Sydney Sage (sage_lily) wrote in ohanascenes, @ 2015-05-01 18:05:00 |
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Her entire life, Sydney had been groomed to be an Alchemist, to protect humans from the knowledge of vampires and provide what aid she could to the Moroi to keep them quiet. And now, due to some...freak tear in the space-time continuum, she was stuck in Hawaii where every supernatural was coming out of the woodwork (and there were so many of them!), the mortal authorities were shutting her out, and she had no access to any Alchemist resources. Nothing in her training had prepared her for this. But Sydney was nothing if not resourceful, and she knew that in order to move ahead with the most informed decision, she had to get informed. So she parked herself at Starbucks and their blessed free coffee refills for card members, and started reading through all the network posts. *** Adrian wasn't a big fan of coffee - he usually preferred stronger beverages. But after his drunken foray last night, he had sought it out in a desperate desire to achieve some semblance of consciousness. Hell, he felt awful. Getting himself a latte with several extra shots of espresso, Adrian looked around for an empty table. Not seeing one, he grinned and took the empty chair across from the Alchemist girl, who appeared to be working far too hard for this early in the morning. "Mind if I join you? Everyone could use a little company from an evil creature of the night once in a while." He gave her a 'charming' smile as he spoke, his green eyes twinkling merrily. *** It was admittedly a pretty charming smile - at least it would be if it weren't coming from an evil creature of the night. Sydney gave him a strained smile and edged her things away from him. The table wasn't big enough for her to take them out of his reach entirely, but the message was clear: she didn't want his vampire cooties on her things. "Rough night?" she asked, noting his red-rimmed eyes and venti cup. Normally she would approve of such commitment to caffeine, but she could tell there was something other than love of coffee at play here. *** "I don't know that I'd call it rough," he said with a smile. "It was a great night. It's the morning after a great night that's rough," he said, again flashing her that smile. Truly, it had been a rough night. He as still grieving over the loss of Rose, and spending most of his time drinking to make himself forget. So far, it wasn't working. But he was Adrian Ivashkov, and he had to keep us his party boy image. And frankly? He didn't know what else he could possibly do to ease the pain. "So...busy keeping the world safe for humans?" ** "Trying to," Sydney muttered, not entirely comfortable about talking about her work with a vampire. Then again, no one else here was going to understand the kind of work she did. Even most Moroi didn't. She set her phone aside. "Are you settling in?" she asked. "Do you...need anything?" She couldn't quite bring herself to say the B word. *** "You mean other than my good looks and the company of some hot, easy women? Nope, I'm good." He looked her over, thinking suddenly that she'd be pretty if she relaxed a little. And gained a few pounds. Shame she had to be so uptight, really. "Oh, and some blood." *** Sydney blanched, but otherwise kept her composure. "I understand Mr Ozera has made some arrangements for that last point," she said, trying to stay professional despite the distasteful topic. "Do you know what they are? I'm afraid I can't help with the first items on the list, but I do advise that you exercise caution. There are various..." Other evil creatures "races of supernaturals here, apparently, who may not want to share their space with...with your kind." *** "I don't, know. Things are a bit...awkward between me and Ozera at the moment, as I'm sure you can imagine." After all, having your beloved aunt brutally murdered by someone else's beloved aunt wasn't exactly the way to form a warm, fuzzy friendship. He raised an eyebrow at her words, looking undeniably amused. "You mean, people other than you?" *** "...yes, I imagine so," Sydney said awkwardly. She hadn't paid too much attention to Moroi court intrigue aside from its potential implications for the Alchemists. In general, she tried not to think of vampires of having beloved aunts, or beloved anybody. "What have you been doing for your...needs so far?" she asked, glossing over his statement about people like her. If Mr Ivashkov needed blood, she was going to have to get some for him so he wouldn't go biting people at random. *** Adrian wouldn’t have bit anyone at random. It wasn’t his way. He could charm his way into a drink, he supposed, if he had to, even if it wasn’t his favorite way to do it. Thankfully, he hadn’t had to do that yet. “Well,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “There are some people down out the beach who would do anything for a fix. Any sort of fix.” Which a Moroi bite certainly was. *** And that was exactly what Sydney didn't want: random beach junkies getting a bite and then telling their friends about this new kind of high. "If you've been doing that, please stop," she said, straightening. "I'll find you a source, but please don't go and...do that to just anyone." *** “Gotta eat,” he said lightly. “And it’s not like I’m hurting anyone.” He raised an eyebrow. “And where are you going to find a source at, anyway?” *** Sydney wasn't sure of that herself, but from what Ozera had said, she may be able to find help from the mortal authorities. If not... "I'll find something," she