YOU MUST KNOW that Tony's thoughts [are in italic square brackets]. And Loki's {are in italic curly brackets}. Anyone else's 'are in italic single quotations'. Carry on.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but what you haven't seen happen in the movies.

XXX

"What were you thinking? Going after him on your own?!" Howard lectured. Tony winced as Steven resumed sewing up his abdominal wound.

"I was thinking. He was getting away! We don't leave strays. Steven and Layla-"

"You said it! Steven and Layla. Two people."

"You called 'em in!"

"Because we needed backup, Tony! You never go at a vampire alone."

[…Well, he's not wrong.]

XXX

They were six: Tony, Howard, Steve, Layla, Marc, and Steven.

It should've been enough.

They had the element of surprise on their side.

Walk in, vervain-gas the place, let in the sun open all the windows, take down who you can, decapitate, or wood-stake the heart.

There were ten. The windows, three and narrow. Marc beheaded one, Howard staked another. The others attacked, fierce, and fast.

Outside Layla and Steven watched for strays. Howard called them in to help.

Near the back Tony saw one out quietly sneaking. A daywalker.

He went after him.

He pushed cautiously aside the back door, poked in his head stepped out vervain gun in hand, looked left, looked right, front – he wasn't there. They're fast but he'd still at least in the distance see them.

Against the wall he shifted, towards the corner, took a peek. Nothing, turned and – "Hello."

He was grinning.

Tony made to shoot, Loki gripped his arm. Swiftly Tony unsheathed a wooden blade, impaling Loki in the side. He barely hissed, shoved Tony to the ground the gun from his hand falling. "Ouch," the vampire dressed in all black and a long high-collar coat smirked.

Acting fast Tony raised a hand, some circular device strapped to his palm glowing, shoots – Loki sidesteps. It hits a dumpster, leaves a smoking scorch-mark. Loki cocks a brow, back at him looks. "Well, that's new."

Tony shoots again and again Loki counters, forth charges and Tony moves, shoved up against the wall he used the blade just cut when Loki took his wrist and pinned it up along the other, where still with the repulsor on his palm Tony could shoot and it hit the vampire in his pale, boney face, caused him to hiss and step back, cells gradually regenerating whilst Tony at him with the blade was marching.

Loki waved a hand and the blade from his grip away flung.

Tony's brown eyes widened.

[A hybrid!]

"I have a few tricks of my own," in an English accent said the witch-vampire hybrid lowly, dangerously. With his face fast-healing, green eyes blazed wild. Glint of steel in his hand too late Tony looks finds a dagger, soared in the air plunged into his side deeply. He crouches over in pain gasps and groans, knees slumping he falls against the wall puts up his hand to shoot but Loki's sped grasped his neck pushed him to the wall that with his head hard collided. He tore from his palm the weapon, crushed in his fist dropped to the ground worthless. He lets go Tony who grunting slid uncoordinated down to the ground beads of sweat on his forehead collecting, breath heavy, side soring.

Loki tuts. "What a mess." He kneels before him. Tony emerged with another knife and Loki grabbed easily his wrist. "Ah, ah," clenched tightly, painfully – Tony churns his jaw red in pain, veins showing. "Drop it," Loki smirks green eyes glaring. Unable to fight that grip like steel on reflex Tony let the blade to the concrete fall. "Good boy." It was flicked far aside by some force from Loki, who looks then down to the scent invading his every sense. Tony's other hand pressed over his wound dagger still there; Loki pulled it swiftly out the knife in the air disappearing as Tony hissed, pressed harder down his hand on the bleeding cut mouth shut groaning.

Loki grinned darkly. "That looks painful." Black veins danced beneath his now crimson eyes that at the blood were hungrily gazing. Tony's heart jumped to his throat, alarmed panted when into his torn shirt Loki snuck his middle and index. He grazed his skin merely, pulled out his fingers red smeared, brought them to his lips pink and thin, white fangs in place of upper canines protruding. Out slithered his glistening tongue licked up from his fingers the blood, and moaned, smiled serenely. Tony quivered, cringed and panicked, when eyes rose-red locked again on him. "…Now what am I to do with you?"

"Just kill me," Tony spat, struggled to from the pain speak – for a beat meant it.

He'd rather a swift death than to be fed on, or worse, as what thoughts Loki's question had prompted.

There was plenty he could do to him.

"So eager to die," Loki said morosely, smirk faint, face and eyes to normal again changing. Up he reached his hand to Tony's face that from him in disgust tilted sideways. Unfazed Loki persisted, with knuckles wiped a tear from the corner of Tony's eye that was from pain weeping, "Is that what you truly desire?" he asked as stiff and still Tony sat, gulped mind searched frantic for an outing, could hear he and Loki the commotion within the pub, hoped out would come one of his friends and find him, whilst Loki stayed to their presence impassive.

He thought their kind inconceivably foolish.

Cupped Tony's chin turned it to face him sternly, though his voice remained low and even, asked incredulous: "Is it?" Browns back and forth darting on sharp and steady greens settle, and unravel, true fear in them showing, a plea – more tears from them falling.

Loki's features softened, brushed them away with a featherily touch that confounded both and agitated Tony.

To his feet Loki then was rising wordless, mid-air in a wisp of black and green from brown eyes vanished.

Tune in the sound of steps rushing, come Steve from the side, aback at the sight taken.