[Complete] Commiserate the Criminal

[james]

James collapsed into one of the four chairs lining an empty table, his weight and the force of his fall causing the legs to squeak against the linoleum. In his left hand, a freshly fired AMT backup 380, and in his right, the crinkled picture he had kept in his wallet for as long as he could remember owning a wallet. The deed was done. He glanced past the frayed edges of the photograph, at the two bodies that were slumped on the ground, blood seeping from the gunshots that had killed them. James was a fast and efficient shooter, his aim faultless, saving time and lessening the chances of delivering more than one bullet per body. The AMT 380 was small enough to hide, but its shots could not be silenced—not that anyone should hear him considering the racket the thunderstorm outside made. Still, experience had lead him to be systematic and thorough.

Setting the gun down on the table, he reached for his lighter in his pocket, lighting it up beneath the photograph. As soon as the item caught the flame, he tossed it on the table and returned the lighter to his pocket. His hands were covered by thin, white gloves to avoid his fingerprints from appearing anywhere. He did not want to be associated with this place, this event, or these people ever again—the whole purpose of his visit was to dissolve any ties he had to this city. Clearing his throat, he reached for the gun once more, emptying the magazine and checking the chamber before pushing himself back to his feet.

There was an alleyway lining the desolate diner, and he figured he’d discard the bodies there; or perhaps it was best to leave them where they were, together, a pool of blood gathering around them? James looked over his shoulder at the street, everything beyond the window blurred by the heavy downfall. Glancing back at the bodies, he decided to check out whether it was worth the effort. Stepping around the various tables, he made his way out of the dinner and into the rain. It merely took a few seconds for the water to soak his clothing to the bone, and by then he had rounded the alleyway’s corner.

As he ventured further into the lane, he soon found himself enveloped by darkness; the resonance and curtain-like quality to the downpour seemingly isolating him from the world. Now he simply needed to find that damn dumpster to make up his decision.

[Kimberly McQueen]

“Kimberly, I’m worried about you. You’ve been in that city for a long time now. This mission was supposed to be quick and easy…what’s taking so long? Please don’t give me the same excuse because the Order is getting impatient. Well…you know the drill. Call me back.”

Victor’s voice was a comfort.

Kimberly listened to the last portion of the second message left on her apartment answering machine before she reached over to the delete button. Pressing it down, she listened in a few seconds later to the automated voice informing her of the deleted messages. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the cool granite countertop of her kitchen as she listened to the rain touch against the glass. This mission she had taken to find her rogue second cousin Blair had become a complete nightmare as she went from focused to scattered in this city. She didn’t feel the need to jump at the Order’s request or call Victor back when he called her to request an update on her status. There was something about this place, it made her feel free and she was starting to question her place among her peers as it was.

Just when the thought crossed her mind of simply retiring for the evening, her stomach growled angrily. Kimberly grimaced when she sat up straight in the swiveling stool before she slipped off it to find something to eat inside the fridge. Her bare feet touched the cool linoleum floor as she sauntered to the fridge on her toes before letting it open easily. She stared at the food choices that had been stocked inside but she found none of them appealing enough to want to bite into. No, it was that time of the year where she felt the need for one thing only. Blood—as opposed as she was to drinking it, she had no choice in the matter. Though she could sustain on human food for quite some time, she needed a recharge to satisfy the vampiric nature inside her. She needed human blood…animal blood would only quench it for so long before she needed another charge. Human blood was worth it.

Kimberly grimaced upon looking at the window towards the unpleasant weather outside. Shutting the fridge door, she walked over to where her boots were and slipped into them. She zipped up the ankle boots and reached to the coat stand for her black rain jacket. She slowly buttoned the large ones first and then tied the wide belt around her narrow waist. Over her head, she placed a black beanie on top before heading outside her apartment. As much as she hated feeding, it was necessary. Kimberly wouldn’t kill them but a simple feeding in private to render the person unconscious was the safest and best possible way to do this. As she ventured down the three flights of narrow steep stairs, she made it outside into the pouring rain where she already hated life.

Turning down one way of the sidewalk, she tucked her hands into her coat pockets and lowered her chin to keep from getting her face hit by the rain. Tonight, she had to make this quick and painless without exposing herself and the world she swore to protect.

