Xeph felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up at the sound of that deceptively velvet voice. Why now? He'd been having a pretty good day and he was on his way to dinner with Nikhila. Now, no matter what happened, he would be preoccupied not with amorous thoughts but much darker ones. He hated this man. Xeph was pretty easygoing and wasn't sure that he'd ever used a term that strong before, but he felt it now. He absolutely hated this man.
Turning, he wished they were anywhere but on the corner of the street right on the strip. Instead of reaching out and cracking the vampire's skinny neck he felt himself nodding in compliance - and he hated himself for it just as much.
"I have it. There's not much there."
It wasn't a good feeling, having used all his formidable resources to dig up private information on a guy he liked and got along with. Everyone had skeletons in their closets. Xeph didn't want to know what they were, in some cases, and this had been one of them. Nikhila had told him something that had made him cautious and reading about Kem's work and home habits hadn't made him feel any better about what he was trying to deny.
Your Hypocritical Oath, Part II: Confidentiality (private)
Amir wasn't about to be caught off-guard by Xephier one more time. This time he simply waited outside the clinic until the good doctor decided to call it closing time for the night. He'd learned one important lesson on his previous visit; Xephier put a great deal of stock in public image. He had to, given his family and his, well, side job.
As Xephier closed and locked the door, not noticing Amir where he stood cloaked in the shadows of the small alcove, the vampire smiled to himself. Xephier turned and Amir moved into the light of the streetlamp.
"Late night, huh?"
He had the pleasure of seeing Xephier's surprise. It was very subtle; the wolf didn't shock easily. Clearly he'd been preoccupied though, or Amir wouldn't have gotten the jump on him.
That mismatched glare bored into him, but Amir simply leaned insolently against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.
"You have some information for me, don't you?"
He held his hand out expectantly. "I'm not going to wait forever. You've had plenty of time."
Xeph
14 years ago
Amir
14 years ago
Xephier clearly found the topic of conversation distasteful, judging by the sour expression on his face.
"What's the matter, didn't like what you found?"
Amir smiled to himself. Xephier's natural dislike of vampires would make this job slightly easier. The less Command Amir had to use, the better. He needed Xephier controlled, not brainwashed into jello like his father had been.
"We're just everywhere, aren't we? Tough to get away. Especially when you breach a contract and play in our sandbox instead of yours."
It was said with a sneer. Had the wolves remained where they were supposed to, Amir would have had no quarrel with them. But let them stay in the city and sooner or later they would begin to grow, and each new wolf was one less vampire meal. That was unacceptable.
His hand remained out and his dark eyes dropped to the case in Xephier's right hand. "Either you have what I came for, or you don't, in which case you have a very short time to get it."
"What's the matter, didn't like what you found?"
Amir smiled to himself. Xephier's natural dislike of vampires would make this job slightly easier. The less Command Amir had to use, the better. He needed Xephier controlled, not brainwashed into jello like his father had been.
"We're just everywhere, aren't we? Tough to get away. Especially when you breach a contract and play in our sandbox instead of yours."
It was said with a sneer. Had the wolves remained where they were supposed to, Amir would have had no quarrel with them. But let them stay in the city and sooner or later they would begin to grow, and each new wolf was one less vampire meal. That was unacceptable.
His hand remained out and his dark eyes dropped to the case in Xephier's right hand. "Either you have what I came for, or you don't, in which case you have a very short time to get it."
Xeph
14 years ago
Xeph's face didn't change when Amir confirmed what he'd suspected was true. Reign's neighbor, a vampire? A guy he and Nikhila had had a fun night with at a bowling alley, of all places? And what about his girlfriend?
He felt a brief pang of guilt. He liked Kem, and Aishe. As people went, they'd seemed like good sorts. But he had a duty to his Pack and to protect them he had sold the two out. He didn't know why the jackal wanted this information, why he'd had Xeph obtain it for him. He would have preferred not to give it up, but this silu had his balls in a vice - figuratively speaking.
He slid the folder from the side of his laptop bag and thrust it at the deceptively young man's hand.
"Here."
