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Post by Marcel Chevalier on Sept 19, 2012 17:17:35 GMT 1
Marcel had taken up a a quiet and unassuming role in the club. He dressed much like the posse though he neither performed nor fraternised with the customers. What Marcel did was observe. There was a great deal he still needed to catch up on after his long sleep and he had found that simple observation was the quickest way to fill in some of the more glaring gaps in his knowledge of current affairs and highlight those others that he needed to question Hoyt regarding. He blended well enough with the posse to a casual observer though his soft French accent and pale eyed stare were telling indicators of his difference to those who looked more closely, something which was not necessarily advisable if one wished to avoid the attention of the posse and their protective guard over their Grandfather. The only other thing that set him apart was the onyx ring he was never without, set with a single diamond within its royal crest. The first thing that Marcel had noticed that triggered his own awareness of something being very, very wrong in the club was catching a sudden trace scent of vampire blood. His own senses were particularly acute having become more sensitive with his greater age so faint though it was he knew immediately that it wasn't his child, it wasn't his beloved Hoyt. It was however a scent that had no place being in Stoney's. Vampires did not have the same sorts of minor accidents that humans did. No cuts and bruises, no scrapes or grazes. If a vampire was bleeding, it was serious. He was already moving in a blur towards the scent when the club alarm sounded and the building erupted with screaming and panicking humans. Marcel was a born vampire and he had been wallcrawling since ...well since he could crawl, and so he simply moved faster, veering to one side and in the space of three strides he was hurtling along the wall above the heads of the crowd with a clear and unimpeded view of the source of the commotion; the tight knot of posse members surrounding their bleeding brother... From somewhere behind him he could hear Hoyt shouting and Marcel knew that he would be well able to take care of his own. Hoyt was the Maker for the whole posse and he could do more for his boy than Marcel could. What Marcel could do however from his superior vantage point was see quite clearly the purposeful flight of the military styled man who's expression of vicious elation marked him as the assailant as clearly as the manner of his flight or the scent of vampire blood that clung to him. Marcel was furious. Another attack on his family? He did not know if this was targeted at himself or Hoyt or if it were personal against the child. One thing he was certain of was that it was not random idiocy, it was planned, and that meant he was going to get answers. His parabolic path along the wall took him clear around the edge of the main club area and to the main door of Stoney's before the man had managed to leave the building. Marcel leaped down from the wall landing in front of the fleeing man and neatly clotheslining him, though across the chest as he wanted him alive... for now. The overall effect on the man was somewhat similar to having run full tilt into a brick wall and the crunch of cracking ribs was something Marcel both felt and heard with some small satisfaction. He could have quietly removed the prisoner to be questioned but Marcel was fully aware that sometimes not only must justice be done but it must be seen to be done and it would not do for the slightest rumour to begin that it was possible to strike at Hoyt's posse and escape. Marcel dragged the stunned man to his feet by the expedient of twisting his arms up behind his back, a position that made his pained gasping for breath even more ragged, and half marching, half carying him back through the middle of the dance hall and towards where Hoyt and his children were still franticly hovering over Dakota. Marcel was becoming concerned about what was taking them all so long to get the young vampire back on his feet. Whilst he was uncertain as to the reason why the child had not yet fed it was clear to him now what the others intended to do about it. Hoyt was obviously distraught but the stake could not be removed until the child fed or he would most certainly enter the Sleep of the Dead. He placed a hand gently on Hoyt's shoulder. “Mon enfant d'or,” he murmured, his voice soft as a breath. “Let them feed him.” When Hoyt turned his head to look at him Marcel smiled gently down at him. “All will be well...” he said, and it was impossible at that moment for anyone who heard him not to believe that in their heart. Marcel took Hoyt's hand and drew him to his feet, brushing a gentle, almost chaste kiss onto his lips before moving them both a little away from the posse and giving Jake more room to deal with Dakota. “Oh, “ he murmured as if in mild surprise as the human garbage he was still carrying in his other hand moaned painfully, “and I have something for you...”((TAG: Jake))
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Post by jakeblackwell on Sept 21, 2012 22:15:38 GMT 1
Kneeling next to his brother Koty he glanced back at the human that could have been helping him and his lip pulled up in a snarl. His hand was pulling out the tube and needle that would be used for a transfusion. If Koty wasn't gonna drink from her fine they could do it the hard way. Either way he was getting blood into his brother. He blinked.
