April 5, 2015
Mach still found that he moved with a....okay, a fair bit of difficulty after the past few nights, his abused flesh unkindly reminding him of its state under those simple clothes and that rather heavy brown coat he wore but he pushed all that aside as he crept down the narrow alleyway between the two warehouses, that odd looking gun in his hand. He really was having some manic luck as of late with that one phone call he had to make and the whirlwind that his weekend had been which lead him now to this....walking alone in the docks chasing down a hot tip before the trail went cold again. "Damn crazies....can't have waited to wander into my realm until Monday...." Mach sort of grumbled as he eased around in the dark shadows stalking his prey.
Movement could be heard up ahead as he rounded a shadowy corner, a low chuckle and an airy moan rolling into the still of the night. On may have thought it was some rather adventurous couple perhaps having a turn out by the docks, a lady of the night practicing her trade....but Mach could smell that unsavory soar note of curdling copper, the foul smell of death....and a lot of it. A slip of hand into coat would produce a few glass vials, the tops pulled out methodically and each one drank down in turn causing a shutter to run through the man.
Tom Hopel....an academic necromancer and summoner at the Arcane University " Tirynmar House back home....that was his prey. A professor ranked as a mere Class 3 mage who had bleed his entire class four days prior to make an advanced teleportation circle and funny where it had lead the madman. Mach popped his vertebrae, the world beginning to swim in new and unseen colors as a shudder of a breath escaped him and he headed down for that opening.
Creeping up to that gap between warehouses, blue eyes blue cast about. Reasonable suspicion for crimes so as to enact his rules of engagement' He would most certainly call the five nude corpses pale from exsanguination and arranged in the shape of a star on the ground to be pretty damning evidence allowing him full rights to engage. The sixth victim still twitched in the balding man's grasp, a specialty dagger held inserted between the woman's ribs....by the amount of blood spilling out from the hollow handle it was obvious the blade was inserted into the woman's abdominal aorta. She was a corpse that hadn't realized its fate yet. Mach grit his teeth, that gun leveled off.
"Why don't you join me friend....I need a few more volunteers..." Mach bit back a curse as those eyes that saw in colors looked around, the soft glow of preceptor wards noted here and there upon the buildings that surrounded that isolated little opening. Looks like the easy way had just gone out the window.
Stepping out Mach held the caster level at the man. "Tom Hopel....you are ordered to cease and desist in the name of the law."
- - - - -
For Sarai the weekend had been quite pleasant. Her body felt stretched, and well used. It was a feeling she hoped to get used to again. Dressed in what looked to be a comfortable pair of slacks and a sweater with sensible shoes for walking on her feet. There had been an itch to see how some of the more unsavory nightlife of Rhydin was so she found herself wandering the back alleys and darker parts of town.
There were certain sounds; ones that were always enough to perk her interest that drew her down the alley a little further. The scents that crossed her nose not soon after made her cautious, slowed her steps to more of a creep so that she could be a little quieter and see who ever it was before they saw her. It was always unpleasant to get blindsided by some less than lucky creature.
She came across the scene and lingered on the edges. She saw the one over the lady, and the blood that came from the blade. The other corpses were noted as well. If she had to guess she would have put her money on some kind of cultist. Then, she heard two voices. The first she didn't know, the second on the other hand she did know. Mach. Her eyes moved to find him and stayed there, curious to see him in action in some other way than she had all weekend.
- - - - -
Tom looked over at Mach, still dressed in his tweed suit and glasses though there was a very disjointed smile upon the man. "A hunter!....I thought the last one of you died out here....how curious..." The lady in the man's grasp mouthed weakly prompting the man to shush her almost lovingly.
"Yeah, we're like cockroaches" Now lace your fingers together behind your back and get on your knees." This was a different Mach than had been seen before, his presence demanding. There was still that glibness to it, that cocky swagger but it felt self-assured and dangerous rather than flirty and full of himself. "Don't try anything funny or believe me I will end you."
The mage clucked his tongue chastising. "End me" What happened to my Merker Rights" I can sue you you know for neglecting to inform me of such..." The man sounded almost glib in their tone, jarringly calm and collected.
Mach smirked. "I'm a Class A hunter buddy....now drop or I'll drop you." A tap of finger between those blue eyes indicating his exact meaning.
Tom arched a brow, curious now. "A class A....how bothersome." He began to lower that body before a flick of wrist would send some of that vitae lobbing towards Mach. Nothing so serious really but the man's colorful vision saw the bright orange sparkle of magic being willed, being pushed into those droplets. A leap to the side would have him barely avoiding the drops of blood that lanced forth like bullets riddling the wall behind where Mach had just been with holes.
"Wrong fucking move buddy!" Mach growled as he hit the ground, a roll bringing him up to snap off a shot from that gun which sank sickly into the corpse the man held up as a shield. A wicked grin crossed the mage.
"I think not..." And with another flick and another the mage would send hails of blood bullets like shotgun blasts after Mach who simply dodged and rolled around, not even given a chance to return fire....though perhaps that wasn't quite it as those blue eyes blue stared hard, watching for something unseen.
- - - - -
Sarai watched for a long while, and slowly built up a list of questions that she intended to ask him some day. Just not any time soon. The man was a mage of some kind, that much she had gathered as she watched. She watched a little longer as the mage seemed to give Mach nothing but an onslaught of magic attacks. And as it progressed, it seemed like he wasn't going to be getting anything else. And after a little bit of thought, and figuring since she was a little more durable than most, she could be a good distraction. So, with a deep breath, and faith in Mach that he'd take advantage of a distraction like her, she stepped out of her hiding place. "Looks like Someone made~a mee~esss." It was said in almost a child-like sing songy voice.
- - - - -
Mach continued to dodge attacks, running himself around that opening and yet despite that, despite the fatigue he had to have felt from that marathon sort of session he didn't look winded in the least, the effect no doubt of one of those potions he had drank which now made his breath steam with each exhale. And all the while those blue eyes blue continued to watch the man, watch the area around....and it may have been of note that his right eye started to glow unnaturally. A little more and....Mach's vision snapped at the sound of the new voice, one that was....very familiar to him.
The mage cast a thick rimmed look to Sarai, his expression almost bored though there was a certain malicious undercurrent to his expression. "You! You are delightful! Would you like to join my creation...?" A grin curled on the man as his other hand turned and swirled a glyph in the air, that grin growing broad. "Zyrintos!" Tentacles of blood rose from the large puddle that oozed along the ground, swerving like vipers luring their victim before they lanced for the girl.
If there was a distracted party it may well have been Mach as the look on his face belayed some of his surprise. "Sar...bear" Shit!" A sudden alteration of her name, obviously the man's mouth working faster than his mind as that gun was pointed at her. The heady atmosphere of electric energy, of arcane power suddenly shifting as he pulled the trigger. There was a pop, a fizz, the sudden smell of ozone....and what sprang forth from that gun wasn't some mere bullet but a gulch of flames that seared away the attacking tendrils.
Another roll, the battlefield becoming that much more complicated and yet despite that bit of surprise Mach still looked cool, and cocky. "Sarbear....what are you doing here!" Get out of here, run left!" It was a subtle tone he took though the context had to have spoken louder....had Mach wanted her to escape he'd simply have told her to hightail it down the alley she came. Did Mach have a plan' That was generally the hope!
- - - - -
There was something about the way that the mage spoke to her that made her skin crawl. "I'd probably corrupt it worse. You don't want my blood in that, dearie." Her voice was still sing songy. The sudden attack that started surging her way had her scrambling to get out away from them.
The nickname that came from Mach had her attention darting his way. She stared for a moment, a deer caught in the headlights, unsure of what to do now that she had been spotted. Run. That word caught her attention, shook her from her deer in the headlights syndrome. Run where" Left' That was right....Right' She hoped she heard him right. Because she ducked her head, and bolted to the left, and put all her hoping for the best into it.
