#lornaa

[cw: blood/surgery]

Lorna and Susette were supposed to be patrolling for signs of the Kresnik. Yet here they were, instead, breaking into an abandoned apartment building. Inside they confronted a gaggle of mismatched Greys who goggled at the intrusion. They surrounded a prone, dazed, enormous brown and tan scaled alien who lay belly up with scales exposed. One had already been deftly removed, leaving a shimmery red wound reflected in clinically sharp scalpels.

It had been the strong smell of disinfectant mingling with blood that had drawn Susette to them, breaking off from the Regulators’ established path. She knew Lorna would stay on her heels as she literally dogged the trail. There wasn’t a hint of vampire about it which was not relayed to Lorna.

Susette was practically gagging on the smell by the time they found the right door. Upon entering she had to physically alter her body’s makeup to withstand it. The makeshift sterile environment the Greys had created to harvest their samples was horrific enough without breathing in concentrated bleach.

Noemi shuffled through the door of Lorna’s apartment, glancing at the familiar couch. She hadn’t forgotten her blood-drenched clothes, though, and she’d already ruined that couch once. So instead she made her way to the dining table and carefully collapsed into a chair.

Her strength had returned. Mostly. Somewhat. Maybe she was healing again? Maybe that was why she was so hungry. Fortunately, Lorna had been a complete babe and stopped for blood despite her own phobia.

The sun was just setting over the Maroa Botanical Gardens. Isfet had shown up at the rendezvous point just a little early. Their "targets", for lack of a better term, should be showing up soon. Knowing what he did, they were more likely to show up later than early, but it was an unpredictable demographic and he didn't exactly have anything to do in the meantime anyway.

He lingered by a line of decorative iron fencing, phone out but primarily keeping his focus on his surroundings. Looking out for suspicious characters. Looking out for Lorna.

Delia wanted a cafe corretto from her favorite Italian restaurant. And when Delia wanted something very specific and expensive, she usually got it.

And when Macy had an opportunity to get out of that hell suite for an hour, she took it.

She stepped out of Bava’s, coffee in hand, and started back toward the hotel. Less than a dozen steps away, however, she slowed, not quite to a stop, and listened, her eyes darting around behind her sunglasses.

Reiner whistled as he placed his famous chunk chocolate chip cookies into the oven.  He was a large tan man with a fluffy mustache + beard combo wearing an apron that stated ‘kiss the cook’ in bright pink letters.  It was a gift and so despite the fact that he found the slogan a bit embarrassing, it’d be very rude not to wear it every time he made something. 

The dog man was in a good mood despite that had happened on the dashboard the day before.  Yes, all of it deeply worried him and confirmed his worst suspicions but now was the time for solutions!  He knew Lorna was a good person.  There was no doubt in his mind about that.  She messed up pretty bad and hurt a lot of people, but, there was no way Reiner could handle thinking his friend was capable of being evil.

The glittering lights of Maroa sparkled up at Lorna, the little indicators of peoples’ lives and movements in the vast city moving and blinking and dimming anonymously below her. Although the 25th floor sky lobby was far from the pinnacle of the sky scraping office building, it still offered a wondrous view of the city streets, as well as a peek at the ocean beyond.

Even though it was late, there were still a few stragglers only now making their way out of the building. This time of year provided the perfect timing to marvel at a colorful sunset-painted sky for the few employees who had the mind to linger for it. The last of the sun’s golden hues had finally fallen below the horizon behind now, though, and the muddied blue of the night ahead was melting in to take its place.

Charlie tripped, scraping her knees and arms, but got up immediately to run some more.  Any onlookers would be really concerned about this dirty, bloody, tear-stained woman running seemingly for her life.  Still, most just minded their own business.

She didn’t look back.  She kept going, taking turns here and there through alleys.  Her brain hadn’t caught up to where her legs were taking her.  

Deep inside her mind she only knew exactly where to find one person who is knowledgeable about regulators.  Their first meeting was awkward and tense, yet, for some reason Charlie felt like she could trust her.  There wasn’t much choice now that she had reached her destination.  The Library.  Noemi.

Amy stood at the meeting point they agreed on, much earlier than intended.  It was dark which was comfortable for her as a vampire but there was still unease in her throat.  She hadn’t had the best experiences with regulators.  The ones she had met had no empathy for others and only focused on their nebulous goals.  It worried her greatly.  There was no telling what lengths they’d go to to achieve them.