coming at you fast, midnight

[cosmiccon]

Comments

[matriarchate]

( The Colony really makes collateral damage a calling card. )

Some things are unavoidable.

( Or, they're believed to be unavoidable. )

Are you worth saving?

[maleficum]

Don't know. Not really sure I'll be able to say until I actually succeed or fail here.

[He isn't sure if he wants to be saved, or if he's okay with being one of those people who did what he had to do, and he's willing to live with it. That's something for him to figure out and maybe atone for when the Colony is in better hands.]

[matriarchate]

Well, you have someone, maybe two someone's - when you get to the other side.

( Maybe three or four if Dean and Elena are in. But, she wants him to hear he isn't alone. )

[maleficum]

I'll think about it.

[But he's also not sure on his odds of survival at the moment. At that break in conversation, however, they come up on a what looks like an old stone building, that rises up like a tower on an island in the middle of the swamp.

Unfortunately, sitting on the island, back resting against the door, is a man. Is clothes are rotting and torn, his posture casual, but as the boat gets closer, David moves past Sam to completely kill the speed on the boat.]

Great. Pretty sure that's a vampire.

[Almost as though to answer that, the person's head snaps up, as though they've been heard.]

[matriarchate]

( It's far, and Allison doesn't have her scope up. (2) )

Against the door?

[maleficum]

Yep. You brought a machete, right?

[That question is directed more to Sam.

"Yep. How fast are they in the water?"]

I'm going to hedge our bets and say very?

["Great." But he's going to inch back and try to have that machete ready. Meanwhile, the vampire just waits and watches.]

[matriarchate]

( Allison tip toes back again, reaching into her back and producing one, and then a second ring-dagger. )

One against three. I like our odds.

[maleficum]

[David nods, and braces himself against the boat and meets the vampire's eyes. And with a glint, he rises off the island and charges forward.

Sam braces himself as the vampire charges, taking a swipe with the machete once he sees it close enough (6 vs. 12), but despite being feral, the creature is fast, and is able to duck under the blade.

David comes up behind, casting a spell designed to echo in the vampire's ears and debilitate it with the senses some (17 vs. 5). The vampire screams, dropping to it's knees in the bed of the boat.]

[matriarchate]

( Allison slides into the fray, attempting to stab it in the back with the ring dagger in her right hand (18) )

[maleficum]

[The vampire manages to regain it's awareness just in time to zip out of the way of Allison's knife (20). It targets David first, in revenge for the spell, grabbing him from behind (17 vs. 15) to pull him back to bite.

Sam winces, waiting for David to get out of the way before he takes his chance to swing. David attempts to twist away (20 vs. 20), and while it is a struggle, eventually he slams his foot down on the vampire's instep and ducks just enough so Sam can take his swing (17 vs. 17) and the machete sinks into the vampire's shoulder rather than it's neck.]

[matriarchate]

( Allison twirls the ring daggers in her hands while her friends tangle with the vampire she'd missed with her first attack. She comes around from the other side, attempting to a front flip. She intends to smack it's head with her foot as she comes down, but Sam and David are still in such close proximity. (3) )

[maleficum]

[The vampire twists away from Allison (13), but that causes the machete to slice through, spilling blood. It doesn't matter that it's it's blood, rather than human blood - the scent hits him and he goes into a frenzy, twisting around to grab at Allison and bite into the nearest part of her he can find (16).

Sam knows that his position to Allison means he can't just slice clean through. But he holds his attack, flipping the machete down in his hand if he can get a clear shot.

David tries to duck out of the way and attempts the noise spell again (20 vs. 15) but while it angers the vampire, it only seems to feed the frenzy, doubling his efforts to get his fangs into Allison.]

[matriarchate]

( Allison isn't fast enough, too close to the action to avoid being bitten (4). She cried out as his teeth sink into her flesh. She tries her best to stab at him again, flying blind (7). )

[maleficum]

[The vampire doesn't dodge (2), but he also doesn't seem like he particularly cares, given that he's now being fed. He's just going to sit there and drink, completely oblivious to the boys behind him.

Sam's jaw sets and he glances over at David, and David nods. The witch charges forward grabbing the vampire by the shoulders and yanking hard (13 vs. 7), pulling him away from Allison and flinging him back towards Sam. He moves to then catch her, placing a hand over the bleeding wound, trying to keep her blood in her body.]

Easy. I got you.

[In the meantime, Sam's hunter reflexes are ready, and he slices the machete across the vampire's neck, severing it's head from it's shoulders (16 vs. 6), before tossing the head and the body into the swamp.]

[matriarchate]

( This is a familiar feeling, the damsel in their arms, substituting a sword for a vampire's fangs - but it's not nearly as fatal - just painful.

She seethes, sucking through her teeth. )

I'm okay.

[maleficum]

[Sam's panicked face relaxes some when she speaks, but there's still worry there, watching as David's hand remains clamped over the bleeding wound. "Is there anything I can - ?"]

In my bag. Peppermint and lavender, make a paste.

[He glances down to Allison as Sam obliges.]

Not only will it prevent infection, but you'll also smell great.

[matriarchate]

Just what I was wor-worried about.

( There's something about being bitten so deeply and violently that really brings body temperature down, but, she's not going down without a fight - or apparently peppermint. )

[maleficum]

[Between the two of them, they will get the wound cleaned and dressed and wrap her in a blanket. David then fishes out juice and a cookie, because he likes to be prepared, especially in the case of blood loss. He doesn't think that the vampire drank enough to be too dangerous to her if she's still conscious but shock could be a problem.]

Sip slowly, and let me know if you think you're going to pass out or are feeling woozy.

[Sam will just keep an eye on the rest of the swamp, trying not to hover, but also aware that something else could easily come out of the water. They're not safe yet.]

[matriarchate]

( Allison doesn't try to move, sips at the juice and holds the cookie limply as she sits against the edge of the boat. )

That was not my best display.

[maleficum]

We all have our bad days. I'm sure Ezra would delight in telling you the number of times I've opened a door to his office at work bleeding profusely.

[Mostly so that Ezra would have someone to complain to.]

We knew the vamps would be tough. I think you held up well, regardless.

[matriarchate]

I've done better favors.

( Or, she's done them better. He gets it. )

[maleficum]

Far as I'm concerned, you're still holding up your end of the bargain.

[Mostly because she's the one bleeding, not him.]

And we're in the home stretch. As soon as you're solid enough to walk, we'll head in there, get what I need and get the fuck out of this swamp of misery.

[matriarchate]

They should advertise that on the brochure. -- Sam? ( A beat. ) You okay?

[imnot_likeyou]

[He glances back to her, and he nods, putting on that Sam Winchester smile that means he's not okay, but he's saving the panic attack for later.]

Yeah, I'm good.

[Please stop almost dying, he would really like to have a girlfriend who lives.]

[matriarchate]

I'm okay, too. And so's David. His peppermint is going to kick in and then we're going to kick ass. And we'll find whatever maguffin he's after. Okay?

( BUCK UP! )