[james]

The dumpster; James had found it after stumbling blindly for a few minutes, tucked away at the very back of the alleyway. The rain would surely wash off the bloody trail outside, but to lug the corpses from their original position to here would cause a trail along the linoleum which the rain would not wash off. No, to haul the bodies this far out was pointless. And so—decided—the slender male meandered back to the alley’s mouth and peered into the darkness that surrounded him. Luckily no one was out at this time, or at least not in this weather, which calmed his nerves significantly; he’d show no mercy to witnesses, not tonight. James was not a cold-blooded killer, but he felt no remorse for his actions; tonight he had ended a chapter of his life that he had held no interest in being a part of. Renouncing to his past attachments, he made his way out of the neighborhood, gloved hands stuffed in his jeans’ front pockets.

The striped, long-sleeved shirt he had decided upon wearing this tepid afternoon was now far too thin for the evening’s cold rain and breeze. His shoulders were raised, pressed under his ears as he stared at the ground ahead of him, chin tucked to his chest to avoid the heavy raindrops. His shoes sounded unpleasantly as they were filled with water, but the roaring thunder over head and constant white noise from the rain masked it; yet still, he could feel the water ‘splrch’-ing beneath the weight of his feet.

He had no idea where he was going, but until he stumbled across a venue, or an idea sprung to his mind, he would continue his aimless wandering. James was confused for he knew had completed one of his most ambitious and primordial goals, but the realization of such had yet to sink in. He was free, and yet nothing had changed. The pull in the back of his mind was now gone, and yet nothing from his daily life would change. Had it all been in vain?

Sniffling, he lifted one hand to his hair and combed back the soaked strands. He looked up as he approached an intersection, cars bustling past, wheels raising the water in puddles at pedestrian-threatening levels. James contemplated whether he wanted to cross, venture into the centre of town where he would either be forced to mingle with or ignore the society that had long refused to embrace him. And so, lost in his thoughts, skin covered in Goosebumps as he shivered in place, James watched the world ahead.

Behind him lay the darkness of semi-residential areas, whereas ahead of him was the bright core of the city; darkness and light. Now that he had settled the scores, would he walk away from all that was tainted in his life? Would he pursue a brighter future? Even if he tried, could he ever be normal? Big questions to consider, and he did so at a lone corner, willingly putting himself at the mercy of the violent rain, and unbeknownst to him, the greater evils that lurked in the shadows. Were there any greater evils than that of a son aiming a loaded gun at his mother’s forehead, and pulling the trigger?

Perhaps, after all, evil and good have always been plotted on a relatively long scale.

[Kimberly McQueen]

Her attempts to keep the rain from her face was failing miserably as she enhanced the protection by lifting up the lapels of her peacoat to shield the bottom portion of her jawline. It helped in some small way but it was not any major change that could wipe the grimace that was splayed across her bow-shaped lips. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dark-haired couple traveling in the opposite direction that she was traveling in, huddled underneath a white and red stripped umbrella. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders as she tucked her slender frame into his build, with a closeness that was hard to find these days. Kimberly snarled at how comfortable they looked in each other's company whilst she traveled alone--without Victor. It was a forbidden notion that harbored in the depths of her mind but she still thought about it freely from time to time.

Kimberly tried to keep the mission her primary focus but every time she found herself sitting alone in her apartment, she was thinking about a man she could never have. Well, if he felt the same, she wondered if he would give up everything just for their relationship to blossom into anything else but what it was. A notion that would never happen. Kimberly sighed out a long breath as she refocused her attention on the sidewalk ahead of her pacing feet to avoid walking into any hidden trash cans left out so carelessly. Her gaze watched the pitter-patter of the rain against the cement as it washed down the slightly slanted sidewalks towards the grates that drained underneath the city into the sewer system.

Find your meal. Her mind warned carefully, letting her know that she was becoming dangerously close to letting her primal side take control. She would be damned if she would let her inner beast bring out the worst in her. That was against the code. Killing humans was against the code. She was fiercely aware of all the codes and laws that she was bound to and would be for centuries to come.

