#maroaexpress

[sobaka-soldat-blog]

Blood of the Covenant

【Layla + Vannika; Guest-starring Aquila and Germanicus】

----------------------------------

The distinct clicking of claws on linoleum echoed throughout the store as Vannika stalked her way down a dusty aisle of the long-abandoned hardware store, cobwebs catching on her fur. She was an experienced tracker, even long before the curse took hold of her, she knew well enough that the sound of her steps could give her away. But this was all a test, to see if Layla’s human ears could accurately locate her position amongst the boundless echoes.

Vannika slowly turned the corner, making sure to keep her towering form hunched below the line of shelving, hidden away behind rows of rusted paint cans and cracking tubs of spackle. Her trail of sight grazed across old advertisements promising streak-free finishes and the perfect off-white to complement your suburban dream home.

[librarygirl]

Checking Up

Noemi had left home at sundown. According to Foogle Maps, Layla’s address was a 20 minute drive from her house. Half an hour later, Noemi found out she’d been led down the wrong signless back road and had to turn around. It was almost 9:00 by the time she pulled up to the farm.

[chillinkillinthrillin]

Dress Drop Off

Macy waited outside the front door of Delia’s rental house, at the curve of the horseshoe driveway, which was still wet from its recent cleaning. She’d just received the courier’s text that she was on her way, and the interior of the house was not fit for visitors at the moment.

[stealoncepaytwice]

"He's not my-" Isfet bit down on the protest. Did the specifics matter? No. Bold assumption on Layla's part cause she'd feel real awkward if it turned out he'd been calling for a cousin or a coworker or something. (Later on he could examine the question of 'what gave it away?' or 'maybe that's not what she meant and she was talking in hypotheticals', much later when he'd run out of more pressing things to worry about.)

For now he just grumbled and tried not to swat at her fussing over him.

And then...

And then. Elliott spoke.

He should have called out to him, let Elliott know he was here and okay and safe. But the moment Isfet heard his voice, his heart leapt into his throat. He was almost paralyzed, unable to do much much but stop and stare and wait for him to appear in the doorway.

And then. He appeared. There he was, here, finally, and he looked... he looked so tired. His chest grew tight. "Elliott," Isfet said, barely more than a whisper. And he couldn't help it - he started back up to his feet, shaky and fatigued but determined all the same.

stealoncepaytwice​:

Isfet wasn’t thrilled about being told to sit like a little kid, but he was in no place to complain about it and did so without fuss.

When she began wiping at him though, he couldn’t stop himself from snapping at her. “Easy!!” This was followed almost immediately by a grumbled apology. Really what he wanted was to shout for Elliott so he knew he was here and okay, but there was no chance in hell his hoarse voice would be able to croak anything intelligible if he went for loud. “I don’t care how I look, just… just let him in.”

maroaexpress​:

“Shush,” Layla huffed, if she’d been paying more attention, she’d be amazed at the impression of her mother she was doing. “You look like you lost a fight with a wild pig and then did your hair with a weedwhacker. I wouldn’t want my boyfriend seeing me look half dead at first sight,” the rag, now filthy, had done its job, so she tossed it on the table. Half-heartedly she tried to straighten his clothes. “We shoulda gotten you into the shower earlier…”

librarygirl​:

“I got it,” Noemi called back. The events and revelations of the last hour had left her solidly in problem-solving mode. She didn’t want to think about anything else right now.

“Hi,” she said as she opened the door, looking and sounding exhausted. “Uh, Elliot, right?” She’d seen him a few times at parties, but they’d never talked much.

“Come in, he’s in the kitchen.”

Elliott was starting to lose his mind a little as he stood in front of the door. He was just about to set off another series of knocks when it swung open. Layla? No. There was an inkling of recognition behind his (also exhausted) eyes as he regarded the person in front of him, but he couldn’t make out her name. He’d have to ask later. Right now, all he wanted to do was see him. Hear him. All he wanted was to know for a fact Isfet was okay. 

