Reflections [Justin!]

[viper]

Seonad was bored. Completely bored out of her fucking mind. There was nothing to do around her except keep the boss happy. She rolled her eyes, he was never happy... who was she kidding? She kept out of her adopted clan's alpha's way mostly due to the fact she knew he was more than capable of putting her in her place without a need to move. Not that she was any less rebellious, even as a Vampire. She smirked as she threw another stone and watched it bounce on the water's surface as if it was nothing more than laminate flooring. It seemed very little changed.

Predator. Prey. Vicious circles. It was exactly the way she had come to like it. She loved the thrill of a hunt and all her dedication that went into. She liked the acting, the prep, everything that made her kills so much more enjoyable. Seonad realised long ago as her skills grew that she was emanating Caspian in a lot of ways. Her eyes flickered slightly, wondering where the rat was these days, pondering if he was still a rogue catching the hearts of unsuspecting young dames ripe for the drinking. She had learned everything from him.

Another stone kissed the water, her movement swift and graceful and it was precisely why she had been called a viper. Viper. One warning, that was all they were willing to give and if you did not take it, she was not going to take pity on that poor sod who tried. Whilst she was game to try and try again, she never let her opponents the same privilege. Why should she? Let them better her, beat her at her own game? She snorted, certainly not!

Seonad had ambitions in her cursed existence and she was going to get them in any way possible. She was vaguely aware that skimming stones off the pier wasn't exactly the best thing to be found doing but she rarely listened to authority.

[Justin Taylor]

Justin found himself roaming the docks, he had gotten a tip off from one of his CI's that a man of interest was setting up shop around here. It was well enough out of the way and at night the place was almost deserted, there was the subtlest hint of ringing in the air. Other than that, the place was in silence, the hustle and bustle of everyday life faded away along with the light in the sky. The moon shimmered from behind the dark curtain of the night sky, the stars shone brightly illuminating the darkness. The sea was glistening as the rays of light reflected off its surface, all in all it was a beautiful night and yet Justin's mind was elsewhere. He was firmly focused on the task at hand, according to his information, his target should have been housed up in one of the warehouses waiting to do his work under the cover of night. The man wasn't particularly dangerous and because it was an unofficial visit, he had came alone choosing to avoid unnecessary paper work, warrants and equipment request forms, he wasn't in the mood.

He left his car at the gates not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention to himself as he entered the docks, after all there was no point in warning his suspect of his arrival. Unofficially he believed this person knew something of his partner's death, at least that's what his informant had told him and he had never let him down before. It was a rare thing to find a criminal he could trust, but this particular CI, was as close as he would get. If word got back that he was searching for this man, he had a cover story drawn up about him being a small time smuggler who was linked to several crimes in the city. It wouldn't hold up under scrutiny from the higher ups but it was enough to cover his back, at least for a while. His service issue glock was pressed against his hip and his badge was tucked neatly below his shirt, he would prefer to get in and out without flashing it after all the chances were that a place like this had more than one crook set up and the others could be bigger fish. If that was the case, he was confident that he would end up sleeping at the bottom of the river.

He scanned the steel shells of the warehouses, there were no lights or sign of activity. Had he been let down by bad Intel? Or had he simply timed it wrong, the thought of the information the POI held slipping through his fingers was frustrating, he could feel his teeth grinding together. He stepped slowly along the path between two of the metallic structures towards the peer, noting how the light was catching the surface almost perfectly. He had wasted another night, raking over the remnants of a case that had long since gone cold and yet it was still better than the alternative. The last thing he wanted was to be sitting staring into the bottom of a bottle searching for answers that would never come. No, even if he was out here in the middle of nowhere on a fruitless search, at least he was doing something, trying to find the answers. He owed Jacobs' widow that much at least, he helped her out wherever he could with money and such, but none of that would bring back her husband and the father of her child. He had went to Brendon's father shortly after the funeral, when he realised that Sarah would struggle to cope on her own and asked him to look after her, the old man stared at him and waved him off, saying that the girl and her child died that night as well. The anger remained with him long after that meeting, an emotion he felt he would take to the grave.

