A/N: Okay, so I know it's been a while. But, erm, yeah I've got no excuses. Please, accept my apologies and enjoy this new chapter.
It became part of the routine for Robin and Vlad to join the nightly hunt. Well, that is it became part of the routine for Vlad to join the nightly hunt, and for Robin to join the researchers in their highly supplied tech van to do the radar scoping out thing. It was somewhat surprising to Robin just how busy Selene's family's organisation was. Yes, he had been knowledgeable about vampires and other supernatural creatures since his early teens, but he had always sort of assumed that the stories of that community constantly attacking humans were just that, stories. It turned out he was grossly mistaken. (Vlad pointed out that it wasn't so much as mistaken as he was stupidly idealistic. Robin punched him. … He then realised it would help if Vlad at least pretended it hurt.)
That particular evening had nothing to suggest that the hunt taking place would be anything other than normal. They had been called to a forest type area roughly 15 miles from the main mansion, and it had given interesting enough readings on the radar that it seemed as though the whole damn company was being brought alone. Robin leant against the back door of the van, idly scrolling on his mobile. "Oy, Branagh," Tommo Watson approached him, and Robin looked up cautiously. High school may have been long over for both of them, but some scars didn't always heal. Swinging his gun to rest at his side, Tommo took up position besides him. "So," he said slowly, "you're a vamp's … pet?"
"If by pet you mean unpaid live-in nanny, and apparently personal assistant, then yes," Robin dead panned, "yes, I am Vlad's pet." This gained a snort of laughter from Tommo, and then the two were able to stand together in what could almost be called companionable silence. Robin prodded at his phone a few minutes more, before shoving it into his pocket. "Seriously, what are we on the look out for tonight?" He asked.
"Thought you were in with the research lot?" Tommo countered. Robin answered in a shrug, that caused Tommo to give out an irritated sigh. "I don't even bloody know, do I? I'm paid to do what I'm told, not to ask questions." He pulled the strap for the gun, making sure it was secure. "It's rating an 8.5 on Liberty's scale, and that's enough to make the Boss Lady call in everyone who's on active duty tonight," Tommo explained. "So, where's the fanged one anyway?"
A soft thump from the top of the van answered the question before Robin needed to. "Run along, Captain Watson," Vlad's voice was filled with a horrible sort of mirth. "Things are happening, and can't you hear the screams starting?" He pointedly fell silent. Just at the edge of their hearing, the screams began. Tommo immediately moved into a position of action.
"Plan Delta!" he screamed at the soldiers behind him. "Move! Now! Contain and capture. We shoo to stun until we have more intel! MOVE!" He yelled the last at them, running in the direction of all the screams. Robin stood still, watching as all the soldiers ran by, guns held up, boots thumping on the ground as Tommo yelled more orders, running in the direction of the suspected creature attack. Vlad slipped down from the roof of the van.
"That was a fiendish glee on your face," Robin said lightly. "I'm going to guess that you know something that they don't." He could hear a rumbling, as the creature – and Robin was very firmly not turning to look, he had left that curiousity behind with the younger Robin – lurched forward. Then a strange noise, almost like a grating sound, as … Robin frowned. "What the hell is that?" he asked. Vlad tilted his head to the side, a calm look on his face.
"'You think you can stop me with your stupid weapons'," he said, pausing to listen some more. "'I, who have been the terror of millions'," there was a pause. "Seriously? Terror of millions, that's as cliché as the whole children of the night parlour trick," he shook his head disappointedly. "You'd expect more from an upper level one, wouldn't you?" he said conversationally to Robin, who stared.
"Okay," Robin blinked. "First of all, 'upper level'?" He looked directly at Vlad. "That's a," he paused, and licked his lips, finding his whole mouth suddenly very dry. "Vlad," he started again, "are you implying in some way, that tonight's hunt," he paused once more, "that they're going up against a demon?" He wanted Vlad to give an incredulous laugh, to tell him to stop watching those terrible B-Horror movies he was so fond of. Of course it wasn't a demon, that was stupid.
"Essentially, yeah," Vlad's shrug was not at all reassuring. "Got a crash course in the common demon tongue when I was 17," he added, as if explaining how he had been able to translate. Maybe that's what he thought the issue was. "Not exactly what you could call a poetic language, but very good at striking terror into people, which is what they want." He smirked over at Robin, who gave a laugh.
"Of course," he replied shakily. There was a part of him wishing he had kept the cross necklace that his grandmother had given him for his birthday two years previously. He watched, an altogether nervous feeling in his stomach, seeing the usually highly competent soldiers not being able to get a foothold, to get some way of dealing with this demon. Its mouth opened again, and Robin found himself speaking despite really not wanting to. "Vlad," he asked, "what's it saying?"
Vlad listened carefully. "Insulting the company, no surprise, insulting the soldiers, it's cocky, claiming it will lead this world to rack and ruin and will burn that stupid vampire translating him in the corner." Vlad closed his mouth. Robin's eyes widened. "...Excuse you," Vlad said softly, turning in the direction of the demon. Robin turned to look at it. It was huge, and the word huge didn't seem big enough to describe it. It was covered in grey slime, and it's eyes were blacker than the deepest black. Robin mentally winced at the description, recognising it as something from his emo poet phase at about 14. Annoyingly, it did fit.
It was holding off the soldiers with one hand, and causing destruction with the other. Robin found himself wordlessly mouthing ever prayer he had ever picked up his life. "Vlad, leave it-" It was too late. Vlad had taken offence, and the demon had turned t look at him. As Vlad rushed it, it tilted what must have been its head back, giving out a sound that was without a doubt laughter. Vlad jumped, landing on its chest.
The demon continued to laugh, swiping at Vlad like he would swipe at a particularly annoying fly.
Vlad opened his mouth.
Vlad's teeth ripped into the demon's throat and the scream that echoed made Robin clutch his hands tightly to his ears, for fear of them bleeding.
The soldiers fell back to minimum safe distance, which was the van. They watched in mutual horror and fascination as Vlad tore repeatedly into the demon's throat, the black bile that served as its blood coursing down over him. The demon's screams grew quieter, as it became apparent that it was dying. But Vlad didn't stop, tearing into it with his hands, covering them in the black. Robin stepped back warily, his hand reaching behind him to touch the cool metal of the van. Yup, this was real life, and yes, this was actually happening.
No one spoke when Vlad came over, spitting the black on to the ground. He looked a state, and he wiped at his mouth ineffectively with his arm.
"I can't stand it when they're rude," he explained. "Someone needs to clean up the mess," he didn't look behind him, climbing up on to the van. "Make sure the kids are sleeping," he said to Robin, "I'll be back later. I need someone to kill the taste in my mouth." Robin nodded. Vlad took off.
"...Shit."