That's how Inova ended up in the quaint little borough of Brooklyn traipsing around after Erskine as his so called 'protector', whilst the army gathered up a regiment of men to be his test subjects.
You see it turns out Abraham Erskine had in his possession knowledge of a formula that could supposedly transform ordinary men into super soldiers.
Just.
Like.
That.
The year is 1943, the location is dark and dismal.
Inova... is losing her mind.
The bloodlust burns achingly bright on this night and instead of resting (shutting herself inside a lovely cellar) the hybrid was being forced to attend none other than Howard Starks exciting new Expo.
Yes her, the centuries old 5 foot 8 inched vampire, with the almond coloured skin and the purple eyes is being forced to attend this event but not as a guest- because that would be like relaxing and Erskine never relaxes- but as a 'scientist' offering her services on behalf of the government at the recruitment building.
The woman currently sat on an uncomfortable chair opposite the man who she protected. Inova was slouching just enough that her purple waterfall pencil skirt shifts upwards every so often, revealing more and more leg. Her white blouse wrinkles the further she plunges down into the chair annoying her slightly but not enough for her to stop the action.
In the quiet of the room Inova sighs, soft at first but as the seconds pasts she does it again, louder this time more obnoxious.
Erskine stops his work to glance up at her, he doesn't do much but his eyes land on the exposed skin of her knee. He shakes his head with a fond roll of his eyes. "Your efforts to distract me are futile." Inova leans forward interested in his comment, accepting his challenge willingly, one could say too willing.
"Oh really." Inova purrs but the man merely grins, the tilt of his lip barely there to the untrained eye.
"I have seen you decapitate a bear with no more than your fingers, believe me when I say. They are futile." Inova drops dramatically backward onto the chair once more, an exaggerated sigh leaving her, Erskine goes back to his work. "You're sulking." He concludes and Inova must resist the urge to roll her own eyes.
"I do not sulk." Inova mumbles, her bottom lip jutting out as she crossed her arms at his analysis.
Erskine- ever the friend- nods unconvinced. "Why don't you go and hassle some of the freshmen, you usually love doing that." This time Inova does roll her eyes.
"Yes, usually but a girl does eventually tire of the endless gawking." Erskine gives her all his attention now as he informs her, she is in fact 'a beautiful woman'.
"Oh Abe, you flatter me." The next sigh she releases is curt but full of wistful longing. "Sometimes, I wish for someone to see past that. Like you do." He would have replied she was sure, but a fellow doctor calls for him about some bloodwork and Inova knows the conversation had reached its end.
As they get to their feet Inova wobbles only slightly on her spectator pumps, still not used to the high heels on her feet. The vampire catches herself just as Erskine comes to stand beside her.
"I just need to review a few of these applications for the tests and then we can do something a little more...your style. Why don't you go look around, we're at a fair after all, I'm sure you'll find something to hold your attention." Inova doesn't miss his implications to her darker nature but chooses to give him her perfected grin. The façade of the perfect dame was in full effect as she strolled out of the office to find the something Erskine referred to.
Interesting turned out to be watching Howard backstage before his big unveiling, he's flirting with this brunette flapper in a fancy little suit leotard. Inova doesn't want to interrupt because watching is humorous enough, especially when the dame he's targeted believes every little word he croons into her ear. After about a minute of the display Inova clears her throat, his boisterous brown eyes meet her own violet ones and it takes him a second to recognise her but when he does, he excuses himself and struts towards her arms wide open.
"There she is!" Inova barely gets out a hello before being squashed in his arms. "My sweet violet, my darling lavender, my-"
"Jesus Howard," Inova interrupts him glancing round to see if his antics has gained unwanted attention. They haven't, thankfully. "you're squeezing me half to death." He lets up eventually pulling back to flash her his million-dollar Stark smirk.
"Changed your mind about our friendship?" Howards eyebrows wiggle suggestively but Inova puts a stop to such thinking when she nudges him in the ribs. With an 'oof' he staggers back leaving her to grin at his obvious pain.
"Keep on dreaming Stark." The man drops the teasing act for now, informing Inova he has a gift to bestow her with. He goes over to a nearby table and picks up this little packet, Inova smiles immediately when she recognises the packaging. "Howard you shouldn't have, these are being heavily rationed. I'll feel like a monster if I eat them all to myself." Howard waved her off, smiling widely with all those white teeth as he gestured to the chocolate covered digestives, he'd gifted her with.
