Torment (Taggity Iris)

Although in Nicole's world, the day ends with another soul tucked in her back pocket and today was no less. She had been working for weeks on this one target: Cyrus Kriticos. He was a fierce attorney for the Terran Guard by day, and a huge investor in the Hunters of the Night, a freelance organization that specialized in hunting Vampires and other monsters that go bump in the night. He was just another step up the ladder, but a key figure in Nicole's line of succession nonetheless.

Now she sat in his home study, a guest in his home rather than stuck on the outside looking in. While his wife and two young children slept just down the hall, they held a meeting in the upstairs study. Nicole sat a top the over sized mahogany desk that took up most of the room, lounging back with a tantalizing demeanor while Mr.Kriticos stood facing a large window overlooking the pool in his back yard. Nicole was dressed for business, but with the glass of bourbon in hand and nearly empty bottle resting on the desk not far from where she sat, it was clear there wasn't going to be much room for business tonight.

" Gawd, I love my life!" He said excitedly, turning to face Nicole with a boyish grin." I could become Pax's right hand man, if I keep playing my cards right. Hell, I he could be my right hand man while I rule! " His boisterous laughter filled the air and he stepped over towards Nicole." I wouldn't be here, if it weren't for you." His tone had softened, a free hand moving to rest upon her thigh. Nicole tipped her now empty glass towards him with a drunken sway," Now, I wouldn't go that far." She purred with a drunken slur, her face dropping to look at the hand that rested on her lap with disinterest. The only reason they were on such good terms now was because of his most opportune brush with death. Now he lived strong, and she in turn received help when she needed it. It had already proven a wise investment, just tonight he had her released from custody.

Pushing herself off of the desk, she brushed past his advances without a second thought. Instead her gaze was locked onto something outside the window, but she hardly seemed alarmed by what she thought she saw." More money, more problems." She murmured, her mind a thousand miles away. Lifting her glass to her lips for another drink a frown appeared when she realized it was empty. " Ah, don't be so negative, baby. We could rule the world. You.." Whatever she had been staring at was gone by the time she looked back again, and she could care less for whatever it may have been as well as the drunken tool approaching behind her.

Nicole turned to come face to face with the attorney, his breath stinking of alcohol as he leaned in to her and she smoothly dodged yet another advance from the drunken fool." and Me." He finished his statement with a disappointed sigh, a hand rising up to catch himself against the window. Nicole sauntered back to the desk, refilling her glass as a tense silence settled over the room. She looked about at the fine furnishings and walls lined with countless books then huffed, taking a big gulp of bourbon while plotting her smooth escape.


[ OOC: I duno, I struggled to get something up lol but I know it'll get better <3 Feel free to fill in details about the house, location, guards, survelliance, etc - As you see fit. ;D ]

"Five guards? Really? How lame! I feel insulted they gave me this job. I hope one of them has some powers or something so I might get a good fight out of this cakewalk." Iris let out a sigh and ran her hands through her dark hair, her multicolored extensions peeking out through her curls. She waited until the surveillance camera swung away from her before using her vampiric speed to leap up onto the wall and then drop down the other side into the compound. Her movements were silent, despite her oddly non tactical outfit. She waited there in the low bushes, her spotted outfit serving to break up the shadows and lights that fell across her through the leaves. With no heartbeat, and no need to breathe, Iris was the perfect hunter.

Waiting until one of the guards passed by her hiding place, she stood up behind him and reached her black nailed hands out to grip both sides of his head and twist, snapping his neck before he had time to cry out. Using her vampiric strength, she pulled him into the bushes to hide him and then darted down the wall. Sadly the moron who owned the compound only had surveillance on the outside of the walls. He relied strictly on his guards to watch the inside, probably because whatever he did in his off time would have made excellent black mail material. At her next hiding place she waited until the next guard walked past before giving him the same swift end as the first. That took care of the guards on the grounds. There were still two inside and one on a balcony that ran around the outside of the building.

