Unseen War (Tyria & Ink.Knight)

[Ink.Knight]

Avery watched the opening of the club from her spot by the bar, thankful once again that the bleeders were allowed a certain amount of alcohol each night to help loosen them up. Without the judicious downing of shots she doubted she'd have managed to survive this long, since it helped to dull her temper a little so that she didn't do something stupid in the middle of a feeding. Of course she couldn't drink as much as she'd have liked to, since it thinned the blood and dulled the taste. Which would obviously be bad for business.

Sighing to herself she downed one last shot before pushing away from the bar and putting her full weight back on the ridiculously high pumps she was now far too used to walking in. Every inch of her was dressed and groomed to tantalize, to draw customers in so that the club owner could make his fortune with the blood of pretty young men and women. Her skin was luminously pale in the dim lighting of the club, marked with bites from over-eager customers who hadn't cared whether they left scars or not. Tiny black leather shorts left her legs visible from upper thigh to ankle where matching peep-toe pumps wrapped around her feet. Her upper body was just as skimpily covered in a dark red cropped halter top, leaving plenty of skin open to be bitten and groped and whatever else the customer wanted to do. Long dark auburn hair fell down her back in thick waves, rich and full and just begging to be grabbed and used to pull her in close for a feeding. Besides the bite marks the only thing that made her look different from an average clubber was the slim black leather collar wrapped around her neck, marking her as property of this particular club and spelled so that she couldn't leave the building as long as she wore it. Nor could it be removed by human hands, while no vampire would dare mess with another's property so they'd never bothered to protect against that sort of interference.

The music started up as she and the other girls started to mingle with the vampires that had entered. The true blood whores were the first to approach them, eager for the bite and addicted to the rush it gave them. Then there were the broken ones, slipping quietly among their peers and betters until a customer chose them and going meekly with their heads down. And then there was Avery. She didn't fit into either party, though the addiction of the bite certainly tempted her. But her anger had kept her head clear for almost two years now, ever since her brother sold her out for a chance at immortality and power. She had no idea if he'd gotten what he'd been promised, only that his greed had gotten their younger brother killed and left her here. A slave to one of the two main warring factions of vampires that lived among humans without being noticed. It wasn't a fun or pleasant life, but she survived and intended to keep doing so with the hope of finding an opportunity to escape at some point.

(fair warning, my posts aren't usually this long but starters require more detail. Also here's her outfit.)

 

[Tyria]

RE: Unseen War (Tyria & Ink.Knight

There were times when Inna hated her job with passion. Action movies illustrated it as never-ending stream of adrenaline, but that was obviously just a bunch of screenwriters with no actual experience using their artistic license way too liberally in order to earn that sweet, sweet cash. Not that she blamed them. Reality tended to be far less glamorous and capturing all the agonizing boredom in between the fleeting moments of fun would surely drive them to bankruptcy. Business was business; that golden rule reigned over all areas of life, as Inna learned to understand very fast. Today would be different from the colorless routine composed of hiding in a car in some desolate alley, drinking bad coffee out of habit rather than true need and waiting for the target to graciously show up, though. All the pieces on the chessboard had assumed their designated positions, blissfully unaware of the fact victory was already firmly in her grasp. Not informing them she along with her friends were going to pay them a visit might have been the main factor in this predicted outcome, but hey, life wasn't too keen on fair play and Inna saw absolutely no reason to go out of her way to rectify this imbalance. In fact, the vampire planned to push their chances of survival further into the impossible territory. Consent of her old friend was everything she needed to achieve that, and Will could never resort her persuasion tactics for long.

"So," she spoke in a tone of someone discussing weather and pierced her companion with a stare so intense it could compete with X-ray in intensity, "I presume you're going to hold up your end of the bargain, am I correct, William?" The man sitting in front of her shook his head in utter disbelief, although there wasn't disapproval in that gesture; merely surprise. "I... well, of course. What do you take me for, a honorless hack? I promised, after all, and I'd rather eat my shoes than break my word. Still, I'd like to point out you're likely signing your death warrant." Inna rolled her eyes. "Duly noted, mum. Listen, if I truly end up dying permanently, I officially invite you to engrave 'I told you' or a similar inscription on my tombstone to commemorate your wisdom for ages to come. Whole generations will be able to learn merits of cowardice thanks to my sacrifice. Now if you're done prophesying my bleak future, can we please move on?" It was Will's turn to make a face. "I really hate you sometimes, Inna."

