Hunting Ground

[valerie_vause]

Most of the buildings that surrounded the outlying areas of the campus thrived. There were only a few apartment buildings and hotels that had problems with guests apparently clearing out their rooms in the middle of the night without paying. Never to surface again. The normal consensus of thought on the matter seemed to be that Vegas just drove people to strange things. Like people were prone to running off and going nuts in one specific state because of, what, bright lights? Valerie didn’t buy it. A handful of people might just decided to start fresh, the rest? She’d wager things in the night took them.

For that reason she had decided to check the areas out. The fact that the properties were all within walking distance of each other sent warning bells off. On the outside things looked alright, but as she detoured down the alley between two of hotels she felt the hairs at the back of neck rise. That tingle of unease as she sensed them. Behind the dumpsters a struggle broke out, the scuffle easy for her ears to pick up. Then from the shadows a figure appeared, bleeding and running towards her. Behind the girl two figures stepped into sight.

“Don’t just stand there, get her!”

The command had been barked from a tall, muscular vampire with short red hair to a shorter, leaner one with a mop of unruly dark curls. Valerie rushed towards the girl, grabbed her by the arm and all but pushed her sobbing onto the bright sidewalk with a shout of, “Run!” There was no time for anything else as the dark haired vampire tackled her like a linebacker. The girl let out a scream and took off as the air in Valerie’s lungs got forced from her body. She groaned with the impact and felt the skin of her palms scrape into shreds along the filthy ground as she landed. The blonde scrambled forward on hands and knees as the demon latched onto one of her boots. She let out a frustrated snarl and kicked out with her free leg to collide with his collar bone. It did the trick and dislodged him.

Valerie wasted no time in getting to her feet before he could grab her again, she turned only to come face to face with the taller one. “You’ll make a nice replacement.” The growl made her roll her eyes and she spat back, “You wouldn’t like me.” With lightning speed she dug her fingers into his shirt and pulled him closer just to headbutt him roughly. “I cause heartburn.”

She kept a hold of him as he staggered back to use as leverage as she kicked out at the shorter vampire who’d made it to his feet. When he stumbled backwards Valerie brought her knee up to hit the red head in his groin. When he doubled over the blonde used his back to aid her forward flip over him. She pivoted to deliver a vicious kick that landed at the base of his spine and sent him into his shorter friend. Instinct had her check her back and she almost sighed. Two more sauntered slowly up the alley behind her. Valerie turned to the two she currently fought with an exasperated, “Just how many of you are there?”

The tall one grinned, “Just us four, you’ll be enough to share.”

Comments

[valerie_vause]

Surprise didn’t even flutter through Valerie’s system as Sabra clarified what she’d meant. She already knew that, which meant there was nothing knew within her that hadn’t already been there for years. Perhaps that explained the way she just looked back at the brunette, or maybe it was because she watched the contempt roll over the woman’s features whether intentional or not. Certain tell tale signs, verbal or not, were being picked up on. The blonde learning from the brunette as much as the other way around.

Valerie didn’t take it personally. They didn’t know one another, and hate seemed like the common emotion she evoked from other creatures for no other reason than what she was. What that represented. Who she represented because lets face it, the Council had a tendency to cloak their actions through the girls who held the power. They merely guided it, them, with very little explanation.

The annoyance was met with calmness. Valerie had tried to establish if Sabra roamed the streets or had a residence somewhere to go to, evidently she didn’t, or simply chose not to recognise the new world as anywhere to belong too. Either way the question had been answered, even if it had been somewhat confrontational. Snide.

Then the brunette was in front of her, so close the blonde could feel the very breath from the woman being exhaled against her skin. Valerie held her ground, kept her gaze fixed with Sabra’s and remained still. Composed. So the creature of unknown origin and species wanted to survive in this world after all. That was interesting. To blend in with a crowd would be advantageous to Sabra but what would the benefit be to her?

“Alright.” Valerie said clearly, no quiet words or tentative movements as she nodded. “I will help you exist here providing you do not try to eat me, ever. It may take a while to adjust but I will teach you how things work here. Do we have a deal, Sabra?”

Whatever Sabra was she was intelligent. Her grasp of vocabulary was quick so Valerie didn’t worry over if the brunette would understand. She already knew she did.

[primordial_visitation]

Give her a few more days and the new resident of Earth's vocabulary would tighten up smartly. At least she was able to communicate... And it didn't require violence. To some beings, that could be a form of language, all of itself - especially in the lower realms.

Valerie, for her part, was doing supremely well. Was showing patience where some others had not. A hybrid, just lately... That one had used violence and only made the situation worse. This one? This one had patience. Whether or not Sabra felt it to be an alien concept was besides the point. What mattered was that it was working. Allowing for extra options, at the very least. But she was what she was. The demonic - the truly demonic - was a force of absolute, total loathing. Creatures either corrupted by or forged in hatred, rage and the cruel hungers of oblivion. Humanity... The entire planet was little more than a speck of plankton in those vast cosmic seas of eternity. Some day, far in the future, a wake-up call was almost guaranteed.