“Yeah.” He started in promptly, giving her a single haphazard glance over his shoulder before searching for the kitchen. He wasn’t even willing to wait to be led there. “Thanks.” 

“Isfet?” Ell called, his voice shaking a bit with nerves and hope. It wasn’t long before he turned a corner into the kitchen.

[librarygirl]

Unromantic

Sunset.

Coffee was made, the way Layla had shown her - she'd gotten good at it, she thought. No dinner plans - she didn't want to give the wrong impression. But there was food if it turned out Layla was hungry. Charlie was home, but Noemi figured they'd be spending most of their time in her room.

Okay, that could give the wrong impression. But they both knew how they felt. At least she did, and she thought she knew how Layla felt about her. And she wasn't going to risk screwing it up.

No matter how much she wanted to take that risk. She could be patient.

[stealoncepaytwice]

"What the fuck!?"

He looked stunned for a moment, then wasted no more time scurrying out into the street to chuck a rock at the biker. He missed, of course.

Then he slunk back over to his post by the bus stop and went back to his phone scrolling, albeit more grumpily now.

[Open RP]

[It's late, and Isaac is alone at a bus stop, leaning against a utility pole with phone in-hand, waiting for the next late-schedule bus to come by. Judging by the time, it'll be a while. He has on a jacket but the brightly colored polo underneath suggests he's just gotten off a work shift.]

[He blows a little raspberry, both bored by and completely glued to whatever he's found on his phone to pass the time.]

[sobaka-soldat-blog]

Guns. Humans loved guns, that much Vannika had noticed since the very moment she arrived on Earth with the others. Guns were quick, powerful, far-reaching- they made up for all of the weaknesses of the human species. It made them feel safe, perhaps even unstoppable.

The first bullet was easy to dodge, as was the second. The last one grazed the side of her shoulder, but hardly slowed down her movements. As much as humans loved guns, a mere pistol could never take down a vaporvolph without the assistance of a regulator's powers.

Vannika's toothy grin stretched across her face as her corporeal form shimmered into something vaguely resembling a three-headed wolfhound.

"Too slow, Layla... Such a shame," the heads growled in eery unison as she stalked towards the human woman.

That Was Quick

Layla flew back into the stacks of old newspapers, sending them flying as she landed hard. The fall knocked the wind out of her, and she bit her cheek in the process. 

But there was no time to even really notice either thing; the gun in her hand wobbled a moment before she managed to get another breath in, but then she aimed.  Her target was fast; she fired three quick shots. One where she thought it should go, and two further in the direction her target was moving towards. Hopefully the trick worked; she was already hurt and this fight was starting to turn out badly for her.

[stealoncepaytwice]

librarygirl​:

Noemi gave the bite wound a quick look over. Not that there was much more she could do. It was clean and bandaged. And Layla hadn’t swallowed any blood. Good so far.

“Yeah, alright.” She picked up the bag again. “Where is he?”

canopycalls​:

Jax had perked up almost the instant Noemi opened the door, cocking her head so that one of her fuzzy ears pointed upwards towards the kitchen. A broad smile broke over her face as the murmur of voices reached them. “Sam stay! Be good!” She instructed him–and then zoomed directly up the stairs.

The familiar sound of slapping started up on the bottom of the trap door. “Noemi!” She chirped. “Truefriend Noemi! Jax Sam here is, okay is. Open! Door open lift!”

Isfet didn't really have much choice but to stay, unless he felt like exerting any more effort (he did not). It wasn't a good idea to risk it anyway; he was still very much hungry, and regardless of how exhausted he was, instincts tended to win out.

He did scoot around toward the stairs though, peering up from the bottom after Jax. Noemi? Noemi was here? He ducked back out of sight before the doors could open. He really didn't want anyone to see him in this state. Jax and Whats-her-face were already plenty.