Kimberly stopped in her tracks upon seeing a rather healthy looking female sauntering down the other side of the sidewalk with her Ipod headphones blaring Kings of Leon. Yes, at least the girl had some sort of good taste in music but at the volume she was playing it, she would be deaf in her later years to come. It was such a shame what humans forced their bodies through--Kimberly mused with a simple disdain for the Ipod volume levels now.

The girl seemed like a suitable choice but at the rate she was traveling towards her apartment, Kimberly was almost too convinced that she wasn't worth the chase. She needed something that would not take too much effort and would enhance the predatory side to peek out. That was an almost too dangerous love affair that she had with her other half. One half vampire. One half werewolf. She was a blend of both worlds. That was something she would live with for the rest of her immortal life and it was something that she had come to accept. As the rain splattered down against the sidewalk and envitably her, she returned to walking towards the intersection. The lights above turned from green to yellow, signaling traffic to slow down because it would be changing soon. And much to her luck, a lone male wrapped in the shadows and darkness...just standing there.

This was either way too convenient or a trap. Either way she wasnt too sure about approaching him or the intersection at this point, but her feet kept moving in that direction despite her mind's loud objections. The little white man that signaled people could cross the streets turned into the red hand, alerting them that the danger was apparent again. As she stopped at the corner, she stepped towards the pole and untucked her hand to press the button. She knew it did nothing but she still pressed it just to do it. When she felt satisfied, she tucked her hand back into her pocket and watched the cars move past, sending small waves of water in her direction. This alone made her manuever back away from the edge as a rather foul curse also escaped her mouth. Looking over her shoulder, she looked at him for a moment as she made a quick study of him...

Oh yes, he would do just fine.

[james]

James was too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice the presence of the stranger until the woman cursed. He glanced in her direction, briefly making eye contact before glancing back towards the street. Usually he might have thrown in a smartass comment, but he was not in the mood to pick-up company, nor was it the time to do so. Licking his lips, he snuffled as he ran his hand down his face, wiping away the excess water that was clinging to his skin. Realizing he still had the gloves on, he peeled them off and walked over to the bin opposite the female to toss them.

Even from this angle, the scenery was growing redundant, but with the arrival of this stranger he had something to keep his attention on until the light changed to their favour once more. She was shorter than him, in possession of a svelte silhouette and dark hair; any other day he may have tried to bed her for her features were to his liking. Clearing his throat, he turned his attention to his own body, scrutinizing his appearance as he shifted his weight onto his other foot. Perhaps he should pursue her, if only as a distraction, for what else would he do tonight other than think about what he had done? He did not regret them, his actions that is, but he wasn’t very proud of himself either; in his mind it would have been far more dramatic than it actually had been.

Pulling on the hem of his shirt, its thin material tightening over his defined chest, James reached with his opposite hand to press the button as well. He wondered if these things even helped, if they changed anything. Perhaps the heaven’s had heard him think, for the traffic light turned yellow and then red within seconds. The little white man appeared once more, glowing through the heavy rain. Without a second thought on the matter, he walked past the stranger and the opportunity she presented; James opted for Solitude, a beauty he knew all too well.

[Kimberly McQueen]

Much to her displeasure, Kimberly could feel the weight of the rain start to penetrate through the thick wool of her peacoat. She could feel it starting to seep into the fabrics of her thin long-sleeved shirt underneath. It was that moment she was aware of this evening had to be rushed.Out of her periphial vision, she caught the sight of the human male saunter from his position on the corner to a closer proximity to her. Her attention remained straight, watching the little red man, hoping it would turn white before she decided to take him on as her evening meal. Out of the corner of her eye, she could not but help stare again because the features that had been a mystery had become apparent to her. He was much taller, a trait she already expected, and when his shirt stretched across his chest--a well toned but not entirely bulky definition. The constrat between the dark hair and pale skin proved he reminded her too much of their own kind. Kimberly would have been more than willing to pursue the likely canidate but all she wanted was the blood running thick through his veins.