She freaking just backed the fuck up and was leaving his brother to die. Shit was not gonna happen. Jake never had much to say.. didn't like saying nothing really. Words were often wasted.
"Get your ass back over here girl. Koty needs you. Or are you to much of a coward to save him.Cause if he don't bite you, I'm going to have to plug these tubes up his nose and down his throat to get him what he needs. You would not want me to do that to him now would you?" He said so matter of fact like that several of his brothers turned and gaped at him. He was never going to hear the end of it now. He was gonna count to ten and if that filly didn't bring her ass back, well he would just have to fetch her. Time was a wasting. He hated to be calling names or scaring her but, drastic times called for drastic measures. This was his brothers life.
1, 2, 3....
Jake noticed Grandfather talking with Pa and tugging him aside so they would have room. He would do both men proud and make sure that nothing happen to Koty. Not on his watch. His eyes were hard as stared at the girl almost willing her to move her feet and come back to where she was needed.
4, 5, 6...
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Post by Margaret Rosier on Sept 22, 2012 1:24:57 GMT 1
The look on the brother’s face sent fury through Maggie. It wasn’t just because she didn’t appreciate being snarled at but also because using her blood was just a round about way of Dakota drinking from her, which she specifically recalled was something that the vampire was adamant about avoiding. This was a numbers game though, the clock ticking away precious seconds. For a moment Margaret’s attention was diverted to the regal looking vampire who may have appeared still youthful in his features, the color of his eyes suggested age beyond any of the posse. With him was the assailant from before. She wasn’t sure if she was glad to see he had been caught or disappointed. If he did recognize her for whatever reason and saw her helping Dakota would it sway him to say something, or did it even matter what choice she made as vampires had an awful way of extracting information.
Snapping back to the brother at his curt tone she was reminded of her anger toward him. She kept herself under control, except for the slightest of tells, her jaw tightening for half a second. Did she want extreme measures for Dakota’s health to be taken? Maggie couldn’t even tell herself the true answer to that let alone him. All of her decisions were always based on the greatest profit to survival calculated against the greatest margin of profit. Having Koty alive very well might have proved to be more useful than him dead. As much as she wanted to make her threats about him ordering her about Margaret was prone to showing impressive amounts of restraint.
A few steps later and she was back where the brother wanted her to be. She couldn’t allow herself to show too much emotion other than what was necessary to play her role. That meant showing concern. Maggie was distraught over the scene her innocent eyes had witnessed, scared to disobey the wishes of one of the posse and be seen as disrespectful, and the intensity of the situation not letting her think clearly- or at least that would be the impression that she gave off. In reality, Margaret was just confused with her own conflicting feelings about the dying vampire before her.
If the roles had been reversed and one of her family members, not that she had any left compliments of being killed by vampires, Maggie would have done almost anything to save them. She couldn’t really blame the brother for that but she didn’t have to like being the means for the favorable result. The only real concern that Margaret had was that after blood donations she always got extremely weak. It presented itself as anemia, but wasn’t truly the case. That chief at VSF had already seen the effects of that. She also wondered, having already experienced it once that day if her body could handle being drained of more? Had Maggie had enough time to replenish herself? These worries rested in her mind as she offered herself over to save Dakota's life.
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Post by Dakota Blackwell on Sept 22, 2012 14:56:18 GMT 1
Dakota could hear everything around him but he was struggling to stay coherant. The words his brother spoke made him angry enough to open his eyes. "No!" he growled through gritted teeth, "Leave her alone." He looked at Maggie with soft eyes, "You don't have to...it's ok."
Suddenly a very feminine voice came from behind Jake, "You know, if you make her feed him, he's gonna come gunning for you. Last time any of you boys went toe to toe, you made Pa cry." She turned to Hoyt, "Hi Daddy." she grinned and kissed him on the cheek before smiling and winking at Marcel then turning back to Jake and the pile of people on the floor trying to help.
Koty smiled up at their sister with the beautiful blond curls before letting his head loll to the side. He was losing his fight. Now that the voice of reason was there, he could relax a bit.
"Here, take Antoine." she continued as a latino male knelt beside Jake and offered his arm willingly.
"Lets get that tube in his nose." Kat quickly went to work with one end of the tubing, "Don't bruise him Jakey, he's my favorite." she smiled and batted her eyes at Andtoine who grinned dimurely back. It took Kat all of 10 seconds to get the tube up Koty's nose and positioned properly in his stomach. "As soon as you have that needle in you, Antoine darling, stand up so gravity can do its job."