The genius smirks, "Don't you even worry about it flower, you deserve it, what with everything you've done for me." He's referring to how they met a year ago, Inova saved his behind during an experiment of his gone wrong.
Let's just say, he'll remember to fire away from his face next time.
Through the curtain leading to the stage bearing Starks latest car experiment, a snazzy jazz song picked up. Howard took this as his cue and smacked a ridiculous kiss on the vampire's cheek, just as the female dancers filed out to the stage.
"Would love to catch up more flower, but the stage awaits!" Great, he'd put up his mask of bravado as Inova waved goodbye. The thought of sticking around any longer was gone the moment she saw him smack his lips with the dancer from earlier in front of the cheering crowd. Inova decided now would be as good a time as any to get back to the recruitment centre surely Erskine should be done by now.
Inova opened the packet of biscuits, nibbling on the edge of one to distract herself from the lingering stares she's getting as she walks through the building trying to find Abe- who was not in his office. It works, for a split second until the biscuit is devoured. Then she can't help but notice, Brooklyn's white humans all staring.
Inova refrains from acting violently on her annoyance as she's turning yet another beige corner, knowing Abe would have a negative reaction if he finds out she'd done anything bad to innocents. Coming across the corner Inova found herself being intercepted by a boy, her biscuits are dropped but she manages to grab hold of the packet of bonbons that drop from his hands.
The vampire peers down as the boy bends down to pick up her dropped treat. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry!" His voice is deep, far deeper than that of any boy she'd ever met.
A man then.
The man stands to his full height again and peeped up to face the woman he'd collided with grey eyes met his own blue ones and the blonde had to stop himself from dropping his jaw. He'd just so happened to bump into one of the prettiest women he'd ever seen, because when was his luck ever fortunate.
Inova was nothing but charmed with this man, he was shorter than her not by a lot but noticeably, enough for a rush to overcome her. He was pretty, blonde wisps of hair falling gently over his forehead whilst those wide eyes gawked at her.
The vampire narrowed her eyes, "Problem?" the man shook his head immediately, frightened he'd offended the British lady.
"N-no I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare." The woman giggles at the start of his rambling.
"No harm done darling, I'm after all equally at fault, wasn't looking where I was going." Inova smirks satisfactorily at the bashful smile on his face and the slight blush on his cheeks, she feels oddly smitten with this man. Her attention turns to trading their respected treats back with one another.
Steve's heart skips a beat in his chest, and for once it's not because of his condition. He'd never been called 'darling' by a young dame before, elder women sure but never dames, especially one as eye catching as the one standing before him.
Her smirk is easy, as she regards him like he's captured the entirety of her attention. Steve could hear Bucky's taunting in his ear now, 'come on pal, you're choking up say something' , He opens his mouth to do just that but the woman's actions make him clam up again, Inova reached her hand into the bag of sweets and took one for herself. She popped it into her mouth without breaking eye contact and grinned when Steve released a nervous breath.
"Catch you around, darling." Steve waved in shock as she strutted away down the path he'd just walked.
Buck wasn't going to believe any of this.
After her little run in with the little guy, Inova makes out the wisps of grey hair and the brown plain suit which belonged to her German scientist.
"Abe!" The man's head whips around at her call, his eyes soften the tad at the sight of her. Inova catches up and gives him a smile. "There you are, done with the recruitment yet?" The stares from other humans are still getting to Inova, crawling under her skin.
"Almost, how's Howard?" Inova scoffs dryly pairing this with a roll of the eyes.
"Howard's... Howard." The simple comment is supplied with a shrug because let's face it, it might just be the truest thing anyone's ever said about him, Erskine nods his acknowledgement not saying anymore on the subject.
It only takes another moment before Inova lets out an unmistakable growl. "They obviously dont get much 'exotic' folk in Brooklyn." The vampire waves exuberantly back at a gawking white couple who pretend they weren't staring; Erskine chastises her like a father.
"Do not antagonize them." Is his hushed order.
Inova crosses her arms in the classic stroppy child style. "Right, yes. Wouldn't want to make them feel uncomfortable." She mumbles under her breath only to realise Erskine's not even listening to her and they've come to a sudden halt. "What are you staring at anyway?" Inova follows the mad scientist's line of vision and takes in the scene before them.
There are two men speaking to each other quite heatedly, the first facing toward the two wears the assigned uniform of a soldier, his posture rigid as he argues with a blonde man in quick angry bursts. The blonde turned away from Abe and Inova is much smaller, his clothes practically devour his petite frame making him appear frail, she recognises him as the man from earlier.
