It wasn't a habit of hers to come this far. She heard whispers from this place often, but today they were more insistent. Night had fallen, and Shay had been unwilling to sleep. She didn't want to live through her nightmares, to fear. She should have been more cautious about walking around at sundown in a place like this, so full of crime. But if Shay feared every possible death she could face, she'd never even leave her bed. Even then, there was the chance of falling down the stairs when going to the restroom or choking on food or getting ill. The point was, nowhere was safe, and she had learned that very early on.
Shay didn't know what she was expecting to find. Her mind was somewhat numb with the current of screaming going on. She didn't often hear this many voices at once. It must have been some mass killing, which made it even more stupid of her to follow its trail. The gore Shay witnessed didn't give her much pause. She saw similar things every night, or every time she touched someone. She was not a squeamish girl in the slightest. Even with all Shay saw in her young life, the carnage was gruesome.
It made her think whoever had done it was either still around or one messy serial killer. She peered around, the hair at the back of her neck on end. People who had the foresight to kill this many people weren't usually careless. She took a few steps forward, chiding herself for having come here in the first place. Shay knelt down beside the closest body to inspect them. Whoever the man was, he was soaked in blood, and his face looked battered enough to keep him unidentifiable. The girl could see his body was shot through with several bullets.
God, she had to get out of here. Even thinking that Shay kept checking the other bodies. Bullet holes, all of them, and ruined faces, and so much blood the coppery smell lingered at the back of her throat. "What happened?" she asked aloud as if someone might answer her. She rolled her eyes at herself.
The blood was sticky, clinging to Klaus' boots as he walked forward, hands in the pockets of his long overcoat. His aura was near as overwhelming as the bodies, and his approaching presence was unlikely to be a surprise. Simply foreboding.
All of his people (mostly lucky, unlike their enemies) had gotten back to their usual work, or gone home. There wasn't anyone left alive here besides the kingpin, and a new arrival, this very small girl. She did, however, still feel like death. So did he, but for very different reasons.
"Gang shootout, kiddo. A big one. Not that I haven't seen and been in worse." He nodded to the body she'd been most recently looking at. "Don't feel too sorry for 'em. They didn't get this far without making a real unpleasant fuss, pushing. Can't publicly screw with the ruling group's shit without at least a little bit of a death wish."
He tilted his head and stared at her. "Now, I answered your question. Only fair to return the favor, right? What's a young lady like you doing all the way out here in the middle of the night? Surely can't be, ah, a school field trip or somethin'." He grinned, all at once, face lighting up. "Maybe I woulda' gotten a formal education, if that was considered ethical."
He circled her slowly, stepping over corpses with ease. "I'd say wrong place, wrong time, another naive kid that was separated from their caretakers and wandered far, far too deep into my territory… and yet, that's not quite you, is it?" He smiled gently, or something close to it. "You don't look very upset, actually. Most children would go into shock, or be vomiting. Morbid curiosity? Has it been satisfied, seeing this, or are you still looking for something more?"
All of his people (mostly lucky, unlike their enemies) had gotten back to their usual work, or gone home. There wasn't anyone left alive here besides the kingpin, and a new arrival, this very small girl. She did, however, still feel like death. So did he, but for very different reasons.
"Gang shootout, kiddo. A big one. Not that I haven't seen and been in worse." He nodded to the body she'd been most recently looking at. "Don't feel too sorry for 'em. They didn't get this far without making a real unpleasant fuss, pushing. Can't publicly screw with the ruling group's shit without at least a little bit of a death wish."
He tilted his head and stared at her. "Now, I answered your question. Only fair to return the favor, right? What's a young lady like you doing all the way out here in the middle of the night? Surely can't be, ah, a school field trip or somethin'." He grinned, all at once, face lighting up. "Maybe I woulda' gotten a formal education, if that was considered ethical."
He circled her slowly, stepping over corpses with ease. "I'd say wrong place, wrong time, another naive kid that was separated from their caretakers and wandered far, far too deep into my territory… and yet, that's not quite you, is it?" He smiled gently, or something close to it. "You don't look very upset, actually. Most children would go into shock, or be vomiting. Morbid curiosity? Has it been satisfied, seeing this, or are you still looking for something more?"
Shay tensed when she felt his presence. It overtook her for a moment. Clear your head, Shay. Don't be a fool. The girl looked over her shoulder at him and stood, slow, very slow. Moving quick was something prey would do. When he motioned to the body at her feet, Shay didn't bother looking over at it. She didn't need to. She felt all the spirits lingering here, saw a few of them replaying the scene, over and over.