Xeph tried to ignore the vampire's barbs. He just wanted to get this meeting over with.
He felt a brief pang of guilt. He liked Kem, and Aishe. As people went, they'd seemed like good sorts. But he had a duty to his Pack and to protect them he had sold the two out. He didn't know why the jackal wanted this information, why he'd had Xeph obtain it for him. He would have preferred not to give it up, but this silu had his balls in a vice - figuratively speaking.
He slid the folder from the side of his laptop bag and thrust it at the deceptively young man's hand.
"Here."
Xeph tried to ignore the vampire's barbs. He just wanted to get this meeting over with.
Amir
14 years ago
As his fingers closed around the folder Amir's face went from bored and slightly antagonistic to open and smiling.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" He flipped quickly through the papers in the folder just for the sake of appearance. "I hope you kept your copies safe and sound. You'll need them soon."
Amir tapped the top page in the folder, which had a picture of the Meridian logo. "And, of course, I'll need you to put a man on the inside."
At Xeph's expression, Amir laughed. "Surely you didn't think I'd risk one of my own?"
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" He flipped quickly through the papers in the folder just for the sake of appearance. "I hope you kept your copies safe and sound. You'll need them soon."
Amir tapped the top page in the folder, which had a picture of the Meridian logo. "And, of course, I'll need you to put a man on the inside."
At Xeph's expression, Amir laughed. "Surely you didn't think I'd risk one of my own?"
Xeph
14 years ago
It never ended. Why had he thought it would? This asshole had him right where he wanted him, and every time Xeph tried to go against his wishes he found himself tongue-tied, unable to do so. There was something about his voice that changed when he issued an order; several, in this case. Thus far Xeph had been resistant to a good deal of it, but certain things had gone through. He wasn't about to remove his Pack from Nachton. To his credit, the savvy vampire hadn't attempted that one. Perhaps he knew it wouldn't work. But he'd gone around Xeph's head in a number of other ways and it was annoying and unbelievable.
"A man on the inside?" he growled. "How am I supposed to do that?"
Even as he said it he groaned inwardly. No mental command had been used; he was simply being manipulated. Of course there was an advantage to having a Kadzait inside a vampire-run industry. He had a slight "in" with one Clan already, and this could give him another even if he was bleeding the information into what he suspected was the third.
He sighed even as he considered it. He needed to gather information through more avenues than he currently was. Xeph didn't delude himself into thinking things were going to get any smoother.
"Fine. I'll work on it."
Was he really agreeing to this? What the hell was wrong with him?
"A man on the inside?" he growled. "How am I supposed to do that?"
Even as he said it he groaned inwardly. No mental command had been used; he was simply being manipulated. Of course there was an advantage to having a Kadzait inside a vampire-run industry. He had a slight "in" with one Clan already, and this could give him another even if he was bleeding the information into what he suspected was the third.
He sighed even as he considered it. He needed to gather information through more avenues than he currently was. Xeph didn't delude himself into thinking things were going to get any smoother.
"Fine. I'll work on it."
Was he really agreeing to this? What the hell was wrong with him?
Amir
14 years ago
"See how easy that was?" Amir grinned at Xephier. "We can work together, isn't that pleasant?"
Xephier's expression was anything but. Amir had nothing else to say though; he'd gotten what he wanted for tonight and he'd given a homework assignment. You could train an old dog, after all!
Tucking the folder under his arm, he glanced up at the night sky. His smile faded as he looked back to Xephier.
"And I would advise against trying to clue your friends in, if I were you," he warned, giving the folder a little shake to indicate who he meant. "This is our game alone. They don't need to know the rules just yet."
He smiled softly at Xephier. "Full moon soon, hmm? It's almost unfair. So big and strong and vicious... but you lose your head so easily when she's out."
Amir shook his head. "I'd hate to run across more of your little 'family' this time around." His voice dripped with false sincerity; he couldn't help baiting Xephier. "Of course, I might be forced to defend myself. It would be terrible, wouldn't it?"