Inova didn't even have to amplify her hearing to eavesdrop on the men, they were speaking that loud.
The blonde shakes his head. "I'm not gonna sit in a factory, Bucky. Bucky come on, there are men laying down their lives...I got no right to do any less than them." Inova raises her eyebrows as this man carries on. "That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."
This 'Bucky' bites his lips nodding his head at his friend, something unconvinced in his tone. "Right cause you got nothing to prove." A broad in the background shouts something that catches both their attention, the brunette responds back briskly. Inova tunes them out momentarily to watch how Erskine inspects them, that little spark of interest is burning in his eyes. At first Inova narrows her own eyes at the look she knew all too well, then like an epiphany it hits her.
"This cannot possibly be-" Abe doesn't allow her to get another word in shushing her with a gesture, they watch in silence as the two embrace each other. When they separate the soldier departs with a salute to re-join the eager dames. The blonde turns at his friend's departure apparently heading towards the recruitment section, he passes the two and they pretend to be overly interested in the wall. When he's gone Inova gives Abe the best glare she can muster but of course it goes unnoticed by the scientist.
He's found the one he wants and Inova knows he cannot be persuaded otherwise...well at least not yet.
Next to the room in which the young man is giving what he doesn't know will be his last enlistment examination, Inova is impatiently flicking through his file. Doubt settling annoyingly into the pit of her stomach the more she reads about this, Steven Grant Rogers.
"Dear Edrania," Inova curses as she reads over it. "asthma, scarlet fever, heart trouble, easy fatigability-" She snaps the file shut and throws it on the desk. "Need I continue, or have you heard enough?" The English from her mouth sounds terribly cryptic, Erskine raises a grey brow at her, but she doesn't stop. "Oh, and he's hellbent, if his several forgeries are anything to go by."
"Your point?" He urges his vampire friend who's planted her hands on her hips sassily.
Inova frowns. "Quite frankly darling, you'll be better off giving your magic potion to a mouse." Abe shakes his head at Inova gathering the file up from where she'd slammed it as well as other routine papers.
"It is not about his body. It is about his will." Inova wedges herself between the door and Erskine before he can leave, a little more than annoyed now.
"His will to what, die?" Her entire body is taught, but her face goes noticeably softer when she whispers. "Let us not forget Abe, that if the war isn't the thing that kills him, your serum very well could be." The vampire lets her friend think that over.
He's deep in thought for a few seconds deciding what to say and when he finally speaks it is with a simple 'he is the little guy we need' then he moves past Inova and towards the curtain Steven waited behind led by a guard.
Erskine and Steven have been behind the curtain for a while and soon eating biscuits and flirting with every man who walks by isn't going to be enough to placate Inova's rising anxiety. If Erskine goes through with enlisting Steven-which she has no doubt he'll do- it was only gonna be downhill from here.
Soon though, the curtain opens abruptly making the woman quit her leaning forward on the desk."-only a chance." Erskine glances shortly at Inova, taking note of her position behind the desk. He approaches it placing Steve's file atop its wooden frame, Steve comes bustling out of the small room straight after him.
"I'll take it." Inova tries very hard not to jump out of her seat and deny everything that's going on in front of her very eyes, she swept aside a stray curl behind her ear and carried on watching both men who seemed quite intent on ignoring her.
"Good." Erskine nods, trying to find the approval stamp on the desk amongst the others. "So, where is the little guy from, actually?" He questions and Inova rolls her eyes locating the stamp immediately to place it into the man's awaiting hands, he doesn't notice until she clears her throat. Then both eyes settle onto her and after she smirks at Abe then shifts eye contact, so she meets Stevens. He lowers his gaze having been caught staring and Inova's smirk doesn't leave her face.
Steven clears his throat. "Uh, Brooklyn." On that Erskine stamps his file and gives the little guy a congratulations, soldier. Steven takes the file from him and opens it up to the page and Erskine shifts his focus back onto the impatient hybrid.
"I see you've eaten most of those things." He gestures to the half-eaten packet on the desk.
Inova takes this as a challenge. "I'm hungry." She licks her lips to emphasise before standing up to her full height. She thinks nothing of it, being taller than Steve enough that, she must consider him with her head tilted down the slightest bit. The newly confirmed soldiers skin flushes the teeniest bit as Inova regards him with those intense violet eyes, a colour Steve is unable to see.