It was also another growing reality that her hunger had started to build since the near sight of his jugular vein, when he passed her, was egging her on. The motions that ensued were completely within her control but not the most reasonable. The white man appeared and she stepped out into the intersection, letting each step fall into a casual glide echoed by the sound of her heels clicking against the pavement. Her hands remained tucked into her coat pockets, each hand gripping something whether it would have been her cell phone or keys to her apartment. It was dawning that this might be the only chance that she would recieve at a clean start of a deed she considered the worst to have to endure. Feeding from humans was a natural ability when it came to the vampiric world but she had been taught that it was an evil sort of deed. What was interesting to her was that they condoned feeding if only it did not harm the other party at the end of it all.

Her mind had been made up, she would follow this male and take what she needed from him. Though in a male's mind it could be much more expected that she was following a different course that would eventually lead to a bedroom. Kimberly wasnt above using that notion if it helped her control her hunger for the time being and he would not remember what had happened if she played her cards right. As she remained a fair distance from him, she didn't turn off down a different section of the street like she had originally intended. Instead, she manuevered a little more quickly so that she could either keep in pace with him or pass him. Either way, she initiated the first comment of the evening to this human male. "That brooding doesn't do your justice..."

[james]

James slipped his hands into his front pockets, shoulders pressing to his earlobes as he stepped into the road, walking towards the opposite sidewalk. It was late, or so he assumed, since the diner had closed at 10 and it had taken a while for him to finish them off... There was a 7/11 on his way to his apartment, and he decided to stop there for a few things before calling it a night. Bars would be too crowded for his liking, and he had a nice stash at home to smoke—nothing better than being high and watching late night television when in a crummy mood. Licking his lips as he savoured the thought of his Mary Jane, forgetting about the woman’s presence completely. The sound of her heels was lost to the rain, and so he found himself easily slipping back into his existentialist single-track line of thought. Were his actions condonable regardless of the pain that those two had endowed him with all these year—That brooding doesn’t do you justice

The male glanced over to where the voice had originated, and his pace slowed until he came to a complete stop. With his hands still embedded in his front pockets, water streaming down his handsome face (albeit the grimace he made to keep it out of his eyes as he squinted), James glanced back at the intersection he’d come from. Expression void of emotion, he looked back down at her petite frame before chuckling under his breath.

Are you stalking me? There was a slight undertone of incredulousness in his voice, his overall tone slightly mocking as he repressed any urge to snap at her. What did him justice was none of her business, but he would let her down easy. Any other night he’d pursued this conversation amiably, but right now his furthest concern was sex—James only had time for one goddess tonight, his beloved Mary Jane.

[Kimberly McQueen]

When he ceased his movements, she kept moving forward in a slow languid pace letting each click of her heel hit the wet pavement. She crossed the remaining amount of the intersection before joining him on the other side. His question was quite amusing and she made no attempt to hide it as a small smile crossed over her lips. Kimberly looked down one way of the intersection and the opposite before she stopped moving any farther in the direction he was going in. There were many of things she could have answered to the question at hand but for a moment, she tilted her head thoughtfully.

“What if I am?” She returned, perking an eyebrow towards him as she lifted her chin to meet his expression. This time, she was able to get a better view of him and she had been correct about her first assumption made. He was very handsome. Kimberly knew that if she didn’t feed from him tonight, someone else would probably claim his life as their own. In all reality, she just wanted some of his blood but ending his life? That wasn’t on her agenda.

“Or maybe, we are two people simply traveling in the same direction.” She shrugged her shoulders as part of the gesture. She glanced away from him towards the flickering signs of each shop in the traveling direction despite her apartment being from the opposite end of town. But he wasn’t aware of that small amount of information and she wouldn’t be providing it either. “So if traveling in the same direction is considered stalking, then yes, I am…does that answer your question?”

Kimberly was never so deviant when it came to answering questions, quite the opposite. Her answers remained professional and composed because of the nature of people she served. But tonight, she found herself becoming quite unlike normal…and the only explanation she had it for was…her hunger. And this human male would be her dinner this evening…that she had no doubt about.

[james]

James arched an eyebrow at her, briefly staggered by her response. Sadly, he wasn’t in the mood for sharp-tongued females; he preferred to keep the strong ones at a distance, like a delicacy he would savour rarely lest he forget what made them so special. All women were a hassle, but he found that the weak-willed ones, especially those with confidence troubles, were the easiest to dispose of; anyone else usually presented a greater problem and he had enough of those to last him a lifetime and a half. Tilting his head down at her as he contemplated his reply, the corners of his mouth sunk into a thin line; he contemplated whether or not to pursue this one. Finally deeming a potential reply as cheeky enough, he licked his lips before speaking.