Dakota opened his eyes for a second to look at Kat, "Thank you." he whispered.He knew that Jake meant well and that stepping forward was difficult for him. He knew that only someone in the family being in grave danger would inspire him to do such a thing. "Thanks...Jake..." he choked out with much effort.
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Post by jakeblackwell on Sept 23, 2012 16:54:31 GMT 1
The girl didn't hardly move fast enough for his way of thinking. She must be one them city gals to good for the likes of a lowly cowboy. She came over though, maybe that aught to account for something. Before he could do anything to her Koty spoke up again and refused her blood. What the Hell was he missing here.
Kat's bubbly voice hit him and he inwardly sighed with relief. He didn't want Pa mad at him. But he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Didn't none of them see that. He wanted to save Koty even if it made Koty pissed at him for doing it. A angel of reason amongst the rough necks was their Kat. She was like a soothing balm on many of their battle weary souls, that is if they still had souls. Jake was of a mind that they did. When she offered her slave he grunted his acceptance. Antoine moved closer and presented his arm willingly and without any hesitation at all. Jake tipped his head to him and quickly washed the crook of his arm and tied it off with the rubber string. He found the vein pulsing with life. Perfect.
Jake gladly and gently stuck Antoine with the needle. He was extra cautions as he didn't want to harm Kat's favorite. He even helped the man up and gave him a nod of thanks. He'd let Kat finish all the talking. He'd said his piece and it still didn't get results. Wasted words. He glanced over at Maggie just once more and settled on ignoring the filly for the rest of the time she was apart of their little group. He was not all together happy he'd been forceful but, it was for his brother. Best to just ignore her and be done with it, while he could. Jake was probably being altogether to stubborn for his own good but something about the gal chaffed his hide.
Koty said his thanks and Jake just reached a hand out and touched him once, before tipping his hat in his direction. Antoine's blood was flowing freely down the tubing into Koty. It wouldn't be long before they could remove the stake and he would heal good as new. Jake fussed with a wrinkle on his sleeve a moment keeping his face from his brothers. Later he would take a long walk before the dawn came to settle the uproar of his emotions. Now he was not going to move till Koty was in the clear.
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Post by Margaret Rosier on Sept 24, 2012 14:57:10 GMT 1
She never thought that she would say she was thankful to see another vampire, not that this day hadn’t proved to bring her more distress regarding her expectations, but with the appearance of the female vampire and her blood slave there was a huge weight lifted off of Maggie. The guilt still held its place, but was being forced into submission and swept under the proverbial rug as things began to pan out a little smoother. A high intense situation had seemed to put the majority of them on edge and she couldn’t help but be mellowed by the newcomer and the solution that she brought with her. Dakota seemed to relax some too.
That of Antoine’s replaced Margaret’s arm and she moved back barely a pace so, once again, Jake would have room to get Dakota taken care of. In that instant that Jake turned his gaze on her she got the feeling that he didn’t like her much. It was just as well, Maggie wasn’t there to make friends- she was just some blood slave for thirty days and then Jake wouldn’t ever, likely, have to see her again. The relief that came when the deed was done, Antoine’s blood being transfused into Koty, made Margaret breathe out, softly, what she had been holding pent up and only now was aware of it. There was a question that whispered against her lips. Looking from Antoine back to Dakota the words came out of her mouth without too much thought behind them and in whatever general direction was the person who had the answer. ”Will he be okay now?” There was concern that laced her tone that confused her but she didn’t entertain the thought.
Feeling that unfamiliar lump in her throat, the thickness that came when tears were about to be shed, Maggie swallowed pushing it away. Her emotions were getting the best of her and it was a situation that needed to be remedied before it got out of hand. Margaret needed something to focus on other than the feelings that were causing such an internal fuss with her. Looking away Maggie was searching for something, anything that would divert her attention from worrying over the vampire. Her gaze swept over the grandfather and the hired gun that he harshly held. Was that a pleading look directed toward Margaret? If so he had hit a stage of desperation because obviously she was in no position to help him. But what she was seeing had nothing to do with that man, he was as void of any expression but pain and what she was seeing was nothing more than her reflection in his eyes.
With the subtlest of shifts the light caught something on the vampire’s hand, a ring with the royal crest embedded into the onyx facing by diamonds. How very curious to see that in a place like this. But then who exactly was the royal? Her father had told her of those living in New Vegas and this one wasn’t one of the ones mentioned. Maybe there was something bigger here than she had originally anticipated. Sticking around to find out wasn’t too bad an idea now and Margaret had her distraction from Koty too.