[stealoncepaytwice]

maroaexpress:

Okay, that was definitely someone biting someone else.

Layla’s first test of her new infrared scope had proven that it both worked and was very effective. She had not expected to find more than one person in the woods or for one attacking the other, however.

But it couldn’t be any clearer that one of them was in trouble. She clicked the safety off her rifle, braced her thighs against the tree branch she was currently perched on, and started breathing slower.

There was no way to get a clear shot without taking the victim’s head off as well, so she aimed for the tree branch just above them. Halfway through her current breath, she fired, and the branch exploded.

She pulled the bolt back and readied for another shot, hoping she’d get an opening.

orchidman​:

Absorbed as he was in feeding, the gunshot scared the absolute shit out of Harold. He jumped, nearly letting go of his prey, as shards of wood rained down on the two of them. Only the instinct to put something between himself and the shooter made him keep his grip on Sam. “Who the fuck is there?!” he shouted, holding the vampire in front of him in the direction he thought the shot had come from.

canopycalls​:

The gunshot also frightened Jax, the crack ricocheting off every tree in a series of sharp echoes. The Bahije hunkered down at first, hair on end–and then whirled to check on Sam.

Sam wasn’t there.

So it was that Harold was facing entirely the wrong direction when Jax came barreling back out of the brush, snarling in anticipation of a threat. The sight and smell of blood hit her like a wall, and for a split second, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Jax didn’t know who this man was. She didn’t know if he was human or vampire or what other kinds of creature she may not have even heard of. But she did know two things– one, he’d hurt Sam. Badly. Blood smeared across his neck, caught in the other man’s teeth. 

The second–was that nobody she’d met, nobody in the shape of a human with no tail and flat feet, was as strong as she was.

The yell that came out of her was shockingly loud–enough to cause pain to to the both of them, a reverberating sound that rattled the eardrums and the ribs. Jax was on Harold faster than he could blink, ripping his hands away from Sam, pulling his head back by the hair almost hard enough to snap bone. Whatever she started screaming at him wasn’t in English, but the intent was devastatingly clear. 

If you don’t run away, I’ll kill you.

The only person who wasn’t particularly alarmed by the sudden gunshot was Isfet; his attention was lost to overwhelming pain and fear and the fact that these sensations were already fading, which was very bad. His ears were ringing and vision swimming. Was that because he couldn’t breath or from loss of blood? Both probably. He didn’t have much of either to spare.

Blood. His blood. Iron in the air. A sharp, angry tang. A ringing in his ears. A loud pop and a shower of splinters.

It was weird, when Isfet realized the vice of teeth had pulled away. He would have assumed it’d take longer. Maybe he really was all dried up already. He’d sure felt like it.

Yelling. The sound of his blood rushing in his ears. Louder. River rushing through his mind. Thunder thudding in his ribs.

Oh. Jax. Right.

When Harold’s hands were pried away, Isfet gasped for a shaky breath, and slumped to the ground.

[librarygirl]

"I got it," Noemi called back. The events and revelations of the last hour had left her solidly in problem-solving mode. She didn't want to think about anything else right now.

"Hi," she said as she opened the door, looking and sounding exhausted. "Uh, Elliot, right?" She'd seen him a few times at parties, but they'd never talked much.

"Come in, he's in the kitchen."

stealoncepaytwice​:

Isfet wasn’t thrilled about being told to sit like a little kid, but he was in no place to complain about it and did so without fuss.

When she began wiping at him though, he couldn’t stop himself from snapping at her. “Easy!!” This was followed almost immediately by a grumbled apology. Really what he wanted was to shout for Elliott so he knew he was here and okay, but there was no chance in hell his hoarse voice would be able to croak anything intelligible if he went for loud. “I don’t care how I look, just… just let him in.”

