despisesthegods | IC Voicemail

[Styxx would be there not long after that, knocking on her door.]

Dove? Are you there? It's Styxx. Are you okay?

[If she didn't answer then he'd work on picking the lock.]

[There's a yelp from inside the apartment as her heart leaps out of her chest at the knocking, but she grabs onto the counter to steady herself, ignoring Ace's sharp responding bark and steady growls as he approaches the door before her.

Reaching down to grab his collar, she'll unlock the door for Styxx, not entirely sure what to say but... maybe a little relieved that he's there.

She definitely looks worse for wear. Not quite as bad as she had when he had carried her home from the beach, but... that's definitely blood on her jeans, and she might be wet.]

[Styxx looks a little relieved when she answers the door, but pauses as he sees blood. First things first though.]

May I come in? What happened?

I...

[She's so frazzled she can barely look up at him properly, but focuses instead on keeping Ace down.]

I ran into a vampire. [Doesn't even begin to scratch the surface.]

[Styxx glances at Ace for a moment.]

Ace, I need to make sure she's okay.

[In other words, calm down. He looks back at Dove.]

Are you injured?

[He's obviously worried, but his face is hardening some. The army general coming out.]

[The houndoom growls lowly, but breaks it off in a whine as he steps out of the way. He likes Styxx... but his mistress is in obvious distress, too. He'll just be watching nearby, ready to set the man aflame should he make one wrong move-]

I'm fine. [Physically, she thinks. She's still extremely pale and shaky for someone who's only just had a chat with a vampire, but she refuses to fall apart in front of anyone, friend or no.] It's just... not something you see everyday. [She turns to head into her kitchen for a glass of water, and... while faded, the span of her bare back definitely showcases those same golden patterns from the night at the beach. Luckily the ones on her arms have almost faded entirely. ]

[Styxx follows her and this time, he wasn't asking.]

Tell me what happened.

[He needed to know.]

[Her head's spinning. Where would she even start? The only thing clear in her mind is that she left, and while half of her knows it was the best move to make and entirely legal to allow the chaos to continue... her archangel's pride is screaming in disappointed rage. She sets the glass on the counter as she tries to make up her mind what to tell him, but the pressure isn't helping.]

I watched him drain a woman dry, failed to heal a man whose chest he ripped out with his bare hands, then watched him summon a small army of demons, all the while knowing it's entirely legal in Everglade.

[She's holding the glass so tightly that her hands shake, even as she fills it with water.] I loathe that city with everything within me.

[He frowns, but he doesn't look too happy with it either. Part of him wants to go and stop it entirely. Completely turn Everglade around so it couldn't happen anymore, but he was one person and he most certainly wasn't his brother or some dark hunter.

Quietly, he gently takes the glass from Dove's hands and his voice calms slightly.]

Breathe. In and out. Long, deep breaths, okay?

[She stands before him like a terrified child, face turned away even as he sets the glass aside.]

I should have stayed. It's my job to stay. [her voice is hushed, but maybe if she actually says it out loud, there's a chance she can convince herself otherwise. She wants nothing more than to be assured it's not her fault or problem.]

It sounds as if there wasn't much you could have done. Not by yourself anyway. So breathe. Just breathe.

[...The fact he's there is the only thing keeping her from going back. In some odd way, he's keeping her grounded, and while it's really the best for her, it won't stop the nagging in her head.

She closes her eyes, head swimming, and breathes as he tells her. ] All the power of my universe at my fingertips, and I can't do a damn thing against the exact enemy I'm supposed to keep in line.

[She shakes her head and runs a hand down her face as the other side bites back.] But I don't have to here? That's not my role and no one is expecting me to...

No, they're not. You're whatever you want to be here.

[It was honestly one of the things Styxx liked about the place even if he didn't entirely understand it.]

[Then why does it keep haunting me...

She takes a few more moments just to breathe, using the counter to keep her steady.

She shakes her head.]

I shouldn't have gone to Everglade. I'm going to kill Stephen tomorrow if he shows his face at rehearsals-

Why were you in Everglade anyway?

[She shakes her head.]

We were meeting with a client for a potential future shoot and the meeting ran over. He had other obligations he couldn't bear to be late to and left me there.

[She sighs and finally glances back at her table where her keys, bag, and a now-strained binder lay.]

I'm going to have to have a new Book made.

I suggest any more clients that need to be met be met outside of Everglade from now on.

[Either that or she could hire a bodyguard.]

You think?

[She's on edge, but she does give him an apologetic look for that snap before she moves toward the table to sit.]

Have you considered hiring a bodyguard? I know their are some for hire here, though I don't know how skilled they are.

[She sets her head in her hands, embarrassed but considering it.] It's been brought up once or twice at work, [she admits, running her hands down her face and sweeping her hair back.]

I should hire someone to train me. I'm not a fan of pushing my issues into other people, especially when I should be able to handle it myself.

Train you to do what? Fight? Fight how?

I'm alright with the elements, if I can keep my distance, but I wasn't about to show my wings until I had to, and my soldiers don't have the patience to teach me hand to hand, let alone how to use the stupid Sword.

[He frowned.]

No offense, but I don't really know how to teach a women how to fight. My instructor was very rough on me, rougher then he would have been on most, so I can try to teach you but I don't know how well I'll do.

[But at least patience was something he had in abundance.]

[She blinked at him, surprised.]

...was that an offer?

[It was, as awkward of an offer as it was.]

If you'd rather find someone else to teach you, that's fine as well.

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