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Post by Dakota Blackwell on Oct 5, 2012 8:18:23 GMT 1
Dakota could feel his body accepting the nourishing strength of the blood that was being forces into him. He didn't think he had the strength to draw from any vein at that moment. Involuntarily, his feeding fangs clicked out next to the pronounced canines Vampires always had, making him look more menacing than he liked. He closed his mouth so Maggie wouldn't see them.
Soon, he felt his body trying to heal itself but failing miserably with the stake in his chest. He grabbed Jakes hand weakly, guiding it toward the stake and nodded. "Ready." he choked and swallowed. This was going to hurt really bad and the mess it would make before the hole closed, albeit fast, was going to be gorerific. He turned his eyes back to Maggie, "Don't look." he whispered.
Dakota had been staked before, a long time ago, by his own sister on accident. She was a feisty little native American who liked to play rough. It was during a sparring session and she got a little too rambunctious, not knowing her strength yet because she was still a newborn. The two of them had an off and on relationship that would never come to fruition because after even a few days, tempers would rise and the fur would fly. They would never get along anywhere but in the sack and that was not what either of them wanted. Needless to say, he had been through this before. He knew what this was going to feel like. It was as if thinking about her made her appear.
"Oh my GOD! Koty!" he heard the shriek and sighed. She was suddenly there and pushing her way in. Even though he was secure up against the wall, she wormed her way behind him so he was propped against her. He had to admit it was comforting as she brushed his hair back and kissed his temple, "It's ok Kotybear, I got you." she cooed at him. She looked at Jake, "I got him, you pull." She continued to pet Koty's hair, kissing his hair from time to time, "Just hang in there baby, we got ya."
Koty turned red, not wanting Maggie to think there was something between him and Lacey, there was just a history, which was all it was not that he had his heart set on having Maggie. He looked up at Maggie and followed her eyes just long enough to catch the exchange between her and the man who staked him. His eyes went back to Maggie's as his mind reeled. Did she have something to do with this? Was she a plant? Was killing him or another member of his family a plan on her part? Did she get put into slavery on purpose? His eyes narrowed slightly. Maybe he had been to quick to want her. Not that it was any more dangerous than when he was dating Lacey.
He felt Lacey's grip on him tighten, "Ok Kotybear, get ready." she looked and Jake, "Pull on three, Jakey." Then, since Dakota couldn't see her face she mouthed the words "Two." at him. Dakota found Lacey's arm that was around him and gripped it tightly. His trust was rocked in Maggie so for now, he would take his comfort from a trusted source.
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Post by jakeblackwell on Oct 6, 2012 17:57:07 GMT 1
He watched as his brother tried to keep Maggie from seeing what he was going to go through. Jake couldn't stop his lip from curling back in anger. He still felt like shaking the stuffing out of her. Instead he just sighed and ignored her question. Well does a coyote shit out on the prairie? With a mental eye roll he kept his focus on his brother. Koty needed him more. An no thanks to her he would be okay. For now.
At his word Jake moved, and took the protruding stake in his hands. He didn't get to do anything before Koty turned to Maggie and told her not to look. He all but bristled under his stetson. Lacey's shriek did little to keep Jake's patients in check. He had already maxed out his verbal credits for the year.. now this. He could not get mad at her though, as she wormed her way into helping. Like Kat she had all the fella's wrapped around her finger. At Koty's sigh he chuckled so soft in almost didn't make a sound.
The look he gave Koty said it all. 'You're in for it now.' Despite the grave situation Jake's eyes held an amount of humor that was noticeable by his family. He gave Lacey a nod as soon as she was holding Koty tight. That's how it was supposed to be. Reassurance and comfort from someone who truly cared. Once again he took hold of the stake with one hand and placed his other palm against Koty's chest. How Koty managed to blush red with amount of blood he'd lost already he did not know. Must be Antoine's blood rushing to his flaming cheeks.
It did not escape Jake that Koty's eyes kept roving back to the filly whom wouldn't give her blood. He stole a sidelong glance at her and again just something didn't feel right. He was somewhat suspicious of just what was going on. The vibe was all wrong for her to be just a blood slave, even if she got in trouble to become one. His left eye twitched slightly, yeah. He did not care for her being here or in the company of his brothers either; and he would be damn sure an eye was kept on her from here on out. Any more harm came to his brothers and all hell would break lose on the ranch.