The girl wasn't sure whether to be afraid of the man yet. He smiled. He was casual. But she didn't like the look of him or the way he started circling her. Shay turned as he came around her. She would never turn her back to a predator. The underground made a particular type of monster; Shay didn't have to grow up on the street to know that. She watched him, silent, debating whether she could outrun him. His territory. Hadn't she seen this man before? Pleasant situation you've found yourself in, Shay, stupid girl. Should have walked away.
"I'm not upset," she affirmed. Her voice was shakier than she'd have liked it, but that panic didn't reach her eyes or the way she stood, so agile and ready to run at a moments notice. This man would have a gun. Running wouldn't do much good. Also, he looked quick. Was she quicker? The air was too thick here. What was that feeling? Magic?
"People die. That's the way of the world." Now she did glance at one of the bodies. Her tone was steely when she asked, "Are you going to kill me now? Or is it going to be worse than that?" Her lower lip quivered a little, but she wouldn't cry. God. Was this how she was going to die? Be tortured? Kidnapped? Worse? She didn't want to think about that. She should answer him, she realized. No reason to possibly upset him.
"I was drawn to the death." She motioned vaguely to her ear. "I hear things like that. So I came to check it out." She was aware how childish it sounded. Any answer she could have given here was silly; there was no way around the stupidity of her decision.
She squinted at him, calming down. Recognition flashed in her eyes, and it only furthered the fear in her gut. "You're Klaus Rosales." She said this with resignation. "You'd kill me if I knew something, but I have nothing to give the police or anyone else. It would be a waste of a bullet, you know."
As brave, yet cautious, as she was being, she was still a child. A better person would guide her out of the hellhole and tell her to never come back. That definitely wasn't who Klaus was- and he found himself interested, ready to play along for a while, as well as keep an eye on this girl. Anyone else lurking around this area would be scavenger types, or those who were especially undesirable.
In reality, when down here, she was the safest around him. He didn't fuck with kids, not past letting them see and know too much (she didn't seem that innocent anyway, even without his help). He also wasn't kind to those who did fuck with them. He nudged one of the bodies with the toe of his boot, unimpressed. No, no, these gangbanger assholes weren't anything worth mercy. He kept watching the girl from the corner of his eye. Her being around was the only reason he didn't spit on them, after that line of thought- and shit, it was really tempting.
She was watching him in return. Smart girl. She hadn't started running yet, but seemed to consider and be ready for it. He wouldn't chase or shoot at her, but was amused, so didn't comment, feeling affectionate instead. Besides, her assumptions were still rational enough. She didn't know his standards. Most didn't. He hardly had any at all, they could be counted on one hand.
He followed her gaze, raising an eyebrow. "Funny, saying that in a city stuffed with immortals, undead, and all that fun stuff. Mindset like that, in this reality, seems more self protecting than bitter truth. How old are you, doll? Must've learned adult avoidance tactics pretty early on. Hm."
He was quiet for a while. Listening to the rest of what she had to say, only blinking and furrowing his brows. Then, finally, he doubled over into a fit of laughter, and took a solid minute to catch his breath. "Sorry, I'm sorry hold on, kill you?" He wheezed and shook his head, still giggling. "You're just a little girl! I'm not threatened in the slightest, relax! I'm flattered you recognize me. Most everyone does! Nothing's new or endangering, thanks to that. Sometimes I steal doughnuts from cop cars for fun, I'm not scared of them either. Hell, I'm not scared of anything. Wanna pose for a picture with me and send it to the police? I'll do it, they'd flip their shit, poor overworked bastards."
He stood up straight again and moved closer, greed aura interested and warm. "Adorable. This talkin' yourself logically out of a fucked over situation thing? It's great, not bad at all. Might not be enough, though. You ever thought about investing in some magical pepper spray, kid?" He leered a bit. "If someone gets in your personal space like this, it gives them a bit more incentive to fuck off than talking does, or anything physical I'm expectin' you can do. Besides, even if you're stronger than you look, why should you have to touch some random creep to get away? Ew. Easy, effective, and hands off is preferred."
He smiled, genuinely sunny. "What's your name, miss morbid curiosity?"
In reality, when down here, she was the safest around him. He didn't fuck with kids, not past letting them see and know too much (she didn't seem that innocent anyway, even without his help). He also wasn't kind to those who did fuck with them. He nudged one of the bodies with the toe of his boot, unimpressed. No, no, these gangbanger assholes weren't anything worth mercy. He kept watching the girl from the corner of his eye. Her being around was the only reason he didn't spit on them, after that line of thought- and shit, it was really tempting.
