⤐ bus stop.

@❛ jacob kiszka the sight of his house getting closer and closer brings almost a send of looming forebode; it was like felix just didn't want to return home and cook the dinner that nearly costed him his life a few moments ago. the house itself was beautifully grand, large in its expense to showcase his family's fortune, but he was (mainly) there alone. parents were never home which means the halls were ever so quiet, which also meant felix was ever so lonely there. ever since the murder of his brother, the poor boy has stopped wanting to live there. it just reminded him of so much, so many painful moments - and tonight only added to it.

now that he knew just who, just *what*, killed his brother, he didn't feel safe there anymore.

the stranger who had saved him began speaking, explaining what had happened and what the creature was. felix found himself listening attentively, quietly, with awaited breath lodged in his throat. curious, and hating every second of it, he slowly turns around to take a glance at the supposed lycan that had pinned him down. it was just a man now, which was strange because felix strictly recalled feeling sharp talon-like claws against his nape and hearing an animalistic growl in his ear.

"a... werewolf." felix murmurs softly, almost inaudibly; like he was speaking outloud, in some sort of trance or daze and can't wrap his head around reality. because he can't. truth be told, this is all a little too much to handle. he's suddenly ed with so much information all at once and it's making his head hurt.

"i won't tell anyone," he continues after several moments of silence. they've reached the front door of his house by now. "and... besides, even if i did, i doubt anyone would believe me."

@❛ felix lee the death dealer gives one last glance to the lycan, who had since reverted back to a completely human form, liquified silver and crimson oozing from numerous bullet wounds. his brows are knit tight together, making a mental note to dispose of the body whenever he could, but he doubted that anyone would come across it until he had the chance, the city (for once) seemed all but abandoned.

he remains only a step behind the boy, keeping his stride rhythmic and its only a moment before he begins to speak. he wasn’t sure where to start, for he had never told anyone this ancient secret. however, there was something in the boy’s eyes that made him want to see the poor thing survive. perhaps, it was the fact that he could see his despair when he spoke of his brother, throwing him back to his own mortal days, when Samuel’s death had torn him apart from the inside out. he decides that the best option is to simply say it. “That beast that attacked you. He wasn’t human, he was a lycan. Or-“ he pauses, what does Hollywood call them, again? “A werewolf.”

golden eyes trained on the stranger’s back, he reads the body language to the best of his ability for any reaction to what he was saying. “I’m not human either. They call us death dealers, vampires trained to kill lycans and protect our kind.” his voice is barely audible over the of the wind as it whips through his tawny tendrils and swirls around them. “Very few humans know of us, and I didn’t tell you now so that you can spread the news. In fact, if you tell anyone, I /will/ kill you.”

@❛ jacob kiszka the sudden harshness to the stranger's tone has felix's mouth clamping shut immediately, wide crystal blue eyes that glistened and sparkled with unshed tears stare up at him as his breath hiccups and catches in his throat. unsure of who this man was, why he appeared to be so angry and stern all of sudden, why he actually saved him when it seemed that he would prefer to do the opposite, felix quickly decides that it would be a personal interest of his to keep quiet and not say another word. he didn't want to risk accidentally saying something that could make the stranger snap. the lycan was dead within seconds and felix would rather not find himself falling into the same fate.

with hands that resemble nimble leaves shaking in the mercy of the harsh wind, the boy accepts the bag of groceries as it was shoved into his arms; thankful that he didn't buy any food that were easily perishable. felix bobs his head in a quick nod, voice coming out in a quiet almost in audible whisper while stating that he understands. hugging the bag to his chest, forcing his legs to move despite having them feel like they're made of jello, felix keeps his gaze down on the concrete while walking towards his house; mind racing with the words that the creature had growled into his ear minutes ago.

it all made sense. it really did. the creature, whoever it was, knew about felix's parents. they knew about his brother and they knew about him, too. with the way they were talking, full of anger and burning hate, the thirst for revenge was clear in the creature's snarl.

that... whatever it was back there actually killed his brother.

trying to keep his sniffles to himself, felix hugs the bag even tighter and tries to have it cover his face up so the tears rolling down freckled cheeks couldn't be seen. the image of walking home one a night just like this, groceries in arms, only to walk through the front door and spot his brother's body on the ground was something that always plagued his nightmares.