She watched that guard until he disappeared around the corner before darting across the lawn. With her speed it was nearly impossible for the human mind to comprehend her path. Reaching the fuse box on the wall, Iris wasted no time in picking the lock with a couple of her specially designed hairpins. Opening the panel, she ran her fingers along the wires until she felt the familiar pulse of Mana against her skin. Focusing her powers, she pushed her negation ability into the wire, shutting off the magically powered alarm system. Cutting the wires would have just sounded the alarm anyway, but this way everything remained in tact, it was just shut off.

Replacing the panel, she darted to a tree that sat next to the house. Put their for aesthetics no doubt, but now made a perfect perch for a vampire as she climbed the tree and leapt to the railing off the balcony. She hung there a few moments, just out of sight as she listened to the footsteps of the Guard on his rounds. She could hear him speaking into his headset, sounding the all clear. Perfect. As he passed her, Iris leapt up to the balcony behind him and followed after him a few steps. As silent as she was, he never even knew she was there until she reached out and tapped him on the shoulder. Instantly he spun towards her, gun coming up to point at whatever had touched him. Iris was already moving however, slipping around him to tap him on the back once more. This was nothing but a game to her.

This guard met his end much as the other two, though Rose used her knife on this one, slamming it into his spine and severing his spinal cord at the base of his skull. His blood would pump a few moments longer, but his ability to speak and breathe had been cut off. Rolling him over so she could look into his eyes as he died, she brought her knife to her lips and slowly licked the blood of the blade, taunting the miserable human as he died.

Now came for the tricky part, sliding along the wall, she entered the house through an open window, using the shadows to sneak through the different rooms as she hunted out the last of the guards. These ones she made no attempt to hide. She could hear her target and his female guest upstairs and knew she had nothing to worry about being found out now. She didn't toy with the last two as she had the one on the balcony, she knew the real fun waited upstairs.

Following the voices from the floor above, Iris opened a window just below the window into the study. Climbing out onto the small ledge she leapt up to the ledge above, pulling herself up until she could see into the office. She waited until neither of them were looking at the window before pulling herself up completely. Her hairpins came in handy once more as she silently unlocked the window and pulled it open. Then she sat on the window ledge, one leg hanging off into the room and the other on the ledge with er knee up. In one hand she held a knife, using it to clean the nails of her other hand as she waited for the perfect moment to intervene.

"I doubt the world wants anything to do with you Cyrus, otherwise I wouldn't be here." She doubted he knew who she was, but the red rose at her neck would give her away. Cyrus had made a mistake when he betrayed Clan Blood Rose, and now Iris was here to make sure he learned his lesson properly. The female was simply an added bonus, a pretty one at that. If Cyrus tried to make for the door, Iris would use her speed to intercept him. "Now, now, you don't want to ruin my fun so soon do you?"

That stupefied look that appeared on Cyrus' made it clear he had no idea who the stranger was or how she came to be, but he wasn't going to stick around to find out either. Cyrus dashed for the nearest exit, only to come to a screeching halt when the lightening fast woman seemingly appeared there with a casual demeanor.

"Now, now, you don't want to ruin my fun so soon do you?"

His jaw fell slack and Cyrus drew back a fearful step," I..Uh.." He would look back to Nicole for support. Nicole hadn't moved an inch from the desk, nor had the pleasant look upon her face changed as she brought the glass of bourbon up for another drink with raised brows. Perhaps she shouldn't make such a hasty exit after all, things were just beginning to get interesting. At the sight of her casual attitude, Cyrus turned back to the little nymph with a smug grin," I think you are terribly mistaken. Besides, you have no doubt tripped a over a dozen alarms on your way in. HA!" He laughed, drawing back further and crossing his arms defiantly.

" Not to mention the dead guards." Nicole spoke up, raising her glass to tip it in salut to Iris. Not that 5 guards was much to boast over, but doing it without alerting the fiend - Priceless. Cyrus on the other hand looked back to Nicole with his mouth a gap, his face growing red with rage," Wh-wh-what?" Apparently, he wasn't expecting that. In a fit of drunken rage he yanked a small metal button from his pocket, chucking it against the wall with a grunt." F*ckin' waste of money." He growled, than remembered the dangerous lynx still lurking within and whipped back around to face her.