As he turned the corner he noticed a figure off in the distance, he couldn't be sure who it was, male or female from this range was a mystery. It could be his target but there was an element of doubt lingering in the back of his mind, he pressed forward regardless. Even if it turned out to be nothing more than a stray looking for shelter he could ask them about the place and see if they had seen anything suspicious. Not that anyone actually told the police the truth anymore, no those days were long gone, now an innocent civilian was as likely to lawyer up as they were tell you their name. Too many bad TV shows had tainted the public's opinion and now cop's were almost seen as negatively as the criminals.

He finally closed in on the person and realised it was a woman, she was slender and the moonlight caught her eyes, causing them to twinkle as he approached. "I'm sorry to bother you, but have you noticed anyone around here? People moving in and out of the buildings, I'm looking for my friend." He had opened with a bold face lie, there was no way he was going to reveal himself as an officer of the law, not when he was off duty. He waited as she skimmed another stone across the water, the ripples grabbing his attention out of the corner of his eye. He pulled down his shirt and manoeuvred his jacket, ensuring his pistol remained concealed in its holster, there was no need to arouse suspicion by flashing a gun around.

[viper]

Catching Seonad off her guard was something that ultimately never happened, a rare occurrence that happened once in a blue moon. There was little that spooked Vampires, very little indeed. Her mind was already moving the cogs of her thinking of how to play this. Be the poor damsel or the alluring but capable woman. She could hear his heart when he got closer and something told her he was out here for a reason. She smiled secretively to herself. Humans who willingly drew close to active hunters asked for it in her opinion, no matter how unwittingly and as he drew alongside, she glanced him over giving none of herself away as she carried on with another stone. Again, it skimmed and rippled at the surface, breaking their reflections in the water. She was simply dressed, though she was known for being in a variety of outfits given her ever-changing moods or current persona. She was a born actress, a master of deception and a vicious user of grace and charm.

Hell, some days, she could give the old boy a run for his money... only he had a lot of money. Lots. More than she was willing to bet against... her mouth smirked before she skimmed her last stone that she had brought with her. Her simple yet elegant attire billowing slightly as a breeze began to pick up.

For a prey animal, he wasn't that bad a looker though Seonad tended to favour those who looked the angelic type. They deserved to just be eradicated for that reason. She was naturally vindictive but she would keep to her part before a kill was necessitated. She replied finally, blinking slightly, her expression thoughtful and sincere before she shook her head with her expression turning apologetic.

"No, no, sorry. I don't think I have. I've been here for some time too... Perhaps I can help you find them... the docks are pretty big" she asked, glancing around as she turned to face him. She acted like someone who wanted to help someone find their way, the type who'd help an elderly woman cross the street or help find a lost dog that strayed too far from home. Seonad was in full acting mode, down to the little tiny details and they were always integral to making someone believe her. The tiniest thing could arouse suspicion and Seonad was too aware of her game to let teeny details spoil her fun.

"How long ago did you lose him? He has to be somewhere in town, right?" She played a little on her natural accent but not too much. She was good with mimicking how others behaved and acted. That came from her listening and people watching when she went to local night clubs.

She almost laughed, Humans were for the most part so damned fucking clueless. Naturally of course she did not laugh. A smile was no where near seeable on her face. All that Justin would see was someone who was offering to help and was concerned that someone was out here lost and alone.

"You okay? You look cold..." ha, like hell he was going to admit that to one beautiful woman, she was aware of her looks. She used them to her advantage, and sometimes a little too often for her own good but that was hardly her problem.

[Justin Taylor]

As he looked into her eyes he was glad that he had left his badge at home, the last thing he needed was the shape of the crest poking through his shirt. It truly was a beautiful night, the moon was catching the water at just the right angle, it was a night for lovers, for midnight pick nicks anything but what he was doing. He was stalking through a darkened warehouse chasing the ghosts that still haunted him, years after the events had passed him by. Deep down he knew there was no way he would gather any fresh clues tonight or any other night that he chased down the shreds of tips various C.I's had given him and yet here he was not for the first time spending his off duty hours in a shady part of town hoping for something to happen. He felt obligated to close the case, rather than leave it as the apartment had, he owed it to the memory of his friend, to the wife and daughter that had been left without their husband and father.