said determinedly. Because as far as she was concerned, any sort of blood drinking was hurting someone. "When's the next time you'll need to feed?" *** He shrugged. “Tomorrow? The next day?” Being a rather spoiled royal, he was more or less used to having blood every day, but he wasn’t unreasonable. He could adapt. He didn’t want to screw things up for the supernaturals here more than they already were. *** “I’ll find something by then,” Sydney repeated. She had to, because she’d be failing at her one job if she let this vampire run around biting people - even if she had to admit he’d probably have no problem just walking up to someone and charming them into it. He seemed to be a charming sort of person - and therefore that much less trustworthy. “It might not be what you’re used to,” she warned. “But until we can find a way back, we’re all going to have to make adjustments.” *** “Um, what do you mean that it won’t be what I’m used to?” he asked, a tiny bit concerned. “I mean, cherry slushies really aren’t the same thing. It does have to be blood.” *** Sydney inwardly cringed and made a note never to drink cherry slushies. Not that she did, anyway. The calorie count on those things were ridiculous. “No, it will be...blood.” Her voice lowered on that last word. “It just may not be fresh. Or human.” *** “Waaaait, woah. I don’t drink animal blood. And I hate it when it’s cold. It needs to be fresh from the source, Sage.” *** “Mr. Ivashkov.” Sydney clutched her coffee cup tightly and strived for patience. “You must understand things are not the way they were at home. We are cut off from Court, and from all of my resources. I will do as much as I can to ensure your comfort but I cannot guarantee the level of...freshness you’re used to. Just...don’t go looking on your own.” A pause. “Please.” *** "Adrian," he said firmly. For one thing, he wasn't his dad. For the second, "Mister" wasn't the proper title if she was going to address him by one. "And what do you think I' going to do exactly? Run off and go all Strigoi?" *** “Adrian.” Sydney tested out the name as gingerly as if she were about to touch a poisonous plant, but it ended up rolling off her tongue much more smoothly than she’d anticipated. She returned to the subject at hand. “I’d prefer that you don’t go looking for your own sources.” *** “Well, what do you expect me to do? Shrivel up and die if you don’t come through?” Seriously, this girl was waaaay over the top. Cute, though. *** While Sydney would’ve been happy enough to see all vampires shrivel up and die, she wasn’t convinced that the Moroi, as peace-loving as they claimed to be, wouldn’t take their blood by compulsion or force if they were faced with the possibility of starving. That was why the Alchemists stepped in: to ensure they never got that desperate. “I’ll come through,” she assured him. “Do you trust me on this?” Suddenly, it felt very important to her that he did - not just so he wouldn’t go and look for his own blood source, but because...well, she had a feeling that Adrian - Mr Ivashkov - wasn’t the sort to trust easily. She didn’t know why she wanted his trust, but she did. *** Adrian looked at her a moment, biting his lip. He didn’t want to trust her...he’d trusted Rose and she’d broken his heart into little shards. But...there was something about her that said that even if she hated him, she’d be honest with him. And she wouldn’t betray his trust. “I…” he hesitated. “Yes.” *** Sydney released a breath of relief. "Thank you," she said, and she gave him a smile. She still had her work cut out for her, but this was one less thing she had to worry about. “I’ll be in touch as soon as arrangements are made. In the meantime, please let me know if you have any other requirements.” *** “Have coffee with me,” he said, and it was very much not a request. “Tomorrow. Same time, same place.” *** Sydney stiffened. That was not what she’d meant by ‘other requirements’, and she wasn’t thrilled about spending time with a vampire, no matter how oddly easy it was to talk to him. “I may not have anything arranged by then. It’s best that I notify you when I have.” *** “Oh, I know,” he said, that grin back on his lips. “Don’t really care about that. Just want to have coffee. With you.” *** "Why?" Sydney asked blankly. She couldn't think of any earthly reason why Adrian would want to spend any more time with her than he had to. It wasn't as if she was especially friendly or interesting. She worked hard to present a professionally detached persona, in fact. *** Why? Because he was Adrian. Because he was lonely. And because he was a little bit scared, even if he didn’t want to admit it. And Sydney? Was stable. Sturdy. She made him feel safe, even if she obviously hated him. “You’re hot?” Was what he answered, though. *** Which got him a look of absolute horror. "I am not!" squeaked Sydney, who must've been the only girl on the planet to be so appalled upon being called hot. She did not want a vampire to consider her attractive in any way. Besides, someone who looked like him couldn't really think that if someone like her. *** “You are, actually,” he said calmly, amused by the fact that she didn’t think he was attractive. “But if you don’t want to, then fine. That’s fine.” *** "Fine," Sydney repeated, still unsettled. She sat back in her chair and adjusted her cup to line up with her napkin. She didn't know why she suddenly felt so...unfinished. Like there was something out of place, but she couldn't figure out what that was. "I'll be in touch, then. In the meantime, I appreciate your patience." |