I don’t know if to be flattered or scared, but I think you are at a greater risk than I am honestly.

There were so many aspects of himself that held true to that statement, he couldn’t begin to wrap his head around all of them. From his lifestyle, to the way he treated women, he was an unlikely candidate if she sought him as more than a nameless acquaintance. His hands were freshly stained, which meant he was a liability, a murderer who would be sought by the cops—except they would never find him. Lastly he had a physical advantage over her petite form, and was in possession of a firearm he was quite adept at firing. There were many things about James Carr that represented peril, but it seemed few realized it until it was too late. Hell, it worked to his advantage, everything from his looks to his voice, it drew them all in like moths to the flame.

Running a hand through his hair, he turned his heel and began to walk again, ambivalent as to whether she’d heed his warning or continue her pursuit. Whatever she did, he would have at least warned her of the potential collateral damage his presence would cause.

[Kimberly McQueen]

“Perhaps.”

Kimberly answered, watching him turn on his heel to walk away again. She lingered in the same exact place that the short-lived conversation had taken place in. In her mind she was weighing in two options that had been presented before her. On one hand, she could leave this one be since it seemed he had no interest in keeping her company. Yet, on the other hand, she was already pursuing this one which, in her mind, seemed to be more work than the IPod girl from earlier. Shifting her weight from heel to heel, Kimberly kept her eyes locked on him as he departed from the area.

We will see who is at the greater risk. She promised silently as she slipped her hands from the jacket pockets. There was no need to keep up the charade of the cold girl any longer. It was clear to her now that if she wanted to feed from this one, it would take more than she thought. Kimberly cursed underneath her breath as she tossed one more glance down the other direction before starting in the one the human male had started off in. The once noisy clicks of her heels had silenced as she utilized the powers she learned to control to her advantage. She wrapped herself within the shadows, using the long tendrils of darkness to aid her blending.

She hated to admit to the fact that, in this moment, she was having fun. Kimberly McQueen used to be the fairing, responsible and composed woman that she had been raised as. Though every moment she spent within this wicked city, she found her inhibitions loose. Tonight proved she was no longer the woman she used to be—she was stalking a human male. Though she had no reasonable explanation for her actions, something inside her did not care about the outcome. As she followed him slowly, her mind processed what she hated thinking about when she hunted. This was too much fun—and she didn’t want it to end.

Kimberly was unsure of when she would attack, but once an opportunity presented, the beast would take it.

[james]

James was in an peculiar mindset this evening, bordering paranoid, and so her reply did not bid well with him. Paying no mind to her lest it entertain any funny notion in her mind, the male continued to walk away, back turned to her. The rain hammered down ruthlessly, washing away any resolve to venture towards the neighbouring 7/11 he would pass on his way home. There was a voice in his head though that urged him to venture into the store as he passed it. Distracted, he gave way to his consciousness and pushed the glass door open, hurrying into the bright shop. There was only the clerk, probably a high school student, whose eyes bulged as the soaked customer stumbled awkwardly in over the welcoming mat.

Hey was all James said as he took an immediate left towards the aisle of interest. Reaching for tube of Pringles, he glanced over the other food choices, eventually picking up another six items before making his way to the desk. Sloppily, the brunette dumped his various food items into a heap on the counter, gaze focused on the wall behind the kid.

Give me a pack of Turkish Royal, too

Reaching for his wallet in his back pocket, he set his weight on one leg and watched the cashier rung up the items. Of course, though his genuine leather wallet was soaked, the bills inside had surprisingly kept dry. Letting out a gruff chuckle in annoyance, he set a bill of fifty on the counter. As he waited for his change, he looked out at the heavy rain outside.