@❛ felix lee he was already hesitating, but Jake found himself all but dropping his hand to his side at the mention of the boy’s dead brother. his grip loosens on his shoulder. was this.. sympathy? strange.

“Calm down before you speak,” he practically barks, realizing that the boy was beginning to talk in circles, becoming overwhelmed with emotions. of course, the death dealer wouldn’t understand that was easier said than done for humans. his eyes scrape over every centimeter of the boy’s face, searching for an ounce of deception, a hint that he might be lying, but there was none. the boy was genuinely terrified, and honestly confused.

then, he says it. /he killed my brother./ regardless of what little he had in common with the human before him, this was one thing he could relate to. he’d felt that same pain before, and though it was so long ago, he had been just as distraught. “That’s enough.” his version of ‘it’s alright’, one could suppose. uncertain of why he was suddenly the merciful, releasing his shoulder completely, both hands flee to gather the scattered groceries before they’re hastily shoved into the boy’s hands. “Listen to me very carefully,” he grumbles, his eyes turning to catch the sight of the home at which he was staring. his, most likely. “I am going to walk with you over to that house. On the way, I am going to tell you something, but if you so much as utter the words I share with you under your breath ever again, I /will/ find you-“ Jake pauses, his glance cast at the lycan as he gestures to it, “and I’ll do what he couldn’t. Do you understand?”

@❛ jacob kiszka the grip strains his barely holding together shirt and he swears he hears the fabric rip when a mighty pull has felix almost suffering from whiplash due to how fast he was yanked around just now. the boy hiccups on a quiet sob and stares up at the man in front of him, glistening blue eyes wide and bottom lip trembling. the voice was demanding and the grip on his shoulder was relentless; felix knew he wasn't going to be getting away any time soon unless he gave some answers. this man... whoever (whatever) he was was absolutely terrifying the poor kid.

"i-i don't know! i don't know, i swear!" he pleaded, cowering away from the man though not being able to really go anywhere. "i-i was just... i was walking home- i needed groceries for dinner tonight, that's all!" eyes flickering over to the now dead creature, felix lets out a horrified sound. "i don't.. i-i don't understand. i don't know him but he... he seemed to know me, a-about my parents, about... about the death of my brother. he was talking about..."

felix trails off, eyes drifting beyond the stranger's shoulder to look at the house in the background - and it's like he was standing at the end of the street all those years ago all over again. bag of groceries in his arms, a faint tune humming under his breath, the full moon hung high in the sky. the sight of several cops cars, all with their lights blaring, accompanied by a single ambulance and a very very large crowd; he could see all of his neighbors dressed in their night-robes and pajamas, worried and frightened. a gourney approaching the ambulance with a body laying on top of it, blood stained white-sheet covering the form to prevent anyone from seeing who the poor victim was.

it took a few moments for felix to speak however when he does, his voice is uneven and shaky; a certain broken tilt makes the words catch and fumble in his throat as the tears continue to gently roll down his cheeks. "he... he killed my brother. he's the one who broke into our house that night. i-it was him."

@❛ felix lee if the death dealer’s fierce gaze could do physical harm, he wonders if the glaring would’ve singed the delicate flesh of the human’s neck. part of him, deep down, was hoping for a bite mark: that would be enough reason to feel no guilt in exterminating him. however, to his internal dismay, there were none.

slashes through his shirt that tinted his skin cherry red were only from the Lycan’s claws. Jake’s teeth grind as his fists at the ruined shirt clinging to the boy, hauling him up into the air and on to his feet none-too gentle in a matter of moments with minimal effort.

now that he were face to face with the human, his brow quirks, noticing the salty tear glistening against his cheek. “Stop.” he demands, suddenly, referring to the tears with one hand clamping the boy’s shoulder. “Why was he after you? Hm? What the hell could /you/ have done?” perhaps, he was speaking more to himself, asking the questions out loud, yet he directed them to him.

his free hand glides beneath the flapping lapel of his jacket, though hovers over the blade found in the sheath just grazing his fingertips. eyes narrowed, he knew he should kill him right then and there. however, he hesitated, much unlike him. perhaps it was the look of fear in the boy’s otherwise innocent eyes, or Selena’s voice gnawing at the back of his mind to let him live. or maybe, it was a combination of the two; throw Jacob’s long lost brother returning and his misfortune (the loss of his betrothed), and you have a recipe for a severely conflicted vampire. his jaw clenched, pushing those thoughts aside as his fingers dig into the fragile shoulder of the boy before him. “Did you know him?”

