Christian
Christian sighed as he hit his head against the bars of his cell. His hands had been cuffed in front of him for once, because Lucious believed he knew what was good for him.
The night guard began to approach. Christian followed him with his eyes, not moving another muscle. The guard grinned when he saw him, and began dragging his baton along the bars.
"Four days Mr. Thomas," he smirked.
Christian just glared as the guard moved on.
"F#!+!" he suddenly yelled, banging against the bars.
Then he turned around and threw his bunk down onto it's side. The noise was enough to wake practically everyone, and the guard came back to the cell.
Thinking quickly, Christian sat by the bed, and lifted the chain to the cuff on his ankle and began looping it around his throat.
"CHRISTIAN!" the guard yelled, frantically searching for the right key to his cell as Christian began pulling on the chain, "a little HELP here!"
He found the key and rushed into the cell, before dusting one of the links on the chain so the pull lessened.
As soon as the gaurd was close enough, Christian tripped him, straddled him, and snapped his neck. The prisoner in the cell across from him let out a cheer.
"What the HELL is going on?!" came the second guard's voice as he came into the cell.
He sighted Christian loose and froze. Christian lunged for him, wrestled for a moment, and managed to get the chain of his handcuffs around his throat. In a split second, his neck was broken also.
Ignoring the calls and cheers from the other prisoners, Christian grabbed both sets of keys and left the cell. Looking around for any other guards, he stepped up to the next cell, occupied by the man that had warned him of Peterson.
"Here," he threw him the keys, "get them out."
He looked up towards the stairway, then began heading for it. He had to get out before they caused a riot, and Lucious realized he was gone.
At loss of his powers, he had to remember the way out. Or find another way...
He soon found himself climbing down some water pipes toward the sewer. Hopefully being underground would throw Lucious' and others' powers off his scent.
Reaching the bottom of the ladder, he began to follow the mass of pipelines. Picking up pace, he started looking up for another manhole after about 300 metres.
It took a while to find one, but he did. He launched himself up the ladder, and kept climbing until he reached the top. Lifting the cover off, he took a quick peek out. He could tell he was in a street... how far from the warehouse, he didn't know.
With a bit of muscle, he threw the cover off, and pulled himself out. The sun was just rising, so there were only a few cars on the road.
Almost getting hit by one, he stepped back onto the pavement. The area wasn't very residential, and the surrounding properties were huge. Looking around, he realized the only clue he had to his whereabouts was 'Miami'.
Groaning, he ran his fingers through his hair. Where was Varian when he needed it?
Varian.
A sort of trilling call echoed above Christian's head, then the slight, dainty firedrake form Varian was wearing at the moment, landed gracefully at his feet.
Khe measured about one foot from nose to tailtip.
"You called?"
Christian
Christian stepped back a little, before realizing who it was.
"Varian?" he raised an eyebrow, then looked around.
"Jeez you work fast. You wouldn't be able to help me out here, would you?"
Varian.
"I have discovered that space is an illusion fashioned by the gods," Varian said calmly.
"All places are the same and the one. So, what would you like? The Light Bearer is hunting you again, darkling..."
Christian
"I know," Christian rubbed his face, "he wants me working for him. And he wanted me out of the way while my father figure is off being murdered. I've got to find him..."
He looked around for a second.
"You said you could probbaly carry me. Any chance of getting a ride to Houston? I'll pay you..."
Varian.
Varian bared khe's teeth, then shifted into the slight blonde girl khe usually used when conversing with Christian.
"Blood. I want blood. You have nothing else I want."
She put a slender hand on her bare hip and raised an eyebrow at him.
Christian
"Well good," Christian raised his eyebrows, "because that's what I was planning on giving you. Look at me."
He stepped back and spread his arms.
"I haven't exactly got anything else to offer you right now."
Varian.
Varian hissed a laugh through pointed teeth.
"Good point."
She stretched and shifted into an immense dragon with a blue hide and batlike wings. Khe crouched, sloping one shoulder down towards Christian. Two spines stuck up on khet neck in convenient places for sitting between and grabbing onto the one in front.
"Well, hop on. I'm just becoming a transport service lately..."
A large violet eye regarded Christian enigmatically.
Christian
Christian grinned, before climbing onto Varian's back and holding on.
"Thanks again Varian," he said, "don't know what I'd do without you at the moment."
Varian.
"Die?"
Varian tensed khet backlegs and leapt into the air, wings beating powerfully and raising the dust. The earth fell away beneath them and khe turned khet course slightly, wheeling towards Houston.
"What's in Houston?"
Christian
"I wouldn't die," Christian scorned, "I would have broken into someone's house or something..."
He hesitated, biting his lip.
"The amplifiers are in Houston. To get onto the space station. But I need to find somewhere first where I can make myself look like Taylor again. If they know it's me I might as well walk into jail."
Varian.