Steve finds himself trapped for the second time that day in such a way he's never felt before, so to say he's shocked when the woman's hand shoots out toward him would be an understatement.
He still wasn't used to being regarded by a woman.
"Nova, Nova Violet. Nice to bump into you again, Mr Rogers." He accepts her hand shaking back hesitantly.
"Same to you, ma'am." Inova's grins wide all teeth, her eyes crinkling slightly in the corners finally letting go of his hand. At the loss of contact Steve hides his surprise at a woman being so carefree around him, with a small smile of his own.
"Violet please, ma'am is much too formal." Steve nods still very much stunned, Inova wants to say more but Erskine cuts her trail of thought off.
"You ready to go?"
"Of course, there's no fun in Brooklyn anyway." She gives Steve one last lingering look, then salutes him. "See you later, soldier." With that her and the older man take off, leaving behind a very much changed Steve Rogers who beams at his approved file.
About a week later they were on the grounds of an American base.
Location not to be disclosed of course, the sun is beating down on the dry terrain whilst Inova sits in a travelling war jeep with Erskine beside her in the back and Colonel Phillips in front with a soldier driving.
For the hundredth time Inova huffs, fiddling with the collar of the uniform they're making her wear. The murky green of the blazer matched the pencil skirt, along with a white blouse and black court heels sure, but its cotton material felt stuffy, itchy and it's starting to slowly drive her insane.
'Regulation.' Erskine had called it, so who was she to argue?
It was momentarily silent as they drove to the new recruits, Inova knew by this time of the morning they'd probably be waiting in line getting their first impression of Agent Carter. The thought encouraged a devilish smile on her pinkish lips.
Giving up with the choking collar of the blouse she leans back as much as she can and turns to Erskine. The vampire speaks lowly in German with her companion, knowing the Americans in front didn't speak a lick of the language. "What do you think the Colonel is going to say when he sees the runt in his litter?" Abe's decision not to entertain her just gives the woman more reason to smile, she laughs off the tension. "I'm looking forward to it."
The jeep pulls up at the perfect time, Agent Carter has punched a man in the face. Some of the other guys wince at the contact, Inova's grin widens to an all new length.
"Agent Carter!" The Colonel intervenes with his booming call, the soldiers standing just that much straighter as both the vampire and Erskine get out of the car as well. "I see your breaking in the candidates, that's good." Inova stands at attention beside Erskine after sharing a smug look with Peggy.
The scene from here begins to unfold, the Colonel orders the man to get his 'ass' up out of the dirt until somebody tells him what to do.
The blundering soldier does as ask, stands to attention. "Yes sir!" Then he salutes, Erskine must nudge Inova in the ribs to stop her sigh from catching anyone else's attention. However, the Colonel seems undeterred, carrying on his display of authority.
"General Patton, has said wars are fought with weapons but they are won by men..."He let that sink in as he marched along the line. "We are going to win this war because we have the best men." It is as if the Colonel speaks to soon, his being falters slightly as he takes in little Steve. Although no one else has seemed to notice from the aspect of the hybrid, the pointed glare he gives to Erskine is worth all the trouble. The Colonel continues noticeably rattled, "And because they are gonna get better, much better. The strategic scientific reserve..." Blah, blah, blah, blah, Inova stops listening to the patriotic shit, he's yapping on and on about them becoming the greatest army the world will ever know.
It brings back memories of wars she's fought in before, of all the wars she'd regretted, all the suffering she endured in the hybrid wars, the worst wars. It was a wonder to her how humans continuously made the same mistake, how they just never learnt.
"Miss Violet!" Inova startles at the call of her name, the Colonel has called her. "Introduce yourself." He orders knowing he now holds her attention.
Inova does the human salute, a little too relaxed to have any real intensity. "Nova Violet, but I prefer Violet-" Phillips cuts her off.
"You may address both Agent Carter and Agent Violet as your superiors. They'll be in charge for a large sum of your daily routines and monitoring a fair amount of your others. Got a problem with that, take it up with the president." Inova's eyes widen in surprise at the announcement, putting her hand up to correct the Colonel proves futile as he walks back to the jeep gets in and drives off. As she watches him leave, she lowers her hand slowly from the mockery of a salute she'd given. At around the same moment she spots Erskine looking rather sheepish.
The vampire spins on him as quick as lightning, "You." she points her finger accusingly at him.
"Me?" He innocently replies but the violet eyed woman's not falling for it.
"Yes you, what did you do?" Erskine shrugs, fucking shrugs and if that doesn't set her off his next sentence sure does.