Lacey was yammering about pulling and he gave her a curt nod. He took a breath and watched her mouth the words. His hand that braced against Koty's chest would quickly covered the wound to keep any more of his brother from spilling out.
He was somewhat grateful for Lacey being the chatter box she was. Left him with little to say. Her cooing and cuddling of Koty twitched his lips into a slight grin. That was what love should be. Safety and security in someones arms. Lacey was more a spit fire go getter then Kat, but she had a huge warm heart where her kin was concerned.
(Permission to have Jake help Koty to his feet when he's ready to stand..)
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Post by Margaret Rosier on Oct 12, 2012 14:53:57 GMT 1
She didn’t want to look. That queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach hadn’t been brought on by any gruesome sight, she had seen and dealt out worse than that in her time, but rather the uneasy sensation was stirred on by the context of the situation- the fact that it was Dakota laying there with a stake through the chest. It made her mouth go dry, nearing the point of literally being sick with worry. On top of that it made Margaret feel ridiculous for allowing herself to reach that point. Why did she care? Because there was some unspoken electrifying moment between them that got excited every time he touched her or even so much as glanced in her direction? That was irrational. Maggie hadn’t been raised on romantic notions. Life in these circumstances was supposed to be about practicality, survival of the fittest and even further the most cunning. Love or any feeling similar to it wasn’t really something that one should indulge in.
Her gaze turned downcast trying to not only be obedient but also fight against the thoughts that were racing in her mind. In the past it had been so easy to compartmentalize her feelings. Maggie had done some awful things both in the name of survival and the belief system that she was raised on and could separate herself from being conflicted about things but here a single man was having everything about the way she operated topsy-turvy. Everything going on her mind was put on pause at the feminine voice that raised as the woman approached. Viewing the gestures that passed between the two Maggie was taken over with a different kind of sickness, jealousy and a sliver of rage.
Kotybear, how Margaret hated the pet name even more so the way that it was so delicately spoken to Dakota. The kiss, the affectionate gestures- it all was forming assumptions in Maggie’s mind none of which painted a favorable picture to her. Whatever connection she had felt to Dakota was being dragged through the mud with the thought that he and this new woman were involved. Just like a vampire to want to have it all. Pretty young woman comes through, he saw something he liked and thought he’d have himself a good time with her. That was what it was, wasn’t it? The way that she called him baby rang in Maggie’s ears. There was or had been something between Dakota and the other woman, there was that distinct vibe surrounding them that suggested a past as lovers. She didn’t like it, not one bit.
With all that was going on she barely even noticed the quiet brother, Jakey as the woman called him, but she still didn’t get favorable vibes off of him either. She needed to stop being a slave to her own emotions and play the role if anything was to be done. Margaret hadn’t decided what, if anything she would do here. Her primary job in all this had been first and foremost intelligence. She gathered information rather than carried out hits, though her hands were not clean of death. Whenever put into a position where her cover was in jeopardy, never mind her life which should have been a given, Maggie always did what was necessary to keep it in tact even if it meant killing people that she had no desire to or ill will against. Her father used to say it was for the greater good. Margaret was finding though that steeling herself wasn’t such an easy task in this case.
The scene that she witnessed wasn’t something that made her happy. All the hurt and loss of blood despite it coming from a vampire didn’t give Maggie the sense of satisfaction that it normally would have. But, as the recovery was already starting to happen once the stake was out of Dakota’s chest she felt slightly relieved. Under the circumstances there was no chance that Margaret would feel completely at ease anytime soon but the sliver of reprieve was most welcomed. Dakota seemed comforted by the other woman making Maggie pretty much obsolete and Maggie wasn’t too sure how she should feel about that. Glad that he felt comfort or upset that she wasn’t the one that he found it in. That confliction was creeping up on her even harder realizing that the fact she felt anything at all contradicted the way she should have been handling the situation, with apathy.
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Post by Dakota Blackwell on Oct 14, 2012 9:34:17 GMT 1
There were many thoughts going through Dakota's mind, mostly disappointment. There was something off about Maggie but that didn't keep his heart from demanding he pursue her affections. Even if he had to go a different route with her now. He was certain he didn't want her around his human brother and he was definitely going to talk to Pa and Matthew about it to make sure he was safe. He wished his Pa and Grandfather would just turn him already and get it over with so they could all breathe a sigh of relief from the worry of that stubborn, wreckless boy getting himself hurt.