His mind snapped back to the present as he listened to the woman speak, the moment her lips parted he knew the answer. Of course she hadn't seen him, hell there probably wasn't a him to be found, after all the C stood for criminal and they could never be trusted too much. Then she offered to help him look, whilst it would indeed help him, he wasn't too sure how he would explain just what he was doing if he ended up putting a bullet in the man he was searching for. She had a point though, the docks were pretty big and if he was running around on his own he could easily back track onto himself. Then there was the fact that she was quite attractive, whilst he tended to hide that part of himself, he was after all a warm blooded male and enjoyed the company of women. How long ago had he lost him, well how would you answer that question, given that he had never actually met the fellow and only had a vague description of him but he had to be around here, if he even existed. The fact that there wasn't so much as the slightest mechanical sound cluttering the air hinted that the man wasn't here, but maybe he could find the place he had been working out of, it would be a start at least.

Then she asked him was he ok, commenting that he looked cold, it had to be the way he had shifted his jacket to conceal his pistol. He would just have to roll with the concept, considering she was wearing a rather skimpy dress, it was strange for her to comment on that. She had been here for a while or at least she had claimed so, perhaps she was cold? It dawned on him, that he should probity respond to her questions rather than scanning the area through his peripheral vision.

"Well as long as you're not busy, I suppose I could use the company and it wouldn't be right for me to leave such a defenceless young woman as yourself out here alone." Chivalry, it would be the death of him or her depending on how the night turned out, if he did run into his target he would need to keep her out of the way of any potential gun play. It was one thing for him to get shot off duty by some random scum bag but quite another for him to get an innocent bystander killed. He could see the headline, off duty cop gets young woman killed, well that would be the gist of the story hidden behind something much more catchier. "I'm Justin by the way, might as well chat a little if we're going to be walking about this place for a while." It made more sense for the two of them to chat as they went, that way he could sell the story that they were on a date of sorts if the supposed criminal made an appearance, perhaps this night wouldn't be a bust after all.

[viper]

Even though he was a lot taller than she was and looked way more burly, she wasn't intimidated. She was curious as to why he was out alone and she did not immediately buy his story but it was still an excuse to play and hone her skills. She had not planned to actively look for choice morsels to befriend and betray but she was never going to turn down a potential free meal. She would not laugh at that hand. She did sense a truth in how he seemed to be looking for someone but still... whether the target was for good or for ill was another question waiting to be answered. She would amuse him for now.

Her head tilted softly as she listened, the wind picking up again but she didn't feel the cold and he seemed almost away with the proverbial fairies before he snapped back to her in his focus. She smiled softly, giving the appearance she was used to men getting distracted around her and that it didn't bother her. In reality, it did bother her but he would recognise the viper in her soon enough. Until then, she would lie low, waiting for the opportune moment to strike and bury her fangs.

He called her defenceless and though she smiled softly in the way a woman of such mind would reply to that statement with, inside she was rolling on an imaginary floor, laughing her head off completely. She was far from defenceless, she could handle herself better than most. It was necessary, even with her heightened strength through what she now was.

"Well, that would be tragic," she replied with a smile to warm his affections. A kill was always that much sweeter when she got her targets to start caring for her deeply. It all added to the thrill she gained. She glanced towards the packing crates that sat in their allotted space on the docks ready to be transferred to waiting ships in the short coming future. Lots of places where people could hide or hide what they didn't want others to see. Secretly, she knew the police would have quite the field day if they knew what went on here and Seonad was privy to it more than most when they did moving around during night hours. All very amusing. With a single soft gesture of her hand, she motioned that they should get started and she slowly lead the way, the chunky flats of her heels softly thudding on the wooden pier.

"Oh, yes but not too loudly," she replied sagely, it was standard advice across the board really. "Seonad" she informed him as she glanced at him, studying. He was definitely here for a reason but it seemed a touch personal. Most humans would have left it till day before skulking round asking questions. The air was damp and there was very little in the way of sounds beyond their own footfalls.

"So, what does this friend of yours look like?" she asked innocently.

