I'm pickin up good vibrations (OPEN)

[whatmatters]

It was a fairly bright night, the full moon of the second waning at a slow pace and the remaining glow casting about the city streets. All things considered, it was a fairly pleasant evening and the sounds of late night pub activities wafted through the air as if to pointedly suggest that nothing was amiss. Ringer didn't believe in that false serenity and the sight a couple strolling arm-in-arm somewhere down the road annoyed her a little. It was that ignorance that she was trying to protect. Still, she couldn't help the slight envy at having her own normality stripped away from her years ago.

She wandered Lewisham and Greenwich mainly, knowing the areas were hot spots for activity and wanting to stretch her muscles. There were silver bullets in the magazine of her Sig Sauer, tucked safely away in its shoulder holster beneath her jacket. There were a couple wooden bolts in her back pocket, a knife in her combat boots, and a roll of gauze in the inside pocket of her coat. She liked to be prepared.

A.

Ringer was distracted by the soft glow of a lantern outside a picturesque home as she rounded onto the next street, nearly - or literally - running smack into whoever might be coming the other way. She immediately withdrew and scrambled to regain her bearings, offering an apologetic expression in the hopes it might be some simple Londoner who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Are you okay?"

B.

There was a noise not far away, the next street over, and Ringer wasted no time in seeking it out. Perhaps it was simply a cat jumping on a trash can, but it was as likely some asshole monster causing trouble. Or maybe that was wishful thinking. Whatever the case, she drew her 9mmm and held it down at her side, mostly concealing it to the casual observer as she came up on the area. One wrong move and the source of the noise might find the barrel facing in their direction.

C.

[Anything else! Feel free to write a prompt or message me with ideas.]

Comments

[whatmatters]

Interesting, how he was so willing to lay down his own terms before agreeing to work together but then became seemingly dismissive of hers. Ringer had read enough books, played enough chess, and been naturally gifted enough to recognize certain strategies. She was oblivious to Cooper's actual intentions, believing that either he sincerely hadn't thought that far ahead or that he had other plans that would remain a mystery to her. Either way, it didn't bode well.

"You don't want to work together," she commented lightly. It wasn't a question or an accusation, but an observation. "Okay. If he doesn't hurt anyone else, I'll leave him alone. If he does, I'll do everything in my power to kill him. Will you take care of the body?"

The one at his feet. If the man was truly dead, the least they could do was either dispose of it or call 999 and avoid some kid stumbling on it.

[emotioneater]

"Then we both know where the other stands." He understood where the hunter was coming from. He just didn't agree with her course of action at all. First thing she was going to do was run back home and tell someone about this, he just knew it. A group of hunters against one rookie vampire would only end one way. If he didn't find this newborn vampire soon, the only thing that would be left to find would be the bloody stakes they were going to ram through his heart.

He sighed and pulled out his cell phone. "If I must, I must." It wouldn't be the first time he'd had to explain a suspicious body to the police. There was no way he'd be a suspect. They'd most likely believe it had been a rabid animal attack from the wounds on the body.

let me know if you'd like me to edit

[whatmatters]

"I know you don't want to kill him. I also know that you're suggesting you don't want to see him hurt anyone else." That was, really, all she understood of what Cooper's intentions were. While Ringer had laid hers out clearly and concisely, the vampire preferred to remain a mystery. It might be enchanting if it wasn't such a cliche.

She quieted as he called, not wanting her presence to be known to the police unless necessary. Although it was unlikely she would be considered even a potential perpetrator, there was no reason to take that chance unless he decided to inform on her.

After a moment's pause, she frowned slightly and walked forward to close the distance between them. Ringer slowly and very deliberately reached for the pen in her pocket and held it up to display it for him to show it was no threat. She uncapped the instrument and, if he would allow it, moved to write her mobile number on arm. It wasn't flirting. This was strictly business, so that he had no excuses for not controlling it if the young vampire went on a rampage again.

No, it's good!

[emotioneater]

Cooper stayed on the phone, answering the operator in a short, curt tone. They'd chalk up the lack of emotion to shock when they eventually found him. He stiffened up when she approached him, but relaxed when he saw the pen in her arm, allowing her to write on his skin.

He moved his arm to read the number written down. If the situation hadn't been so serious, he would've made a crack about her being so forward with giving out her number after only one meeting. Though he was supposed to stay on the line with the emergency services, he abruptly ended the conversation and hung up after urging them to get there as soon as possible. He didn't want them to get suspicious when he started talking to Ringer again. "You better make yourself scarce before they show up if you don't want to answer any questions."

[whatmatters]

Ringer pocketed the pen and took a step back when she'd finished, waiting to listen to the call. It occurred to her that she should probably take her leave soon, to avoid being a party to the whole thing, when he spontaneously hung up. For some reason, it surprised her that he hadn't remained on the line. The words that followed only served to unnerve her further and she glanced at him, eyes narrowing in suspicion for a second.

"Thanks," she replied, the suspicion clear in her tone. It was gone as quickly, replaced by the same apathetic voice as before. "Call me if he kills again or ends up in an territory you shouldn't visit."

Ringer gave him one last puzzled glance before she turned and began walking away. It was one of the first vampires she had met whom she could actually talk to and the conversation had not gone at all the way she expected. The hunter wasn't certain if she had made an ally, if Cooper would try to manipulate and use her, or if she'd never hear from him again. Only time would tell, she supposed.