- - - - -
Oh....she was staring. Not good. Another shift of magic in the air, another pop and fizz which preceded the smell of ozone just before anther gulch of flame lanced from that caster in Mach's hand burning away those writhing blood spears that lanced at the woman once more.
Tom simply grinned as he continued his assault on Sarai with those tentacles while he continued to lob blasts of blood at Mach. "Corrupt blood would be good for it....creature that merely pretends to be that of man..."
The mages grin took on a wicked curl as he kept up that assault, Sarai apparently joining Mach in a game of dodge death but it would soon become obvious what the man had in mind as Tom seemed to only be able to cast spells against targets in his view and now he had to turn to attack each in turn as Mach was dead opposite of Sarai. Perhaps she could see that Mach was changing out the cartridge of his gun now when Tom focused on the demon girl. Sorry Sarai, Mach'll make it up to her later for using her as bait!
- - - - -
She blinked at the attack that was lobbed her way, and quickly intercepted by Mach. Then he continued with the tentacles. She moved rather efficiently in her ways of avoiding his attacks with ease. When he mentioned her pretending to be of man, she grinned. "Nah. Not the case. People just seem to be a bit more friendly when I don't have the talons, horns and wings. I don't hide it."
She ducked under an attack, and let loose a short burst of laughter. Sarai was smart. And even though she didn't look it she had lots of battlefield experience. So after a moment of watching Mach, she figured out what he was doing and that she was bait. So she'd do her best to play the part. "I could have fun with you." The words were purred. Then she moved to take a step towards him, making sure that his attention stayed on her, and didn't stray towards Mach. "Do you know how much screaming comes with skinning someone alive" I could show you." She paused, looked Tom up and down. "Specially if you keep trying to ruin my sweater, as I do rather like it."
Tom smiled that crooked smile of his....a smile not really made by people who were all there or all sane. "Fun....yes....it would be fun to skin you....never got a chance to back at that gilded cage that was the 'academy'..." He licked his lips as he picked up one of the corpses, a kiss planted to cold, dead lips before he released its sagging flesh yet the body still stood as some grotesque puppet. "Wouldn't allow me to summon one as you....what are you? A lust demon' A rage demon' A berserker" A mind flayer?" A point of finger would have that grotesque puppet corpse lunging at Sarai, moving unnaturally and without breath as it would attempt to rip her throat out.
- - - - -
Mach was totally going to owe Sarai for her distraction of the mage as he charged the man with castor raised. The mad mage turned back to the hunter as Mach snapped off a bullet which went far aerie hitting the ground before Tom as Mach dodged a tentacle.
"Oh' Not of man' Certainly tastes of such....and marks the same way!" Mach snapped his teeth as he spoke. Was that really so distractive to the mage or was it something he just wanted to say' Either way he charged with a few sticks and a straw now held in his free hand, their purposes becoming evident as he lifted the straw, blowing into it which caused the blood spear that shot towards him to freeze. That fling of blood from his fingers" They would simply splatter upon Mach's coat as the hunter had snapped one of those sticks in half sending forth a jolt of electricity which arced along the droplets to shock the man's fingers breaking the concentration of the spell.
Surging forward until he reached the mad mage, that free hand would snag a circlet from his coat which was slammed onto the others head as he struggled. And now to juice it" but a turn and snap of fingers from the mage would put an abrupt end to that thought as it activated a nasty trap of the blood that had splattered the man's coat during the ensuing chaos. It caused the gore to explode" violently.
The mage laughed merrily as Mach was propelled smoking away from the blast. He sailed and tumbled past Sarai slamming into the side of a warehouse with a sickening thud, his form splatting on the ground though there still seemed to be a tension about the man as he laid face down ass up on the ground.
- - - - -
"Mmh. I was going to say the same for you. Peeling your skin away and keeping you alive for days after would be quite fun. The longest has been ten days. I bet you would last fifteen." Her nose crinkled in distaste when he kissed the corpse. "I am nothing special. No lust demon, no rage. Just demon. Simple, pure and whole. I'm a mess of sadistic fun, and a dash of crazy all rolled into one. All with a pretty face." She waited as he sent the corpse puppet her way. She went down low, and let her connect. "Sorry this happened to ya love." It was said softly before she shoved her back and brought her leg up and let it connect with her chest in a kick. It was when she was finished that she looked up just in time to watch the blood explode, and Mach go flying. "Mach?" She stepped toward him, then stopped, her eyes darting towards the mage. Then another glance was tossed his direction. Something about his posture made her believe he wasn't dead. So she trusted in her gut instinct, and instead of checking on him and offering the crazy mage a chance to attack her, she let out a rather savage sound, and flung herself at him, hands out and talons at the ready aiming for his throat.
As for the corpse it would buckle, the rib cage sinking in as that kick wrecked its torso. But it was not driven by the forces of, limited by the preservation of life. It swung, ruined as it was to try and attack or cling onto the woman again though her savage charge would have taken her out of the puppets grasp.
For Tom's part the man simply cackled as Mach slammed into the warehouse. "Another broken soldier finding their end, how pathetic!" And now the man sneered wickedly as Sarai lunged at him with taloned arm outstretched. That woman that he had been bleeding would rise up, once more a meat shield except now against Sarai's attack though perhaps more it was a feint to distract the woman from those bloody tentacles that writhed up from the ground seeking to wrap and engulf her arms and legs to try and bind her, a few even hardening to simply try and beat her to weaken her fight.
And when Sarai connected with yet another woman puppet, there was a quiet growl given, before she moved to shove her out of her way. Then she started backpedaling, just as one of the tendrils the second puppet had distracted her from noticing wrapped around her ankle and threw off her step. She almost fell, righted herself, and swung wildly with her hands. One ended up entangled in the tentacles as well. She snarled, and yanked against the one wrapped around her arm. Yet another and another would rise trying to fully bind her remaining limbs, the pool of blood gathering more and more beneath her sending more tendrils to hold her.
Tom simply cackled as she was held, form stooping to snag that hollowed dagger from the fresh meat shield. "Oh....I am a lucky Tom indeed. A lucky Tom....you look like a fine specimen....I will enjoy dissecting you and adding your blood to my pet....Sanguine Thorn.....isn't she lovely.....such a lovely gift from my lady?" The mad man grinned ear to ear as he closed with that blade.
Of course, simply bleeding her wouldn't kill her. Neither would anything else he had planned for her. She may have told him this had the rest of her limbs not been tangled up by his tentacles. She snapped her teeth at him as he drew near. "I promise to take pleasure in listening to you scream once all this is over." She pulled more against her restraints, aiming to stress them as much as she could. She was strong for someone so tiny. It was at that moment, she remembered Mach, and sent a wild glance around for the man.
And as her limbs were bound the tendrils would start to engulf her body, the mass of blood a creature in its own right. Tom smile pleased as she struggled. "Your blood will make a fine addition to Sanguine Thorn....yes, a fine addition indeed. It is strong blood filled with such corruption." The man licked his lips, a playful snap of his own teeth in time with hers. "Maybe if your vessel is equally as strong, as resilient as it seems then I can use you to transport her hmm....dissect you and scoop out your mind, detach your spirit and leave you a puppet for my Thorn....mmm, yes..." That dagger was raised for her face. "So were shall we begin?"
Oh hell. The tentacles were trying to swallow her whole now! Her eyes darted around for Mach again. Where was he" He wasn't going to let Tom do what he was babbling about right' Because that sounded unpleasant. She pulled back as best she could as he waved the dagger in front of her.
- - - - -
And behind during all this" Mach was a lump, though his hands still moved slowly, trying weakly to push himself up through the alarms of pain that told him he'd just been blown up and would likely be dead if not for that magical coat that just soaked kinetic energy. Reckless. Mach had been reckless but like so many times before it hadn't quiet caught up to him yet!