"I may have volunteered you to train the recruits." Her eyes narrow in that predator fashion, the look that's practically killed men.
"Pray tell why you'd do such a thing." Erskine shrugs, again.
"Thought you could do with telling a few men what to do, get you off my back for once." He mumbles whilst walking away himself.
"I heard that!" He waves her off and Inova turns back to the recruits with a not so happy face, she puts her hands on her waist and dips a hip dramatically. "So, Miss Carter-" That killer smirk highlights her features, her pink lips curl in the most natural fashion. "Where do we begin."
The next couple days were gruelling, not for Inova of course.
The soldiers however, well.
There was one who stood out from the rest in a negative way. Steve going through drills was painful to watch, every time he so much as made a move it made Inova flinch just a tad. His ability severely slackens under the weight of his conditions although, he does try his best. These are the moments the hybrid believes she sees the light Erskine so often refers to, the determination behind his actions that just tell him, do not stop never stop.
It's admirable truly it is.
But she can't sleep, most nights she spends her time awake laying on her cot. Listening to the steady breaths beside her coming from Abe, she tunes her hearing into the beating heart within his body, smells the blood it cleans, almost tastes it. These nights seem fucking endless and leave her grumpy as fuck in the morning.
Normally it's manageable but this morning it's bad. Her skin feels like it's vibrating, the amount of times she's thought of just stripping her army jumpsuit is growing to an alarming rate. Everything that moves annoys her, every time someone breaths, talks, fucking exists makes her want to sink her teeth into their necks, rip out their jugulars and-
Her ears signal her to the event happening on the training equipment. One of the soldiers purposely kicks the leg off a barbed wire rack the men are crawling under, more importantly he does it onto Steve. "Rogers! Get that rifle out of the mud!" A fellow corporal rages and all the strings she's been holding herself down with just...snap.
Inova's up on her feet in seconds. Marching to the scene with a single line of focus. Steve's still stuck underneath while the corporal tries and fails to straighten out the beam. "Allow me." Inova interrupts, grasping the wooden leg with ease to straighten it out. Then she barks for the soldiers to finish up and get into formation.
When they do her focus narrows onto the sabotage. "Do you know what we call soldiers who don't support other soldiers in their squadron." Inova refers to him unafraid, the soldier responds with a tight lipped 'no ma'am' and Inova is positively bristled. "Traitors, they're called traitors. Are you a traitor Hodge?"
"No, ma'am."
"If this was the battlefield, the real battlefield. Your act of sabotage could have resulted in the deaths of you and your men." She squared him off with an intensity that drove everyone else into fearful silence. "Do it again, and I can guarantee you more than just a scolding. Understood." He nods and the grounds are enveloped in this long-outstretched silence. It's too hot, suddenly. Too humid, she needs release, she needs it now.
Now.
Now.
NOW.
"Laps!" Inova shouts out of nowhere. "We should move on to laps next, I think. Yes, get into lap formation." The yelling corporal from earlier offers to lead. "I'll assist." With no further words she sets off down the trail, not at a slow pace either, she's charging ahead, blowing off steam. Trying to not let the hunger get out of control. It's a losing battle.
All she needed was a little, why couldn't he just give her permission? Was it so hard?
"I dont understand why you need it." Inova, from her position opposite the man's bunk in a kneel, groans. Her palms dig into her eyes harshly, tired of the same seemingly endless argument.
When she speaks it's sharp, sharp enough to aggravate Erskine's impatient ears. "If you say yes. It'll lessen the weight on my conscience."
"I doubt this."
"Erskine," She pleads. "I'm starving, no not starving, I'm ravenous."
Her body was burning, painfully aware of the lack of fresh blood being consumed. She hadn't had an official 'meal' since before the night of the stark expo and that was ages ago. Erskine immersed in his work remained unsympathetic to the woman.
"Honestly, if you're so worked up about this why don't you go for a run, let your inner wolf free or something like that." Inova rolled her eyes heavily, throwing a scowl in his direction.
"Risk getting spotted what a great idea, why don't I just walk around and speak to people with my fangs hanging out as well?" Then she gets up to start pacing around the little cabin.
In response to her ramblings Erskine huffs distractedly, rubbing his eyes below the glasses frame. "There is a little creek not too far south from here but far out enough that you won't be spotted, you can go unwind there for a while. No one should see you; the men are on strict curfews and are probably really tired after what you put them through today." He ruffles his papers and slides his glasses further up the bridge of his nose before making eye contact with the hybrid. "Have fun." Inova doesn't hang around much after that, following her instincts south until she reaches the creek. When she's made it, the glittering shimmer the moon provides onto the lake is relaxing enough that she's immediately calmed.