"If it means anything, I can guarantee the feeling is mutual." Bickering playfully, the two headed outside where a group of taciturn blokes awaited them already. "Say hi to Will, friends. He was kind enough to agree to help us, so you should show him some respect," Inna encouraged them, secretly giggling at the mere idea of it ever happening. William was a talented wizard who could probably tear down the whole fabric of reality with proper training, yet he suffered from chronic pacifism. The mental illness had damaged him so severely she had had to save his poor ass more than once which had lead to this interesting situation of him owing her. These guys who measured their masculinity according to the liters of blood they had spilled could never see him as anything else but a failure.

They got in the limo together and the driver wordlessly headed for their destination: one of the famous clubs where vampire trash chilled when they wanted to lose themselves in an ephemeral moment of ecstasy. There was nothing special about this club in particular, except an unnaturally high number of their enemies would gather in that place today, lured like moths to the fire. And just like those proverbial moths, they would be scorched by the flames. Good, Inna thought as she imagined the bar burning down to its foundations. Institutions such as these were just breeding grounds for degeneracy. Acquiring blood shouldn't be as easy as whipping out a wallet, for god's sake. What happened to the good old thrill of hunt? Would they allow themselves to become just as complacent as their human counterparts who got fatter and fatter while consuming toxic waste from supermarkets they dared to call food? What an utterly disgusting idea. The engine went quiet, signalling their journey had come to the end, and Inna stepped out. She didn't have to speak with her comrade to agree on the course of action; everyone knew their roles. William stayed in the car, mumbling an incantation that would hide the bloody orgies that were about to break out before the eyes of the world and prevent outsiders from communicating with the vampires inside, while her boys got ready to, as they said, "fuck the shit up." .

"Your ID, Miss," a muscled bouncer stopped her. "You're not a regular here, are you?" Inna conjured up the sweetest smile her facial muscles managed - so sweet it probably caused cavities - and her hand got temporarily lost in the folds of her coat. "No," the vampire admitted, "but then again, the regulars are on their way to the endangered species list, so it's not like you can afford to be choosy with customers." With those words, she staked him through the heart swiftly, ending his miserable life. The wild thing within her roared in satisfaction as he disintegrated to ashes. His colleague met the same fate, although it was delivered by Artyom rather than her.

Inna dusted herself off casually and entered the bar as if the cold-blooded murder didn't excite her more than squishing a mosquito. Dressed in close-fitting black leather accentuating her curves, the woman didn't stand out between the customers very much which immediately caused the desperate blood whores to flock around her in hopes of attracting her attention. Females probably enjoyed a certain kind of popularity among them, if only because they generally weren't as prone to aggression as males while having the same ability to pleasure them through feeding, so they perceived Inna as a desired catch. Too bad their lack of backbone instantly killed any attraction she might have felt. Broken toys served no purpose and these soulless husks had sex-appeal a rotting corpse. "Go away, I have no interest in eating another man's leftovers. Oh, and if I were you, I'd follow my advice very fast. In fact, I might just run for my life if I were in your shoes." A side-way glance told her Dimitry blocked the entrance. "On the other hand, perhaps it's too late already." While they hadn't arrived here to slaughter prostitutes, collateral damage was something that unfortunately happened often, especially since someone would likely use them as human shields sooner or later. Then Inna pulled out her stake again, and panicked screams filled the night.

 

[Ink.Knight]

RE: Unseen War (Tyria & Ink.Knight

Avery sensed the shift in the room with the skill of someone who's life had depended on being observant and quick to react to changing situations. So when the fighting started she was already grabbing the two nearest girls and dragging them to a corner out of the way. She gathered as many of the bleeders as she could and scooped up a discarded stake before placing herself between the terrified slaves and the warring vampires with a snarl on her lips. The first to come near them, no matter the faction, didn't take her seriously enough and ended up with a stake in his heart in a moment. The next few were more wary, but still didn't expect her to be as much trouble to subdue as she truly was.