He coughed up a little blood from those internal injuries that were already sealing, blue eyes blue watching the scene unfold. Mages were a predictable lot, or as predictable as any crazy was. Mach would bid his time, that caster in hand hidden from view as it cycled keeping revved up, his cell phone pulled and a message sent off without looking. A little further" a little further"! And finally the time came, that opportunity he'd been waiting for.
Lifting that caster finally behind Sarai he'd fully pull the trigger activating that spell he'd been cooking. There was a pop, a fizz, a whir as the other spoke, the air becoming uncomfortable as the energy just sort of...shifted. That whir would grow, speeding up as Mach braced himself before there was a strange sort of vloorping pop. That blade was held to the woman's face, and the crazed Tom behind it....and as if from thin air there was Mach now as he materialized where that bullet that was shot at the mages feet earlier.
"How about less mad soliloquies yeah' " Machs tone was cold as he pointed that gun right at the man that stared wildly, a will of blood but none was where the hunter stood as it had all gathered beneath the struggling Sarai. A pull of the trigger and there was a quick pop, a crackle, this spell processing fast and efficient as the band placed around the man's head earlier, enchanted to be below perception usually, activated. Tom seized, falling to the ground as his body was wracked in convulsions, the band temporarily scrambling his mind like eggs in a skillet. The blood that held Sarai would release her, turning to sludge and then dust as the magic that fueled that monster, kept it alive was lost as the mage shuddered and shook on the ground.
Mach looked up and gave Sarai an assessing look, his expression that cool confidence before finally a crooked grin curled on him "Mages...love the sounds of their own voices...."
Sarai watched the crazed Tom dropped to the ground and convulsed. And her hands were freed from the grasp he had on her. She stumbled, righted herself and flashed Mach a great big grin. "Yeah. They do. " She eyed him now. "I was serious about keeping him alive for days. Painfully. Can I" "
Mach looked at the man and back to Sarai. As Tom's eyes started to focus once again Mach would pull the trigger on that castor once more, a pop and crackle sending the man into a fit of convulsions once more. "That's for even thinking of hurting my friend...." Mach's tone was cold, vehement....nothing like the man that he so seemed usually. Tucking away that gun he was already dabbing at a trickle of blood which tried to escape his nose before he leaned down to wrench the mage around so he could put an interesting pair of handcuffs on the man securing him in hogtied position
And finally once this was done he would stand and step over to Sarai, arms wrapping around the woman as he drew her into a hug. He would hold her for a long moment in silence before he simply smirked. "Sorry love, this one's going back for trial, analysis, and rehabilitation. " Spoken simply as he held her. At some point he'd called in the patty wagon as in the distance could be heard the approach of sirens.
Her eyes watched with amusement when Mach sent another wave of brain scrambling to the mage when his head started to clear, and declared the reason as to why. She couldn't help but smile, even more so when he cuffed the mage. And once it was all said and done, and she was wrapped up in his arms, she gave a content sound. When he let her know what was happening to the mage, she pouted a little. "That sounds like he's getting off easy considering what he's done. " She murmured with a pointed glance towards the women.
Mach held her a little tighter or perhaps his shoulders slacked a little more at her words. "For his crimes he'll likely live out the rest of his days as an indentured servant of the state once they surgically alter him so he can no longer use such high level magic again. He will repay society....besides...." Blue eyes blue turned to the corpses, his expression oddly stoic. "Nothing can be done for the dead and nothing can be atoned for from the grave...." He spoke those words that were obviously not his like a mantra.
That first statement made her brows perk and a whole slew of questions arise. But she silenced them, and nodded for a second. "He is still being let off easy. But it is your way. Your job. Can't get you in trouble. " As for his second set of words, she frowned a little. "Proper burial. That's the least that can be done for the dead. And perhaps closure for their families and loved ones, so they at least have something to mourn and aren't left never knowing. "
Mach smirked at her insistence. "Believe me....my superiors would want nothing more than for me to put a bullet in this asshats brainpan...no....I made a...." A pause, a shake of head. "I choose not to take personal revenge. " He cast a look back to the corpses, his jaw working slightly. "Yeah....we will see to that, and the principle investigators will....get in touch with the families, let them know so as they may find their closure. " He worked to stop clenching his jaw, a smile pulling upon him as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Your just a big softy demon aren't you..." Mach grinned at that tease, hands still holding her to him as the sirens drew ever closer.
She made a face at him after a moment. "Perhaps that makes you a little better than me. As I tend to be a somewhat vengeful creature." As she spoke, she watched him. When he said that he would have someone to get in touch with families, then went on to call her a softie, she made a face at him. "Just a little of a softie. Almost everyone is someone else's someone. Mother, father, daughter, or son. Family deserves to know what happened."
Mach smiled a thin sort of smile at that. "Better....hmm....I doubt it." A squeeze given of shoulders, drawing her into him. "Nah, just different sort of thoughts....yeah?" A grin. And at that mention of families, of everyone being someone to somebody' Well, that would just get another pull, another warm embrace. "You are most certainly a softy..." A finger danced down to poke her tummy and side teasingly. Both of those were obviously topics the man wasn't terribly keen on speaking on...smacked too close to home, too close to the cards he held close to chest. That same finger would lift the woman's chin to press a kiss to her lips now, the contact stretching out in that distracting manner.
"You doubt it?" The words were echoed as he drew her in closer. He was met with no protests. She just kinda leaned into him, and wrapped her arms around him. The motions were repeated a few seconds later when he pulled her in again. "I'm part softy. But I blame that on living around humans so much. As you guys deal with more varied emotions than most of us. I've found that my own have developed over ti-" Her rambling words were cut off by the kiss, before she melted a little into it. She made a very content little sound when he actually pulled away.
He smirked at her questioning his doubt. "Don't let these ruggedly good features fool you, there's a bad man lurking beneath it all..." A cheery chuckle at this, his words ringing with a tone of truth that usually felt absent from his speech....or perhaps it was just that plotting to steal more kisses. Mach did enjoy how she melted into his random bouts of loveyness and how she reacted to his rather burning passions. The man didn't seem very interested in holding such back....everything else about him maybe but he was a very attentive, very giving, and very passionate lover. "Oh' Being around us squishy humans make you soft....hmm, interesting..." He was most certainly going to have to ask her more about that later but those sirens were getting awfully close.
"I won't for a minute. Ruggedly handsome, bad man lurking underneath. Isn't that normal though?" She teased this lightly. As for her reactions to his kisses and touches and general loveyness, they were all things that she enjoyed. Very much so. So whenever he offered them, she devoured them quickly, and without complaint. "Yes. Just a little squishy and soft. It took some adjusting, definitely." Her eyes drifted in the direction of the sirens again.
He gave her another squeeze before a hand snaked away and back to his holster. Another pull of that trigger, another pop and crackle and the mage would be set to quaking upon the ground once more. And once more that hand rose to staunch another trickle of blood from his nose. "So are you okay Sarai....I'm sorry I used you for bait...usually that's my job. "
She gave a soft content sound at one of his many squeezes, and fell quiet until he asked if she was alright. "I am fine. Honestly, been years since I've been involved in that much action. It was fun....And if you buy me dinner again I'll call it even for using me as bait. " She paused, eying him. "Is there an opening for professional bait' "
He did smirk at him buying her dinner. "You just want to have the entertainment after the dinner! " He shot her a coy look, a cackle escaping him as he waggled his brows at her. Though that humor did dim a little at her question of being professional bait. A chuckle pushed from him. "Sorry love, I'm not in the habit of using folks besides myself as bait. If someone has to buy it due to a poor call it should only be me yeah' " Another kiss pressed into her brow. "Besides, the pay stinks. " A wink and a smile.
She grinned and leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek. "I do always enjoy entertainment after dinner." Pause. She pouted. "Honestly that was kinda fun. But you have a point as to where you are coming from."
