KazAlkemi

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Penny's finger drew Christian's attention to the brisket in question. The corners of his mouth lifted up slightly, showing a brief smile before his lips relaxed and his eyes slid up Penny's arm to her face. He looked at her sideways.

"This is my first time going for dinner," he reminded her quietly, but he decided to take her advice and get the brisket. Christian set the menu down and sipped his glass of water while the others talked.

The conversation was easy to follow and the company friendly; although, Christian did catch the movements of Charles trying to get closer to Penny until Annie drew his attention away. Interesting. Christian trusted Penny to say something to Charles should he cross some invisible barrier, but part of him wondered if he should interject on her behalf. Christian attempted to subtly get her attention before glancing at Charles' arm in silent question.

Charles groaned and picked up his beer. "We agreed to never speak of it."

"The shapeshifter got mentioned. All embarrassing stories are now fair game," Dylan countered.

Charles glared at his friend. "Fine, just remember that," he said, not noticing Penny leaning away from him or Christian trying to get her attention.

Château de La Lune

F*ck it. Let's go

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Time worked differently in the space between the living and the dead. After Christian agreed to meet Penny at the restaurant, he teleported from her hotel room in America, to a small village in the Jordan desert. He had reaped four souls before opening the door to the small diner Penny sat in with her new comrades. Christian figured if he could continue his work without raising too much suspicion, Death would leave him alone.

Christian made a courtesy glance around the diner, although he already knew Penny sat in the back next to Charles who was actively trying to get her attention. When Penny waved, Christian turned to look at her. He smiled slightly and nodded his acknowledgment before making his way through the diner to their table.

"My apologies for being late," he said, speaking softly. He shrugged out of his jacket before taking the seat Penny offered. Christian had changed into dark green slacks, with a black, buttoned up, long-sleeved shirt that had the top button undone. He paired the outfit with brown loafers, and a jacket. The piercing in his ear seemed to catch the light and if one looked closely to the watch he wore, they wouldn't see a typical timepiece but one that moved and rotated to follow the phases of the moon and the earth's rotation. It was a unique piece that kept time differently.

"I hope you will allow me to pay for tonight's meal as a thank you for helping Penny in avenging my sister's death," Christian said, dropping his gaze to the table as a wave of emotion overtook him. Christian could play any part he needed to. It was what allowed him to help so many souls cross over.

Charles eyed the man who joined their table, not entirely comfortable with the presence of this well dressed man. He was too pretty for Charles' liking. He shifted in his seat, draping his arm over the back of Penny's chair casually before he smiled brightly in an effort to seem relaxed.

"Of course, Penny was a natural. Why is it you didn't avenge your sister, thought?" The question seemed casual enough but there was a tone Christian caught that told him it wasn't.

Christian looked at Charles and smiled painfully. He could see Charles as clearly as if he looked through glass. He knew the man was suddenly uncomfortable with his presence and the familiarity Penny seemed to show. It amused Christian, and although he was usually more reserved, he wanted to play with the man a little.

"I understand what you mean. But I am not made for the life of hunting. I work in the medical field and see death too much. I try to keep myself away from it when I can. That is why I am so grateful to you and Penny." He shifted his focus to her, his smile shifting to something warmer and brighter. Charles slid closer to Penny. "I have no doubts Penny was able to rise to the occasion. She is made stronger than most of us can ever hope to be." The words Christian spoke were true enough. He believed them wholly and wanted Penny to see the strength she possessed as well, but if it got under Charles' skin in the process, all the more better.

Charles cleared his throat, not liking the direction the conversation was taking. "Exactly, you should be doing this more, Penny. We can teach you more ways to hunt," he said, eagerly trying to pull her attention back.

The serving staff came over then to take drink orders and Christian sat back quietly in his seat while he looked through the menu. The food all sounded familiar to him. Many people spoke of food after death, wishing they could have one last steak or homemade pie. Christian found food to be the universal language. Everyone came together and bonded over meals, much like this one, despite cultural barriers. Still, food held no sway of Christian. He didn't require it and had never had it. He stared at the menu, looking for something that would be adequate for someone of his size while he listened the other conversations at the table.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian looked back at Penny, amusement shone on his face. Dinner? Christian had never had dinner let alone be invited to one before.

”Christian Reaper? I suppose it has a nice ring to it. But my last name is actually Jones. At least, it was the name Death told me.” Christian sat down on a chair, thinking over the possibilities of him going to dinner with Penny and her new companions. ”Do you want me to come?” Christian asked, watching for her response.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

”Maybe a little crazy, but most hunters are. Not a lot of people believe in supernatural creatures. Ghosts maybe, but vampires push the bounds of what most people are willing to believe in. It's not an easy life, but if you're feeling called to it maybe you need to try it.”

Christian watched Penny intently while she spoke to Charles. He frowned slightly when he made her laugh. When she looked back at him, Christian quickly turned away and preoccupied himself with something else.

”Werewolves are real. They don't turn into wolves, though. Skin walkers can change their form or a witch’s familiar,” he divulged.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian smiled crookedly at the way Penny questioned his words. His eyes flicked back and forth between hers. ”Yes, you silly girl. I never say anything I don’t mean,” he said and started to clean up. He paused when she apologized to him again.

An image of the life he had to take in placement of Penny’s flashed before him, and he shook his head before he stood. ”You don’t need to keep apologizing. I made that decision because I wanted to, not because you forced me to. As for what happened after, it’s all water under the bridge,” he said, smiling at her gently before discarding the garbage and moving the towels into the bathroom.

