undergrounds | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

1. His plans for London mostly went like this: try to avoid dying, and don't make any unnecessary enemies. Simple, straightforward, and unfortunately, harder than one might hope considering Millicent's recent edicts. Let's kill humans, let's kill werewolves, let's piss off half the known factions. The vampires back home didn't exactly value lives, and certainly most of them wouldn't care about humans or werewolves, but at least they valued subtlety.

His concern, of course, was that when those other factions got angry they wouldn't target the one who had made the edict, but rather, the ones that were far more accessible and easier to kill. Namely the newer vampires, like himself. Not that he was going to hole away and hide. Instead, he was going to head out and go drinking. After all, if all of this led to an all out war, Thomas might as well enjoy things before they got worse. Besides, maybe hitting the bars he'd learn something useful. Or meet a delectable new friend. Having relocated, he did need to rebuild a network of people he could rely on for a bite, after all.

That was his excuse, at least, for going to the bar, throwing back cheap alcohol (why pay more when nothing tasted right, after all), and flirting with anyone who caught his eye.

2. After dining on a nice young lady that night, Thomas noticed she seemed a bit woozy, like maybe he'd had too much to drink. Or maybe she had, since he did notice her drinking a glass of wine before she'd gone with him. Either way, he was not letting her walk home on her own. That was why he currently was walking around the dark streets of London, a woman leaning heavily against him, quietly directing him to her apartment.

An apartment where, apparently, the entrance that she needed was around the side of the building, toward the back. Well, in that case he was particularly glad he didn't let her walk back on her own, he thought as she directed them into the dark, secluded area. This certainly didn't seem like the best area for a woman who couldn't even walk straight. He focused on their surroundings more, taking advantage of the fact that he could see just fine in this lack of light to keep an eye out for potential dangers.

3. The downside to needing to operate at night, of course, was the fact that most businesses were only open during the day. This meant that Thomas had to wake up as soon as the sun set sometimes, and rush out to get any errands done that he needed to get done, unless he wanted to use the last few minutes of darkness in the morning. That, however, left the risk of the sun rising while he was out, which was far too dangerous.

Which, of course, left him with a very impatient cashier at the local beauty supply store as he decided just what product would be the best to take care of his gorgeous, perfect locks.

"Come on, we close in five minutes," he heard her snap, and so he grabbed both bottles he was looking at.

Slowly sauntering out of the aisle, one bottle in each hand, Thomas made eye contact with the woman, a slow, apologetic smile creeping across his features. "I'm sorry," he said, "You didn't have my usual brand, and I wasn't sure what to go with. Although I suppose with hair as lovely as yours, I should have just come to you for advice in the first place."

Because flattery and flirtation were the way to get out of every problem...including getting a few more minutes to make shopping decisions.

4. Choose Your Own Adventure

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Evie pursed her lips. "of course it is," she responded cryptically, but didn't make to leave. How was she to believe Thomas- some American that had no idea about their Underground culture- wasn't going to drain the woman dry? Honestly, she had everyone's best interest at heart.

so she lowered her voice and spoke again to the woman: "you are alright, aren't you? you could tell me if you weren't." She's be furious it this woman wound up dead on tomorrow's news. If she declines help, fine. but she'll wait outside and make sure she's safe before disappearing out again.

"Yeah, I'm fine," replied the woman more quietly. "Thomas is really very friendly." The woman blushed a bit, thinking back on their night together, no doubt.

Really, he was beginning to wonder if he should be offended by her paranoia. Did he look that suspicious? Was this a suspicious look by English standards? Either way, he led her to the door, and when they reached the threshold, Thomas stroked her cheek, taking advantage of his vampire influence as he did so.

"Go inside," he said quietly, "And don't invite anyone in tonight."

She nodded, went in, and shut the door behind her. Turning, he headed back toward the stranger.

"See? I'm really not that terrible of a monster." Unless she'd just wanted the woman for herself, in which case he still wasn't that terrible of a monster that he'd leave her to other potential predators.

Thomas. So that was his name. Alright, Evie would remember that. She held up her hands, empty, at the two of them. "Very well." But she wasn't going to leave, not just yet.

Thomas seemed to know that, too, as when he was done dropping the girl off, he returned to the scene of their conversation.

"You can never be too careful, with Millicent's decrees. I didn't want anyone taking advantage of a so-obviously drunk girl."

Should he mention that it was partially his fault, seeing as he was the one who'd lowered the blood half of the blood-alcohol equation? Probably not.

As for the decrees...well, yes, admittedly that was a major factor in him not trusting her with a strange woman.