Perhaps this one was Valerie's. On two legs, no less.

The Slayer's answer was given and her personal monster under the bed looked her up and down without even trying to hide it. Had no reason to. Why hide it? Diversions and the subtlety of assassins... Thus was the way of the Wolf, Ram and Hart. Significance was Sabra's way.

"Yes..."

That time, she replied with a smile. It was, however, a vicious one. The smile of a wolf. Maybe because she wasn't used to puppeteering the facial muscle control of human beings. Or maybe because it was in her nature to lie if she could. All things considered, maybe the earlier sneering and disdain was preferable. At least there could be no disguising its honesty.

Without warning, she brought hands to either side of Valerie's shoulders, clamping them around the blonde's upper arms. Jaws neither opening nor distending. Instead, she pulled Valerie in, burying nose in golden tresses and inhaling loudly. A passer-by might be forgiven for assuming something pornographic, but if they did, it was supremely awkward. In reality, it was quite the opposite. An apparent grown woman acting like a wild animal. A lion. Or maybe a dragon... Gaining herself a lungful of a scent it could not place. Turning head, tilting, as she took another before simply letting go.

"Oils... And other strange things... In your hair," she observed. The concept of things like shampoo clearly having not filtered down into the underworld. Not the parts Sabra had been known to dwell in, at least. "Why is this?"

[valerie_vause]

There appeared to be a fine line between smart and stupid, and right then Valerie wasn’t entirely sure which she she belonged too. The idea of not being the next sought out meal had required the blonde to think quickly. Rashly perhaps, as there was no guarantee either way. To teach such a creature the ways of life in this world could open up unexpected possibilities. Optimism had her clutch at the notion that perhaps, if done right, good might come of it. Even if she realised the potential for the catastrophic. Though she had no way to know right then which would occur. Only that one would. The best chance she had at survival right then was the very same reason she had given the brunette a free meal.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Valerie tried to believe that saying as she watched Sabra blatantly look her over, from head to toe and back up again. The oddest feeling ran through the blonde, the split second sensation of being exposed, despite being fully dressed. Then it was gone, and the brunette had given her answer. Sabra could be lying, she didn’t know her, yet she had no option but to trust her. The only concrete thought that went through her mind as the woman began to smile was, she hasn’t tried to kill me.

That didn’t stop the tingle at the back of her neck as that smile widened to show white teeth. The brunette’s eyes on hers so intently with a mixed grin of feral and ferocious left the blonde wondering if maybe she’d been wrong. The air in her lungs stilled for a second and she opened her mouth to whisper, “Then we have a de-...”

Words were cut short as Sabra grabbed her so fast that Valerie snapped her mouth shut. Teeth clattered together loudly and she sucked in a deep breath through her nose. Equal measures of surprise and horror washed through the blonde. The grip on her shoulders felt strong, very strong, but the brunette’s hands didn’t feel like they were trying to actually harm her in any way. Valerie didn’t have a chance to think about it further because like it or not she got pulled into the woman.

Over the years she’d learned to deal with many situations she’d never thought would happen. None of them had prepared her for this. It wasn’t an embrace, she knew that, yet they were pressed together in such a way it would seem like it to others. Things got tense when Sabra pushed her face into her hair, almost against her neck, and Valerie wondered why her life didn’t pass before her eyes if this was the end. The brunette gave a sniff and suddenly Valerie remembered to breathe again. Sabra wasn’t going to bite her, she was doing what predatory species did, inhaling the scents that clung to people the way animals did with each other. Valerie’s fingers curled into the fabric of her jeans then splayed against her legs in relief. Alright she grasped what was going on but that didn’t make her comfortable. The brunette’s hair was in her face and it didn’t smell clean, tickling against her cheek, and that one exhale of breath from Sabra had sent a shiver down her spine. Valerie chalked it up to fear, and nerves reacting accordingly to stimuli. Then just as abruptly as it had began, it stopped.

Valerie blinked a few times, a faint warmth spread across her neck, mildly flustered at having her personal space so utterly invaded in such an intimate way. There would be no use shouting about it right now, it could lead to a fight that she would really rather not participate in. Boundaries would need to be set and learned but given that they’d only just met, the blonde was just pleased she still had her head attached to her body. What was a little hair sniffing when that could be the alternative?

“Hygiene is important.”

Valerie pressed her lips together, focused on Sabra, and tried to answer the best way she could. “We use shampoo to clean our hair, then conditioner to keep it untangled. There are all sorts of body washes too. They have many different scents because nobody wants to smell bad. People here like to be clean, those who are not are often judged by others. Clean hair is attractive to others. Washing it keeps it shiny and soft.”