The thought of Billy Ray having been standing where he was just now made him angry. What if he was there, what if he was staked, he would be dead. Did they not just go through almost losing him? The scars would be on him forever, even if he was turned, reminding them of that dreadful night. He had to shake the feelings away then as the stake was about to be removed. But if Maggie had something to do with this, or knew anything about it, he was not going to give her the satisfaction. He turned his eyes to her with a stubborn glare. "One." he heard the word and knew the countdown had began. "Two" he heard that word and knew the stake would be pulled out on the next but before he could tense up, the stake was yanked from his chest.
Blood and flesh poured out of his chest but only for a moment as everything began to knit together again rapidly. It hurt like a bitch but Dakota would not cry out or even let Maggie knew he felt it with a look. The only sound he made was a stifled whimper at the moment it was pulled but that was strictly involuntary and soft enough that she might have missed it. His eyes never left her as the wound closed in on itself. He didn't even notice Lacey continueing to pet his head and coo at him.
"Pa" he said loudly, his eyes never leaving Maggie, "I want her as my blood slave." he said loud and clear. His tone said that his resolve would not waiver. If she was a threat to his family, he wanted her close to him. That way he could keep an eye on her and do what he previously planned, win her heart.
"I don't see why not, Billy doesn't want her anyway." he heard his Pa relpy back. He grinned satisfactorily at Maggie. If she had something to do with this, she would not have a chance to do it again. He would keep her so busy she wouldn't have time to do anything unsavory.
"He's a mutant." he heard his Pa say and looked up at the man dangling from his Grandfathers grip. "Good. He has no rights." he watched as his Pa's hand blurred to the man's throat and was summarily ripped out and dropped on the floor. "Somebody clean up this mess." Sometimes, Koty's Pa scared him with how merciless he could be when it came to their family, but that was the way of things. "Jake help your brother up." he heard his Pa say as he wiped the blood off his hand with a red bandana. "I'm hungry." The exchange of eye contact between his Pa and Grandfather was almost a shout of desire. He wanted that one day. He looked back at Maggie, she would look at him that way one day and he would answer her with the same look. With how he felt right then, he may as well have been giving her that look right then. Now that he suspected her motives were to infiltrate and hurt his family, his treatment of her would not be so gentle. He would feed off her and he would have his way with her and there was nothing she could do about it. He held his hand out for Jake to help him up.
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Post by jakeblackwell on Oct 15, 2012 14:16:21 GMT 1
It pained him to hurt his brother, even if in fact he was helping him heal by removing the offending piece of wood protruding from his chest. He watched Koty from under the brim of his hat. His eyes were trained on that little filly that caused his verbal diarrhea. Jake couldn't even hide the soft snarl that left him as Koty called out to Pa and claimed her as his Blood slave.
His tone brooked no arguments and Jake turned to see what Pa had to say. Well now, what was that saying. Keep your friends close and your enemy's closer. Yup. That about summed it up in a nut shell. Turning back to Koty he took his hand in his own. He didn't need to be told twice.
Pulling his brother up he pulled him close for a brief second. Not a full hug but one of those manly chest bumps. Just to assure himself that his brother was in fact OK. No sooner had he done that then he released him and stepped a pace back. Lacey was yammering on again about Kotybear needing some rest and all that. He gave his brother a questioning look, 'are you sure you really want to do this'.
A few of the others bustled about cleaning up what was left of the now bloody mutant. He had no remorse for the dead thing. It had attacked unprovoked and in his mind without reason. The posse kept peace, they were not some reckless group of cow pokes causing terror and fear. They took after their own and any human within was treated gently and with respect. Anger welled up once more inside and he struggled to stamp it back down. Why the hell was his family being attacked, within the very walls of their home.
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Post by Margaret Rosier on Oct 15, 2012 14:24:29 GMT 1
If not for the faint whimper Maggie’s gaze would have remained fixated on the ground. An ordinary human wasn’t likely to hear it but she could and looking up at him, her head still bowed, over her eyelashes she was a little bit startled to see the intensity with which he was staring at her. It wasn't the same as the affection he had over whelmed her with earlier, but hardened. Was it because he was focusing on not making a sound despite the pain he undoubtedly felt or had something changed in the chaos that had consumed them? Was it because of the other woman? She wasn't even aware that she took a fearful step back, literally reeling from the expression that shone in Dakota's eyes.