" Mmm, yeah. I could have told you that." Nicole replied under her breath after finishing off yet another glass and setting down with a loud CLANK, her bright hazel hues locking onto the foxy intruder as she drew a few sauntering steps closer to Cryus' side. Nicole inspected the little leopard, from the multicolored streaks in her curly black locks, right down to her toes. She seemed innocent enough, but perhaps that was what she wanted them to think? Her gaze had lingered on the rose pendent around her neck. It stood out, but more importantly - Why? Nicole kept her aura masked, unwilling to take any chances of exposing herself just to get a few trace facts about the little creature. Instead, she watched and waited as the scene unfolded before her.

" What do you want anyway?" Cryus snapped, apparently growing impatient with the two women.

Iris grinned up at Cyrus innocently, though her previously dark eyes now flashed a brilliant green that gave her a rather creepy look. With her back to the door, she watched Cyrus and Nicole's interactions with glee. It wasn't like she'd ever been taught not to play with her food, and the blood always tasted so much sweeter once it had been seasoned with a good dose of adrenaline. While Cyrus' attention was on Nicole, Iris slipped a hand up her back to lock the study door, using her strength to snap the lock handle completely off so Cyrus couldn't escape her that way. No human could survive the jump out the window so Iris could take her time.

As Nicole mentioned that Iris had killed the guards, She wrinkled her nose cutely and winked at Nicole. Perhaps she wouldn't kill the female after all, she was rather entertaining. There was nothing that Iris loved more then a bit of fun. At Cyrus' angry tone, she narrowed her eyes into a glare and stepped forward. Reaching up, she grabbed the collar of his shirt in her lithe fingers and forcefully pulled him down to look her in the eyes. "Isn't it obvious maggot? I came here for you." And then she leaned in a bit further and licked his cheek with a giggle of excitement. Before he could retaliate, she sped away to the desk Nicole had just been standing at. "I am Iris Kelrina of the Blood Rose Clan. Did you honestly think we would let you live after what you did? Marci was my friend, Maggot, and I will take her True Death out of every inch of your miserable hide. Though perhaps I should have some fun with you first hmm?" Reaching across the desk to the decanter of bourbon, Iris poured herself a glass and then looked directly at Nicole.

"You are beautiful." She tapped the desk next to her, motioning for Nicole to sit next to her. "I have a feeling you're the type who could enjoy a good show hmm? What would you like to see him do first? Dance like a monkey? Beg for his life?" Iris was all about the game, and now that Cyrus knew she was a Vampire, she could almost taste the fear radiating off him. She lifted the glass of bourbon to her lips and let the fiery liquid slide down her throat. Should Nicole touch her skin at all, she would find that Iris held none of the warmth of a living human, she had no heartbeat, no need to breathe.

She could feel her hunger simmering in the back of her throat from the power she'd already used, but seeing as she was sure to have plenty to eat very soon, Iris wasn't too worried about it.

Cyrus gaped at the deadly woman, his body bent awkwardly forward as Iris held him by the collar to bring the towering man down to her size. He cringed when she licked his cheek, jerking his face away with a muffled whimper and suddenly Cyrus found himself stumbling backwards. With his weakened senses dumbed down by liquor, Cyrus staggered into a nearby chair and flopped into the oversized seat sideways. There he remained in shock while Iris introduced herself and her true intentions in this meeting, a sense of terror emanating from the drunken man.

Nicole cocked her head to the side when Iris moved to the desk, her movement but a blur - even to Nicole. Her brows rose, her curiosity peaked by the little lynx as she introduced herself as Iris and made it clear why she was here. Nicole could taste the panic and fear rising in the air, lifting her attentions from Iris to look at Cyrus who met her gaze with a glare. She would keep her attentions on him, at least until Iris addressed her. Pushing away from the desk, Nicole took a few sultry steps in Iris' direction as the cold-blooded vixen went on teasing the panicking Cyrus by inviting Nicole to the show. But oh, what a tempting offer she presented...