[primordial_visitation]

Five. Just the five senses. How did these creatures function? Sabra had to adapt to them, no matter how relatively limiting. The reason for why she was so intent on sniffing. That was the only way she could...

Scent. Yes, scent. An impulse. An instinct. A reaction, even. Sabra understood things differently and now had to modify accordingly. It was like a human being who suddenly had to figure out they needed to play a specific tune on a mixture of harp and accordion, in just the right combination, simply in order to move their head.

So, yes, even the act of smelling was... Interpreted differently. Existence, itself, was a form of, if not trial, then at least a puzzle.

"Sham... Poo," Sabra repeated, testing the phrase. Then the same with 'conditioner'. Practically inviting the girl to give her a crash course in pronunciation, because the brunette or, at least, whatever now controlled her like a flesh-suit, seemingly found the terminology alien. A couple of attempts and she mostly had it down, even if the explanation as to their purpose might not yet be completely within the creature's mental grasp.

A look down, eyes trailing in studious fashion to feet. "Your... Huuu-man hair is not... Only on hhhhhead," Sabra offered. Anatomically, perfectly correct, but who advertised for the pubic hair care? Testament, if ever there was, that this being still had no proper clue about the delicacies of social interaction. "If you clothe it... It must not be shiny."

Talk about an awkward moment. One which was, however, swiftly alleviated by Sabra's own sudden disinterest in pursuing the matter further. Looking away, back down the alley. Pondering. Even time moved differently here.

"I want to be... A different place," she worded, starting to walk without even asking permission, much less for direction. Simply... Setting off. "Tell me one. Tell me where. How to."

[valerie_vause]

It was truly curious to behold, an unidentified species inside a human form, learning to pronounce words. Not really her average night but Valerie wasn’t complaining. When Sabra struggled to articulate she repeated the words slower, emphasised the parts the brunette struggled with, and encouraged her to try again. It didn’t take very long for her to work out how to say them and to be honest it showed how intelligent Sabra was. Not only did she learn words quickly, she took on board their meaning. To retain such information with such speed was a gift more humans wished for. Though when she stopped and looked down, right to her feet, the blonde had to wonder what was going on.

Valerie almost felt herself laugh when Sabra stated what was on her mind. The fact that she was right just made the entire situation even funnier. She smiled without thinking about it and bit her lower lip. Intelligence aside, the brunette was akin to children learning about the world and of course themselves, and from time to time that could bring up the most awkward of topics.

“Yes.” She agreed, and then took in a deep breath. “We have hair all over our bodies. We only use shampoo and conditioner for our head hair. The rest we wash with soap.”

The blonde paused then, one hand lifted to rub across her forehead as she fought a frown. Not because of Sabra, so much as how to word things in a way that would be clear, yet vague enough to not bother her all the same. “Most women prefer to remove the hair on their legs and under their arms as it’s more socially acceptable than to leave it. The uh…” Valerie’s face took on a look usually reserved for eating something sour and motioned towards the apex of her own thighs with a general wave of hand. “This area is never shown in public, but can be maintained the same way as legs and armpits. It’s usually called personal grooming.”

It wasn’t until she looked up that she realised Sabra had began to walk off all the while still talking to her. Valerie jogged a few steps until they were walking side by side, and cocked her head to the side as she thought. She could take Sabra to a lot of places but that wouldn’t really help her so much as confuse, probably.

“What kind of place do you want to go too?” Valerie asked, looking up at the brunette as they made it to the brightly lit sidewalk. “What do you want to learn right now?”

[primordial_visitation]

Laughter. That was understood. Or perhaps the emotion of happiness was keyed in on like a mortal being would find threat from the sight of a naked flame. Either way, it earned a glance shot right at Valerie like a bullet through pane of glass. Brow furrowed, expression confrontational. Then, realising... Melting into something more akin to confusion.

How were facts a source of amusement? Humour, itself, strange and unfamiliar. Most often triggered by cruelty. By sadism. The cleverness of power... But still, no clear memories arose. Nothing stood proud from the wreckage of amnesia. It was as though all recollection had been scorched to ashes, leaving behind only a tantalising glint of what once was.

Of what could yet be waiting, buried, ready for opportune discovery.

Only one word was repeated from the explanation given. That of, "Women..." And Sabra looked down at herself, as though only now had it occurred to her to check thorax for the existence and size of breasts. Or perhaps it was more of a confirmation. Something which had been filed away for later examination, now given priority and relevance. Sabra lifting her gaze to Valerie's chest. Then blinking back up, meeting the human's gaze.

A new sense of status. Of self-identity. Neither better nor worse. It simply was.