"Yeah, I've been ignoring those." Well, not ignoring them. He'd been far more careful to make sure humans he fed on got home safely as of late, but he hadn't been participating. "I don't really know much about politics, but I'm pretty sure Millicent giving us a few days where we're able to do this or that doesn't mean we don't still have to worry about retaliation from other factions."

And while he was pretty sure Millicent was powerful enough to handle said retaliation, Thomas wasn't confident that he was.

Oh, good, he's been ignoring the rules. Which is significantly better than following them to the letter. Permission doesn't mean it's required, after all. "I hope you pay attention to the other rules, then." The ones about killing nest members, or locals, y'know. Those ones are important.

Even if Evie's killed a few nest members. But all in the name of peace, somewhat ironically.

"No, you're absolutely right." One of the many reasons she'd been against Millicent's recent rulings. And, in fact, her position on the Night Council, when she thought about it. Who makes a rule that no one else is allowed to run? Answer: tyrants.

"I'm glad the girl got home safe."

"Well, of course," he said. "The other rules actually help the nest survive."

And Thomas, by extension. Body trails and infighting were the sorts of things that led to problems, after all. As did sending the message that a vampire feeding on a human would lead to their death. It was really just a matter of what was better for everyone involved.

When Evie mentioned being glad the girl got home safe, Thomas just nodded in acknowledgement. He was glad of that as well, after all. That was why he'd seen her home personally.

"And I've traveled enough to see some that can't hold a candle to the way we're run." We, because she was completely part of Islington, whenever she came back to London.

"I meant her no harm, as well- though you were right to be suspicious." She extends her hand. "Evie Frye."

"Thomas Raith," he said, taking her hand to shake. "And you can never be too careful."

Especially not right now, but then, Thomas was never one to trust blindly. Besides, there had been nothing to lose by not trusting her. Even if she'd been human, he'd want to prove the point that he wasn't some creep.

"So I take it you're with the Islington Nest as well, then. I'm new here, so I haven't had the chance to see how it's usually run. Unless these past few weeks are typical."

He was just doubtful that they could be, since relations with other factions hadn't devolved to war and bloodshed.

"Oh, I'm well aware."

She was old enough- and not to mention, despite being an Assassin, Evie had still been a mortal woman at one point. She knew the risks out there, what sort of things lurked in the dark. And now she was one of them.

"I am- though I haven't been in London for some time." But she'd been called home in these trying political times. Sounded like the story of her life, really. "This is... highly unusual. The fear on the streets is palpable." She'd smelled it before.

"So what brings you back here?" he asked. Hoping, perhaps, that she was going to how they were in better times.

He never was a fan of the whole fear and panic thing. Even when it came to his meals, he'd far prefer feed from someone who was in a more affectionate, passionate mood than someone in the frightened mindset of captured prey. Even though most of the people might not be aware of what changed, they surely must have noticed the increased disappearances and deaths from the rampant feedings.

"Unfortunately? Political unrest." That meant it was rife for people with less-than-favorable beliefs and plans to rise to the top. She wanted to keep London safe for all people, supernatural or no. "That, and I missed my city."

She looks at the alley wall fondly, which may seem weird, but considering how hard she'd worked to free London in the 1860s, it made sense. "And what brings you here?"

"My sire," he answered, sounding a little irritated just mentioning the man. "My sire brought me here. He informed me we were coming here, so here I am."

And that was all there was to it, really. He wasn't sure why, though he had his suspicions that he, too, was interested in the unrest, but for different reasons. Less wanting to help out in times of struggle, more wanting to take advantage of the situation to gain power, and possibly get rid of Thomas while he was at it.

"Although, while that reason might be unfortunate for you, I'm sure it's fortunate for us. It might be nice having someone who can be a voice of reason around here."

Edited 2016-05-27 00:31 (UTC)

Evie's eyebrows raised just the slightest. "Your sire," she repeats, almost questioning it. Not because she doesn't believe it: the bond between a sire and their progeny was unlike anything else. Sometimes it was one she envied. But she'd killed her sire- a Templar who'd seen fit to try to disgrace her with the bite.

"Is your sire trying to become the voice of reason here?" This time, she did raise an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest as a smile played on her words. "If he's new to the area, I wish him luck. There's a reason Millicent stands unopposed." More than one, truthfully.

Thomas shook his head. "No, I just thought you sounded like you'd be a voice of reason. I doubt my sire cares about any of it, other than being interested in how it could help him get ahead. I doubt he'd care if the whole nest burned if it didn't effect his plans, although I honestly don't know what those are."