We do sell umbrellas, if you are int-

No, thanks, wouldn’t change much at this point, he interjected, extending his hand for the change as it was handed to him. Licking his lips, he stored the money into his wallet once more, dropping the coins into a beat up plastic container labelled TIPS. As he tucked his wallet into the back of his pocket, he reached for the bag, Have a good one

Bracing himself mentally, he let out a heavy sigh as he pulled the door open and stepped out. Despite being soaked to the bone, the heater had elevated his temperature enough for the sudden reappearance of rain caused a chill to go up his spine. Shuddering, he reached into his front pocket for his keys. The door to the building housing his studio was a few blocks up, across the street, and near it a flickering lamppost.

[Kimberly McQueen]

Despite the rain being bone chillingly cold tonight, it didn’t seem to faze her as her hands fumbled around her pockets for whatever she could find. It was her own apartment keys that she traced the tip of her forefinger against the rough edges of one key. With a smile, she opted to return the way she had ventured down, hopefully thinking that she would run into some unknowing human instead. When she turned on her own heel, she halted a few steps farther in the opposite direction, her mind reflecting on how naïve he really was. Kimberly slipped her hands out of her pockets as she heard the murmured jingle of her keys as they settled into the bottom.

The pouring rain continued to beat down against her fair features as she had started following the human male again. This game she was initiating of cat and mouse was a tradition never done with humans since it provoked their suspicions and drew unwanted attention from trigger-happy hunters. Her vision was still clear enough to where she could remain far enough down the street that her movements would not be picked up. Kimberly walked with the shadows of the walls, slowly guiding herself around the occasional trash can until she noticed him travel into the local 7/11. As soon as she saw him reach for the door, her smile flattened—she had to wait.

With a long impatient huff, she stopped just short of a building before the 7/11 and slipped into the alleyway. Standing within the mouth of the street, she leaned against the building’s brick-layered wall whilst she waited for him. Crossing her arms over her chest, she tapped her boot softly against the concrete, clearly annoyed she was working around for his convenience rather than her own. To her, she was being merciful for not taking advantage of him back in that situation but she wanted to have a little fun. Now, it seemed like this game needed to come to an end so she could continue on with her own life. This way, he could live and she wouldn’t harm him and break all the codes she swore to uphold.

In the corner of her eye, she caught wind of the door opening announcing that the same male was exiting due to she noticed no others enter. Tilting her head, she peered out slightly but remained in the same position to watch his next set of moves. Hearing the familiar jingle of keys, her smile returned as she uncrossed her arms from over her chest and pushed herself into a standing position. She would need to be fast and silent about her next set of moves if she intended to finish the job within his own apartment. It was a cruel thing to do but at least she wouldn’t have to leave his unconscious body lying at the front step or in an alleyway somewhere close to it.

[james]

James felt watched, but when he looked back over his shoulder all that greeted him was the thick, pale curtain of rain. He convinced himself it was nothing, turning his attention back to his destination without looking either way as he jaywalked. He turned the key in the lock with little difficulty, and used his weight to open the heavy door. Suddenly the rain regained its mystic allure and he was quite content with being sheltered from it, watching it for a few seconds with narrowed eyes. There was this thought in the back of his mind, but he saw nothing that could possibly foster his suspicions other than blatant paranoia. Shuddering, possibly due to the chilling weather and soaked state of his person, James wrinkled his nose and brushed his forearm against it; the plastic bag crinkled noisily.

The soles of his shoes squeaked against the marble as he walked away from the door, allowing it close as it always did. Bypassing the metal mailing boxes on the wall, he took the stairs two at a time, proof of his agility and general good health. Reaching the fourth floor, his keys jingled throughout the dimly lit hall as he searched for the right one. The layout of the apartment was such that the snail staircase from the 1700s permitted one to hear the heavy thud of the front door echo throughout the entire building when in the hallways. Turning the key in first lock of his front door, he looked over his shoulder as he realized the heavy door downstairs had not closed. Grunting, not at all concerned with the entrance door below, he pushed his front door open.

A series of high-pitched barks filled the air, followed by a howl and the scratching of paws on the wooden floors. Chapie, a six-month old Dachshund scurried through the apartment, only to slide past her owner and into the hallway with a startled yelp. James raised his eyebrow at the pup and pushed the door fully open with his weight, whistling loudly for the dog to follow. The fact that it was late did not stop him from making a racket. Setting the bag down, he turned to look at the animal who was crouched near the first step (unable to go down it) and whining.