The human fought like a wild animal, fire in her gray eyes and clawing with her nails when she wasn't using the stake she still clutched in one hand. Ashes clung to her clothes and hair after a little while, making the floor under her heels slippery when it shifted under her weight at the wrong moments. But she didn't seem inclined to back down any time soon, taking out the rage of years of abuse and degradation on those who had seen her as only a feisty meal just a little bit ago. Now they saw that this food had teeth of her own, and wasn't afraid to use them.

 

[Tyria]

The terror in eyes of her enemies, adrenaline coursing through her veins, gleeful delight when their bodies underwent accelerated decline; Inna felt like a child in an amusement park with unlimited cash at her disposal. There was just something utterly magical about extinguishing the spark of life they cherished so much. The power surge that flooded her system almost reminded her of drunkenness, at least if her memory captured that state correctly. It had been a while since she could legitimately get drunk from alcohol. Inna still liked the taste out of nostalgia, but it didn't really do the trick for her anymore. The vampire metabolism, while gifting her with many advantages, took one of the greatest pleasures away from her through its sheer efficiency. That admittedly sucked, although mortality sucked even more.

Watching Inna fight was like a poetry in motion. She moved with minimum effort, seemingly predicting steps of her opponents before they could act on their intentions, and made her way through the battlefield like a hot knife through butter. It was blindingly obvious to her trained eye these people weren't warriors; she would be willing to bet the only fight they had ever participated in had been between them and their common sense desperately trying to convince them they should probably learn at least basics of self-defense when living in such dangerous environment. The common sense had obviously been decimated in that battle and now they were going to experience a similar tragic loss. Suddenly a stake heading for her heart appeared in her peripheral vision. Inna caught the attacker's hand mid-air, prepared to crush it to teach the stranger a lesson about messing with her, but her own surprise stopped her. A human? Well damn, now that's a plot twist worthy of an epic novel. The girl who had decided to play a hero looked like an ordinary whore that would be invisible to her among her sisters, and yet she didn't. Her face was anything but a picture of broken submission so normal in places like these and it wasn't insanity that mirrored in her strangely colored eyes, either. Inna recognized the panicky although grimly determined gaze; it could usually be seen on cornered animals. Fascinating, indeed.

After a moment of deliberation, the vampire pressed her wrist with a carefully calculated amount of strength. It was enough to make her drop the stake, yet not enough to break the tiny bones in her hand. The fight had basically ended by now, so she could afford to pay some of her precious attention to this interesting anomaly. "Well, hello, little one," Inna said in her sing-song accent, apparently completely indifferent to Avery's attempt to kill her. She continued to hold her hand in her iron grip, though, and kept the girl at bay in case she was still feeling combative. "That's a nice stabbing technique you've got there, although I regret to inform you it's not the best way of making new friends, at least not in my culture. Luckily for you, my culture knows the perfect recipe for mending broken relationships. Come with me."

At this point, Inna let go of her since presence of her comrades who didn't have to deal with executing other vampires anymore should be a good deterrent on its own even without any physical restraints. She went to the counter, picked up a surviving bottle of brandy and poured it into two glasses casually. The atmosphere was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Inna then handed it to the human, a sinister looking smile on her lips. "Come on, little one, you look like you need a drink. What's your name, by the way? You don't have to tell me, but I would like to warn you in advance I'm going to give you a nickname if you don't share the info, and trust me, you want to avoid this outcome like the damn plague."

 

[Ink.Knight]

The other girls stayed safely huddled in the corner while Avery fought. There was no finesse or training in her movements, just instinct and the overwhelming urge to survive. That was another thing that made her stand out from the rest. Her survival instinct was strong, stronger than that of most humans actually. Domestic living had softened a lot of those base instincts and desires in humanity, but not her. Her life had only strengthened them, giving her the edge she needed to last in this environment.

When she saw the leader of the attack come within range she lunged with a snarl on her lips, only to be stopped cold by the iron grip on her wrist. She twisted and tried to squirm out of the vampire's grasp but it was no use. And the careful squeezing, while not breaking anything, still hurt enough to draw a gasp from her as the stake fell from her suddenly nerveless fingers to clatter on the ash-dusted floor. The woman's smile and sing-song voice sent a shiver down her spine, the usual warning of the presence of an apex predator but ramped up by the situation and the fact that Avery was trapped.