“Shush,” Layla huffed, if she’d been paying more attention, she’d be amazed at the impression of her mother she was doing. “You look like you lost a fight with a wild pig and then did your hair with a weedwhacker. I wouldn’t want my boyfriend seeing me look half dead at first sight,” the rag, now filthy, had done its job, so she tossed it on the table. Half-heartedly she tried to straighten his clothes. “We shoulda gotten you into the shower earlier…”

[stealoncepaytwice]

Isfet wasn't thrilled about being told to sit like a little kid, but he was in no place to complain about it and did so without fuss.

When she began wiping at him though, he couldn't stop himself from snapping at her. "Easy!!" This was followed almost immediately by a grumbled apology. Really what he wanted was to shout for Elliott so he knew he was here and okay, but there was no chance in hell his hoarse voice would be able to croak anything intelligible if he went for loud. "I don't care how I look, just... just let him in."

stealoncepaytwice​:

Isfet’s eyes were unintentionally wide as the door opened again, the light catching his retinas and glowing red for a moment. He was worried, in that moment, that he wasn’t ready, that he would again launch for her teeth-first… and then what?

But that’s not what happened. The blood Noemi had brought had sated him, and while he felt a bit better than before, he really wasn’t in a state to be launching at anyone any time soon anyway.

Then the knock. Isfet’s heart nearly leapt into his throat. “I- I don’t think there’s a damn thing you could do to make me even close to presentable.”

Which worried him, of course. His hair was matted, face smudged with dirt and grime, skin smeared with some of his (and Layla’s) blood. These clothes weren’t his, and they smelled of… of bird’s nest, not a smell he’d ever think he’d be able to identify but here it was. Everything was dirt and blood and burned, cracked skin and he didn’t need a mirror to know he looked absolutely awful. (He never needed a mirror for that.)

But Isfet wanted to see Elliott. His Elliott. Elliott who had seen him in better physical shape but a much, much worse mental one.

Shakily, he climbed up from the cellar, tucking that lucky red scarf more closely to his neck.

Layla tsked, once she got a good look at him, then dropped the cellar door closed once he was through. Some old ache she had not expected to surface did just that.

She pulled a chair out with her foot and pointed at it for Isfet. Then she went to the sink. “COMING!” she hollered to the door. Then she brought a warm wash cloth over and started wiping Isfet’s face clean, forgetting to make sure he was okay with that.  “Let’s at least try not to scare him silly,” she huffed out.

[stealoncepaytwice]

Isfet's eyes were unintentionally wide as the door opened again, the light catching his retinas and glowing red for a moment. He was worried, in that moment, that he wasn't ready, that he would again launch for her teeth-first... and then what?

But that's not what happened. The blood Noemi had brought had sated him, and while he felt a bit better than before, he really wasn't in a state to be launching at anyone any time soon anyway.

Then the knock. Isfet's heart nearly leapt into his throat. "I- I don't think there's a damn thing you could do to make me even close to presentable."

Which worried him, of course. His hair was matted, face smudged with dirt and grime, skin smeared with some of his (and Layla's) blood. These clothes weren't his, and they smelled of... of bird's nest, not a smell he'd ever think he'd be able to identify but here it was. Everything was dirt and blood and burned, cracked skin and he didn't need a mirror to know he looked absolutely awful. (He never needed a mirror for that.)

But Isfet wanted to see Elliott. His Elliott. Elliott who had seen him in better physical shape but a much, much worse mental one.

Shakily, he climbed up from the cellar, tucking that lucky red scarf more closely to his neck.

nearlyalmosthuman​:

canopycalls​:

Jax squeezed him tight for a moment. “Jax Noemi Layla talk. Sam here sit, rest. Sleep maybe.” She stood up and re-tucked the shiny emergency blanket around him, humming to him in encouragement, and then ruffled his hair. “Jax happy Sam okay is!”

Then she hopped back up to the trapdoor, and knocked to be let out again. “Hello hello! Now Jax Noemi talk!” She announced, making her way back towards the front porch the INSTANT the door was open enough for her to squeeze through.