@❛ jacob kiszka "w-what are you talking about?" felix rasps, voice trembling and full of fear. "who... *what* are you? what do you want me?"

the being, the creature, the whatever-it-is only laughs into the boy's ear. "you mean you don't know? i could tell you, if you want. i know you're curious - every human is curious. it's their biggest flaw; they never know when to keep their mouths shut or keep their nose out of business that's not theirs. oh, but you don't know that feeling, do you?" a husky chuckle has felix whimpering quietly, shaking underneath the weight that's pinning him down. "you're mister goodie two shoes, aren't you? straight a student, never missing a day of school even when you felt miserable and too sick to get out of bed. always did what mommy and daddy told--but did mommy and daddy ever tell you the truth?"

"what... what truth? what are you talking about? you're not making any sense."

"about all of this. about the world. hell, about the very town you call home. now that i think about it," the being leans even closer and pants right against his cheek, "do mommy and daddy even talk to you nowadays? are they even home? that's right. they aren't. they didn't love you as much as they loved your picture perfect brother, and i think you know that deep down. that's why they don't pay attention to you - that's why they don't even celebrate your birthday anymore but they're only reminded of your dear brother's death. well, you know what? you want to know the truth so badly? don't you wanna know why they didn't even let you see your brother's body? t's because--"

the boy inhales shakily and wrecks his brain, trying to figure out just what the hell is going on and what to do. he doesn't even get to say anything more when a sound catches both of their attention: footsteps, closing in on them. felix is only able to move his head when bullets ring through the air, loud and piercing through the otherwise silent night, and the weight is gone. he cries out in surprise and quickly covers his ears with shaking palms, eyes clenched shut. he continues cowering like this until the gunshots stop and only when there's a light pressure against his elbows does felix slowly open his eyes; unsure, hesitant, fearful.

shoes. that's what he sees directly in front of him, tips pressing right into his elbows. felix blinks slowly at the pair then slowly lets his eyes trail up the pair of long legs, though before he's even able to look up at the stranger's face, he's pinned down once more. a hand forcing his head to the side, foot pressed into his back to hold him in place. he whines quietly in pain however the boy is wise to stay still under the man's hands.

"n-no." he answers honestly, attempting to shake his head though the grip prevents him from moving much. there's tears prickling his crystal blue eyes, spilling down and stinging the scuff mark on the apple of his right cheek. "no, he.. he didn't bite me. it was just claws--t-they were just claws."

@❛ felix lee with his jaw grinding, Jake watches the scene unfold before him, and a slew of options suddenly appear. a decision is to be made, and soon. on the one hand, he could intervene, after all this might be his only chance to do away with one lycan he’d been tracking for years. still, that left the prospect of, yet another, human witnessing the existence of the species. another useless death. must he kill him, though? it was bizarre for Jake to have such questions swirling his mind. perhaps one, just one, knowing the truth wouldn’t be so bad...

on the other hand, he could wait. wait for the human to be killed at the hands of the beast, and ambush the lycan afterwards. it would be the smarter choice, he knows that, but he can suddenly recall Selena’s panic the night of the fire. why would he remember such a minute detail now? had she seeped so deep into his subconscious that she would torment him every time he left a human to suffer? the idea sickens him.

deciding, ultimately, to intervene. not for the sake of the frail, human boy face down in the concrete (or so he forces himself to believe), but for the certainty of the Lycan’s extermination. his legs carry him to the edge of the roof and beyond it, as flippant as walking on solid earth, he steps off the trim and drops. in only a matter of milliseconds, his heavy boots hit the ground only a matter of feet away from the mortal’s face, the flapping of leather settles around him like raven wings tucking themselves away.

expressionless, albeit his trademark furrowed brows, Jake’s hand disappears beneath his jacket, only to brandish a chrome-dipped handgun moments later, bullets flying through the air with excellent precision. three of them make contact, while another shatters the glass of the bus stop shelter behind them, splattering liquid silver and crimson over the back of the stranger.

with each shot emitted, Jake steps closer, until his foot rests just against the stranger’s elbow. coils of smoke claw their way from the barrel of the pistol, and the lycan stumbles backward, gaining his balance for one more moment: long enough to snarl a raspy threat. one that’s short lived, however, due to the bullet that pierces his skull through the entry wound right between his eyes; the final shot that drops him.

unflinching, the death dealer then holsters his weapon, his attention turning to the human before him. squatting low, he inspects the claw marks, grabbing the fabric of his shirt to yank it away from the wound, while his other hand pushes the head in the opposite direction, one foot resting against his back to keep him in place until he was done with inspection. “Did he bite you?” gruff, and straight to the point.

