"Of course it was the ch --- Hey! I could say the same exact thing about you, you know!!"
There's a twitch of irritation from the girl's words, his own lowering into a hiss as he paused his movements just to glance back and spit them at her. Vanitas' attention was slightly split at the new information -- the chaussers, then. And if they were initially after her, then it would mean she had to be a vampire.
Which, he thinks to himself with a large feeling of relief, that Roland couldn't of possibly been with them. If he had seen Vanitas, then they wouldn't of grabbed him alongside her ... right?
They took the book. That means they must of recognized it, right? Or was it simply them taking anything that could be deemed as a weapon from their momentary captive?
Too many questions and he didn't have time to linger too long on them all.
"Wha --- Hey!! What the hell are you doing??" He felt his knife dig into her skin, immediately ceasing his movements and trying to withdraw it closer to himself. He couldn't see the blood, but he felt the faint dripping of it hitting the ground between them, something like anxiety churning in his gut. How deep was the cut? How much blood was being spread? He squirms, a part of him consumed by the concern despite himself before he noticed movement, cutting bright blue eyes down just enough to see that quickly rusting blood transform.
Eyes widen as he watches it just in the corner of his eye, sharp enough to cut through their constraints and loosening the tension in his wrists that bond them together. What kind of ability ... ? Lips purse as a possible answer comes to his mind; pictures of a similar malnomen that he's studied and committed to memory for his mission cropping up.
Not only was she a vampire -- but possibly a curse bearer then, too?
Vanitas grunts, shifting so that he can soothe his aching wrists with a gloved hand, pushing himself up to his feet in a swift motion. He scans the room they're in now that he can see it more clearly, grumbling in distaste --- his coat was here, but of course his book was absent.
Because why make anything easy?
"I can't leave until I've retrieved my book. I'm going in deeper." His mind is whirling, trying to think of several different plans ahead of him. If they were underground, then he might be able to navigate, but even then it was the question of where ... Vanitas grabs his coat, slipping his arms through it as hands twist the loosened ribbons over his attire back into their proper bows. "You don't have to come with me, of course. We can go our separate ways ... But I must ask."
He turns back to look at her directly, taking her in. ( Letting his eyes drop down to her bleeding cut for barely a second. ) " --- You're a curse bearer, aren't you?"
