she's a vamp, but she still kills the dance

[stauncherhearted]

 
Dance In The Dark
(February 13th)
 

 

Lately, there's been a rise in parties at hidden venues. Secret locations around London that you can only get to if you know the right people. Getting there is difficult, but once you're there, it's sure to be a night you'll never forget- if you remember it in the first place.

Tonight's party is held in an abandoned tube station. Climbing down what feel like thousands of steps you step off through a dark tunnel, the old stone walls slick with condensation. After following the winding walkway, you emerge in a cavernous room, with alcoves filled with pillows, the entire place is lit by candle light. Music blares through speakers as a DJ plays all sorts of dance and techno rave music. Alcohol is plentiful, in multi-color cocktails, and the air is thick with the smell of sweat and magic.

But behind all of that is a new nest of five vampires, watching, waiting for the clock to strike midnight. At the signal, the lights will be doused, the doors shut, and what will later be called the Valentine's Eve Massacre will begin.

If you're lucky, there are some ways out. Back tunnels, sewers, ways to escape. You could always fight, too- the vampires are young and inexperienced. Either way, it's up to you to save yourself: there's no mobile phone reception down here.

Comments

THE BAR

[stauncherhearted]

[Booze flows freely from a bar made of concrete. A few heavily tattooed bartenders serve drinks fluidly. Step on in and get a drink!]

OPEN

[akillersmile]

Kyle wasn't entirely sure what convinced him to come to this place. A guy he ran with sometimes had told him to come to this secret rave somewhere and Kyle, looking to escape for a night, had agreed to check it out. Now here he was, lost in loud music and dim lighting, leaning on a sticky bar to wave down the bartender for a drink. It wasn't exactly his scene, but he sure as hell was going to appreciate it while he was here.

He ordered another beer in between a pair of close talking strangers and a gaggle of girls who looked a little young to be here, turning as he waited to look out to the dance floor and some of the other people nearby.]

THE DANCE FLOOR

[stauncherhearted]

[It's almost impossible to make out the lyrics over the sound of the base. Despite the entire place being lit by candles, the dance-floor seems to shimmer and glow like any other club. If you're lucky, you could make your way up to the makeshift stage.]

[wolfmarked]

Wherever there is music and alcohol and people, Skip can be found pretty easily. Usually, like on the dance floor, in the middle of a crowd. Made up of more guys than it is girls. Which is why she twists to the music, her drink long since abandoned.

[stauncherhearted]

One of the few girls near her is another ginger, this one far shorter. Nancy is a few drinks in, tossing her hair back as she grinds up against a nameless man. She wasn't overtly worried about much of anything, though she kept a drink in her hand even as she moved to the music. Occasionally, she glances over at Skip to catch her eye and smile. This was fun. This, this was exactly what they'd needed.

[wolfmarked]

Skip catches Nancy's eye and flashes a grin as well. When there's a lull between music, as one song is changed for another, she slips over to Nancy.

"This place is awesome. Where'd you hear 'bout it?"

[stauncherhearted]

"One of the girls I work with!" She tells her. "It's one of those knows-a-guy-who-knows-a-guy things. Isn't it cool? It's a one-night engagement!" and one of the reasons they'd taken such a round-about route to get here. That way, no one could come back.

"You're quite a hit."

[wolfmarked]

"Only fuckin' way t' spend Valentine's Day. Absolutely hate February."

Which might be odd from a girl who very happily got around as much as Skip did and could certainly not be considered single on Valentine's Day unless she wanted to be.

[stauncherhearted]

Honestly, it's not that surprising. Nancy, truthfully, loved it. She loved the cheesiness of it all. But she'd never had anyone to celebrate it with, and doubted she'd have anyone for at least quite some time.

"Huh- at least there'll be half-price chocolate!" Nancy was planning on working all tomorrow. There was a big market for lonely men out there, too.

[wolfmarked]

"An' then there's fuckin' Lupercalia," Skip muttered, rolling her eyes. But she shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head to clear away everything else.

"Anyway. Tonight. All 'bout havin' fun."

[stauncherhearted]

"What's going on with that?" She had no close friends that were full-blooded werewolves. She just had Skip. "Everything okay?"

So much for fun.

[wolfmarked]

"Gonna be my weddin' day eventually. But."

She tosses her head back with a bit of a laugh, shaking her head as she moves to the music coming back into play. Her body shifted, trying to lose herself in it.

"That's a long way off."

[stauncherhearted]

"Oh!" Well that's new information. She seemed happy about it, though, that it was so far away. And probably explained a few thousand times over why she felt the way she did about February.

"Gotta live it up while you can!" She said, reaching for Skip's hand as the music starts. Time to dance with her.

ALCOVES

[stauncherhearted]

[A few feet off of the ground are small alcoves, tucked throughout the station. It's quieter here, and pillows line the floor. It's the perfect place to take someone for a few words. Or something more.]

THE ATTACK

[stauncherhearted]

[At midnight all the lights are doused. The music keeps going and the dancing continues, but soon a few bodies are starting to drop. Something's not right- and it's not too long until the general populace have realized it. They're under attack.]

--

[feel free to npc vampires. and kill them.]

open

[stauncherhearted]

[When the attack had started, Nancy had been lucky. She hadn't been on the dance floor, where nearly all of the action was taking place. She'd been walking to the bar, and when the lights went out, hung close to the wall until she'd gotten her phone out to use as a flashlight for fear of breaking her ankle. The beam of the phone's flashlight caught a glimmer of teeth and the unmistakable scent of iron hit the air.