[Justin Taylor]

Her name was Seonad, that was a start there was something off with her body language, he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was almost as if it didn't match her words even though they seemed convincing enough. He wasn't sure what to make of it, it could all come down to his own paranoia and suspicions or just the fact that he was dog tired. He had been working around the clock recently with very little sleep, perhaps his judgement had became as jaded as his body. Whichever it was, there was no need for him to overanalyse her at the moment, after all even if she was hiding something, he wasn't exactly being honest. It was going well, the two of them were exchanging pleasantries, until she asked him what his friend looked like. It was then it dawned on him that he wasn't entirely sure what he looked like, given that he had been fed very little information, just the area and the basic description of a man who could be anyone on any given day. He knew if he was going to maintain the facade he would have to stay calm be as vague as possible.

"He's kind of average, you know? The only reason I'd know him around here is that there's no one else around, I mean he's the kind of Joe average guy that could blend in almost anywhere." Anymore preaching about how average his supposed friend was, he'd seem suspicious and that was the last thing he wanted his new friend to be. "Anyway, tell me about yourself Seonad, why would you be hanging around here this late at night?" He figured if he could manage to put her on the back foot and get her answering questions, she couldn't ask too many of her own. Besides the worst that would come of this current course of action is that she would assume he was hitting on her, perhaps that was the easiest way to handle the situation. He flashed a casual smile and took a second to admire her figure, once more it dawned on him that she was really attractive. "That's a nice dress by the way, where you at a party before you stumbled out here?"

The gentle wind caressed his face as it briskly whipped through the air sending the scent of salt through his nostrils. It was almost soothing, the place itself was a little piece of paradise hidden amongst the hastle of the city. The water provided a feeling of serenity, soothing the souls of those that tread near here. They walked the length of the peer without catching sight of anyone, his friend was nowhere to be seen. It was just as well given he had company at the moment.

[viper]

He didn't seem to take to her at first, she could see it in the eyes as she moved along with him. Because of this, she pondered at what his day job was. He certainly seemed to be here during his own sweet time, the place was practically empty apart from the movement of the questionable people of the city, be it Vampiric or just regular human movement. So, he was playing some kind of game for some kind of reason, that's the answer she arrived at. No sane person in their mind would be here voluntarily. Something drove him to be here and she watched him closely with a concerned expression about this person he had lost but didn't seem to know all that well.

Hm, perhaps more of an acquaintance then. Not all friends were true friends. Friends. She didn't really understand the term but then friendship was all about trust which she wasn't willing to give freely. She had her issues, she knew that only too well but her love of the game and the other parts of her developed persona were enough to balance that out.

"So, kinda your general multi-purpose compost then?" she almost grinned but the annoyance lay in her tones, "Well, maybe you'll get lucky," she added, adding hopefulness to her inflections.

He was doing a fair bit of acting himself but then she was doing that equally herself and she wanted to play this out. It was not everyday that meat offered itself so willingly so she was definitely interested in playing the game to its full entirety.

"Oh, me? What's there to tell? I find this place a good place to think, you know? It's so quiet and tranquil, helps me to be myself," she replied with a soft smile that the average male would take to be accepting of the flattery and conversation but a well versed Vampire would take to be a warning, a smile full of its own deception and trickery. "Sometimes, the rush of the city gets to me and I have to get away and unwind. Works every time I come here," Well, that was a lie but she was good at lying. Very good but how much of that was true talent and how much of it was part of the Vampiric charm was fuzzy.

"Hm? Oh... I like dressing how I want when I want. I don't follow norms. Rules are made to be broken, don't you think?" she replied, glancing towards him in time to see he had taken her in. It would be a while before she would reel it in though. She had to get him firmly baited on the hook first. Her question was also a test, a pry into who his occupation was. The more she learned, the better she could clean after her kills. Patterns gained the attraction she had learned to avoid. Humans were too curious for their own good and more than once had a copper almost lucked out. She had to be careful, especially more now than ever. They were always getting smarter.

"Well, I don't think you're going to be lucky tonight, hun," she said softly, almost sad to lose out on the possibility of excitement.