Just another night at Crimson Creations, relatively quiet- Toshiro moved various items from the stockroom to the storefront, putting new items on display in the window. Showing off a new brush set he'd acquired- handles made from dragon fangs, and the bristles being made from a unicorn's mane- with exquisite craftsmanship. Catching a glimpse of someone running by from the corner of his eye, Toshiro paused his task to look out the window. Toshiro's eyes flickered as he watched a group of lycanthropes run past. "Mangy beasts seem to be on a hunt..."
Finishing the display, Toshiro's thoughts- out of nowhere- were drawn to Vendetta... And then he was overcome by an overwhelming feeling of terror. Instinctively, he rushed out the door- the lingering stench of the lycanthropes accompanied by the unmistakable scent of Vendetta's perfume. Locking the door behind him, Toshiro took off down the alley- following the scent trails, going as fast as his legs would take him, hoping he wouldn't be too late...
~
Vendetta wove her way through the darkness, mangy creatures hot on her heels. For the most part, she lured them away from the main part of the city- ensuring the safety of many. Leading them into a run-down part of the city meant nobody would be caught in the crossfire. However, she turned down a wrong alley- and found herself trapped by walls too slick to climb, with only one way out. That way blocked by the snarling pack of lycans closing in on her. They were out for blood. Her blood.
Drawing a dagger seemingly from nowhere- the whispered spell missed in the chaos- Vendetta realized the pack split themselves in half. Three of them racing in for the kill, while three of them hung back. Vendetta felt herself nearly overwhelmed, but managed to slip just beyond their deadly reach. Blade met body, piercing the base of one of their throats, right throw the brain- death was instant. The other two, in tandem, threw her against the wall with a sickening crumbling of stone- one of them went to rip her throat out, but she managed to tear off its jaw with her talons, before ripping its throat open. That left the third, already on top of her, with the others closing in. Vendetta hissed, fangs extended now- if it was a fight they wanted, she would give them one...
Approaching an alleyway, Toshiro could hear loud growls and sounds of a struggle echoing from it. Reaching the entrance, one of the lycanthropes sniffed the air- and turned towards him. Snapping his fingers as the hulking beast rushed towards him, in an instant Toshiro's emerald eyes turned crimson. A katana suddenly appeared at his side. Ducking as the lycanthrope swiped at him, Toshiro unsheathed the katana and sliced clean the lycanthrope's arm.
"You chose the wrong prey this night." Eerie stillness emanated from where he stood, the lycanthrope backing away in pain. Rushing forward in deadly chase, Toshiro dodged another swipe- as his blade found its mark, decapitating the beast. Flicking the blood from his blade, he stepped forward as two more- one well ahead of the other- turned their attention towards him.
"...It's been too long, since I last got to put such vile beasts as yourselves down." Grinning as he slashed the next beast, his eyes widened as the blade was knocked downwards, sparking as it skidded off the ground. The lycanthrope lunged forward, sinking its razor-sharp claws into Toshiro's leg as he attempted to jump back. Reaffirming his grip on the katana, Toshiro pivoted on his good leg as the lycanthrope pressed forward, sinking the blade through its skull.
There's a lot of blood, for two dead lycans... She could make out a voice, words, but it was just distinguished white noise. Sparks, metal on stone, blood.... It distracted her, which gave the lycan enough time to drag its claws through her body, throat to mid-thigh down her side- while its other set tore through her opposite leg badly. Vendetta snarled in pain, she snapping one of its arms. Barely fighting its deadly bite back, there were some sickening snaps of bone, before the now-mangled body was discarded. Falling against the wall, she looked down the alleyway... and in the light, surrounded by blood and bodies, stood Toshiro.
Vendetta made herself remain standing, silent from the scene her eyes witnessed. Sparkling emerald eyes gave way to sharp, intense crimson. Metal sparking off the asphalt, a katana- she felt like she knew something about it, but couldn't tell... Icy deadliness radiated thick from him- yes, definitely witnessing the vampyric side, but it felt so familiar... He was hurt- she could smell the blood, tempting as it was... Defying all known logic, Vendetta staggered forward, blood dripping everywhere.
The sounds of snapping bone echoed throughout the alleyway, sounds of the growling beasts silenced completely. Flicking the blood from his blade once more, Toshiro returned the katana to its sheath with a satisfying clink. Shifting the wight off of his injured leg, he dropped his gaze to survey the severity of the wound. Three deep gashes from his thigh down to his shin- it was a horrible looking wound, but he would live. Amid the stench of lycan blood and his own, he could smell Vendetta's blood down in the darkness of the alley. Thinking nothing of it, assuming she suffered a wound similar to his own if not lesser, Toshiro began to reach down to heal himself.