A smirk. "Yeah....that was average sorts of danger for me....wouldn't want you to be seriously hurt on my account though I think you'd probably be better at this gig than me..." A wry grin. "You my dear have interesting thoughts on fun yeah?"
"For me, fun is anything that gets the blood pumping, Combat. thrillers, roller-coasters, sex....almost having something weird done by some magic nut job is nothing." She paused. eyed him, then grinned. "I bet I would be kick ass doing this job. Minor injuries don't really bother unless its getting stabbed. Leaves holes in clothes and those are no fun."
"So you like the thrills, spills, and passion yeah..." He chortled as he gave Tom a nudge tipping him over so as to insert a handkerchief in the man's mouth since he may be close to being able to chant things once more. You know, if his mouth weren't full. "Yeah....you might do well enough doing this....but then you would totally have to be okay having your clothes ruined..." A point to his own dress. "Functional and a-okay to be turned to ash....actually had that happen a few times....finish a job buck ass naked....elementals are really bad about that." A sage nod as he rose up once more.
"Thrills, Spills and Passion. Yes. That's a good and easy way to say it." She nodded a couple of times, and watched with quiet amusement as he stuffed the handkerchief into Tom's mouth. "Ahh. And that is when I would have a separate wardrobe for work. Jeans, comfy clothes. Things that are easy, cheap to replace." Then she grinned when he mentioned being naked and finishing jobs that way thanks to elementals. "Mhh. I have no issues with being naked, and fighting that way. Clothes can be a pain in the butt." A snort followed.
Another wrap of arms, a moments enjoyment of that closeness, and one more grin before the man would finally release the woman, stepping back as those sirens closed to but a block away. Perhaps he didn't want to be seen as so loving to someone for fear of teasing though there was likely more to it than that as he moved now to ensure the hold of those bindings on Tom. "Might wanna clear out yeah' Going to be sort of boring here a bit....can meet you somewhere after if you want"
When he stepped back and let her go, her eyes ticked upwards toward his. "I can stay. Boring isn't bad. Unless it'd be less questions and trouble if we just meet up somewhere, once you're all done?" Her eyes danced in the direction of the sirens, before she took half a step and bounced just a little on the balls of her feet.
Her asking about questions and trouble" Well, that gentle smile probably said it all. "Yeah....I think there may be some rather interesting questions with uncomfortable answers if you stayed....'who is this' 'this is Sarai, the hot demon I'm totally banging'..." Mach sort of chortled at that thought and talked out conversation. He was okay with such a third degree given to him, let the judgments fly. But the second such may have fallen on Sarai even if she didn't care" Mach knew well that he'd end up with some brig time for some very aggravated assault on another. Instead he'd step in, drawing that woman into a passionate kiss, tongue delving to play with hers for a long, stolen moment. It was obvious Mach had a thing for danger too but that had to be a given with his reckless lifestyle. A slight growl as he nipped her lip releasing that kiss reluctantly before he sighed.
"Well. Yeah. I can totally see the 'This is Sarai, The hot demon chick I've been banging' totally fly over well with your supervisor. Maybe you'll even manage to get yourself a promotion." She rolled her eyes, opened her mouth to say something, and was interrupted by his mouth again. Instead of complaining, she stayed caught in that little moment, and focused on the assault of lips, teeth, and tongue from him. All of which she returned without fail.
"Yeah....you remember that cozy little coffee shop that we..." A low tone though there was a slightly goofy chuckle. "...occupied earlier....why don't you meet me there yeah' Shouldn't take me half an hour.." Another nip of lip taken, hands wandering a moment before he forced himself to take a step back smiling that warm smile of his. And if Tom even made a peep during any of this so help him he was getting a boot to the head!
Sari was flushed and breathless by the time he pulled away. There was a content 'Mmmhmm' that came from her."Coffee shop from earlier. about thirty minutes. I will most definitely be there. Have fun with the boring part of your job, eh."
There was a gentle smile for the woman as he nodded. "Yeah....I'll see you there in a bit." A coy wink offered and he'd watch as Sarai wandered off into the alleys. He figured her for the sort that would avoid the incoming police and paramedics that his call would bring rushing to that scene and so when she moved out of sight he turned back to Tom who....smiled rather unpleasantly up towards him. The look was awfully smug for one hogtied with a compliance band on their head and a gag in their mouth. Squatting down he'd pull the handkerchief out. "What." The mage worked his mouth a little before that grin pulled on his features. "Nice little fu..." The man hissed as Mach's fist bounced his head off the ground, a wheezing chortle escaping him. "Touchy on that are you?" A dismissive look of those blues was cast upon the man. "You know, if all that look was for is so you can try to piss me off then the hankie's going back in..." Tom smirked. "You can beat me....gag me....do as you will, you've already lost. The storm is coming...SHE will pass judgment on you, and her judgment will be swift and terrible. You will suffer for that you do against her prophets hunter."
Oh look, the classic dramatic speech of the fallen foe warning that an even bigger challenge lies ahead! Mach just shook his head at how predictable the mages rhetoric was. It was almost like to go rogue a mage first had to learn all the proper tropes to use when facing off against someone there to stop them! "Oooh, your great she is coming to get me and my little kitty too..." A snort. "Why do you mages do this....honestly....almost every one of you does it! Is it a pride thing?" A thought, snap of fingers. "It's the hogtie position, right' I can totally see you being butt hurt at that..." And now Mach was grinning as he joked with the man. The mage himself was either buying into this bit of humor or had some other reason to chuckle along with Mach. "Yes, you and your bit..." And he bit back a sharp gasp as his head was slammed into the ground once more by Mach's fist, a groan escaping but it did little to reign in that humor. "..bitch and any other that may stand with you though I honestly think that number is none....all of you shall suffer judgment." Tom, bloodied with his face swelling, beaten as it was turned to look Mach in the eye with mad glee, his smile growing just a hair before splitting wide across his face as if realizing something. "E-li-tia Turner." That mildly dark humor drained some from Mach's features as that name was spoken, that name the man he'd never met before, didn't know about until a few hours past should not have possibly known. It made his veins run cold. "Wrong guy buddy, he died in a crater months ago..."
Tom cackled. "Oh how you try to lie....but you cannot lie to SHE, SHE sees all, knows all, and has plans for you Elitia Turner..." There was a sniff, a twitch of those rugged features before the man moved, that caster pulled from it's holster and driven hard into the temple of that mage, the cold magisteel barrel digging into his flesh causing the man to involuntarily whine in pain. Mach leaned down, his voice a cold, venomous whisper. "You tell whoever this bitch is that I ain't running, I'm right here, and I'll mop up all her little reject goonies and pop a cap in her when I'm done. I guarantee it." Mach pressed that gun a little harder into the mans skull, felt the soft flex of bone on the brink of giving before finally he released that pressure, the handkerchief being stuffed once more in the mans mouth. The watch officer that had been first on scene gave Mach a wary look as he stood up, a look between the beaten Tom and the hunter that with a pop of his neck had once more found his glib little smile. It was likely very hard for the man to decide who was worse in that moment....which one was the true psychopath.
From then on the rest of the hand over was stock normal. Another brain scramble for Tom would allow Mach to retrieve his compliance band and handcuffs from the mage as he passed the man off to watch custody before he quickly filled out a report with far too much speed and efficiency than had to be normal. He even worked on the report as the EMT's set back a couple of his ribs which had been broken out of place from that contact with the wall earlier....how such didn't pain the man was beyond comprehension as Mach seemed to be all human. Finishing all that and at the protest of the emergency responders he would wander off into the night making his way to that coffee shop he'd mentioned to Sarai. His expression was stoic, lost in thought for most that trip though he'd make sure to scrub away the evidence of those thoughts leaving an affable affect when he was a block away. A smoke snagged from pocket and lit and by the time he'd show up at the actual cafe he'd look as natural and lazily cocky as he always did.
(Adapted from live play with the awesome Deviously Charming!)