"I want..." Still moving along in the night air, Sabra was moving differently than might be expected. There was a kind of half-slouch, only really noticeable close up. Like she was constantly bracing to react or looking for a wild animal to spear. Forehead marred in concentration as the question was considered. Looking out through human eyes as they emerged from where a percentage of Nevada's undead had since come to grief.

Stopping.

Surveying.

"When the revulsion of light comes," she began with spite, "I will not suffer it upon me. It brings me annoyance. I want... A dwelling."

[valerie_vause]

The sharp look that had been sent her way didn’t bother Valerie as she watched it turn to more puzzled than one of hostility. She hadn’t meant anything bad by the amusement that had tainted her feelings and she wasn’t going to apologise for it either. Sabra would have to learn that humour was subjective, and the topic had been one the blonde hadn’t expected. Though, initial surprise gone, she understood why it had occurred. Even if it left her mildly embarrassed. Given her age she’d never thought much about children, given what she was she never once considered having any. Right then however she got a glimpse of what it could be like, to teach another being the ways of the world. To guide with information and patience. Honestly, it was slightly frightening.

Though she did nod in agreement when Sabra took notice that she was in fact a female member of the human species. “Yes, we’re women.” The words had rolled off her tongue just before she caught sight of the brunettes gaze. Arms instinctively crossed across her chest as she cleared her throat, and when their eyes met Valerie glanced off to the road, seeing but not really watching a car as it passed. She understood it was only confirming to itself that they were the same, but that didn’t make it any less uncomfortable for her. No different, really, than catching a stranger glancing there. Which, technically, Sabra was.

Should she mention posture right now? Valerie glanced up at the brunette and decided against it. For the most part she walked quite well, all things considered. Over time she’d adapt, and there were much more important things to discuss before that. Valerie paid attention to the woman as they walked out the corner of her eye, so when she stopped in her tracks the blonde did too. Turned slightly to look at the brunette but said nothing. Giving her a moment to think, or process, or sniff out scents. Alright, the being now known as Sabra could be doing anything but to Valerie it looked like she was just looking around. Maybe getting her bearings, learning the streets.

Valerie felt her lips part, not shock exactly, perhaps a little surprised. For a being that couldn’t say the word conditioner it sure managed to wrap it’s tongue around revulsion. The tone used only intensified the word and the blonde knew instinctively that the brunette understood every word she’d just said. She was learning to talk in proper sentences, to string words together not only correctly but with feeling behind them.

“People here live in houses.” She said calmly, head tilted to watch the reaction she might get.

The last time she’d broached the topic of a home it hadn’t been great, though not particularly bad either. However, would it be wise to try and find the one the original Sabra had? valerie didn’t think so. It lead to too many questions from those who might have known the woman, and this new being was not ready to mingle in a neighbourhood with her own little picket fence and car. Which left only a few options.

“Right now shelter is a good idea. There are a few cheap hotels I could get you into. If you’d prefer for the time being, we could look at some of the derelict buildings but if you want to exist here, that kind of place is not a permanent solution.”

Valerie paused to chew the inside of her lip, let her words register before she added, “I think you should be somewhere that you’ll have access to running water, electricity and laundry. Do you eat human food at all? If so, then I think we should look at hotels.”

Obviously the blonde had considered that Sabra would have no money, but she had enough tucked away for emergencies. This felt like one. Even if she did lament the fact that at this rate, she’d never have enough for a second hand car.

[primordial_visitation]

"I eat other things."

The intonation behind it was just weighty enough for attention to be drawn to where Sabra looked. Namely, back down the alley, just for a moment. A gestured reminder of vampires meeting her nutritional needs. Possibly even Valerie, herself. Quite how far Sabra's cuisine extended was yet clarified. It was more than a little possible that she might have taken to nesting in sewers or slaughtering the human occupants of the first place which came along, had Valerie not met her.

Maybe already had.

There was little understanding of the term 'hotel', though. Possibly even 'derelict'. A degree of reading between the proverbial lines was necessary and the blonde provided enough hints for her to figure out... If not the basics, then near to them. A place where fundamentals were provided or somewhere they weren't, seemed to be the long and short of it. She did understand 'houses' and the unspoken 'home'. Things were clicking over, unseen, within her mind.

Things would likely be just as filtered in reverse. Valerie had essentially just come into the acquaintance of a being from the infernal abyss. Even one without a memory was a valuable resource, if only for its more instinctive knowledge. It had already demonstrated the ability to sense what formed her Slayerhood, after all. Eventually, if Sabra became more stable, that might even form the basis of a future meeting of minds between them.

But a lot could happen between now and then.

There was a momentary sway of head from one side to the other; Sabra appearing to be tuning into another wavelength or perhaps just using the motion as a form of inward contemplation. Whatever it iwas, it resulted in a decision.

"A roof. And walls. And you will bring me things."