Upon the release of her wrist she pulled her arm to her chest, rubbing the pale skin where she'd been squeezed and frowning at the woman as she moved to the bar and poured a couple of drinks. She automatically took the glass offered to her, brow furrowed in cautious confusion. At the question though her mouth twisted slightly to one side before she took a generous sip of the brandy. It was nicer than the stuff the whores were usually allowed and she savored it for a moment before answering.

"Avery. But I really couldn't give a damn what you called me." She figured she was going to die anyway, so the filter she usually used to keep herself from saying anything too stupid was removed. She took another long sip of her drink, savoring the burn of alcohol down her throat.

 

[Tyria]

"I suspect I'd feel the same way if I had a name like this," Inna nodded compassionately, proving once again you didn't need to possess the Y chromosome to have social awareness of an empty coke can. "Isn't it a male name anyway? Did your parents yearn for a son to such degree they didn't have a back-up female name in the reserve and decided to go with their original plan or is this just English being quirky again? Man, and this happens when I think I've got everything figured out. Anglophones can be so bizarre sometimes." Oddly enough, there wasn't a trace of demeaning tone in her questions despite their intrusiveness; just genuine curiosity sprinkled with with a dash of astonishment. For someone who had sowed death and destruction mere minutes ago, Inna sure looked startlingly innocent in her child-like wonder. "Anyway, just to follow the time-tested protocol, my name is Inna Iosifovna." Introducing herself with patronymics instead of surname which essentially meant "Inna, daughter of Iosif" may have been both old-fashioned and technically inaccurate, but the habit ran so deep she couldn't unlearn it no matter what. "It's an honor to meet you, Avery."

The vampire raised her own glass and let the alcohol tickle her taste buds lightly, not bothering to explain anything to the likely confused girl. At least not yet. Revealing all the crucial info at the same time would totally destroy the dramatic tension she had been building so diligently. Besides, the liquor was exquisite enough to demand her full attention at the moment. Why spoil the enjoyment with multitasking when they had all the time in the world? William could probably hold the barrier for days to come even with one arm tied behind his back, so there was really no rush. Putting her empty glass on the counter, Inna turned back to the rebellious human. "I assume you'd like to know what's going to happen to you now. Or maybe you've already surrendered to fatalism and don't care in which case too bad, I'm still going to explain. This little incident you've witnessed occurred because your master messed with the wrong people. My master, if we want to enter into particulars. Given these conditions, you and other... let's be politically correct for the sake of mutual respect and use the term "employees" for now... shouldn't get involved at all because hey, not your fault, right? Unfortunately," Inna began and her voice surprisingly did betray some degree of sympathy, "grey is the theory and green is the tree of life. The fact is we can't just let you go because you humans have the nasty tendency to speak when your mouth should remain shut. In practice, this means you're going to work for us instead."

Inna didn't like the fact they were entangled in the same kind of business, but mafia wasn't charity and not providing the same services as their competition would eventually cost them too much. You just couldn't have the cake and eat it, too. "This doesn't apply to you, of course, since you've proven to be too undisciplined for this kind of job. In truth, I should probably just kill you and get it over with, but I do admit I find you intriguing, so I'm going to make you an offer. If you agree, I will claim you as a prize for this successful raid. You will be legally mine with everything it entails, meaning you won't have to please random customers anymore. Granted, you will still be obligated to serve me in any way I see fit, but I am a better candidate for the position of your master than most. As long as you behave yourself, I can even whip you into shape and transform all that pent-up anger into skill of a true warrior which can be utilized to get the sweet revenge on those that got you into this situation in the first place. The potential is definitely there, all I have to do is awaken it. Alternatively, you can just die. I wouldn't dare to deprive you of the freedom of choice," Inna concluded the monologue with shrugging her shoulders and looked at Avery with the question clearly written in her eyes.

 

[Ink.Knight]

"It's gender-neutral." She muttered sullenly into her drink. Though honestly it was a surprise the vampire had even asked. Since mostly she and the others were saddled with any number of interchangeable and derogatory 'pet names' that always left Avery with a sour taste in her mouth upon hearing one directed at her. When she said it was a pleasure she scoffed, taking another small sip of the brandy even though she knew she had to be careful. Too much too fast she she'd be too intoxicated to keep her wits about her, and something told her that was even more necessary now than ever.