Hearing footsteps, Toshiro turned his gaze down the alleyway, taken aback by the sight before him. She looked like something from a zombie movie, blood dripping from the deep long gashes running down her side and legs. He couldn't believe she still had the strength to walk, watching as she dropped to her knees before him.
The only thought on her mind was healing him. Instinct took over- her hand settled on the wound, channelling her healing magick. Hissing as her hand touched the wound on his leg, instinct took over. He reached for his katana.
Somehow he managed to stay his hand just before the blade could crest its ornate sheath, letting go- it fell back into said sheath with a familiar clink. She glanced up at him at the sound, in emotional chaos. Relief, confusion, pain... Flickers of fear, dancing amid her aura- vampyres could be unpredictable when hunting. Vendetta half-expected Toshiro to behead her for touching him- even if with healing intent. Wouldn't have been the first time someone decapitated her- but it would be the most painful. Watching in silent disbelief as Vendetta set upon healing his wound- while being wounded far worse- he grit his teeth, as he caught sight of her owns deepening in turn, becoming worse. Before he could react, she broke the silence- voice a whisper.
"Toshiro... you came... thank the gods, if I... had to face them alone, I..." The unmistakable tremble in her words betrayed Vendetta's fear. He literally changed her imminent death, to life. Vendetta finally collapsed at his feet, blood loss taking its toll. Breathing heavily, barely conscious, she lay there- trying to gather enough energy and strength to stop her bleeding. Fortunately, neither had been infected- just wounded. And a lot of pain inflicted.
Shaking his head as she spoke with the tremble in her voice, it struck Toshiro emotionally. It was an odd sight, seeing the unusually calm and collected Vendetta's lacquer begin to emotionally crack. "Save your strength, you've already wasted enough closing my wound..."
"Making sure... you're safe, not hurt... Never wasted. I... I'll be fine..." Kneeling down and scooping her in his arms, Toshiro held her in a position that would minimize the pain considering her injuries. While he wasn't gifted with healing magick like she was, he did have one way to help her in the current situation. Closing his eyes, he focused on their physical connection- transferring what energy he could to her, so that she could close her grievous wounds.
Sighing gently, a weak smile graced her lips as Toshiro held her close. Were it not so dire, it would be almost romantic... She felt the transfer of energy infuse, channelled immediately into healing. The wounds sealed, not quite closed. Vendetta blood-soaked hand reached up, stroking Toshiro's face, leaving a trail of blood.
"...You saved my life. They... caught me off guard, I..." She bit her lip, trailing off. Vendetta wasn't sure what to say, how she felt. Vendetta's broken speech... the pain she had to been in, in that moment was unimaginable- yet she put his wounds above her own. Toshiro shook his head again- there was nothing he could say to make her see the flaw in her logic. Opening her eyes as he finished transferring energy to her, Toshiro's gaze turned to her wounds- the sate of which remained worse than he had hoped. Returning his gaze to Vendetta proper as she stroked his cheek, crimson met amaranth- shaking his head once more.
A soft smile graced his face, answering the unspoken sentiment. "I'd make for a terrible suitor, if I didn't come to your aid when you;re in trouble. I was worried, that I wouldn't make it to you in time..."
"Very few... would have... done what you did. For that... there are no words... But for now, I need to... clean up... fix my wounds, infuse new blood... Should also... deal with those... Before more come along." A hand waved to the various bodies scattered in the alleyway.
Rising to his feet, Toshiro stumbled- quickly catching himself against the wall. She took more than she intended to- but she was grateful. Resting against the wall for a moment, the light-headed feeling passed; Toshiro nodded in acknowledgement of her words. One by one, he tossed the bodies into a dumpster, shirt becoming soaked with their foul blood. Eyes daring around, he spotted a nearby newspaper. Picking it up, he produced a lighter from his pocket- lighting the paper, Toshiro tossed it into the dumpster- where it quickly took to the thick fur of the lycans.
A dark grin spread across Toshiro's features, illuminated by the flickering flames. "That should take care of the bodies." Making his way back over to Vendetta- who managed to get to her feet- he guided her arm around his neck, the other arm around his waist. He could only imagine what kind of looks they would get on their way. "I'm not sure if its any closer, but my apartment is about twenty minutes away."
Icy October rain began pouring on them as they walked out, washing the blood off of them and out of the alley. By the time it would extinguish the flames, the bodies would be charred bone and nothing more. At Toshiro's words, Vendetta stopped and faced him- a grin played over deathly-pale lips. "It is... much closer, but... Already trying to lure me to your place? Surely... another date or two... is in order first!" Laughter melted into the night, melodic yet weak. The pair walked away together, a couple on a date making the best of the rain. Behind them, ice and fire collided, erasing all traces of their bloody conflict with the lycanthropes.