"Oh yes, you're rather limited in what you can do...I forget, sometimes."
Varian's wings ploughed through the air steadily.
"And if you get onto the space station, what then?"
Christian
Christian hesitated, thinking it over.
"First I'll find Tanya. Find out if she knows where Craig is. Besides, if Taylor was on the space station, he'd be there because of her."
He closed his eyes to just feel the ride.
"But I can't stay there too long. Leroy would probbaly be hanging around, and he's basically my worst enemy."
Varian.
"Mmhmm..."
Varian turned khet head slightly and snapped a bird out of the sky. It disappeared down khet throat with a startled squawk and flurry of feathers.
"Enemies are more true then friends. Friends are chancy. Enemies, you know what they are."
Christian
"True," Christian agreed.
He began to run his hand softly down it's scales.
"Which reminds me... I should look up some old friends. See how they're getting on."
Varian.
"Hmm. Friends."
Varian yawned.
"Had them once. Grown past them, they're still kittens. Literally. Cat goddess had kittens...human sometimes, cats really. Interesting to talk to, good to hunt with. Fickle and easily distracted as F*CK."
Christian
Christian opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow.
"Sounds interesting. To anyone but myself."
He chuckled.
Varian.
"Ha f*cking ha, asshole."
Varin snapped khet wings closed and barrel rolled before continuing serenely on.
"I could and would kill you if you annoy me too much. I already know you're tasty."
Christian
"I didn't even mean that as an insult," Christian raised his eyebrows.
He leant down closer to Varian's ear.
"If you kill me... once you've eaten me, where are you gonna get your highs from, huh? You're never gonna find someone else like me."
He sat up again.
Varian.
"I could. Never know."
Varian sounded distinctly sulky.
"Your blood better be as good as I remember it, because the sex was f*cking awful."
Christian
"Yeah, and how would you know?" Christian demanded.
"You've got nothing to compare it to. Unless you've been sleeping around since you got out..."
He hesitated.
"Tell me you killed Kaleb."
Varian.
"I bit his hand off. He might have died. I was more concerned with getting the f*ck out of there before Ashtoreth sent more of her stronger lackies," Varian said calmly.
"And I've still killed five of the ones that were after me, despite my best efforts at hiding. And yes, I have had more sex since I left you. As both a guy and a girl."
Christian
Christian clenched his teeth.
"So he could very well still be alive," he said finally.
"F#!+ing hell."
Varian.
"Yes, but with only one hand now," Varian pointed out.
"Almost certain to cut down on his efficeny."
Christian
"We don't know what other means he possibly has of getting that hand back," Christian insisted.
"I broke his arm in at least twenty-five places. That was healed within weeks. Now that's not natural."
Varian.
"Oh well."
Varian snapped keht wings out and started to glide down to Houston below them.
"Any place in Houston precisely?"
Christian
"I need somewhere..." Christian squinted thoughtfully.
"I need to break into a house. I need more clothes, and I need to cut my hair."
Varian.
"Hmmhmm..."
Varian started to drop more swiftly towards the earth.
"Outskirts then."
Christian
"Cool. I think I can grab a car or something and get into the city from here myself."
Christian held on, ducking his head a little as they descended.
Varian.
Varian hit the ground with a thud, raising a cloud of dust and grass.
"And this is Houston. Land of cowboy hats and unlicensed weapons of mass destruction."
Christian
"You just described every state in this godforsaken country," Christian said, sliding from the dragon's back.
"Thanks for the ride."
He held his wrist out.
Varian.
Varian's laughter lost sibilance as khe shifted into a human form. One silvery eyebrow arched as she stepped forward to take Christian's hand, raising his wrist to her lips.
"But this state more so then others."
She licked over his skin lightly, then sank her fangs in, cutting cleanly through the skin.
Christian
Christian stumbled slightly as the blood loss started to get to him, blinking his eyes to keep them focused.
He managed to keep himself standing until Varian was ready to let go.
Varian & Nathan.
Varian let go, healing the wounded skin with another lick. Her tongue chased the traces of his blood from her lips as she smiled slightly.
"Hmmm..."
She stretched slightly.
"And now to find somewhere I can enjoy the high in peace..."
Nathan scratched RK's ears lightly and the cat purred.
"So, we've seen him now. Can we go?"
"Hmm, yes...I wish that I could talk to him but the time is not yet right for that."
"Mmmhmm. Leave the darkling to find his tower."
Nathan put RK down and walked away with him.
Christian
Christian sighed and stepped back.
"See you round I guess."
He looked up at the closest house, before jumping the gate and making his way around to the back door. There didn't seem to be anyone home, and the back door was open.
Now as long as there was at least one man living here, he was fine...
Varian.
Varian wheeled into the sky and disappeared.
Khe was already feeling the effects and wanted to reach a safe place before khe got *really* silly.