Christian couldn't tell Penny what happened even if he wanted to, but he didn't want to. He wanted to save her from the uglier parts of his work being a reaper. He wanted to protect her, even now when she knew how to look after herself. If things went well on the date with Charles, Christian wondered if Penny wouldn't need him around us much. The idea of that worried him, which, in turn, confused him.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian remained silent, focused on his task. He followed the trail of the tiny bumps his touch seemed to leave behind and frowned. He looked up at Penny when her breath hitched, worried he was hurting her, but she seemed to relax and didn’t tell him to stop. Christian hesitated a moment before he kept going, moving his eyes to watch his task once more.

”Nothing more nothing less,” Christian repeated. ”I’ve overheard humans in passing make dates seem like they are everything. They dictate whether a relationship will continue and lead to love, sex, or marriage, but you don’t seem to care for those things. At least not with this date.” Christian finished his task and wiped his fingers off before he grabbed the bandages. ”Charles seemed rather happy with the acceptance, though.”

Christian placed the bandage against Penny’s skin. He pressed his hands onto her sides, securing the bandage in place. Her skin was cool to the touch but soft despite the raised flesh. His fingers lingered before he realized what he was doing, and he pulled back.

”I think you are a good judge of character. You simply wish to see the best in people, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is people like you who give others a second chance when they pass on. People often remember the worst parts of their life when they die. If those people can accept what they have done, they will have an easier transition. If they don’t and become angry, the transition is more challenging. I find if they’ve had someone like you in their lives, they see death as a second chance to live their afterlife differently. However, it’s not the same for monsters.”

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Christian’s eyes remained on Penny even after she broke eye contact with him. Was she embarrassed? Curious. Christian refocused on her wound when she revealed it to him again. He raised an eyebrow when she instructed him to do her worse. ”I’m fairly certain that would hurt more,” he said seriously. He rolled his shirt sleeves up and stood to wash his hands.

He glanced at the food trays, smiling at the fact she had eaten something; that was always a good sign after a hunt. He washed his hands before returning to open the antiseptic. The pungent smell of alcohol filled the room as Christian added some of the liquid to a compress.

”This will sting,” he warned her before putting the cool compress against Penny’s wounds. He lifted and pressed the compress over her skin in several areas before he got clean water. He bundled a towel onto her lap to soak up most of the water that he would be pouring over her wound to clean the area further.

”Vampires aren’t exactly the cleanest,” he explained while he worked. ”Infection is more what you have to worry about than bleeding out.” He dabbed Penny’s stomach with a damp cloth before sitting back on his heels, letting the area dry. He opened the cream that would be a barrier between her skin and the bandages and glanced at Penny before speaking.

”Did I overhear that tall, blonde-haired man ask you on a date?” It truly wasn’t any of Christian’s business, but Penny had made a point—twice—that she wanted Christian’s friendship. Friendship meant sharing personal things, right?

Christian washed his hands with the antiseptic before he added some of the cream to his fingers and lightly spread the cream onto her wounds. His fingers were featherlight as they moved across her skin.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Skills: Invisibility; Teleportation

The car ride back to Penny’s hotel was quiet but comfortable. The music played gently from the radio, and although Christian watched the world go by again, he wasn’t as enthralled by it as he had been the first time. He appreciated the scenery and the company he shared it with. Maybe that was what life was about. Not necessarily what you are doing but who you are doing it with.

Christian walked silently with Penny up to her hotel room. He left her alone to shower and clean up, but something told him she would be hungry when she finished. He had overheard Penny offering to take the hunters for a meal later, but he wanted her to have something, so he ordered a few dishes from the room service menu.

He had just finished setting the trays on the table in Penny’s room when she came out of the bedroom, a towel pressed against her stomach and wet hair dripping down her back. The smell of fresh blood mixed strangely with the scent of Penny’s shampoo, and yet it was still so wholly Penny.

He approached Penny when she asked if he knew how to bandage wounds. ”May I see?” If she moved her towel, Christian would bend down to examine the wound before nodding. If she didn’t, he would answer her the same. ”I do. I just need to gather some supplies. Sit, eat,” he said, gesturing to the table. ”I’ll be back quickly.”

Christian teleported from Penny’s room to a local pharmacy. He wandered the aisles, gathering the supplies he needed. Christian blended in seamlessly with the crowd in the drugstore. No one seemed to pay him any mind as he went about his task, and when he disappeared, no one questioned it.

Christian returned to Penny’s hotel room with supplies in hand. He set everything down and crouched. ”Do you want me to walk you through it or help you?” he asked, gazing up at her.

Hidden Among the Shadows - A Supernatural Inspired RP

Skills: Invisibility; Teleportation

Charles smiled brightly when Penny agreed to go on a date with him. “Cool, it's a date. I'll give you a call later today. Good work today, Penny,” Charles smiled and waved her off before he got into his car and drove off.

Christian watched the whole exchange with interest. He thought the tall, blonde man was bold, but he was surprised when Penny agreed. Why should he be? Christian suddenly frowned, feeling slightly annoyed from the whole thing. Penny met his eye and almost looked guilty before she dashed across the street. Peculiar. Then she was calling him.

Christian teleported inside Penny's car and noted her appearance. The blood was unsurprising, neither were the marks on her face or her torn shirt, but he was no less concerned.

”How did it go?” Christian asked. He shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to Penny. At least this way she could cover up some before walking into her hotel.