She was watching him in return. Smart girl. She hadn't started running yet, but seemed to consider and be ready for it. He wouldn't chase or shoot at her, but was amused, so didn't comment, feeling affectionate instead. Besides, her assumptions were still rational enough. She didn't know his standards. Most didn't. He hardly had any at all, they could be counted on one hand.
He followed her gaze, raising an eyebrow. "Funny, saying that in a city stuffed with immortals, undead, and all that fun stuff. Mindset like that, in this reality, seems more self protecting than bitter truth. How old are you, doll? Must've learned adult avoidance tactics pretty early on. Hm."
He was quiet for a while. Listening to the rest of what she had to say, only blinking and furrowing his brows. Then, finally, he doubled over into a fit of laughter, and took a solid minute to catch his breath. "Sorry, I'm sorry hold on, kill you?" He wheezed and shook his head, still giggling. "You're just a little girl! I'm not threatened in the slightest, relax! I'm flattered you recognize me. Most everyone does! Nothing's new or endangering, thanks to that. Sometimes I steal doughnuts from cop cars for fun, I'm not scared of them either. Hell, I'm not scared of anything. Wanna pose for a picture with me and send it to the police? I'll do it, they'd flip their shit, poor overworked bastards."
He stood up straight again and moved closer, greed aura interested and warm. "Adorable. This talkin' yourself logically out of a fucked over situation thing? It's great, not bad at all. Might not be enough, though. You ever thought about investing in some magical pepper spray, kid?" He leered a bit. "If someone gets in your personal space like this, it gives them a bit more incentive to fuck off than talking does, or anything physical I'm expectin' you can do. Besides, even if you're stronger than you look, why should you have to touch some random creep to get away? Ew. Easy, effective, and hands off is preferred."
He smiled, genuinely sunny. "What's your name, miss morbid curiosity?"
It was easy for Shay to forget all about immortality. She had nothing like that, but also, even a lot of immortals died, even when they came back. Death was inevitable. Whether it was physical or otherwise. Damn. He was good. She hadn't meant to give him enough to know she was really a child. She could have faked immortality had she not said that stupid sentence. It wasn't surprising that Klaus Rosales was keen in every sense of the word.
Shay rose her chin somewhat defiantly and met his covered eyes. He was laughing at her now? Great. Her cheeks reddened in anger, but she fought the urge to walk over and try to hit him. That wouldn't have been good. "I am not a little girl. I'm twelve and perfectly capable of protecting myself. For all you know, I could kill you right now." True, that last sentence was said out of her frustration. Too late now.
She was about to say something snide when he suggested they pose for a picture, but her mouth went dry as he closed some of the distance between them. Although she wanted desperately to move, she had to be smarter than that. She was not prey.
There was a part of her, though -- a minuscule part -- that didn't want to move away. Shay wanted to step closer, to be in his presence. It made her sick, too. She could feel the bile of it at the back of her throat. It felt wrong. It felt very wrong. "Stop that," she snapped with more of a growl than she'd intended to use. "Stay back or I'll...I'll hurt you."
His leering furthered her fluttering heart. He had to get away. He had to. As he came closer, Shay looked over the bodies. She spotted something, swooped down, and when she stood she held one of the guns that the enemies had. Shay wasn't sure if it had bullets in it and Shay had never even held a gun before now. She aimed at him unsteadily. All she wanted was him to keep his distance. "Don't come near me."
"We're standing in the middle of a massacre," Klaus pointed out, voice a bit cooler, very thoughtful. "And here I am. For all I know, you could kill me, yes. Yet, I'm not flinching. You know who I am, how long I've been around. Would you really guess this is the first time anyone's pointed a gun at me, said those exact words? Maybe you should reconsider how you're going about this, and look at the clues you've been already given by my words. Think it all through."
He kept smiling, though. The bold anger was awfully cute on her round face. This very tiny twelve year old was pointing a gun, looted from a fresh corpse, at him. Saying she'd hurt him! He wanted to ruffle her hair. "You have some real guts, little grouch. I like that."
He reached out, slow, to the gun. "First tip? Gotta turn the safety off, darling. If you actually wanna shoot me, that is. And hey, go ahead." He switched it for her, then retracted his gloved hand again. He took a step away, continuously smiley and fond. "Your name?" he tried again. "C'mon, what's the harm? If I was going to do something, I've missed endless chances for it. We're having a nice, friendly chat here, and you know mine already, so."