Mach still found that he moved with a....okay, a fair bit of difficulty after the past few nights, his abused flesh unkindly reminding him of its state under those simple clothes and that rather heavy brown coat he wore but he pushed all that aside as he crept down the narrow alleyway between the two warehouses, that odd looking gun in his hand. He really was having some manic luck as of late with that one phone call he had to make and the whirlwind that his weekend had been which lead him now to this....walking alone in the docks chasing down a hot tip before the trail went cold again. "Damn crazies....can't have waited to wander into my realm until Monday...." Mach sort of grumbled as he eased around in the dark shadows stalking his prey.
Movement could be heard up ahead as he rounded a shadowy corner, a low chuckle and an airy moan rolling into the still of the night. On may have thought it was some rather adventurous couple perhaps having a turn out by the docks, a lady of the night practicing her trade....but Mach could smell that unsavory soar note of curdling copper, the foul smell of death....and a lot of it. A slip of hand into coat would produce a few glass vials, the tops pulled out methodically and each one drank down in turn causing a shutter to run through the man.
Tom Hopel....an academic necromancer and summoner at the Arcane University " Tirynmar House back home....that was his prey. A professor ranked as a mere Class 3 mage who had bleed his entire class four days prior to make an advanced teleportation circle and funny where it had lead the madman. Mach popped his vertebrae, the world beginning to swim in new and unseen colors as a shudder of a breath escaped him and he headed down for that opening.
Creeping up to that gap between warehouses, blue eyes blue cast about. Reasonable suspicion for crimes so as to enact his rules of engagement' He would most certainly call the five nude corpses pale from exsanguination and arranged in the shape of a star on the ground to be pretty damning evidence allowing him full rights to engage. The sixth victim still twitched in the balding man's grasp, a specialty dagger held inserted between the woman's ribs....by the amount of blood spilling out from the hollow handle it was obvious the blade was inserted into the woman's abdominal aorta. She was a corpse that hadn't realized its fate yet. Mach grit his teeth, that gun leveled off.
"Why don't you join me friend....I need a few more volunteers..." Mach bit back a curse as those eyes that saw in colors looked around, the soft glow of preceptor wards noted here and there upon the buildings that surrounded that isolated little opening. Looks like the easy way had just gone out the window.
Stepping out Mach held the caster level at the man. "Tom Hopel....you are ordered to cease and desist in the name of the law."
- - - - -
For Sarai the weekend had been quite pleasant. Her body felt stretched, and well used. It was a feeling she hoped to get used to again. Dressed in what looked to be a comfortable pair of slacks and a sweater with sensible shoes for walking on her feet. There had been an itch to see how some of the more unsavory nightlife of Rhydin was so she found herself wandering the back alleys and darker parts of town.
There were certain sounds; ones that were always enough to perk her interest that drew her down the alley a little further. The scents that crossed her nose not soon after made her cautious, slowed her steps to more of a creep so that she could be a little quieter and see who ever it was before they saw her. It was always unpleasant to get blindsided by some less than lucky creature.
She came across the scene and lingered on the edges. She saw the one over the lady, and the blood that came from the blade. The other corpses were noted as well. If she had to guess she would have put her money on some kind of cultist. Then, she heard two voices. The first she didn't know, the second on the other hand she did know. Mach. Her eyes moved to find him and stayed there, curious to see him in action in some other way than she had all weekend.
- - - - -
Tom looked over at Mach, still dressed in his tweed suit and glasses though there was a very disjointed smile upon the man. "A hunter!....I thought the last one of you died out here....how curious..." The lady in the man's grasp mouthed weakly prompting the man to shush her almost lovingly.
"Yeah, we're like cockroaches" Now lace your fingers together behind your back and get on your knees." This was a different Mach than had been seen before, his presence demanding. There was still that glibness to it, that cocky swagger but it felt self-assured and dangerous rather than flirty and full of himself. "Don't try anything funny or believe me I will end you."
The mage clucked his tongue chastising. "End me" What happened to my Merker Rights" I can sue you you know for neglecting to inform me of such..." The man sounded almost glib in their tone, jarringly calm and collected.
Mach smirked. "I'm a Class A hunter buddy....now drop or I'll drop you." A tap of finger between those blue eyes indicating his exact meaning.
Tom arched a brow, curious now. "A class A....how bothersome." He began to lower that body before a flick of wrist would send some of that vitae lobbing towards Mach. Nothing so serious really but the man's colorful vision saw the bright orange sparkle of magic being willed, being pushed into those droplets. A leap to the side would have him barely avoiding the drops of blood that lanced forth like bullets riddling the wall behind where Mach had just been with holes.
"Wrong fucking move buddy!" Mach growled as he hit the ground, a roll bringing him up to snap off a shot from that gun which sank sickly into the corpse the man held up as a shield. A wicked grin crossed the mage.
"I think not..." And with another flick and another the mage would send hails of blood bullets like shotgun blasts after Mach who simply dodged and rolled around, not even given a chance to return fire....though perhaps that wasn't quite it as those blue eyes blue stared hard, watching for something unseen.
- - - - -
Sarai watched for a long while, and slowly built up a list of questions that she intended to ask him some day. Just not any time soon. The man was a mage of some kind, that much she had gathered as she watched. She watched a little longer as the mage seemed to give Mach nothing but an onslaught of magic attacks. And as it progressed, it seemed like he wasn't going to be getting anything else. And after a little bit of thought, and figuring since she was a little more durable than most, she could be a good distraction. So, with a deep breath, and faith in Mach that he'd take advantage of a distraction like her, she stepped out of her hiding place. "Looks like Someone made~a mee~esss." It was said in almost a child-like sing songy voice.
- - - - -
Mach continued to dodge attacks, running himself around that opening and yet despite that, despite the fatigue he had to have felt from that marathon sort of session he didn't look winded in the least, the effect no doubt of one of those potions he had drank which now made his breath steam with each exhale. And all the while those blue eyes blue continued to watch the man, watch the area around....and it may have been of note that his right eye started to glow unnaturally. A little more and....Mach's vision snapped at the sound of the new voice, one that was....very familiar to him.
The mage cast a thick rimmed look to Sarai, his expression almost bored though there was a certain malicious undercurrent to his expression. "You! You are delightful! Would you like to join my creation...?" A grin curled on the man as his other hand turned and swirled a glyph in the air, that grin growing broad. "Zyrintos!" Tentacles of blood rose from the large puddle that oozed along the ground, swerving like vipers luring their victim before they lanced for the girl.
If there was a distracted party it may well have been Mach as the look on his face belayed some of his surprise. "Sar...bear" Shit!" A sudden alteration of her name, obviously the man's mouth working faster than his mind as that gun was pointed at her. The heady atmosphere of electric energy, of arcane power suddenly shifting as he pulled the trigger. There was a pop, a fizz, the sudden smell of ozone....and what sprang forth from that gun wasn't some mere bullet but a gulch of flames that seared away the attacking tendrils.
Another roll, the battlefield becoming that much more complicated and yet despite that bit of surprise Mach still looked cool, and cocky. "Sarbear....what are you doing here!" Get out of here, run left!" It was a subtle tone he took though the context had to have spoken louder....had Mach wanted her to escape he'd simply have told her to hightail it down the alley she came. Did Mach have a plan' That was generally the hope!
- - - - -
There was something about the way that the mage spoke to her that made her skin crawl. "I'd probably corrupt it worse. You don't want my blood in that, dearie." Her voice was still sing songy. The sudden attack that started surging her way had her scrambling to get out away from them.
The nickname that came from Mach had her attention darting his way. She stared for a moment, a deer caught in the headlights, unsure of what to do now that she had been spotted. Run. That word caught her attention, shook her from her deer in the headlights syndrome. Run where" Left' That was right....Right' She hoped she heard him right. Because she ducked her head, and bolted to the left, and put all her hoping for the best into it.
