When the night finally returned he felt himself coming back together with the usual slowness. His heart thumped in his chest, beats beginning to grow closer and closer together until a steady rhythm found its pace, albeit leisurely by human standards. His eyes drew into focus, blinking sluggishly as the metaphorical gears in his head ground into motion once again. As he collected himself he attempted to assess his situation.
No Satya to hold his hand this time. He had definitely been shifted since the last thing he really remembered processing, because he was tucked into bed with the covers drawn up rather than simply sprawled across the top of it. That was pretty laughable in itself. Sleeping still wasn't the right word for what he did, and it wasn't as if the cold bothered him... but it was certainly better than finding himself burnt to a crisp, or in a mortuary, or a coffin, or any of the other thousands of possibilities. Evidently Mako had listened.
Shouldn't have doubted it at all really, he'd always known he could trust the big lug.
Once he was sure full control of his body had come back Jamie sat up. Then he froze.
Mako was sitting on the end of the bed, staring at him. Jamie stared back.
He laughed, high pitched and sharp. "Don't tell me ya been there all day, mate."
Mako's expression was grave. "You were dead."
"Yeah..." Jamie said awkwardly, scratching at the back of his neck. "Sort of? I don't know exactly what it looks like since I'm... ya know... not really with it... told ya I'd be alright though, didn't I? And ya didn't call anyone or nothin'."
"You told me not to."
"I know... still, thanks..."
Mako was quiet for a moment. "No rigor mortis."
"Eh?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.
"Bodies. They go stiff after a few hours when they're dead. You never did."
"Huh..." Jamie said, frowning. "Guess that's somethin' to know."
He kicked the covers back, hopping to his feet and giving a quick stretch.
"You gonna tell me what's going on then?" Mako asked, causing him to pause, twisting to regard his friend. Jamie hummed for a moment.
"Dunno where to start really."
"Start with why you were playing dead."
"Oh... don't got much of a choice in the matter, kinda just happens now... whatever I say it's gonna seem crazy, wouldn't blame ya for not believing a lick of it."
Mako met his gaze squarely. "Try me."
So Jamie did. He started, in his usual rambling fashion, with the night he'd made off with the treasure they'd had their eye on, how he'd done such a perfect job and other such self-flattery. Got a little sidetracked, but Mako was good at reminding him to stay on point, and somewhat sheepishly he admitted that after having hidden their prize he'd decided to reward himself with a few drinks and inevitably got a bit too talkative. This led to being cornered by a few less than savory acquaintances, who seemed to think they knew just how to encourage him to share his spoils.
They'd taken his arm. He got a little quiet when he mentioned that part, but quickly breezed past it and onto the appearance of Satya, which he was more happy to recount.
It had all been a bit of a blur to him, but he remembered the important bits, including the fact that he was now apparently a newly fledged member of the undead with a hunger for blood and a habit of turning inanimate during the day. Oh, and he could smell really well. And hear. And see. And heck knew what else, he was still pretty new to the whole thing, but all in all it wasn't so bad.
Satya looked out for him, and she was nice... though he wasn't sure where she was, or how she'd take the fact that he'd possibly accidentally burnt her house down... fucked up everything, didn't he? Sooner or later he ruined it all... a terminal symptom of being Jamison Fawkes.
"So what now?" Mako asked.
Jamie blinked, drawing himself back to the present. "Figure that's obvious, ain't it? Gotta find Satya."
"Do you want to?"
Jamie frowned. "What kinda question is that?"
"Don't have to go back to her if you don't want to, you know," he said slowly. "Wasn't like you had a choice in any of this."
"It's... it's complicated," Jamie said. "Wasn't the worst way that night could've turned out given how it was goin', and she's been teachin' me things, been right nice about the whole situation, honest... don't think I got a problem stickin' around for a while if she'll still have me..."
"Think she won't be happy about the fire?"
"Who would be?" Jamie said with a laugh that tittered off, his expression hardening. "But I gotta find her first... need to tell her 'bout this Reaper bloke anyways, he's trouble and a half... him sniffin' after her? Don't like that at all."
Mako seemed happy enough to accept his, he just nodded. "Alright, so we'll look for her."
"We?"
"Course. Think I'm letting you out my sight so soon after the last time?"
"Ya know I'm practically immortal now? Undead an' all that? It don't... bother you?"
"You're still a little shit without a lick of common sense."
Well, he wasn't wrong there. Jamie grinned. "Wasn't kiddin' before ya know. Missed ya."
Mako gave a grunt of acknowledgement, and a playful knock on the shoulder that quickly sent him into a giggle fit. "Enough of that. You want to find her or not?"
"Yeah... ready when you are."
It had been a long time since Satya had woken somewhere so confined. It brought back memories, but this time at least the box wasn't locked. She pushed the lid aside and sat up, regarding the hotel room as she finished gathering her senses.
As the Countess had so smugly pointed out a lot of money could afford one whatever oddities they pleased. They had remained completely undisturbed, and no one had questioned the peculiar size of the Countess's luggage, nor her strange choice of hours. Hopefully she had taken steps to ensure the staff's discretion too, but Satya had no desire to interrogate her further on the matter, she should simply be grateful there had been somewhere for her to stay while her own home was unsafe. It was hard to feel a great deal of gratitude toward the Countess however.
