[ There have been better and worse reactions to the news about the Solar Clinic. While they're still far from finding everyone, well over half of them had returned soon after the forum message was posted. By the time he'd had a moment to breathe, Adrian had worked nearly a full 24 hour shift. Like it or not, he was going home.
He'd waved off a co-worker's offer to walk him back to his van despite the hour. It was only a few blocks. He'd never had any issues before, and it wasn't as if he couldn't defend himself... Even when someone fell into step beside him, he had been a bit too tired to startle.
You're the one who posted on the forum? The man had asked him. Tall and pale, with pointed teeth. Adrian had wondered how he would know, but nodded, concern in his expression. Then he'd met the man's eyes.
The rest of the world seemed to slip away in an instant. One second he was walking down a well-lit street, and the next he was in a dingy alley with his back to a wall, hands roughly bound. It was disorienting, to say the least. Two more vampires joined the first, fangs barred, moving in a slow half-circle like a pack of hunting dogs.
Don't move. The first one says, and he can't. Hypnosis of some sort, if he had to guess. Gods damn it. You poisoned the blood, didn't you? To get to us. And now you're covering your tracks. Confess. ]
Why in the hells would I do that? [ He's too tired for this. ] Look, I appreciate that this is a stressful situation but you are not being targeted. Most of the affected people were not vampires—
[ Collateral. The leader snarls. I know how your kind work. I can smell the stench of holy magic in you, Battle Priest.
Adrian would hardly call himself battle anything, but a knife pressed against his throat shuts him up before he can explain. This is all a mistake. A misunderstanding. The vampires seem equal parts angry and fearful of whatever a Battle Priest is and, at the moment, anger is winning out. Something about making him suffer like they've suffered. The knife moves lower down his body, and Adrian braces himself. ] I know you're afraid, but you don't have to do this—
Early October
He'd waved off a co-worker's offer to walk him back to his van despite the hour. It was only a few blocks. He'd never had any issues before, and it wasn't as if he couldn't defend himself... Even when someone fell into step beside him, he had been a bit too tired to startle.
You're the one who posted on the forum? The man had asked him. Tall and pale, with pointed teeth. Adrian had wondered how he would know, but nodded, concern in his expression. Then he'd met the man's eyes.
The rest of the world seemed to slip away in an instant. One second he was walking down a well-lit street, and the next he was in a dingy alley with his back to a wall, hands roughly bound. It was disorienting, to say the least. Two more vampires joined the first, fangs barred, moving in a slow half-circle like a pack of hunting dogs.
Don't move. The first one says, and he can't. Hypnosis of some sort, if he had to guess. Gods damn it. You poisoned the blood, didn't you? To get to us. And now you're covering your tracks. Confess. ]
Why in the hells would I do that? [ He's too tired for this. ] Look, I appreciate that this is a stressful situation but you are not being targeted. Most of the affected people were not vampires—
[ Collateral. The leader snarls. I know how your kind work. I can smell the stench of holy magic in you, Battle Priest.
Adrian would hardly call himself battle anything, but a knife pressed against his throat shuts him up before he can explain. This is all a mistake. A misunderstanding. The vampires seem equal parts angry and fearful of whatever a Battle Priest is and, at the moment, anger is winning out. Something about making him suffer like they've suffered. The knife moves lower down his body, and Adrian braces himself. ] I know you're afraid, but you don't have to do this—