Finding Tinman

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

Alright, so at first you might think this to be contradictory but I had a few human contacts who enjoyed being bitten. Yeah I despise blood whores who go to any vampire to be bitten, most of them end up being junkies of some sort.

Yes they liked being bitten but I never harmed them, I had control and would never harm them. Yeah criminals were fair game in my mind but I rarely killed them. Usually attacking them and taking several pints of blood scared them.

Arrangements like this though were beneficial to both me and the donor. They got the rush they enjoyed while still being safe and since I had no reason for money I never accepted money from any one of my few donors.

Though I doubt Doc would very much like the sources I get my blood from. Right now he had no say in my life and yet I was willing to do what he said. Do anything to keep Sam away from Maya.

Yeah animal blood was an option I've considered but not something I felt was necessary. Like it or not I'm a vampire. I enjoyed being a vampire. Well most of the time I do anyways. Lately I had begun liking it less and less with Sam interfering with the life I had built here.

Standing in front of very normal, boring looking home I made my way up the stairs onto a deck that looked as if it needed a little bit of tender care to the screen door, it making a small creak as the metal groaned in protest, unlike usual though the door was left ajar. A scent of decay to feint for humans to detect yet urged me inside.

Candles of various shapes and sizes were lit leading to a part of the house I had never been to. Typically I bit my donors in the main areas of the house, going to any other made the contact seem different from what it was.

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

A sinking feeling had set in, making my limbs feel heavy and stomach cold. Dried blood, every where. Not a drop was in sight yet but I knew precisely where the body was and my slayer sense told me I wasn't the only vampire in the house. Following the candles even though without them I still could have found the body I opened the door, the man who was once my donor was tied to the bed, eyes gaping open in a look of terror and pain.

I had enough experience to know that the gaping hole in his chest where his heart should have been had been done when he was alive, his throat ripped out so no one could hear his screams as he bleed out until his heart was finally removed. The same heart that was sent to Doc no doubt.

"You always was one for habit," came Sam's voice from behind me, circling me. She'd probably been here since after dropping off the present to Doc. Waiting for me to return.

"I suppose I'll have to change that..." I looked over my shoulder at her, a smile played on her lips. She was playing with me, much in the same way I had when she was a slayer. Coming full circle now are we?

"You're attracting too much attention." Sam knew she was, she didn't care at this point.

"So you've come to kill me?" I suppressed a shudder as she traced a line across my back as she walked behind me. Funny how I knew even now she wouldn't harm me just yet. Amusement had marred her words, she didn't think I would. I doubted the same in myself. It would be so much easier to give in...

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

"You haven't fed properly in a while though have you? Waiting until the last minute to fed. Not smart. Now I'm all fed and you're hungry. You can still have some blood, I've got enough for the both of us." Her arm snaked it's way across my stomach pulling my back against her, fangs making a trail down my neck lightly.

Balling my fist I dug my nails into my palms to focus my mind on the pain and nothing else. My darker impulses wanting to push through, fighting to grab a hold of my mind and body.

Growling I turned on her, grabbing the hair at the base of her neck and digging my fangs deep in her neck, slamming her against the wall, not letting go of her neck. Was I giving in? Maybe... Yes... No...?

Damn them both. Damn Sam and her inability to keep under the radar and damn Doc for making me chose.

I felt nails break the skin of my side, staining my shirt red from the marks, teeth digging into my neck, breaking the skin. A dagger I had hidden up my sleeve slipped to my hand, the hilt of the short weapon a small comfort before I jammed it up her ribcage. It wouldn't kill her but it would hurt like hell. Instead of releasing a scream at the injury she pulled away taking a chunk of flesh with her.

Both of us growled, reminding me briefly of feral cats, before I punched her straight in the face her body hitting the wall once again.

"I can't have you drawing negative attention my way." I dodged a swing from her. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not," came a reply in a growl, her body tackling mine, causing us both to fly across the floor trying to get the upper hand over the other.

"Pity you're in control right now," she grinning having pinned my arms to the side, her face close to mine but before I could let her finish I smashed my head against hers, loosening her grip enough to pull out the stake I had and plunging it through her heart. Her body turning to ashes from above me.

The me inside my head screamed, echoing through my head, she tried to fight for control, for the ability to take revenge but no... I wasn't done yet. Looking around the room, I tilted my head to get a good look of the nearest candle and for the second time within a week I set the place on fire but this time I was in no hurry to leave. I watched as the fire climbed the bed, consuming the body, the skin crackling popping under the intense heat.

Collecting my thoughts I sat up, now ignoring the fire which was beginning to climb up the walls. With a deep sigh I stood up, the heat becoming too much for me I brushed the ashes off my clothes and with a solem look I took in the scene one last time before leaving. Not how I wanted to end the night by far.

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

OUTSIDE DOCS APARTMENT

It was a few hours before sunrise but I figured letting Doc know he no longer had to worry about Sam would be a good idea.

Though for a moment I stood there in the hallway in front of his door unsure of it I wanted to even see him. I could still smell Sam's scent from where I stood as well as the man's heart. Great.

After standig around for a few more minutes I finally knocked on the door.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

Doc opened the door slowly, chain latch straing to it's limit. "Rogue," he said cautiously. "Something i can do for you?"

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

"You don't have to worry anymore." I looked him in the eye, which given the fact that I was shorter than him I probably looked fairly scary since I hadn't bother to clean up after the encounter. "The problem has been taken care of."

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

Doc exhaled sharply nodding. "Good. Thank you," he closed the door for a moment before opening it fully, though staying within the doorframe. "I'm sorry," he said slowly. "I get that she was... important to you. But..."

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

"Burn in hell." Without another word I turned sharply walking away.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

Doc sighed, shaking his head. He already was. She just didn't know it.

He closed hte door quietly, re-latching it before turning away. Nicely screwed up, dumbass, he thought.