—————————–

Elliott should be more careful.

There was still no concrete evidence this wasn’t a trap. Plenty of people would have reason to fuck with him like this. And the ammo for it. Had he had his head on straight, he would have questioned the call more or told someone where he was going. But he didn’t have his head on straight. He hadn’t since Isfet’s been gone.

‘You have arrived at your destination’

Elliott parked in front of Layla’s farm. The place where Isfet hopefully was. …In a goddamn cellar.

Before he knew it, he was already out of his car. He was already at the door. His fist was already moving to knock. All of this felt involuntary. If there was even a minuscule chance Layla was being truthful, he really had no choice. Elliott needed to be here for him. Whatever happened to him on that ‘last job’, whatever got him lost in the woods, hungry and likely hurt. He needed to be there.

The vampire’s chest felt tight at the fact that it’s just…taken so long. Even though he’s been looking all this time. 

Elliott knocked harder than he’d intended, arrhythmically.

Layla had now officially lost count of how many times she’d nearly been knocked over by Jax as she opened the trap door again. She was out of the room before Layla could speak, too. ~~~~~~

Layla pulled the cellar door open, “Hey bud, wanna come sit somewhere comfortable? I bet you could use a warm dri-” She heard a knock at the side door, that was probably Elliot. She looked down again. “Come on up, let’s get you looking presentable before he gets in.”

[orchidman]

As much as the sound of the gunshot had startled Harold before, the horrific, primal, animal sound that came from behind him as he was searching for his attacker froze the marrow in his bones. For the first half-second, he was paralyzed with mortal terror. Then, when the too-long arms grabbed him with their too-long fingers and nearly broke his neck with their inhuman strength, his fight-or-flight finally kicked in.

Harold was a survivor. He’d been around a long time. Longer than most people would probably guess. Much longer than he thought he’d live. And he’d done that by knowing how to react in this kind of situation.

He immediately released his victim, twisted himself out of that inhuman grip, and ran like fucking hell.

maroaexpress:

Okay, that was definitely someone biting someone else.

Layla’s first test of her new infrared scope had proven that it both worked and was very effective. She had not expected to find more than one person in the woods or for one attacking the other, however.

But it couldn’t be any clearer that one of them was in trouble. She clicked the safety off her rifle, braced her thighs against the tree branch she was currently perched on, and started breathing slower.

There was no way to get a clear shot without taking the victim’s head off as well, so she aimed for the tree branch just above them. Halfway through her current breath, she fired, and the branch exploded.

She pulled the bolt back and readied for another shot, hoping she’d get an opening.

orchidman​:

Absorbed as he was in feeding, the gunshot scared the absolute shit out of Harold. He jumped, nearly letting go of his prey, as shards of wood rained down on the two of them. Only the instinct to put something between himself and the shooter made him keep his grip on Sam. “Who the fuck is there?!” he shouted, holding the vampire in front of him in the direction he thought the shot had come from.

canopycalls​:

The gunshot also frightened Jax, the crack ricocheting off every tree in a series of sharp echoes. The Bahije hunkered down at first, hair on end–and then whirled to check on Sam.

Sam wasn’t there.

So it was that Harold was facing entirely the wrong direction when Jax came barreling back out of the brush, snarling in anticipation of a threat. The sight and smell of blood hit her like a wall, and for a split second, she stopped dead in her tracks.

Jax didn’t know who this man was. She didn’t know if he was human or vampire or what other kinds of creature she may not have even heard of. But she did know two things– one, he’d hurt Sam. Badly. Blood smeared across his neck, caught in the other man’s teeth. 

The second–was that nobody she’d met, nobody in the shape of a human with no tail and flat feet, was as strong as she was.

The yell that came out of her was shockingly loud–enough to cause pain to to the both of them, a reverberating sound that rattled the eardrums and the ribs. Jax was on Harold faster than he could blink, ripping his hands away from Sam, pulling his head back by the hair almost hard enough to snap bone. Whatever she started screaming at him wasn’t in English, but the intent was devastatingly clear. 

