I stumbled into The Last Round, bloody and soot covered after my mission at Grout's Mansion.
"Where's Nines?" I asked.
"What the hell happened to you?" Damsel asked, reaching out to steady me.
"Nines," I demanded again.
"He's upstairs, but…" I didn't give her a chance to finish, pushing past her and stumbling up the stairs.
"Kid, what the hell?" was Jack's alarmed voice. I felt hands on my shoulders, but I pushed them away as bile rose in my throat and I vomited up some of the Malkavian blood I had drained in a moment of desperation while at Grout's mansion. A hand held my hair back and another rubbed my back as I gagged and choked. Finally, I was done and those hands guided me to a table and pushed a blood bag into my grasp. I quickly drained it. It wasn't enough, but it held the beast at bay until I could find a victim on the street's to feed from. I sighed and looked up to find Jack looking at me, his expression concerned as he pushed my hair away from my face. Nines stood behind him, his expression much the same. I could sooth Jack's mind later, I decided, turning away from him. I focused on Nines.
"Did you kill Grout?" I asked, bluntly. Nines' jaw dropped.
"What?" he asked.
"I saw you at his mansion," I said. "Did you kill him?"
"His mansion?" Nines repeated, confused. "Kid, I haven't been anywhere near the Malkavian's home."
"Nines, I saw you," I insisted. "You talked to me! You told me to leave!"
"Kid, I haven't seen you since you were here last, I swear," Nines argued. I opened my mouth to argue that it was him, then stopped. The Nines I had talked to had been…strange. He had even said 'Pardon me'. Nines was a rough kind of guy and 'Pardon me' wasn't something I could ever imagine him saying in casual conversation.
"Can vampires take the form of another vampire?" I asked.
"Possible," Jack said, handing me another blood bag. "But there are scores of other creatures out there that can probably do it too. Question is, why?"
"I don't know, but I've got to report to LaCroix," I said.
"Kid, I swear…"
"I know," I said, reaching out and taking his hand. He squeezed my hand and smiled at me. Jack coughed and looked between us.
"Should I leave you two alone?" he asked with a grin. I rolled my eyes and dropped Nines hand.
"Hey, I don't care what ya do," he began.
"Yes you do, Jack," I interrupted, grinning. "You care a lot what I do."
"Yeah, well, your love life is your love life," he said.
I rolled my eyes.
"I've got to get home and wash up then go 'report to the prince'," I said with disgust. I ran my hands through my hair and groaned. "Why does my unlife have to suck so much."