Don’t tell me you want go out again... he questioned the dog with an exasperated tone. Rolling his eyes, James held the door open with one hand and his foot as he reached for the leash on the counter top, behind the 7/11 bag. Snatching it off the surface, he pulled the keys out of the lock and retraced his steps to crouch near the dog. He hooked the leash to her collar before picking the spastic creature up to his chest, making his way back down the stairs noisily.

[Kimberly McQueen]

As soon as she found a clearance to cross the street, she took the opportunity after looking in both directions before bounding across the street. Her heels clicked quietly enough as she placed little weight on her feet when she moved. To her surprise, the heavy metal door at the base of the building had not closed all the way which made it easy to gain access into. Sliding from the cold pouring rain outside, she closed the door behind her to keep it from entering inside. She was starting to feel the cold creep across her skin underneath the soaked clothing that clung to her like a second skin. Kimberly remained at the bottom floor as she listened to the human male she had been stalking continue up another flight of stairs.

Looking up the staircase, she contemplated following up to his apartment but the bad thing was that she wasn't prepared to go to every door to find him. With a loud exasperated sigh, she leaned against the rows of mailboxes while her arms crossed over her chest. Had it really been worth the whole twenty minutes she followed him when Ipod girl could have been an ideal choice? It had taken her more energy to stalk him and go against all her own personal codes of conduct when it came to humans. She remained away from them and they remained in the dark about how their world operated. Just as she considered leaving the building, the loud footsteps of a person starting clamouring down the steps.

"Looks like my luck has changed..." She grinned lightly before she pushed herself from the wall with her booted foot. Looking around, she surveyed her surroundings to see if there was a blind spot that the oncoming human would surpass. Most humans would not give a dark corner a second glance if they were too focused on where they were going. Kimberly could use that to her advantage when she decided whether or not she would take this human instead of the one she had been drawn to before.

Kimberly slipped towards one of the corners, she manipulated the shadows using her own powers she had gained control over after years of practice. Closing her eyes slightly, she breathed in the scent of the human and she froze. Oh yes, this was definitely the same human she had been stalking before but there was a small canine with him. She was too curious about what kind but she would have to bid her time to see if it was going to be a major issue. Coming out from the shadows, she rounded the first flight of stairs with ease taking up two steps at a time until she reached the second flight of stairs.

"Small world." She mused aloud as she started up the second flight of stairs much slower than the first time around.

[james]

It was not unusual for tenants in this building to come and go at odd hours, which was why when he heard the clicking of heels resonating throughout the staircase James showed no indication of caring. Quite frankly, he didn’t. He clasped Chapie against his chest lest the dog tip out of his reach due to overexcitement at the prospect of another attention-giver; it was the only indication that he took notice.

It was only when his heels settled upon the second floor that he paused, regarding the approaching figure with a tilt of his head. Surprise was not an emotion he could muster, mainly because no matter how inventively someone could materialize, movies had really elevated the standards. Clicking his tongue, he leaned his head back slightly, straightening his shoulders as the dog wiggled in his grasp. What was he expected to do? Panic? Surely that was a human reaction, or perhaps a more common reaction would be to take an interest in the person’s reasons; but James wouldn’t. In fact, it was almost as though he expected her, or anyone really; he expected someone to show up eventually.

A charismatic smirk graced his features, but that was all he offered before diverting his gaze and letting out a breathless chuckle. Mind games were fun, he should know, but he sure hoped she had a back-up plan because James didn’t play nice. Licking his lower lip, he narrowed his eyes slightly as his gaze briefly swept down to her feet, You know I’ve always found high heels to be so...

He inhaled loudly, chest raising as the wet cloth clung uncomfortably to his form.

... dangerous

It was clear that this trespasser was no innocent bystander, so there was no point in playing silly mind games; time was much better spent on the grown-up games. Lips still moulded into that distinctive smirk, he raised one eyebrow, as though expecting her to tell him what he already knew. There were very few things she could be: FBI, CIA...? Or maybe the target of one of his clients had sought him out after all, but he doubted that would be the case; James was exceptionally thorough.