"Yeah, I'm sure." She retorted dryly, pale gray eyes focused almost fearlessly on the other woman. It was the sort of fearlessness that came not from courage or even arrogance, but from having nothing left to lose. Waiting to find out what happened next Avery grew restless, gaze flitting around the club to spot at least two girls who were likely dead. Her jaw clenched, the protective instincts that had driven her to stand between Ethan and Noah before the elder brother's lust for power got the younger killed flaring to life at the sight. But her freshly boiling anger was derailed by the distraction of Inna speaking again. She listened carefully, frowning even as she felt slightly relieved for the women grouped up behind her. They'd all probably end up dead in an alley within a week if they were set free at this point.

But the part about her didn't really sound like much of a choice, and she was about to say as much as scathingly as she could manage. Until Inna continued her offer with something Avery could never refuse. She outright gaped at her, the chance at revenge swirling through her mind at top speed. Kill Ethan, avenge Noah. All she had to do was say yes. Become a personal slave instead of a blood whore. Inna would probably still feed from her but she was used to that. She was answering before she was even conscious of making a decision.

"Let me kill my brother and I'll do whatever the hell you want." Her voice was hard and determined, eyes like steel. She walked steadily away from the women she'd been protecting until she reached the bar next to Inna. Once there she drained her drink and placed the glass down next to the vampire's.

"But if you want us to be able to leave the building the collars need to come off, or at least the spells on them." She added after a moment, tapping the black leather wrapped around her throat and then gesturing at the others who all wore the same.

 

[Tyria]

Judging by Avery's expression alone, Inna truly thought she was going to have to kill her for a while. Refusal of her generous offer went against centuries of evolution that screamed at the little human to save herself at any cost, but then again, a girl who spontaneously decided to go on her personal crusade against the vampires despite apparently having zero experience at fighting instead of hiding under one of the tables and praying for her survival probably didn't even know what word "self-preservation" meant anyway. What a shame. It wasn't often that a human managed to emerge from the mediocrity that stuck to their kin like bubble gum to hair, so killing the one rare exception seemed to be awfully wasteful. Who threw away rough diamonds when they could be processed into gems of priceless value? Still, potential she couldn't access was no potential at all and it needed to be destroyed, mainly because not tying up loose ends resulted in consequences of your naivety returning to bite you in the ass with embarrassing frequency.

Mentioning the possibility of revenge was like pushing a magical button, though, for Avery suddenly looked as if she had been promised the kingdom of heaven. Family issues, eh? Geez, no wonder she doesn't hesitate to sacrifice herself in a kamikaze attack like that. Cool kids born in this century might consider her views hopelessly outdated, but Inna genuinely believed there was nothing more sacred than bond blossoming from kinship. The old proverb insisting blood had more substance than water hadn't just appear out of thin air. The sense of togetherness that came with it nourished the soul in ways no other relationship ever could. The fact her own siblings hadn't received the gift of immortality was possibly the only downside to becoming a child of the night and even then, Inna at least had memories to fill the empty gap in her heart. What did this girl have aside from not-very-well suppressed anger? "A great choice," the Russian nodded approvingly. When Avery pointed out the magical device on her neck, Inna put her hands around it and snapped the object effortlessly as if it was made out of cardboard. The collars did prevent the slaves from removing them, but no such limitations applied to vampires. The only thing that protected the whores from being outright stolen by a smitten customer was fear from their owners' retaliation. Naturally, the ashes on the floor couldn't exactly complain anymore.