It's easy to assume the change after being greeted with a sight like that, and honestly Inova thinks, 'what's the worst that could happen?'.
A beam of light hit her closed eyelid startling the hybrid awake, upon opening her eyes the ability to put things into focus is momentarily lost. She struggles to get a grip on the input she's getting.
Soft ground, open air, bird's song. The input on her senses dulls as she wakes further and sees all she's just deduced. Except she's granted with more than just that, not only is she outside but she's naked and covered in a thin layer of blood.
Chancing a whiff at the scarlet liquid the vamp clocks it is animal blood and gives a small gratified sigh. Only now there's one problem, how is she going to get back to camp without drawing any attention. Standing up from the crouch she scanned her surroundings, no sign of her clothes but the advantage point gave her the view of a creek below the small cliff face she was on. It's probably the one Erskine suggested, so she's not that far from the army base. The small plan to get clean in the creek then sneak back to base is the most fitting, surveying the water below further she estimates the depth of the water, it seems deep enough to jump from where she is now.
After the point she wastes no time in diving in, resurfacing moments later to the brief sound of startled birds leaving their trees. The simplicity of the sound is pleasant enough to her ears, for a few seconds she wades lazily threw the water until she's sure the blood has been wiped clean. Whilst examining the flesh on her right arm the sudden sensation of being watched prickled the back of her neck. Inova gracefully turns in the water toward the patchy grass on shore, sure enough she meets the sheepish eyes belonging to none other than Steve Rogers.
Inova stops wading and those sheepish eyes go wide with panic. The hybrid finds his obvious skittish nature slightly amusing and chooses to continue analysing his reaction. He was halfway through with his mission to flee if his closed notebook and one booted foot is any indication.
Inova notes the way his breathing has slowed, eyes never wavering from her own as their staring contest continues, his pale skin has flushed that adorable pinkish colour. Lighter than a rose yet not quite as fair as a usual blush, 'his blood must run so hot' she thinks, and the thought alone is enough to conjure memories of bitten necks and gushing red.
'Why haven't you run away?' She watches him watch her, knowing his body was riddled with anxiety and came to the only conclusion. 'Oh, he's a stubborn one.'
The first movement is made, on Inova's behalf of course. She starts to swim towards the shore, towards Steve, never drawing her eyes away. Just to grasp a concept of who this man was, why Erskine found him to be so special. When the water is shallow enough to walk on, Inova wastes no time as she emerges. Steve's blush intensifies she notes, as she continues, her walk is sure and unhurried. Being viewed bare to other's naked eye has never been one of her concerns, so she continues to the shore. As sure of herself as ever, she doesn't stop her stride until she's standing right opposite the man.
She purrs out the next words, "Avert your eyes soldier." on command Steve's eyes immediately flick upwards towards the tree line. The sight would be endearing if Inova wasn't highly aware of the pulse he hides beneath the skin on his neck. Inova wants to taste him.
In between her subconscious debate, she'd unconsciously taken several steps towards the man. Who she noticed hadn't dared shift a muscle from where he'd last been. It was very foolish of the man to do so, Inova knew she shouldn't give into his bravery but this wave of want hits her from a place long forgotten about.
It was this realisation that forced the vampire back to reality, with a completely changed demeaner she marched straight past the stunned male with the intention of going back to base. "Make sure you're alert for drills this morning Mr Rogers. I'm sure Colonel Phillips would not be happy if he suspects you're disobeying the curfew. Don't worry I won't tell." The man doesn't reply but his exhale is enough to tell Inova he's grateful.
Inova doesn't stick around much after that.
Upon arriving on the army barracks once again, Inova determines the best route to avoid being seen before flashing straight to her and Erskine's shared cabin. There she was able to fully relax and take in the events of what had just occurred, Steve had stood his ground in a way no man had been able to do since... well a while.
The sound of a half-asleep Erskine entering the cabin startled Inova from her wandering thoughts. The man had barely gotten through the door before his hands flew up to his eyes, he let out a brilliant curse word in German shortly after.
"You know," The mad scientist begins. "clothes are more than just a formality for us humans." Following his unsure gesture towards her body she realises being naked might just be a tad inappropriate. On a sigh Inova reminds Erskine her lack of clothing would be more than expected on my planet, the scientist grumbles something unintelligible about aliens under his breath whilst fumbling blindly towards his desk.
