His complement touched her confused if not cautious. Anita was certain what to do with it, especially not the smirk as her dealings with the walking undead so far has not led her to greener pastures. Especially when they appeared to be soft and gentle. She gifted him a slow smile in return, tilting her brows in thought as she attempted to figure out his game and where he was going with all of this.
She sighed. “Nikolaos hired me to investigate a string of vampire deaths. She used humans and threats to get me to do whatever she wanted. and when she realized that she couldn’t control me. She had killed to get me and then tried to kill me. Key word, try. And, well. What goes around…”
Anita shrugged again, a false attempt at hiding her annoyance. “I don’t care about your vampire politics,” she pinched the bridge of her nose between two fingers. “Jean-Claude was only protecting me and his, er, peers. Nothing more.”
He tapped his fingers lightly on the table as she spoke, it was not to distract her or annoy it was just part of his thinking process. He gave her a slow no as she explained why she had killed the master vampire. “I understand the need to kill someone if they are trying to kill you. I shall let the others know that you did not just hunt her down and kill her that it was provoked by her.” Axel told her.
“When did Jean-Claude place the marks upon you? I find it hard to believe that given who you are that you just let him put them on you.” He pointed out as he notice her annoyance. “This is not about vampire politics. I am making sure that the council do not come here and end you and Jean-Claude for killing Nikolaos. I am merely investigating the death of an old vampire.” It was not his intent to cause any issues or problems whole he was here, he just want to get the answers that others needed.
“Who else was involved with her death?” Axel asked as he listened and watched for any signs of her lying to him .
“They should be,” Anita muttered into her coffee cup as she gave up the machismo attitude and settled into the warmth of the dark roast. The animator was tired of unchecked vampires, killing humans with just a blink of the eye or the whim of their anger. Phillips face, bruised and bloodied was still just as sharp in her mind as the old vampire was to her right now. He died with a betrayed trust and she couldn’t do a damn thing about it. But she at least made sure that he was avenged, and it was done with out regret. Even her involvement with throwing down the insane dictatorship of that bitch and consequently putting Jean-Claude in charge. It was better to know your enemy, wasn’t it?
She lifted her brow at that, it wasn’t a new insult to her to call her nonintimidating. It was actually a compliment to hear, being the image of nonthreating and ‘petite’ probably gave her more cushion when dealing with the big shots. No one took her threats to heart, no one expected her to even attempt to kill them. And for Anita, well, that’s what made her one of the head honchos in town. Apart from being ruthless.
“Because she tried to kill me.”
Anita stared plainly at the vampires bottom eyelid, her finger tapping lightly on the ceramic cup. The animator wasn’t sure how much he knew about what happened in that cramped hole of a nest, and she was not going to be the one to drop the water on it. Snitches get stitches.
Axel wasn’t trying to insult or put the other in a foul mood, he had learnt enough already of which buttons to push and not to push with her. “Yes they should be scared of you, even more so seeing as you took out Nikolaos.” He said with a small smirk.
He placed his tea cup down once he had finished it and thought for a moment at her saying that the master vampire had tried to kill her. Sure he knew that Nikolaos had a temper and had needed from time to time be put in her place but he had not thought that one of their own would kill her or even team up with the executioner, as she tapped her cup he looked at her. “I need to know why she tried to kill you and why it mattered so much to Jean-Claude for him to kill one of his own. Was it so that he could become the master of the city?” Axel asked as he placed his hands on the table and watched her.
Anita found herself stuck on the image of a panther as she watched him move towards her and then to the table across from her. Her tongue darted over her lips in an attempt to hide her surprise at his limp. He didn’t seem to be in any sort of pain and his gait shifted in a way that was familiar, as if he had been living with it for however long he’s been walking the cold nights. But, as always, another darker calling caught her attention and she was found shuffling slightly as the warm and inviting scent of coffee greeted her as friend.
“Then someone’s been talking too much,” Anita tossed a muttering grunt at the idea of Jean-Claude and tentatively picked up a glass of coffee. She wasn’t too easily persuaded in trusting the vampire, as her trust scale with any vampire was incredibly low, but she understood their practices of manners and shadows. Didn’t like them. But she wasn’t going to risk her life over a damn cup of coffee.
“If it’s all the same to you,” She gifted him a tight lip smile, finally deciding to sit opposite of him, and yet far enough that she could draw her weapon if he’d moved a couple of inches within a blink of the eye. “I’d rather not take that risk.”
Anita shifted again in her seat as the thought of Nikolaos resurfaced, bringing with it a rush of emotions bridging from anger to sorrow all in one. “Yes?” She grunted a response, tilting her head dangerously. “What do you want to know?”
He watched all of her movements carefully, he knew who she was and that she would be armed tonight, but he had put his trust in her that she would not draw on him, not that he would inform her of this…..yet. “Perhaps not talking enough, many of the vampires around here are scared of you Ms. Blake, now I know that you are the executioner, and I will not lie that I had expect someone a little more intimidating than yourself.” He told her with a grin, managing not to flash his fangs at her.
“I understand not wanting to take the risk but if I had wanted to hurt you or use my powers on you I would have done so the moment you stepped into this club.” Axel studied her face as he mentioned Nikolaos, it was clear to him that she had been involved with what had happened to the master vampire.
“Why did you and Jean-Claude decide to kill her?” He asked as he sipped his tea, he had only assumed that the vampire had been involved in the killing as not all of what happened had been told to him.
She felt him before she’d heard him. And if it wasn’t for the marks or the necromancy, Anita probably wouldn’t have know that he was there until the first words left from his lips, and even still it surprised her.
He moved so quietly, as they always did the longer they’d lived. It was always a guess that practice makes perfect when it came to vampire movement and fashion, and Anita couldn’t help the thought to ask if there was a special charm school for vampires where they’re taught how to sneak up on humans.
“Well,” she shrugged under her coat, attempting to slide the cold that she felt creeping under her shoulder blades off and felt the warm comfort of her holster as it adjusted. “I was expecting a big round table, probably green, with stacks of poker chips, surrounded by extras from The Godfather, but I guess the economy got to you guys too.”
There was a laugh, albeit weak, but it was her only option when it came to walking in uncertain territory. And as she looked towards the vampire, carefully certain not to look in his eyes even if the possibility of him ‘rolling’ her were slim, she knew that he was an old one. So far, old ones meant danger. Not right now, and not up close, but later- in the dark, when you’re the most comfortable. They pounce.
“I think I’ll stand, thanks.”
He smiled and chuckled as she spoke of a large round table with poker chips and extras from the Godfather. “I do not care for such things like that, this club is not even open to the public yet. It might be should I decide to stay in this city.” Axel explained as he picked up a try that had tea and coffee on it it before moving to one of the tables that was there and sat down. “I hear you like coffee, please take this as an offering of peace.” He said pointing the the hot mug.
He poured himself a cup of tea and sipped it as he looked at her, noting that she did not meet his eyes. “I know you have two marks from Jean-Claude, you may meet my eyes. I will not use my powers on you though I am not sure that they would work on you.” Axel set his cup down and tapped his fingers on the table.
“Now seeing it is only you that came here tonight you shall be the one to answer my questions about the former master of this city.”
the-solitary-monster 