It was a threat, slightly veiled. If Xephier stepped out of line his Pack would pay the price. The wolves had a very great weakness during the full moon... many, not all of them, but many of them, lost their heads and their good sense. A pack of capable, dangerous fighters was easily distracted and scattered. A lone were was easily picked off.
If Xephier wanted to avoid that, he would follow Amir's direction very closely.
Amir shrugged at Xephier. "Well I guess we'll see, won't we. Thanks for the good work," he said, flipping the folder over in his hands. "I'll be in touch."
With an arrogant little salute, Amir turned his back on the wolf and strolled out onto the strip, headed away from Xephier's clinic and back into the seething mass of downtown Nachton's humanity.
Work done for the night - now it was time for fun.
((ooc: Amir out))
Xephier's expression was anything but. Amir had nothing else to say though; he'd gotten what he wanted for tonight and he'd given a homework assignment. You could train an old dog, after all!
Tucking the folder under his arm, he glanced up at the night sky. His smile faded as he looked back to Xephier.
"And I would advise against trying to clue your friends in, if I were you," he warned, giving the folder a little shake to indicate who he meant. "This is our game alone. They don't need to know the rules just yet."
He smiled softly at Xephier. "Full moon soon, hmm? It's almost unfair. So big and strong and vicious... but you lose your head so easily when she's out."
Amir shook his head. "I'd hate to run across more of your little 'family' this time around." His voice dripped with false sincerity; he couldn't help baiting Xephier. "Of course, I might be forced to defend myself. It would be terrible, wouldn't it?"
It was a threat, slightly veiled. If Xephier stepped out of line his Pack would pay the price. The wolves had a very great weakness during the full moon... many, not all of them, but many of them, lost their heads and their good sense. A pack of capable, dangerous fighters was easily distracted and scattered. A lone were was easily picked off.
If Xephier wanted to avoid that, he would follow Amir's direction very closely.
Amir shrugged at Xephier. "Well I guess we'll see, won't we. Thanks for the good work," he said, flipping the folder over in his hands. "I'll be in touch."
With an arrogant little salute, Amir turned his back on the wolf and strolled out onto the strip, headed away from Xephier's clinic and back into the seething mass of downtown Nachton's humanity.
Work done for the night - now it was time for fun.
((ooc: Amir out))
Xeph
14 years ago
Xeph watched the vampire go. His mind was working furiously. He couldn't really injure him. He had tried to kill him before, and it had been a tremendous effort of will to go against what was apparently some sort of... magical compulsion. So, time to try something different then running in with all guns blazing.
Time to be sneaky. The vampire could do it, Xeph could do it. Yes, he'd laid command after command on Xeph, but Xeph could get around some of them. It would mean being trickier than he'd ever had to be before. It might mean pissing off some people he didn't want to, and it might mean allying with some people he didn't want to...
But Xeph wasn't going to let the vampire win. The veiled threats, the references to his father - he was starting to understand a lot more than he ever had when he was younger. He wasn't Liam. He wasn't going to give in. He was simply going to change his strategy.
He nodded to himself. It would work. In a roundabout way maybe but he would figure it out. First he had to talk to a few people. The more compliant he seemed to be, the easier it would be to catch the vampire off guard. Just go along with him for now... and then attack when he isn't suspecting it.
Yes, that would work nicely. Patience, Xeph.
((ooc: Xeph out))
Time to be sneaky. The vampire could do it, Xeph could do it. Yes, he'd laid command after command on Xeph, but Xeph could get around some of them. It would mean being trickier than he'd ever had to be before. It might mean pissing off some people he didn't want to, and it might mean allying with some people he didn't want to...
But Xeph wasn't going to let the vampire win. The veiled threats, the references to his father - he was starting to understand a lot more than he ever had when he was younger. He wasn't Liam. He wasn't going to give in. He was simply going to change his strategy.
He nodded to himself. It would work. In a roundabout way maybe but he would figure it out. First he had to talk to a few people. The more compliant he seemed to be, the easier it would be to catch the vampire off guard. Just go along with him for now... and then attack when he isn't suspecting it.
Yes, that would work nicely. Patience, Xeph.
((ooc: Xeph out))