"I have a feeling you're the type who could enjoy a good show hmm? What would you like to see him do first? Dance like a monkey? Beg for his life?"

Closing the space between Iris and herself, Nicole came to stand in front of Iris just as she lowered her glass. A tempting smile played upon her rosy cheeked face and boldly Nicole leaned in close, lifting a hand to gently caress Iris' icy cheek." Mmm, I do enjoy a good show.." Nicole purred, exhaling a bourbon laced breath, as if their close proximity was just too much for her to handle. Drawing closer to the deadly woman in front of her Nicole let her hand fall away, visible in an unthreatening manner and kept her now empty hazel-green hues locked onto Iris' own eerily glowing eyes. It looked almost as if Nicole meant to kiss her, but instead at the last moment before touching she drew in a trembling breath with a look of ecstasy. Tasting the woman's delicate flavor of death, Nicole pulled back from Iris as quickly as she had come on her. With her head tilted back, she exhaled again and when she let her face drop rows of shark-like teeth would be clearly visible upon her smiling face.

" Mmmm, vampire. You are the sweetest shade of death... " She breathed heavily, her bright hues once again looking the woman from head to toe as she took in the sight of her with a new appreciation. A creature just as deadly as she, oh - Cyrus had provoked the wrong crowd. Nicole shifted and in the blink of an eye she seemingly appeared standing between Iris and Cryus. Her back was to Iris as she addressed the slouched man," Oooh Cyrus, you are a dead fool this time. Check mate." Nicole shook her head, leaning forward as if to talk down to a child," But don't you worry," She cooed," I am confident Iris here will make a good show of it and if you are careful, so careful, you might not wake your wife and children. Hm?" Her brows rose, giving the clearly stunned man an expectant look. His jaw dropped again, clearly not expect his last form of protection to betray him so easily." You fracken bitch!" He spat in Nicole's direction to which she merely smiled and rose to stand upright again," I can only imagine their responses, OH." She gasped sarcastically," As if they could go on living knowing the truth.." Her threatening words were followed with a sadistic laughter, her back turning on the man while she sauntered back to take up the seat Iris had originally offered to her.

It wouldn't take her long to get settled, leaning back to rest herself against her outstretched arm as she crossed her legs. Nicole turned to Iris," Surprise me. I like surprises.." She flashed a sharp-toothed grin, giving a wave of her hand in the direction of Cyrus to indicate she was referring to the demise of Cyrus. In that moment it took her to move back and get settled Cyrus had climbed to his feet, as if he was sneaky enough to make some sort of exit. He was slowly inching his way to the door, still not realizing that Iris had snapped the handle off and therefore he was going nowhere. He froze when Nicole waved in his direction, looking to the two deadly women as sweat dripped from his face. " Oh, I got a surprise for you bitch!" He shouted suddenly, reaching into his coat jacket to pull out a pistol and no sooner had he drawn it did he begin to fire the weapon.

BANG!?!

The single shot would be no doubt all he would manage to get off before something stopped him. If not stopped, then he would hesitate as he lifted the smoking weapon to point at Iris. Nicole, on the other hand, was his original target and though he hadn't taken even a second to aim his shot had hit its mark - partially. The bullet grazed her shoulder, causing her to jerk to the side violently as blood splattered all over the desk from the wound." HOLY SHIT!" Nicole cursed with a scream, looking to the oozing wound with a wide-eyed look of shock. She sucked in a sharp breath, the shock of the sudden event sinking in," What the F*ck were you thinking!?!" Her shouting was laced with an unnatural growl, her aura suddenly flaring; Revealing her true nature was now the least of her concerns.

Outside the room there came a pounding on the unmoving door, a woman's voice screaming," CYRUS! CYRUS! " Repeatedly as she beat at the door. Clearly, the screaming and gunshots had awakened his family.