He kept smiling, though. The bold anger was awfully cute on her round face. This very tiny twelve year old was pointing a gun, looted from a fresh corpse, at him. Saying she'd hurt him! He wanted to ruffle her hair. "You have some real guts, little grouch. I like that."
He reached out, slow, to the gun. "First tip? Gotta turn the safety off, darling. If you actually wanna shoot me, that is. And hey, go ahead." He switched it for her, then retracted his gloved hand again. He took a step away, continuously smiley and fond. "Your name?" he tried again. "C'mon, what's the harm? If I was going to do something, I've missed endless chances for it. We're having a nice, friendly chat here, and you know mine already, so."
Shay had assumed the safety would be off. What kind of an idiot goes into a gun fight with their safety on? The same type of idiot who doesn't check the safety before they pull a gun on one of the most infamous (if not the most) man in Manta Carlos. That snide voice in her head was right.
Her breath hitched when he leaned in, turned the safety off and moved away. He was too calm, this man. He scared her. Made her blood run cold. He was smiling. He was polite. So why did she get the feeling he'd hurt her without a second thought? She breathed out slowly, wishing she could see his eyes, wondering if she'd read him any better like that.
Hesitantly, Shay lowered the gun, frowning. It wasn't odd to her that all the whispering she had heard was from him. Now that Shay thought about it rationally, he was the sound she was following. It wasn't ghosts. Now one of her eyes squinted as she looked him over critically. "You're...not what I thought you would be." Her hands fell to her sides, gun still loosely held in her right. "I'm Eroshay, but, just call me Shay." She wouldn't be giving him her last name.
Klaus stretched, then slouched a bit when she lowered the gun, stance lazier. She didn't appear to need as much convincing anymore. It'd been a long night, and he muffled a yawn. "What did you think I'd be? Am I not livin' up to my reputation, letting you down? Aw, man. Sorry kid. I know how much people in your age group like scary stories, mostly for the thrill, while the grown ups like the same thing, disguised as cautionary tales. You're not the usual lost child, either, if that makes you feel any better. But I take these things in stride. They're fun. Can't take novelties for granted."
He looked at the gun for a little longer, lingering. It could slip from her hands so easily. "Heavy, isn't it? Some find that detail poetic. It's just a tool. Own it, don't let it own you. If you ever wanted to take and keep something like this, now's the time. I won't tell anyone. Or, you drop it. Your choice, but you can't only half commit, either way."
"It's nice to meet you, Shay. Quite a setting for it, huh? Are you really out here all alone, just for the death? You've seen it." He was quiet for a moment. "Boredom? Sleeping problems? Trouble at home? Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like if you were going to leave, you'd be gone."
"I'm hungry. Are you hungry, Shay?" he asked, mildly. "If you don't want to go home, whatever. I don't give a fuck. There's nothing else down here for you right now, though. Why don't I walk you up to the downtown area, treat you to a midnight snack? There's a nice, clean cafe that's open pretty damn late, or we can just go for some greasy fast food. Anywhere and anything is fine, but not here. You've overstayed your untouched guest and luck privileges. Karma's a bitch, run and don't let her catch you."
"This ain't fully optional, by the way. Might have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you out, if you don't want to go. This place isn't friendly to anyone- small girl or otherwise, so being offended at that is a distraction. I know you're tough. That's why you should listen and learn. It's not friendly unless you make it that way, and that's a special skill."
He looked at the gun for a little longer, lingering. It could slip from her hands so easily. "Heavy, isn't it? Some find that detail poetic. It's just a tool. Own it, don't let it own you. If you ever wanted to take and keep something like this, now's the time. I won't tell anyone. Or, you drop it. Your choice, but you can't only half commit, either way."
"It's nice to meet you, Shay. Quite a setting for it, huh? Are you really out here all alone, just for the death? You've seen it." He was quiet for a moment. "Boredom? Sleeping problems? Trouble at home? Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel like if you were going to leave, you'd be gone."
"I'm hungry. Are you hungry, Shay?" he asked, mildly. "If you don't want to go home, whatever. I don't give a fuck. There's nothing else down here for you right now, though. Why don't I walk you up to the downtown area, treat you to a midnight snack? There's a nice, clean cafe that's open pretty damn late, or we can just go for some greasy fast food. Anywhere and anything is fine, but not here. You've overstayed your untouched guest and luck privileges. Karma's a bitch, run and don't let her catch you."
"This ain't fully optional, by the way. Might have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you out, if you don't want to go. This place isn't friendly to anyone- small girl or otherwise, so being offended at that is a distraction. I know you're tough. That's why you should listen and learn. It's not friendly unless you make it that way, and that's a special skill."