The relationship between Thomas and his sire was...complicated. It wasn't the great, ideal relationship many vampires had, he didn't trust the man and he was fairly certain he was disposable to him. Still, he ended up following him anyway, more often than not.

"Ah. Well-" Well, Evie liked to consider herself reasonable. She liked to take a step back and plan every aspect of everything, look at a problem from each angle possible. But she could be abrasive, cold, even. And that wasn't something you wanted in a politician. If you were a cold and removed woman in politics, you were labeled a bitch, while a man in the same position was labeled mysterious and bold.

"I don't have any plans to go into politics, but I appreciate the thought." She bowed her head to him, just slightly.

Evie looks back at the woman's door, then nods for Thomas to walk with her. It was odd standing here outside her door, and she'd seen movement out of the corner of her eye about the curtains. "Let's walk and talk, shall we? Your sire- care to tell me his name?"

Unfortunate. She seemed like the sort of person Thomas wouldn't mind following.

Thomas nodded and started walking with her. "He doesn't use his first name. He likes people to address him as 'Lord Raith'." Which was every bit as pompous as it sounded. And yes, the fact that it was Thomas's own last name was something he was very much aware would stand out, so he added, "No relation."

She supposed, assassinations were political. But that was different. That was working from within the shadows. Politicians were public figures by definition.

The name gets an eyebrow quirk, but Evie quickly nods when he further explains. "Was that just a coincidence, then?" It was a good name, if you wanted to go the classic Dracula route.

"No, it wasn't that, either. He was having a relationship with my mother when she was pregnant with me. She put his name on the birth certificate. It was a lie, obviously, but it was never corrected."

So in the end, the surname stuck. Not that it mattered. In the long run, Lord Raith ended up siring him, and in the vampire world, that counted plenty as parentage anyway.

Oh. That was... Evie frowned deeply. "Troubling." It sounded like he'd planned this out in advanced, which wasn't unheard of, when it came to vampires. Some of them liked to play the long game. It was more fun when you knew you could afford the time and resources.

"He sounds awful."

"He is," Thomas agreed. And he didn't trust his sire one bit, even if he did ultimately do what the man wanted. He knew that it was all part of an elaborate game Lord Raith liked to play, and that Thomas's life was only worth as much to him as a chess piece.

"But you're still with him." She knew they couldn't leave. There was always that pull between a sire and their progeny, what they said went.

"But I can't truly relate- I killed my sire."

Thomas's eyes widened when she mentioned killing her sire. Sure, he knew it happened. If it wasn't something that could happen, his own sire wouldn't be so paranoid about it.

"I'm guessing he did something to deserve it."

After all, he couldn't imagine many vampires doing that lightly. Especially since he himself hadn't even considered trying to leave. Of course, the whole situation with his sire seemed complicated, particularly since he did care about the other progeny Lord Raith created, even if he wasn't fond of his sire. Cutting ties with Lord Raith would require him to stop contacting them as well. That was before he even considered the power Lord Raith had over him as his sire.

"And yes, I'm still with him. It's complicated."

Stuff with vampires always was.

No, not many did. But Evie, and her brother, were both anomalies. Besides, she couldn't let him get away with turning her. He'd done it as a fuck you to the Assassins, and so Evie had returned the favor.

"he did- I try not to make a habit of killing people without good reason." The Assassins didn't kill civilians, innocent people. Templars, on the other hand...

Evie purses her lips. "I'm sure it is, of that I have no doubt." They were nearing a more populated street now.

"So do I."

Not that he had always been perfect at that. Although, technically, it wasn't as if though he'd ever killed anyone for no reason. Losing control due to hunger was technically a reason. Nowadays, however, he was far better at keeping his hunger in check. Seeing that they were nearing a more populated street, however, Thomas decided to keep his words more in check.

"Anyway, I should head home. I don't live far from here."

After all, they in Islington. He never headed out of vampire territory to feed, since it seemed a bit safer that way.

"And I've already eaten enough for tonight."

Maybe he'd head home and watch a movie.

"I'm happy to hear it." Really, it means she doesn't have to kill him, and she'd rather not kill anyone tonight if she can help it.

She nods. "Of course." She had her own place nearby, as well. Though, truthfully, she missed her train hideout most of all. It was wonderful to have a place that could travel throughout the city. Perhaps she'd work on getting her own private train on the underground. That wouldn't be too hard, would it?

"Get home safe."

(no subject)

loveconquersdinosaurs - 2016-05-31 02:25 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only