- - - - -
Oh....she was staring. Not good. Another shift of magic in the air, another pop and fizz which preceded the smell of ozone just before anther gulch of flame lanced from that caster in Mach's hand burning away those writhing blood spears that lanced at the woman once more.
Tom simply grinned as he continued his assault on Sarai with those tentacles while he continued to lob blasts of blood at Mach. "Corrupt blood would be good for it....creature that merely pretends to be that of man..."
The mages grin took on a wicked curl as he kept up that assault, Sarai apparently joining Mach in a game of dodge death but it would soon become obvious what the man had in mind as Tom seemed to only be able to cast spells against targets in his view and now he had to turn to attack each in turn as Mach was dead opposite of Sarai. Perhaps she could see that Mach was changing out the cartridge of his gun now when Tom focused on the demon girl. Sorry Sarai, Mach'll make it up to her later for using her as bait!
- - - - -
She blinked at the attack that was lobbed her way, and quickly intercepted by Mach. Then he continued with the tentacles. She moved rather efficiently in her ways of avoiding his attacks with ease. When he mentioned her pretending to be of man, she grinned. "Nah. Not the case. People just seem to be a bit more friendly when I don't have the talons, horns and wings. I don't hide it."
She ducked under an attack, and let loose a short burst of laughter. Sarai was smart. And even though she didn't look it she had lots of battlefield experience. So after a moment of watching Mach, she figured out what he was doing and that she was bait. So she'd do her best to play the part. "I could have fun with you." The words were purred. Then she moved to take a step towards him, making sure that his attention stayed on her, and didn't stray towards Mach. "Do you know how much screaming comes with skinning someone alive" I could show you." She paused, looked Tom up and down. "Specially if you keep trying to ruin my sweater, as I do rather like it."
Tom smiled that crooked smile of his....a smile not really made by people who were all there or all sane. "Fun....yes....it would be fun to skin you....never got a chance to back at that gilded cage that was the 'academy'..." He licked his lips as he picked up one of the corpses, a kiss planted to cold, dead lips before he released its sagging flesh yet the body still stood as some grotesque puppet. "Wouldn't allow me to summon one as you....what are you? A lust demon' A rage demon' A berserker" A mind flayer?" A point of finger would have that grotesque puppet corpse lunging at Sarai, moving unnaturally and without breath as it would attempt to rip her throat out.
- - - - -
Mach was totally going to owe Sarai for her distraction of the mage as he charged the man with castor raised. The mad mage turned back to the hunter as Mach snapped off a bullet which went far aerie hitting the ground before Tom as Mach dodged a tentacle.
"Oh' Not of man' Certainly tastes of such....and marks the same way!" Mach snapped his teeth as he spoke. Was that really so distractive to the mage or was it something he just wanted to say' Either way he charged with a few sticks and a straw now held in his free hand, their purposes becoming evident as he lifted the straw, blowing into it which caused the blood spear that shot towards him to freeze. That fling of blood from his fingers" They would simply splatter upon Mach's coat as the hunter had snapped one of those sticks in half sending forth a jolt of electricity which arced along the droplets to shock the man's fingers breaking the concentration of the spell.
Surging forward until he reached the mad mage, that free hand would snag a circlet from his coat which was slammed onto the others head as he struggled. And now to juice it" but a turn and snap of fingers from the mage would put an abrupt end to that thought as it activated a nasty trap of the blood that had splattered the man's coat during the ensuing chaos. It caused the gore to explode" violently.
The mage laughed merrily as Mach was propelled smoking away from the blast. He sailed and tumbled past Sarai slamming into the side of a warehouse with a sickening thud, his form splatting on the ground though there still seemed to be a tension about the man as he laid face down ass up on the ground.
- - - - -
"Mmh. I was going to say the same for you. Peeling your skin away and keeping you alive for days after would be quite fun. The longest has been ten days. I bet you would last fifteen." Her nose crinkled in distaste when he kissed the corpse. "I am nothing special. No lust demon, no rage. Just demon. Simple, pure and whole. I'm a mess of sadistic fun, and a dash of crazy all rolled into one. All with a pretty face." She waited as he sent the corpse puppet her way. She went down low, and let her connect. "Sorry this happened to ya love." It was said softly before she shoved her back and brought her leg up and let it connect with her chest in a kick. It was when she was finished that she looked up just in time to watch the blood explode, and Mach go flying. "Mach?" She stepped toward him, then stopped, her eyes darting towards the mage. Then another glance was tossed his direction. Something about his posture made her believe he wasn't dead. So she trusted in her gut instinct, and instead of checking on him and offering the crazy mage a chance to attack her, she let out a rather savage sound, and flung herself at him, hands out and talons at the ready aiming for his throat.
As for the corpse it would buckle, the rib cage sinking in as that kick wrecked its torso. But it was not driven by the forces of, limited by the preservation of life. It swung, ruined as it was to try and attack or cling onto the woman again though her savage charge would have taken her out of the puppets grasp.
For Tom's part the man simply cackled as Mach slammed into the warehouse. "Another broken soldier finding their end, how pathetic!" And now the man sneered wickedly as Sarai lunged at him with taloned arm outstretched. That woman that he had been bleeding would rise up, once more a meat shield except now against Sarai's attack though perhaps more it was a feint to distract the woman from those bloody tentacles that writhed up from the ground seeking to wrap and engulf her arms and legs to try and bind her, a few even hardening to simply try and beat her to weaken her fight.
And when Sarai connected with yet another woman puppet, there was a quiet growl given, before she moved to shove her out of her way. Then she started backpedaling, just as one of the tendrils the second puppet had distracted her from noticing wrapped around her ankle and threw off her step. She almost fell, righted herself, and swung wildly with her hands. One ended up entangled in the tentacles as well. She snarled, and yanked against the one wrapped around her arm. Yet another and another would rise trying to fully bind her remaining limbs, the pool of blood gathering more and more beneath her sending more tendrils to hold her.
Tom simply cackled as she was held, form stooping to snag that hollowed dagger from the fresh meat shield. "Oh....I am a lucky Tom indeed. A lucky Tom....you look like a fine specimen....I will enjoy dissecting you and adding your blood to my pet....Sanguine Thorn.....isn't she lovely.....such a lovely gift from my lady?" The mad man grinned ear to ear as he closed with that blade.
Of course, simply bleeding her wouldn't kill her. Neither would anything else he had planned for her. She may have told him this had the rest of her limbs not been tangled up by his tentacles. She snapped her teeth at him as he drew near. "I promise to take pleasure in listening to you scream once all this is over." She pulled more against her restraints, aiming to stress them as much as she could. She was strong for someone so tiny. It was at that moment, she remembered Mach, and sent a wild glance around for the man.
And as her limbs were bound the tendrils would start to engulf her body, the mass of blood a creature in its own right. Tom smile pleased as she struggled. "Your blood will make a fine addition to Sanguine Thorn....yes, a fine addition indeed. It is strong blood filled with such corruption." The man licked his lips, a playful snap of his own teeth in time with hers. "Maybe if your vessel is equally as strong, as resilient as it seems then I can use you to transport her hmm....dissect you and scoop out your mind, detach your spirit and leave you a puppet for my Thorn....mmm, yes..." That dagger was raised for her face. "So were shall we begin?"
Oh hell. The tentacles were trying to swallow her whole now! Her eyes darted around for Mach again. Where was he" He wasn't going to let Tom do what he was babbling about right' Because that sounded unpleasant. She pulled back as best she could as he waved the dagger in front of her.
- - - - -
And behind during all this" Mach was a lump, though his hands still moved slowly, trying weakly to push himself up through the alarms of pain that told him he'd just been blown up and would likely be dead if not for that magical coat that just soaked kinetic energy. Reckless. Mach had been reckless but like so many times before it hadn't quiet caught up to him yet!