"There you go. I will have to mark you as my property as well, though... Hmmm, how do I do it?" the brunette thought aloud. "Collars are unpractical in many occasions, plus they're so ugly I couldn't coerce my worst enemy into wearing them without feeling a bit guilty." Suddenly a bolt of inspiration struck her and her face brightened in smile. "Okay, I've figured it out. Don't question it and just go along, Avery." Inna proceeded to bite the inside of her mouth with enough force to draw blood, then she grabbed Avery's hair firmly, pulled her close and kissed her roughly. The original goal had been just to transfer some of her blood into the girl's system - enough to visibly label her as hers, yet not enough to turn her into a vampire as well - but her mouth was warm and welcoming and oh so much softer than she had anticipated the firm grasp on her hair somehow turned into caress. Once their lips parted, Inna felt somewhat breathless. Not that she'd let anyone know, of course. "Well, now that this is done, we can move on. Artyom, Dimitry, take care of the girls and then burn this place to ground. Fire tends to be an effective message. Report to the boss afterwards, got it? Avery, do you have better clothes here or will we have to make a shopping trip? Because honestly, you're going to kill yourself on these heels if I am to train you."

 

[Ink.Knight]

Avery sighed in relief as the collar was removed, rubbing at her neck without the leather in the way for the first time in what felt like forever. But before she could really process the lack of a collar around her throat there were lips on hers and a tongue prying hers apart. The taste of blood filled her mouth even as she instinctively gave as good as she got. There was a wildness in the return pressure of her lips against the vampire's, a sign of her channeling her ever present anger into the kiss.

But when the grip on her hair softened so did she, unconsciously easing the pressure she was giving until the kiss finally broke and she was left blinking at Inna with the sharp and salty taste of blood still in her mouth. "What the hell was that?" She asked, frowning as she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and resisted the urge to spit to try and clear her mouth of the taste. She had a feeling that she'd been given the bloody kiss for a reason, and Inna probably wouldn't take lightly to her undoing whatever it did.

 

[Tyria]

Inna blinked in confusion as if trying to dispel an illusion of sorts, yet the world her eyes presented to her remained unaltered. Not many people dared to question her actions, both during the short fleeting dream that was her mortal life and her existence as a predator hidden in the veil of night, so it understandably surprised her. Frankly, the vampire didn't know whether to be upset or pleased. The spark of defiance was what had intrigued her about Avery in the first place, but the idea of her new slave objecting against every meaningless detail didn't sound so appealing anymore. If she wanted to spend every second of her eternal life arguing with someone, Inna would have gotten married and acquired a mother-in-law in the process. Too bad her attitude doesn't come with a switch. Oh well, I guess training her to forget her bad habits is part of the fun, isn't it? Wearing a clement smile that could easily belong to a kindergarten teacher explaining to her students that yellow snow shouldn't be eaten, Inna put her hand on the girl's shoulder. The gesture would have been perfectly innocent had someone else done it, but somehow, the vampire managed to turn it into a subtle threat. Maybe it was the sudden coldness radiating from her eyes.

"Look, Avery, I realize I can't really expect miracles from humans, but I had a certain hope you would at least understand your own language. Last time I checked in my dictionary, word slave was defined as a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another. In case you haven't noticed, it's not a synonym for friend. What I mean to say is that you'll address me with respect next time or there will be consequences. I'm not into theatrics, so you don't have to do the mistress nonsense, but stop acting like I'm your bitch, got it? Moreover, I already explained what I did; I marked you so others know you belong to me. Oh, and I will also be able to find you very easily now, so I don't recommend engaging in any shenanigans I wouldn't approve of. Anyway, I asked you a question you failed to answer, Avery. Do you have better clothes than these rags or not? And speaking of your stuff, do you want to pick something up from your old home?" Even if she couldn't behave herself just yet, Inna didn't plan to be needlessly cruel for that would only alienate her further. No, this situation demanded a delicate mixture of strictness and kindness.

 

[Ink.Knight]

Avery's attitude hadn't been trained out of her yet but she knew she'd misstepped as Inna's hand landed on her shoulder. But the vampire's smile made her bristle with the condescension contained in the simple expression and her jaw clenched defiantly. There was a snarky comment on the tip of her tongue. But catching sight of the thugs removing collars from the other girls reminded her they weren't alone. And there was one lesson that had stuck with her during her time as a slave it was that those in power didn't take kindly to their position being challenged in front of their underlings. So instead she huffed out a breath and nodded her understanding.

"The only other clothes I have are about as practical as these. And I doubt Ethan still has that cheap apartment. Even if he did he probably sold anything I might want." There was true hate in her voice as she spoke of her brother, the kind that was fueled by rage and grief and not likely to fade any time soon.