Her lips parted to speak her piece but silence fell from them instead. Something had changed in him since he had been staked. What Margaret didn't know but it had her beginning to amend her momentary lapse in thinking that these vampire maybe just might have been different from any others. Only minutes ago Dakota had promised her that he would never drink from her unless she asked it of him, had sworn off drinking blood all together until she gave him permission to, had argued with his brother that his life wouldn’t be saved by ingesting Margaret's blood and now Dakota was claiming her as his? She had tried to let him drink from her only to be rejected and that had made Jake cross with her, the whole was being dug deeper despite the restraint that she was using to be as obedient and respectful to her captors as she could. But it just wasn't enough for them.
The grin on Dakota's face had her looking away, not letting her expressions betray her emotions toward the situation. She wasn't property to be passed around to whomever had the most desire for her at the time, but that was how Maggie felt in that moment. She had been foolish to have even so much as a moment’s hope that they were different. Maggie could only imagine how disappointed her father would have been if he knew, if he had seen her interacting with Dakota, observed the way that her walls had started to crumble. Margaret felt betrayed by Dakota even.
Hearing that the man was a mutant instantly Maggie knew what his fate would be. She raised her head to look at the Grandfather, the one who wore the ring, just in time to see the mutant's throat being savagely ripped out by the other and discarded on the floor. The body thudded to the ground and she couldn’t look away from it. No questions had been asked so that was good but hadn't she been told that the posse only punished the guilty? How did they know that the mutant didn't have his wife and children held hostage and was under the threat of them being killed if he didn't at least try to kill one of them? Was it because of the money that had been jingling in his pocket? That didn’t mean anything. Wouldn’t they have tried to do what was necessary to save one of their family members? Of course and they had. Maybe that wasn't the scenario at all but the quickness of which they carried out punishment was unforgiving. If Dakota did feel something for her and her past was discovered would they be that unforgiving toward her too? Nothing about the situation that Margaret found herself in was reassuring. She was feeling it out blindly and simply trying to do what needed to be done to come out of it alive. With her new master though, would that still be possible or would he end up breaking her to the point that she was only a shell of who she was? Maggie, feeling childish for it through the minor comfort it brought, wrapped her arms around herself physically closing herself off to match doing so emotionally.
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Post by Dakota Blackwell on Oct 18, 2012 1:43:10 GMT 1
Anyone stupid enough to mess with the posse was doing two things. Playing with life and death and losing a friend you could trust with your life. They were quick to stand the challenge of defending the weak and just as quick to punish those who would threaten any member of the family for they all lived for one thing, keeping up the laws and traditions of the old west. Anyone who got to know them would see them as good old boys who would never hurt a fly unless someone in the family were threatened, especially the weakest, who up until now was Marcel, and Billy Ray. Dakota knew exactly why his Pa killed the mutant. First, he had a thick roll of credits in his pocket that any vampire could smell, he was hopped up on ‘V’ and he had vampire blood caked under his fingernails. He was a professional assassin. Therefore, he was shown no tolerance, no mercy.
Dakota found his footing as he was helped up, wavered a moment then straightened his ruined shirt. Lacey plopped his black hat back on his head and he nodded a thanks. She was too short to kiss him on the cheek so she kissed the tips of her fingers and gave him a mock slap “Don’t scare me like that Kotybear.” She scolded then moved off into the crowd. Dakota waved idly at her as she walked away then looked down at his shirt and frowned. “I reckon I need a new shirt.” He mumbled then looked back at Maggie. “You are never to leave my side.” He gave his first instruction. At that moment, he decided he would go back to his original promise. It would be a way of testing her. Was she salvageable from all that hate, if she was part of this? Could she be shown that all vampires weren’t monsters? Could she find it in her heart to love one? Dakota did feel betrayed but he still felt that connection with her that he didn’t understand.
“Come on.” He ordered and began walking slowly, stiffly towards the halls that lead to the stairs to the lower levels. Being staked was painful and while the wound healed closed, he was still going to hurt for awhile. It usually took a few feedings to get back to 100% but if he stuck to his plan, it would take even longer, since he would not be consuming any more blood, not until she told him he could. He knew she had no choice but to follow him with other members of the posse there so he simply gimped along, grunting if he stepped just right so as to jostle his torso. “My promise stands, Maggie.” He informed her as he moved slowly, “I had no choice but to have blood just then, but I only took it from a willing human, and as promised I did not take yours.” He gripped the hand rail in the hall as he entered it and paused. “I won’t be taking any more. Letting me off my promise in the heat of the moment, doesn’t count.” He said and began moving again.