He bumps his foot on the corner of the desk in his blind journey, "Jesus! Inova please for the love of God put on some clothes, so that I may see where I am going!" Inova understands the man's snapping comes simply from a place of fond exasperation so chooses to not aggravate the man any further.
"Fine." In a quick burst of speed, the vampire has changed into her regulation uniform, the jumpsuits trousers do nothing to hide her curvaceous form. After the sudden change she comes to a standstill beside Erskine who's removed his hands from his eyes and begun rummaging through his desk.
"Now you're dressed, Colonel Phillips would like to discuss something with you shortly." Inova, who'd been studying Erskine notes on his serum cocked a bro in intrigue.
Her arms folded superstitiously in front of her chest as she leaned her weight against the desk, "Whatever on earth could Phillips want to discuss with me?" Abe, shrugs in the most unconvincing way and lies straight through his teeth.
"Something about drills." If he knows Inova doesn't believe him for a second, he shows none of this awareness on his features. Playing along Inova strides towards the cabin's door.
"Drills huh?" She agrees before the sound of the timber door shutting blocks off the sounds of her leaving.
The men have already begun the required drills of the day by the time Inova makes her way over to the main operations tent, to where Colonel Phillips awaited her arrival. Peggy's pushing the men harder than usual, probably due to the reports of an attack that took place on American troops a few hundred miles away from an ally's base in Italy. Inova can't blame the woman for being concerned.
Somewhere between crossing the army camps grounds she feels the tell-tale eyes of one of those soldiers plastered onto her form. Inova knew the action of staring back could ignite the sparks of a game where the outcome would be nothing good. Her danger lurked beneath the surface of her seemingly human skin, whilst his never-ending righteousness was barely contained within that too small body of his.
They could spell disaster so perfectly.
As quickly as such overwhelming thoughts came, they were smothered by an unnerving sense of dread. She could practically hear the harsh tone of her mother's voice.
"Nothing good ever comes from you caring for someone Inova...so don't."
It was a warning she needed to remember; Inova continued past the men to Phillips without so much as a teasing glance. Reaching the tent, she's not surprised when Phillips immediately barks at her to zip up the front of her army jumpsuit up properly, doing it up slowly whilst maintaining eye contact only riles up the man more.
Inova smirks at the man's stoic anger, "Miss Violet, word is you know how to infiltrate and fight." It's as if the raised brow of surprise is enough to convince Phillips he's right, as the man continues undisturbed. "Oversees in Italy there's a growing production of weaponry specifically made for the German troops-" Inova decides to interrupt the man with a comment on how it shouldn't be surprising seeing as Italy had allied themselves with the Nazi's now. The Colonel clears his throat tiredly, as if the point had been expressed to him before. "I am well aware of the idiot's decision Miss Violet, however many of our returning troops gave detailed reports of men using such weapons to kill both our allied troops and Germans." The mans' face betrays nothing, but the clench of his fist informs Inova all she needs to know.
She stands the tad bit straighter and leans in towards the man lowering her voice. "You think there's another player involved in this game of war?" Phillips ever the serious man simply nods, Inova continues. "You've brought it up to the board I assume but they dont believe you, because you don't have any evidence to prove your suspicions. Do you?" Phillips is practically glaring at her now, but Inova doesn't care she's got the upper hand for once and it feels exhilarating.
"Which is why you need me. I can do the things you can't with a little more flair and... discretion."
"Miss Violet, is this war a game to you?" Inova tries not to laugh.
"Of course not, sir I would be honoured to get out of this base and gather the intel you need." Phillips doesn't stop being tense but at least the scowl is wiped off his face. He hands Inova a file that was sitting on the top of his desk.
"The reports detailed this rogue group to an outskirt in Italy close to the front line, many of our regiments are stuck in battle and can't advance because of the threat. Get me evidence of their existence Miss Violet and I can guarantee you a magnificent honour in America's history books." Inova didn't hold back her eyeroll.
"Believe me sir, I don't want that at all." Phillips drew his eyes into narrow slits as he dared ask Inova just 'what it was she wanted'.
The vampire grinned, not missing the opportunity to exploit her newfound situation. "Well..." She drags the l's out in her British tone before settling on a preferred gift. "A new outfit would be appreciated." If the Colonels exasperated sigh and muttered grumble of 'women' under his breath was meant to deter Inova, it didn't work.
Inova steps out of the tent in an outfit a little more her style.