If you don’t run away, I’ll kill you.

The only person who wasn’t particularly alarmed by the sudden gunshot was Isfet; his attention was lost to overwhelming pain and fear and the fact that these sensations were already fading, which was very bad. His ears were ringing and vision swimming. Was that because he couldn’t breath or from loss of blood? Both probably. He didn’t have much of either to spare.

Blood. His blood. Iron in the air. A sharp, angry tang. A ringing in his ears. A loud pop and a shower of splinters.

It was weird, when Isfet realized the vice of teeth had pulled away. He would have assumed it’d take longer. Maybe he really was all dried up already. He’d sure felt like it.

Yelling. The sound of his blood rushing in his ears. Louder. River rushing through his mind. Thunder thudding in his ribs.

Oh. Jax. Right.

When Harold’s hands were pried away, Isfet gasped for a shaky breath, and slumped to the ground.

[canopycalls]

Jax led Noemi back outside, to the porch steps, where she sat down and pulled her friend down next to her. The alien’s brow furrowed in concern. “Noemi talk now? Jax tell, why Noemi sad is?” She plucked at Noemi’s shirt, straightening it, smoothing it. “Lorna Noemi sad make?”

maroaexpress​:

“You were starved,” she said, sounding exasperated at the idea of ill will. “And I mean I kicked you in the chest, tied you up and technically kidnapped you. If you get me that burger, we’re square,” Layla said, shrugging again to no one.

“Avenging the cow is on you, however.”

“…Fine. Okay um… deal.”

It didn’t really feel fine, but nothing did. He didn’t want to be here, but there was nowhere else for him right now. Not without putting anyone else in danger. He hugged his leg again, cheek pressed to his knee.

“I um. You’re doing a lot already but… Can you… could you call someone for me?”

—

[librarygirl]

Noemi's heart began to race as the silence stretched out. This kind of hesitation didn't come before good news.

He saw her? What did that mean? In the woods? Was she alright?

From his tone of voice, it didn't seem likely.

"Go on..."

librarygirl​:

Noemi was quiet for several seconds. The mention of Lorna had caught her off guard. The way he’d said it sent a trickle of ice water down her spine.

“No… Not since Lilius. Why?”

Isfet had thought to himself that if Noemi said no it would be a good thing. Whatever was going on with Lorna, it wouldn’t stop with him. If the only good that could come of him still being around was to give everyone warning, so be it.

Now that he was faced with actually delivering the warning though?

His throat felt tight, words heavy on his tongue. He took a drink from the second bag, knowing the silence was only going to make this worse, but he needed it. The blood. The moment to think.

“I’ve… I saw her.”

He cringed. Should have taken a longer moment, if that was the best he could come up with.

[librarygirl]

No shit.

But what had happened, exactly? What had gotten him lost in the woods, starving and sunburned? He fucked up? What had he done?

"A lot of people have been worried about you," she said, not quite accusing or blaming, but not quite friendly. "A surprising number of people. Where've you been?"

librarygirl​:

Noemi let out a quiet grunt at Jax’s tight squeeze, but returned it happily. Bone-crushing hugs were never unwelcome.

“I’m just glad you’re both alright. Let’s give him some time to recover, and you can tell me about it over coffee…”

Before she could put her excellent plan into action, though, Sam called to her from the locked basement.

Did she know that voice? Noemi was certain she’d heard it before. Then it clicked. The party. Drink Boy.

She knelt down, getting closer to the door.

“Isfet?”

He was relieved that Noemi recognized his voice… sort of. Even given the circumstances, his stomach still lurched a bit when she said his name. But that was okay, and absolutely the least of his worries right now.

“Yeah.”

Isfet worried the second blood bag in his hands. How to even begin to explain any of this…?

“…I fucked up.”