As they got to the door to the stairs, he gave the two guards a nod and they opened the door for him, letting them pass through. Koty stood on the landing and looked down the stairs and sighed, “This is going to be a long trip.” He murmured and began a slow decent, grunting in pain with each downward step.
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Post by Margaret Rosier on Oct 18, 2012 14:02:57 GMT 1
Watching him stand on his own two feet the signs of his recovery was plain as the day. His healing process would be stunted if she didn’t give him permission to drink, Maggie was well aware of that fact and yet still torn about what to do about it. In the event that she gave it to him would it be out of self-preservation or that she wanted to see Dakota back to his full state of health? The situation that she had gotten herself into was proving to be more trouble than the gesture of kindness she had shown toward another was worth. In the end the nameless man had been killed anyway and she was punished with this sentencing because she had put herself out there to gain unwanted attention. That chief had thought she was lying and for that the intricate pattern of her fate was well on its way to being woven. Margaret had to be cautious about making mistakes here- she had always been cautious but at the end of the day she could go home and be in her solitude with no one around to pretend for. Thirty days of being constantly on edge would be mentally taxing.
As much as she wanted to look away when Lacey transferred her kiss, she didn’t. Instead her eye contact was focused on Dakota. The demands were soon to follow. Always by his side? In different circumstances that could have been wonderful but like this Maggie felt shackled. Humans had a way, most creatures in fact, of craving freedom when they found themselves without it. This was like caging an untamed animal, forcing her to be there- Margaret just had to decide whether she would rattle that cage, submit to domestication, or lay in wait for an opening. She needed to keep in mind who she was, what her purpose had been in life and how she had been raised. Fraternizing with vampires and other dark creatures had only been a means to an end. Maggie wasn’t supposed to actually develop feelings.
Abandoning her position against the bar she did as she had been instructed and followed Dakota to the halls. It was difficult seeing him wounded like he was, limping and making those resistant pained sounds. At that point she almost wished that he had taken hers. Dakota refusing had his brother irritated with her and that was something that she much rather would have like avoiding. Though Margaret wasn’t looking to be friends with any of the posse that didn’t mean that she wasn’t aware that indifference, if not being liked, was the better choice. She was slightly surprised that he was going back to his word on the matter. Now that he owned her she figured that everything before that moment, whatever he had claimed to her was null and void. She stayed at his side thinking about chancing a glance behind her but kept her gaze ahead instead.
The guards were quick to move out of the way, opening the door for the pair. Maggie paused at the door looking down at the long decline then to Dakota as he struggled with the steps. It only took her a moment to figure out the best course of action here and was once again at Dakota’s side moving his arm to rest around her shoulders to help him down. ’Perhaps you should have taken mine.” She voiced, intentionally being vague as to her meaning. Maggie didn’t want Jake being a problem. It hadn’t gone unnoticed by the woman that he was the quiet sort, because they talked less those were the ones who typically saw more. Observation was often a skill they were hyper vigilant with in a far great capacity than others. That could mean terrible things for her.
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Post by Dakota Blackwell on Oct 20, 2012 4:42:17 GMT 1
Koty could tell that Maggie was on edge by her body chemistry and the set of her face. He, too, was on edge, wondering if the girl who was stealing his heart was going to be a constant threat. She threw off so many different vibes, it was hard to keep track. One minute she seemed just as down home and good hearted as his family was, the next she was guarded as if hiding something. It was incredibly frustrating and taxing on ones nerves, but Koty was a stubborn man and he would ride this out to the end, even if it meant the true death.
The stairs were not too much to bear as he knew the pain was just the delay in healing because of the extent of the injury and he would not do more damage by walking around, it would just hurt. Maggie’s shoulder was a welcome respite, taking some of the weight off his large frame. She was stronger than most human women he had encountered but he didn’t say anything, that was fine with him, he liked a strong woman.
“Your blood?” he asked and stopped in his tracks, “Ma’am, I have never broken a promise intentionally in my life.” He looked her straight in the eye. “They forced fed me what I took from a willing slave who enjoys his life with my sister and was set free long ago but chose to stay.” He began moving again with a pained grunt and a stoic face. “I made you a promise, Maggie and I intend to keep it, even if it takes a year for this wound in my chest to heal.” He paused his speaking and lowered his voice to just above a whisper, “There are greater wounds that are unseen that never seem to heal. One day, I hope for a cure.”
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