minimum. Though even in her tallest heels she had never been quite able to look Laikhan in the eye, the thought saddened her. However, today she was barefoot. Her footsteps practically silent as she slid to the door on the opposite wall Amkhai had come in. The spacious bar sprawled before them.

"You always did like the drinks that burned." She murmured softly as she reached the bartop, vaulting over it ease and practice landing on her feet on the other side. The liquor cabinet sat on one wall as it always had. If Cage had invested in nothing else it was her liquor collection. A majority of it was top quality, though for her particular drink she let her finger slide along the shelves before finding what she was looking for. The skull rested delicately in her hand, crafted out of glass. Crystal Head Vodka. She set it on the counter before delving into the cooler beneath that. Kahlua made it's usual appearance, however the new 'mix' was the Bailey's Irish Creme that also joined the trio on the counter.

Crystal Head Vodka was not your normal vodka, it was one of those slower moving drinks. Two to three drinks in and it hits. Like a tank, to a moot point. For Cage though, she had simply gotten used to the kick. Especially since it was so smooth. Smooth was usually something to worry about. However Cage's signature drink had always been the White Russian. Most thought she was making a mudslide, save for she didn't use equal parts of each drink. It was more like a Black Russian, with a smidge of Bailey's for color.

 

[Cookie Monster]

"That's... kind of the point..." The Egyptian muttered, shaking her head. There would always be a way back, even if it meant blowing their way through with artillery, it was perfectly doable. She smirked slightly as Cage reminded her of the old missions, her head bobbing slightly. "Of course..." Although it wasn't hard to blend in, especially if you wore the right clothing and covered yourself up during the storms. She'd seen it done plenty of times.

"Couldn't I just eat them instead?" She grumbled. "Just grind up their meatiness, season it, and sell it. And the bones and organs can go to the wolves." Was she morbid? Sick? DEPRAVED? Oh, very. But she at least knew how to get rid of the evidence, and with as many wolf packs as there were, it would very easily pass as though the people had died from attacks.

Her lips drew back into a frightening, teeth-bearing grin as she recalled the incident of the mysterious arm. That arm was pretty good, and it fed her fox-like hunger. She could only blame the potion she took that caused her to do such a thing. Amkhai blinked over at the Amurjin before shrugging and closing the door, following after her through the doorway opposite of her, pausing only momentarily to take in the scenery. Not much had changed it seemed. The holiday decor was all gone, but it all looked pretty much the same. She supposed Cage was never one for renovations.

Shrugging, she walked through the rest of the way, following the woman up to the bar and vaulting over the top, ransacking the bottles of liquor until she found two that she wanted: one being Jack Daniel's, and the other being a bottle of absinthe. She stood back up and hopped back across the bar after grabbing a couple of old fashioned glasses, plopping down across from Cage and setting both of the jacked bottles on the marble bar top.

Popping open the bottle of absinthe, she filled one of the glasses two-thirds of the way before putting the bottle down and picking up the glass, tossing back one-third of it and sighing contently from the smooth burning sensation she felt.

"I see you've added a new twist to your typical routine, Cage." She observed, eying the bottles set out in front of her.

 

[TakodaVega]

"No, besides I think I like the company, other than them the only ones who show up are the Fluff, and well...you really." She shrugged her shoulders as she settled into her seat adding a few cubes of ice into her own glass and setting it in front of Amkhai, well at least on Cage's side of the counter anyway. A soft chuckle tore from the amurjin's throat as she eyed neko across from her in amusement.

"Ah, my darling Amkhai this make it so much sweeter." She replied adding first the two shots of Kahlua, another third of vodka and slowly polishing it off with the Irish Creme. She tilted her body down opening a cupboard below to pull out a spoon to slowly stir the mixture. The metal clinked against the glass as she eyed it carefully taking a sniff. It smelled right, she always double checked nowadays considering what was okay for her was normally strong to others. She offered the glass to the Egyptian with neon eyes as her own silver ones sparkled. "Would you like to try it?" She teased lightly.

If she did she'd wait till the woman took a sip before downing the glass herself slowly at first before polishing it off, her pink tongue lightly licking the remnants of the Irish creme from her lips. "Besides we have to spice up the routine every once in awhile." She eyed the Egyptian slightly before leaning forward to grip the woman's chin. "Get in my lap, Amkhai. You've been fighting doing just that since you came here."