On the bottom she wears a pair of dark green khaki combat pants, tucked into a pair of black knee-high combat boots. The top half is covered with a simple black vest, her breasts secured by a compressed brassiere. To complete the look was a cropped camo jacket.
She gave the Colonel a cheeky smile, one he did not appreciate before going over to find Abe. The mad scientist is sitting in the corner of the mess hall it turns out, he's got the table smothered in papers detailing the familiar chicken scratch of his notes. The sight was slightly endearing to Inova and would've been appreciated if it wasn't for the company Abe had decided to keep.
"You see Steven it is all in a matter of principle-" Abe glances up from his notepad and his sentence trails off as he locks eyes with Inova from across the hall. "Ah, I wondered what was keeping you so long."
Inova doesn't believe him for a second. "Oh really." She drawls, taking a seat whilst simultaneously resisting the urge to inhale too deeply. The food on base always smelt so artificial.
"Yes..." Abe goes quiet just studying the woman mutely for a few seconds. Inova chooses the moment to finally acknowledge Steve's presence at the table, the man has paused in his eating to observe the interaction between the two. Inova notices the soft flush of his skin when he realises, he's been caught staring once again. This pleasure is becoming far too much of a habit, Inova throws the man a smile to put him at ease.
"Wenn er nicht klappt, kann ich ihn haben?" Erskine shakes his head fondly, not once breaking his composure as he looks between both Inova and Steve.
"Nien Nova." Inova pretends to frown, showcasing her upset to a Steve who has no idea what's going on. He keeps glancing at Erskine as if It will help him suddenly understand the German dialect.
Inova purrs at him. "You've had a rough couple days Steven. You really should try to eat more." Erskine interrupts before Steve can even reply to her comment.
"And you've eaten what exactly?" Inova knows he's slightly annoyed by her sudden show of fondness for Steve, which Is exactly why she tells him she's going to find food elsewhere. "Where exactly?"
"Italien Arschloch, denn falls Sie es vergessen haben, Sie haben mich in einer Basis voller Appetithäppchen allein gelassen, ich darf nicht essen!" Although the rest of the hall is full of boisterous ruckus, the vampire makes sure to mutter the scorn in a hushed tone so as not to be overheard. Steve's noticeably shrunk back in his seat at the loathing expression etched onto the woman's face. It was such a juxtaposition from the beaming smile she'd given him earlier that his movement was almost involuntary. Erskine seems for the most part unfazed, he simply puts down his pencil and sighs a weary sound.
"How long will you be gone for?" Inova relaxes just the slightest bit, leaning away from the table after accidentally listening to Steve's increasing heartrate. Trying to make herself seem less threatening.
"About three days, five tops if Mina finds something that catches her attention." Steve still ever confused watches Erskine nod in finality at the mentioning of this other woman. Whoever she is must be influential enough for Erskine to just let Inova go to Italy alone. Who'd protect her if she got hurt? Didn't she know that war was going on strong in those areas?
"Good luck, I would tell you to be careful, but I know you wouldn't listen anyway." Inova's demeaner changes completely as a smile overtakes her features, those dark eyes of her brightening up in a way that makes Steve's breath catch. Steve's not entirely sure what colour they are either, seeing as he can only make out the brown or black in people's eyes. Hers are dark sure but light enough to sparkle in a way he's never encountered.
"Ah Abraham, you know me so well. " With the comment she stands to her full height, she pats the scientist companionly on the shoulder. "Promise not to do anything fun whilst I'm away." Erskine teases her with a 'no' so Inova waits for Steve's answer.
Steve can only get out a choked, "P-pro." before clearing his throat and deepening his tone to try again. "Uh, promise." Inova smirks a him, and Steve's pretty sure if he wasn't blushing before he was now. Somehow Erskine's disapproving shake of his head doesn't even matter because she's still smiling at him as if she knows something none of the men do. It's this reason which enables him to do nothing else but look at her retreating back as she walks away and out of the mess hall without nothing but a 'Goodbye boys' thrown over her shoulder in their direction.
He wonders if she's thought of that morning by the lake ever since it happened.
With her gone, Steve notices the look Erskine is giving him. Ducking his head back to his meal Steve tries to distract the man.
"So... you were explaining the principles of your studies to me." Whether it's because Erskine is genuinely distracted or chooses to not bring up the moment beforehand is unclear to Steve. Whatever it is he is grateful when Erskine continues to ramble on about science Steve could only hope to understand.