@❛ jacob kiszka venturing out at night was something felix never did very often. or, well, it was something he *made sure* he didn't do often. it's not like he lived very far from the market however traveling in the dark, especially in these streets, always made him feel uncomfortable. the uneasy quietness that occupied the empty streets, eerily still, had made anxiety tick and churn in his veins. felix had always found himself speed walking while returning home, either from closing up the shop late or needing to take a quick trip to the supermarket down the street.

another night of not seeing his parents pull into the driveway? check. another night of having to fend for himself? check. it's not like felix hasn't experienced the feeling of (severe) disappointment whenever he would see the driveway empty of any car, although it's not like he also doesn't have experience when it comes to cooking. spending most of his childhood alone, felix had to adapt somehow. watching basic cooking videos on youtube helped him discover his passion for cooking and, most of all, baking. tonight's meal consisted of mashed potatoes, some mixed vegetables, and grilled salmon.

completely unaware of the fact that he was being followed, felix continued his venture back home with a large paper bag full of groceries in his arms; quietly humming a tune to himself in hopes that it'll help distract him from the fact that the roads are completely empty and it's *way* too quiet. unsure of it's just his head playing tricks on him or not, but he swears there's the faint scuffle of footsteps behind him - though everytime he looks back, there's nothing. it only makes him walk even faster. just when he spots the familiar house just a little ways away, a sound causes him to freeze. his heart kickstarts in his chest and it's sort of painful for a few seconds with how fast it suddenly picked up.

a growl. there was a growl behind him.

before he's able to turn around and see what who (or what) was lingering behind him, a rough impact to his back has him landing face first into the concrete. felix hisses quietly as the gravel digs harshly into his cheek and palms but he tries to push himself up anyways; bag of groceries spilled on the ground in front of him. suddenly, what feels like a ton is pressing him back down into the ground, eliciting a gasp when the weight makes his ribs begin to scream in agony.

"i would say that this is not personal, but it is." there's a voice right next to his ear that has felix's blood running cold. it almost sounds human but there's a deep... animalistic rasp behind it. a faint pressure is applied to back to his neck and felix's breath catches in his throat when he realizes it's *claws* digging into his flesh. "if i had known there was a second child in the mix, i would've stayed longer. but i suppose killing you now would work just as well."

@❛ felix lee the night air is brisk around him, though it makes little difference to the vampire as he stalks the beast below him from the rooftops. he knew this one, even in the human form he sports now. he’d come face to face with him before, in the midst of carnage, but had made a mistake, allowing the lycan to slip into the night. it wouldn’t happen again, he’s decided.

he’s done it so long, for so many hundreds of years, that the hunt has lost its luster. Jake can remember a time when lycans could spark anxiety within his veins, even after he was turned. his first kill had been terrifying and liberating at the same time. and then, as time dragged on, after slaughtering hundreds, nay, thousands of the wolves, he’d lost such a fear. even in the face of death, when their jaws snapped right before his face: he wasn’t afraid. he only saw them as an objective now. death (should’ve) been a certainty in his life anyways, and yet even the ability to die like a normal being had been taken from him. that, and the guilt of being a murderer, the adrenaline that should’ve overwhelmed his senses as he pulled the trigger. now he was nothing: a shell. robotic, unfeeling.

the lycan makes an abrupt turn, crossing the street. the death dealer curses under his breath, for this was truly a spectacular position to ambush him, and now he would have to take him head on. it’s only now that he realizes that he is not the only one stalking; the lycan is keeping a suspicious distance between himself and a human just ahead. why? Jake didn’t often question the motives of the lycans, he didn’t care. he killed them, not bothering to understand them. however, he knew that their alpha had strict rules against killing humans. “,” he whispers, the sound distorted by the icy wind that cuts through his atmosphere. he had to act fast, or this kid was going to meet a very painful death.