Her thoughts were still drawn to Jamie. They had been unable to find him the night before, and she could only pray he had found somewhere to shelter too. Satya refused to consider the alternative.
She got up, smoothing the creases from her dress and running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to comb it. The difference in routine was bothersome, and she found a light frown settling upon her features. Not only the lack of her own home, but the lack of him too... it was troubling how quickly his presence had become familiar.
The Countess's appearance distracted her, the other vampire had somehow already found time to change her outfit and when she walked into the main room of the suite no one would have known she'd been curled up in a box for the last several hours.
"Ah, you're up, bien. I was meaning go to ballet tonight before a hunt, 'Swan Lake', a little cliché I'll grant but I have a fondness for it and I heart the local troupe is very talented. Perhaps you would care to accompany me?"
Satya shook her head. "I still need to find Jamie."
She sighed. "Ah, your little stray, yes, still worried about him?"
Irritation curled inside her, and Satya tried her best to temper it. The only sign of her feelings was how rigid she stood. "Of course I'm worried, I think that's perfectly understandable given the circumstances."
The Countess gave a derisive sniff.. "Well, if you want to let it spoil your evening so be it, but I'll have no part of it any longer."
"Are you forgetting that all this is your fault?"
The Countess made a careless, offhand gesture. "You're making assumptions, ma cherie, you do not know how or why he disappeared. For all you know the fool was simply bored. You cannot hold me accountable for that."
"Hunters, the Reaper, and you expect me to believe this is entirely unrelated? So you can watch some dance show while this all unfolds?" she demanded.
"I will do as I please, Satya, you should know that by now. But if you do find him, give him my regards. It is pleasant to see you have found something that concerns you other than your little projects."
As much as she would have loved to give a biting retort, Satya was accustomed to granting the Countess a certain leniency. One did not argue long with someone as old as the Countess, it was very much playing with fire. So, she merely nodded, and bid her farewell.
The weather, at least, was better that it last was. A weak breeze still stirred the streets, but nothing more than a mild distraction that tickled her hair and whisked old scents that should have long been lost amidst the damp back into circulation. She sniffed, absently, but there was no trace of Jamie to be found near the Countess's lodgings, not that she had expected there to be.
If he had gone to ground, it stood to reason he would choose a place he was familiar with. Somewhere he considered safe.
With what little she knew of his life before they met, there was only one such place she was aware of. Perhaps that was where he had gone. If he had left of his own free will. If he had not been hurt, or killed, or... but no, that was out of the question. She would find her fledgling, and all would be well. She was resolute.
Striding with purpose she left behind the clean, brightly lit district where those with money indulged and delved into the dirty outskirts of the city where she so often hunted her prey. Her memory was sharp enough that she did not lose her way, shadowing past anyone who strayed across her path until the sight of the block of flats Jamie had led her to only nights before. As disgusting as she remembered, but this was no time for her to lay down her judgement.
She climbed the stairwell in silence. The marks on the battered door were distinct enough she had no need for a number. After brief consideration, she knocked.
There was no response.
Leaning forward she listened carefully for a moment before she took hold of the handle and pushed. With a crack the frame gave and she nudged the door open, stepping inside. Deserted, as she had already assessed, but his smell still lingered... fresh, he had been here recently. That meant he was alright, Jamie was fine, and had found a place to shelter from the sun without her help...
She allowed herself a moment's relief, eyes closed as she composed herself. Jamie was okay.
All that remained was to track him down and admonish him for whatever he'd been up to and warn him of the danger.
Satya straightened, leaving the dirty apartment with quick steps as she descended back to the streets below. The trail of his scent was faint, worn by the elements and mixed with a myriad of other stenches, but experience worked in her favor and she followed diligently. There seemed to be a human accompanying him, his old friend? What had his name been again? It mattered not.
It was almost nostalgic, tracking him through the city much like she had that fateful night...
Then something interrupted her introspection. She paused, eyes narrowed. The sense that something wasn't quite right...
Glancing around she took stock of the street, the glowing lights from cheap takeaway windows, the streak of traffic, the passerbys – from the early night drunks to those just trying to make their way home. It all looked to be in order. Yet something still bothered her.
How was it you spotted hunters? Pick them from the crowd?
Oh, it had been a long time indeed since she'd had the need... but it was the eyes you had to watch out for. Not the dull, blissful ignorance that glazed most of the human population, but something keen, the watchful gaze of a predator seeking its prey in the same way she did.
The woman by the fish and chips stand fit the bill perfectly.
Attempting to act natural Satya quickly memorized her appearance. Young, freckled, spiked brown hair and a cheerful grin, dressed in leggings, shorts, a casual shirt and bomber jacket. She was chatting quite happily to one of the workers, but her attention was clearly divided, and Satya could not be certain if she had been spotted or not.
She walked away with perfect composure, turing off at the nearest opportunity and disappearing into the gloom. It was time to assess her options...
She could force a confrontation, see if she could eliminate the woman, but she had no idea if they were alone, hunters often worked in groups... they were trained to see through shadowing, and always came prepared...
She touched the shoulder of her left arm reflectively, expression turning grim. No, better to avoid this for now... she had Jamie to worry about, finding him was her first priority. She might know what to expect from hunters, but he had no idea, and it would be irresponsible of her to leave her fledgling so vulnerable.
Satya turned, whisking away at unnatural speed as she fled, attempting to conceal any trace of her passing as she moved. Being followed was not an option.