Blood. The dark, the isolated area, the whole feel the place had- they were having a rave in the middle of a bloody nest!

Reaching out, Nancy grabbed the wrist of the first person she could and hissed (even if it came out as more of a scream over the music)] We need to get out. Now. [Gods, where was Skip?]

[akillersmile]

[Kyle felt someone grab his wrist and heard the voice hiss near his ear. He wasn't in a position to ignore her. The scene brought back memories of South Africa, except now in a rave and him without a gun. If he'd had the resources, there was no question he would have fought. Instead, he was keen to follow the girl's suggestion and suddenly more than a little concerned for her well being.]

I'm not arguing. [He murmured in reply, pulling his wrist up to take her hand in his instead. Without hesitation, he began making his way for the tracks, knowing it was their best shot at a quick exit. He'd had a few beers, but the urgency and accompanying adrenaline helped to clear his mind.] Are you human?

[stauncherhearted]

[Hand holding. Alright, she'll take it. Nancy doesn't need to be told to move, and she follows him expertly in her high-heels. Not the most sensible for running, but there were a lot of things she could do in heels that most couldn't.

That, and she wasn't human.]

Witch. [She says, because if this is the first thing he thinks to ask her, so coolly, then clearly he knows something. If not, he'll chalk it up to more of the craziness of the night.] You? [She keeps one hand free, in case she needs to act fast, usually using her hands as catalysts for magic.]

[akillersmile]

[Kyle will think to be impressed by her heels later. For now, he's pushing their way through the panicked crowds to ensure they both make it out of here alive.] Human.

[When they finally reach the tracks, he lets go of her hand and jumps down onto the center. Once he's sure he's settled, he reaches up to help or catch her coming down if she wants or needs.] Midnight or Daylight?

[stauncherhearted]

[Nancy follows close behind him anyway, trying to block out the sounds of the party behind them. The sounds of the screaming and the dying. She shivered, hovering at the edge of the platform before Kyle offers his hand.

She greedily accepts it, using him to help her get into the tracks. Now this would be fun.

For a moment, she considers lying. Just a moment, even with the adrenaline coursing through her system, she takes that moment. No. There was no shame in being a Midnight witch. And it was about time she took comfort in it.] Midnight.

[Nancy flicks her wrist and brings up a ball of light in her palm, illuminating the tracks ahead of them.] Let's go.

[akillersmile]

[It's all the same to him. If anything, Midnight sounds like the more reasonable if slightly sketchier of the two groups. He has yet to speak with anyone from Daybreak about their coven and thus has no reason to really look down on the former.]

Jesus.. [He mutters as she summons the light as if it's nothing at all. It's one thing to hear Abigail talk about magic and a whole other thing to see it in front of him. If not for his intimate knowledge of vampires and seeing the light in front of him, he might have a hard time believing it.

Kyle follows along close behind her, paranoid that any one of the other people running might be a vampire ready to attack.] Thanks. Are you okay?

[stauncherhearted]

[DAMN STRAIGHT they're reasonable! They don't break into people's homes and take their stuff under the guise that MAYBE JUST MAYBE it's dark magic. She'd been lucky she was able to reason with Norrell. But people like Kenzi...

Her heart wrenched at the thought of her best friend. But this wasn't time for that It was time to get out of here.

She looks over at Kyle as he swears and she shrugs. It's been a while since she's had someone responding to her magic like that. It was kind of nice, a reminder that she was actually decent at this, that people could be impressed by what a lowly prostitute could do.]

No, thank you. Just be glad these tracks aren't still electrified- I'm- I'm alright. But all those people back there- [She wanted to go back. But...] We can't help them. I know that. [She speaks mostly to herself, wincing.]

Are you okay? I'm decent with first-aid. [Magical first-aid.]

[akillersmile]

I am. [He chuckles a little at the thought of getting fried in trying to avoid a vampire attack. If he hadn't come in this way, he's not sure he would have trusted the tracks so blindly, even with others fleeing in the same way.

He sobers at her remark about not being able to help them. It's something he learned to accept pretty early on during his second tour, but that doesn't make it easy.] We're outnumbered, outgunned, and don't even know the full situation. And that's assuming we had weapons.

[He sighs at the thought and hesitates before stopping in their path. Although they can't fight the vampires, Kyle hates that he can't do more to help those trying to escape. He hates feeling powerless in general. After a beat, he winces and continues walking again.]

I'm fine. [He replies finally.] A few cuts, scrapes, and bruises. Let's get to the surface and then we can worry about minor injuries.

[stauncherhearted]

[As unfortunate as it is, Nancy has to agree.] I know. [Gods, she wished she could do something.

But she treks on, holding the light aloft for them. Even with the noise of the dying behind them, their footsteps echoed clearly around them.]

Good- I'll help, if you need it. [Minor healing spells were something she had more than enough practice at. With the hand not holding the light, Nancy reaches into her purse to pull out her phone, holding it high above her head.]

No signal.

[akillersmile]

We're pretty far down. [He replies with a sigh. Kyle feels more anxious in the moment than he'd like to admit, but enough training has taught him to keep his cool even when he feels overwhelmed.] We need to find a maintenance hatch or another station or.. something.

[Great plan. It's really all he can think of for the moment. He hustles just enough to take the lead as she's testing out her phone, unconsciously protective. After a few more steps, he turns around to half face her as he keeps walking.] My name's Kyle, by the way.