He coughed up a little blood from those internal injuries that were already sealing, blue eyes blue watching the scene unfold. Mages were a predictable lot, or as predictable as any crazy was. Mach would bid his time, that caster in hand hidden from view as it cycled keeping revved up, his cell phone pulled and a message sent off without looking. A little further" a little further"! And finally the time came, that opportunity he'd been waiting for.
Lifting that caster finally behind Sarai he'd fully pull the trigger activating that spell he'd been cooking. There was a pop, a fizz, a whir as the other spoke, the air becoming uncomfortable as the energy just sort of...shifted. That whir would grow, speeding up as Mach braced himself before there was a strange sort of vloorping pop. That blade was held to the woman's face, and the crazed Tom behind it....and as if from thin air there was Mach now as he materialized where that bullet that was shot at the mages feet earlier.
"How about less mad soliloquies yeah' " Machs tone was cold as he pointed that gun right at the man that stared wildly, a will of blood but none was where the hunter stood as it had all gathered beneath the struggling Sarai. A pull of the trigger and there was a quick pop, a crackle, this spell processing fast and efficient as the band placed around the man's head earlier, enchanted to be below perception usually, activated. Tom seized, falling to the ground as his body was wracked in convulsions, the band temporarily scrambling his mind like eggs in a skillet. The blood that held Sarai would release her, turning to sludge and then dust as the magic that fueled that monster, kept it alive was lost as the mage shuddered and shook on the ground.
Mach looked up and gave Sarai an assessing look, his expression that cool confidence before finally a crooked grin curled on him "Mages...love the sounds of their own voices...."
Sarai watched the crazed Tom dropped to the ground and convulsed. And her hands were freed from the grasp he had on her. She stumbled, righted herself and flashed Mach a great big grin. "Yeah. They do. " She eyed him now. "I was serious about keeping him alive for days. Painfully. Can I" "
Mach looked at the man and back to Sarai. As Tom's eyes started to focus once again Mach would pull the trigger on that castor once more, a pop and crackle sending the man into a fit of convulsions once more. "That's for even thinking of hurting my friend...." Mach's tone was cold, vehement....nothing like the man that he so seemed usually. Tucking away that gun he was already dabbing at a trickle of blood which tried to escape his nose before he leaned down to wrench the mage around so he could put an interesting pair of handcuffs on the man securing him in hogtied position
And finally once this was done he would stand and step over to Sarai, arms wrapping around the woman as he drew her into a hug. He would hold her for a long moment in silence before he simply smirked. "Sorry love, this one's going back for trial, analysis, and rehabilitation. " Spoken simply as he held her. At some point he'd called in the patty wagon as in the distance could be heard the approach of sirens.
Her eyes watched with amusement when Mach sent another wave of brain scrambling to the mage when his head started to clear, and declared the reason as to why. She couldn't help but smile, even more so when he cuffed the mage. And once it was all said and done, and she was wrapped up in his arms, she gave a content sound. When he let her know what was happening to the mage, she pouted a little. "That sounds like he's getting off easy considering what he's done. " She murmured with a pointed glance towards the women.
Mach held her a little tighter or perhaps his shoulders slacked a little more at her words. "For his crimes he'll likely live out the rest of his days as an indentured servant of the state once they surgically alter him so he can no longer use such high level magic again. He will repay society....besides...." Blue eyes blue turned to the corpses, his expression oddly stoic. "Nothing can be done for the dead and nothing can be atoned for from the grave...." He spoke those words that were obviously not his like a mantra.
That first statement made her brows perk and a whole slew of questions arise. But she silenced them, and nodded for a second. "He is still being let off easy. But it is your way. Your job. Can't get you in trouble. " As for his second set of words, she frowned a little. "Proper burial. That's the least that can be done for the dead. And perhaps closure for their families and loved ones, so they at least have something to mourn and aren't left never knowing. "
Mach smirked at her insistence. "Believe me....my superiors would want nothing more than for me to put a bullet in this asshats brainpan...no....I made a...." A pause, a shake of head. "I choose not to take personal revenge. " He cast a look back to the corpses, his jaw working slightly. "Yeah....we will see to that, and the principle investigators will....get in touch with the families, let them know so as they may find their closure. " He worked to stop clenching his jaw, a smile pulling upon him as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Your just a big softy demon aren't you..." Mach grinned at that tease, hands still holding her to him as the sirens drew ever closer.
She made a face at him after a moment. "Perhaps that makes you a little better than me. As I tend to be a somewhat vengeful creature." As she spoke, she watched him. When he said that he would have someone to get in touch with families, then went on to call her a softie, she made a face at him. "Just a little of a softie. Almost everyone is someone else's someone. Mother, father, daughter, or son. Family deserves to know what happened."
Mach smiled a thin sort of smile at that. "Better....hmm....I doubt it." A squeeze given of shoulders, drawing her into him. "Nah, just different sort of thoughts....yeah?" A grin. And at that mention of families, of everyone being someone to somebody' Well, that would just get another pull, another warm embrace. "You are most certainly a softy..." A finger danced down to poke her tummy and side teasingly. Both of those were obviously topics the man wasn't terribly keen on speaking on...smacked too close to home, too close to the cards he held close to chest. That same finger would lift the woman's chin to press a kiss to her lips now, the contact stretching out in that distracting manner.
"You doubt it?" The words were echoed as he drew her in closer. He was met with no protests. She just kinda leaned into him, and wrapped her arms around him. The motions were repeated a few seconds later when he pulled her in again. "I'm part softy. But I blame that on living around humans so much. As you guys deal with more varied emotions than most of us. I've found that my own have developed over ti-" Her rambling words were cut off by the kiss, before she melted a little into it. She made a very content little sound when he actually pulled away.
He smirked at her questioning his doubt. "Don't let these ruggedly good features fool you, there's a bad man lurking beneath it all..." A cheery chuckle at this, his words ringing with a tone of truth that usually felt absent from his speech....or perhaps it was just that plotting to steal more kisses. Mach did enjoy how she melted into his random bouts of loveyness and how she reacted to his rather burning passions. The man didn't seem very interested in holding such back....everything else about him maybe but he was a very attentive, very giving, and very passionate lover. "Oh' Being around us squishy humans make you soft....hmm, interesting..." He was most certainly going to have to ask her more about that later but those sirens were getting awfully close.
"I won't for a minute. Ruggedly handsome, bad man lurking underneath. Isn't that normal though?" She teased this lightly. As for her reactions to his kisses and touches and general loveyness, they were all things that she enjoyed. Very much so. So whenever he offered them, she devoured them quickly, and without complaint. "Yes. Just a little squishy and soft. It took some adjusting, definitely." Her eyes drifted in the direction of the sirens again.
He gave her another squeeze before a hand snaked away and back to his holster. Another pull of that trigger, another pop and crackle and the mage would be set to quaking upon the ground once more. And once more that hand rose to staunch another trickle of blood from his nose. "So are you okay Sarai....I'm sorry I used you for bait...usually that's my job. "
She gave a soft content sound at one of his many squeezes, and fell quiet until he asked if she was alright. "I am fine. Honestly, been years since I've been involved in that much action. It was fun....And if you buy me dinner again I'll call it even for using me as bait. " She paused, eying him. "Is there an opening for professional bait' "
He did smirk at him buying her dinner. "You just want to have the entertainment after the dinner! " He shot her a coy look, a cackle escaping him as he waggled his brows at her. Though that humor did dim a little at her question of being professional bait. A chuckle pushed from him. "Sorry love, I'm not in the habit of using folks besides myself as bait. If someone has to buy it due to a poor call it should only be me yeah' " Another kiss pressed into her brow. "Besides, the pay stinks. " A wink and a smile.
She grinned and leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek. "I do always enjoy entertainment after dinner." Pause. She pouted. "Honestly that was kinda fun. But you have a point as to where you are coming from."
A smirk. "Yeah....that was average sorts of danger for me....wouldn't want you to be seriously hurt on my account though I think you'd probably be better at this gig than me..." A wry grin. "You my dear have interesting thoughts on fun yeah?"
"For me, fun is anything that gets the blood pumping, Combat. thrillers, roller-coasters, sex....almost having something weird done by some magic nut job is nothing." She paused. eyed him, then grinned. "I bet I would be kick ass doing this job. Minor injuries don't really bother unless its getting stabbed. Leaves holes in clothes and those are no fun."
"So you like the thrills, spills, and passion yeah..." He chortled as he gave Tom a nudge tipping him over so as to insert a handkerchief in the man's mouth since he may be close to being able to chant things once more. You know, if his mouth weren't full. "Yeah....you might do well enough doing this....but then you would totally have to be okay having your clothes ruined..." A point to his own dress. "Functional and a-okay to be turned to ash....actually had that happen a few times....finish a job buck ass naked....elementals are really bad about that." A sage nod as he rose up once more.
"Thrills, Spills and Passion. Yes. That's a good and easy way to say it." She nodded a couple of times, and watched with quiet amusement as he stuffed the handkerchief into Tom's mouth. "Ahh. And that is when I would have a separate wardrobe for work. Jeans, comfy clothes. Things that are easy, cheap to replace." Then she grinned when he mentioned being naked and finishing jobs that way thanks to elementals. "Mhh. I have no issues with being naked, and fighting that way. Clothes can be a pain in the butt." A snort followed.
Another wrap of arms, a moments enjoyment of that closeness, and one more grin before the man would finally release the woman, stepping back as those sirens closed to but a block away. Perhaps he didn't want to be seen as so loving to someone for fear of teasing though there was likely more to it than that as he moved now to ensure the hold of those bindings on Tom. "Might wanna clear out yeah' Going to be sort of boring here a bit....can meet you somewhere after if you want"
When he stepped back and let her go, her eyes ticked upwards toward his. "I can stay. Boring isn't bad. Unless it'd be less questions and trouble if we just meet up somewhere, once you're all done?" Her eyes danced in the direction of the sirens, before she took half a step and bounced just a little on the balls of her feet.
Her asking about questions and trouble" Well, that gentle smile probably said it all. "Yeah....I think there may be some rather interesting questions with uncomfortable answers if you stayed....'who is this' 'this is Sarai, the hot demon I'm totally banging'..." Mach sort of chortled at that thought and talked out conversation. He was okay with such a third degree given to him, let the judgments fly. But the second such may have fallen on Sarai even if she didn't care" Mach knew well that he'd end up with some brig time for some very aggravated assault on another. Instead he'd step in, drawing that woman into a passionate kiss, tongue delving to play with hers for a long, stolen moment. It was obvious Mach had a thing for danger too but that had to be a given with his reckless lifestyle. A slight growl as he nipped her lip releasing that kiss reluctantly before he sighed.
"Well. Yeah. I can totally see the 'This is Sarai, The hot demon chick I've been banging' totally fly over well with your supervisor. Maybe you'll even manage to get yourself a promotion." She rolled her eyes, opened her mouth to say something, and was interrupted by his mouth again. Instead of complaining, she stayed caught in that little moment, and focused on the assault of lips, teeth, and tongue from him. All of which she returned without fail.
"Yeah....you remember that cozy little coffee shop that we..." A low tone though there was a slightly goofy chuckle. "...occupied earlier....why don't you meet me there yeah' Shouldn't take me half an hour.." Another nip of lip taken, hands wandering a moment before he forced himself to take a step back smiling that warm smile of his. And if Tom even made a peep during any of this so help him he was getting a boot to the head!
Sari was flushed and breathless by the time he pulled away. There was a content 'Mmmhmm' that came from her."Coffee shop from earlier. about thirty minutes. I will most definitely be there. Have fun with the boring part of your job, eh."
There was a gentle smile for the woman as he nodded. "Yeah....I'll see you there in a bit." A coy wink offered and he'd watch as Sarai wandered off into the alleys. He figured her for the sort that would avoid the incoming police and paramedics that his call would bring rushing to that scene and so when she moved out of sight he turned back to Tom who....smiled rather unpleasantly up towards him. The look was awfully smug for one hogtied with a compliance band on their head and a gag in their mouth. Squatting down he'd pull the handkerchief out. "What." The mage worked his mouth a little before that grin pulled on his features. "Nice little fu..." The man hissed as Mach's fist bounced his head off the ground, a wheezing chortle escaping him. "Touchy on that are you?" A dismissive look of those blues was cast upon the man. "You know, if all that look was for is so you can try to piss me off then the hankie's going back in..." Tom smirked. "You can beat me....gag me....do as you will, you've already lost. The storm is coming...SHE will pass judgment on you, and her judgment will be swift and terrible. You will suffer for that you do against her prophets hunter."
Oh look, the classic dramatic speech of the fallen foe warning that an even bigger challenge lies ahead! Mach just shook his head at how predictable the mages rhetoric was. It was almost like to go rogue a mage first had to learn all the proper tropes to use when facing off against someone there to stop them! "Oooh, your great she is coming to get me and my little kitty too..." A snort. "Why do you mages do this....honestly....almost every one of you does it! Is it a pride thing?" A thought, snap of fingers. "It's the hogtie position, right' I can totally see you being butt hurt at that..." And now Mach was grinning as he joked with the man. The mage himself was either buying into this bit of humor or had some other reason to chuckle along with Mach. "Yes, you and your bit..." And he bit back a sharp gasp as his head was slammed into the ground once more by Mach's fist, a groan escaping but it did little to reign in that humor. "..bitch and any other that may stand with you though I honestly think that number is none....all of you shall suffer judgment." Tom, bloodied with his face swelling, beaten as it was turned to look Mach in the eye with mad glee, his smile growing just a hair before splitting wide across his face as if realizing something. "E-li-tia Turner." That mildly dark humor drained some from Mach's features as that name was spoken, that name the man he'd never met before, didn't know about until a few hours past should not have possibly known. It made his veins run cold. "Wrong guy buddy, he died in a crater months ago..."
Tom cackled. "Oh how you try to lie....but you cannot lie to SHE, SHE sees all, knows all, and has plans for you Elitia Turner..." There was a sniff, a twitch of those rugged features before the man moved, that caster pulled from it's holster and driven hard into the temple of that mage, the cold magisteel barrel digging into his flesh causing the man to involuntarily whine in pain. Mach leaned down, his voice a cold, venomous whisper. "You tell whoever this bitch is that I ain't running, I'm right here, and I'll mop up all her little reject goonies and pop a cap in her when I'm done. I guarantee it." Mach pressed that gun a little harder into the mans skull, felt the soft flex of bone on the brink of giving before finally he released that pressure, the handkerchief being stuffed once more in the mans mouth. The watch officer that had been first on scene gave Mach a wary look as he stood up, a look between the beaten Tom and the hunter that with a pop of his neck had once more found his glib little smile. It was likely very hard for the man to decide who was worse in that moment....which one was the true psychopath.
From then on the rest of the hand over was stock normal. Another brain scramble for Tom would allow Mach to retrieve his compliance band and handcuffs from the mage as he passed the man off to watch custody before he quickly filled out a report with far too much speed and efficiency than had to be normal. He even worked on the report as the EMT's set back a couple of his ribs which had been broken out of place from that contact with the wall earlier....how such didn't pain the man was beyond comprehension as Mach seemed to be all human. Finishing all that and at the protest of the emergency responders he would wander off into the night making his way to that coffee shop he'd mentioned to Sarai. His expression was stoic, lost in thought for most that trip though he'd make sure to scrub away the evidence of those thoughts leaving an affable affect when he was a block away. A smoke snagged from pocket and lit and by the time he'd show up at the actual cafe he'd look as natural and lazily cocky as he always did.
(Adapted from live play with the awesome Deviously Charming!)