2. LAMBING.

[hismasterpiece]

Tonight, just after sundown, there is a ruckus on one of the farms northeast of the village. When the bleating dies down, several dead lambs might be found in one of the enclosures. The ewes paw and nose at the bodies, dumb terror still fresh in their eyes.

Forest animals just have not been cutting it for Drusilla. But the vampire has been too wary to approach the village and feed there -- not without her Family, those who strengthen her. She stalks the journals during the day when she's not sleeping. Two slayers? A vampire hunter? All sorts of overpowered freaks and heroes and demons? She might be mad, but Dru is not stupid enough to attempt any kills in the village. Yet.

As she tears through the last lamb, the vampire laments to herself how much more fun this would be with Spike. And then she convinces herself in a long, drawn-out argument with a curiously red evening star -- which she quickly names Ethelind -- to spy on the sleeping village. Find out where the sweetest victims lay their heads. Her tattered white new-feather sundress, covered only by a black lace shawl, is stained red with lambs' blood. The dress of her porcelain doll, which she is carrying with her, is also stained. Perhaps she can stop at the shop for a new frock, and one for dolly, too.

When she glides through the village, Drusilla will dare to peek into some windows. She cannot enter any homes without an invitation.

[Dru will not be lingering around anyone she has identified as a threat. She is a powerful vampire but far more bold when working with lackeys or her "family" -- Angel, Spike, Darla. IF YOU WANT YOUR CHARACTER TO DIE OR BE INJURED AT THIS TIME JUST TELL ME IN A SUBJECT LINE, otherwise she won't be killing or hurting anyone in this post.]

Comments

[hismasterpiece]

"The Watcher." Drusilla sniffs the air and a slow, sultry smile spreads over her features. "You were his. And he left you."

[shadedsunlight]

Giles. She knew about Giles.

Ginia knew she should have left long ago. Manners be damned, she knew better than to stand around and talk when everything felt so off. She should have kept walking, kept on going, taken a long way home.

But now she can't move because she wants to know more, wants to know who this woman is and how she knows Giles. How she knows they were together, how she knows he left--

"He didn't leave willingly. He was sent home."

[bloodwaif]

Drusilla can feel Rupert Giles all over this woman, as though he is wrapped almost protectively around her. She wipes a bit of saliva from the corner of her mouth and steps closer. Her arms seem to act independently of her body, with graceful, snake-like movements before and behind her. A deadly ballet.

"Then let me give you solace. I can make you forget," she says softly.

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia doesn't take a step back. She knows she should, her mind is screaming at her to run, but she doesn't. Giles' departure was still a sore spot for a variety reasons. Losing the man she loved with the big one, but it also pulling up all the insecurity she had about losing the ones closest to her. Practically everyone she knew and loved back home was dead. Giles was another to the list. Dead, gone. She knew he had no choice in the matter and the Malnosso sent him home, but he still left.

Drusilla's hands are hypnotizing. She sees them move, watches and admires their grace, then forces herself to look away.

"I don't want to forget him."

But wouldn't that be easier? Not having to carry that hurt? The pain of losing him, the pain of knowing he was gone? Having nights where she could sleep without his ghost sneaking into her dreams?

No, no, no. No matter how much it hurt, forgetting him was never worth it. For all the pain, there was still so many good, beautiful moments.

Ginia regains her wits and steps back, hand moving down and finally drawing her knife.

"Stay away from me."

[bloodwaif]

"A knife." There is no hint of surprise in Dru's voice. She doesn't stop her slow advance toward Ginia. "If you were like me, milady, you would never need a knife. We are highly convenient animals."

[shadedsunlight]

If you were like me. Words to chill anyone, and Ginia quickly realizes her mistake in remaining around. She continues to back away, beginning to plot out her escape. Her other hand moves up to her neck and pulls out her silver cross from under her shirt.

[bloodwaif]

THAT stops the vampire. She hates burns. Hates hates hates HATES BURNING.

"A trinket will not stop flashing claws, you know. Not even one from France. Not even one blessed in the holy waters."

[shadedsunlight]

Oh good. Ginia continues to back away, slightly holding the cross out in front of her.

"Maybe, maybe not, but it's giving me a headstart."

And with that, Ginia bolts away and begins sprinting toward her home.

[hismasterpiece]

Drusilla pursues. She isn't one to typically run after her prey; she prefers to lure them, seduce them -- this did not work on Ginia -- or hypnotize them. Her white frock, stiff with blood, scratches against her bare skin as she runs. Her bare feet make almost no noise against the pathway. She skips a few steps in childish glee before running again in earnest.

Vampires in the world of Sunnydale can be outrun by humans, and this one is not a terribly persistent runner. But for now, Dru is enjoying the chase.

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia is a good runner, a fast runner, but even the best can fall if they aren't careful. Her foot slips on some loose rocks and she falls forward. In favor of not accidentally stabbing herself, Ginia releases her knife and breaks her fall with her hands, her bookbag slowing her down slightly as it slaps against her side.

It's a bad horror movie and she finds herself laughing at the situation, laughing at herself for letting herself get caught in it as she scrambles to her feet.

JUST LIKE A HORROR FILM!!

[hismasterpiece]

The monster chasing her through that nightmarish scenario lets go a girlish scream of delight when Ginia falls. There won't be much time to scramble; Drusilla is going to try to pounce.

DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia kicks out with her legs the moment she feels Drusilla upon her. She reaches for her knife and twists to stab at her, remembering Giles words. Normal metal won't work, only wood, but maybe it'll give her an opening to get away.

[hismasterpiece]

Maybe the opening -- Dru wincing back from the sight of that metal, but only to try to get a better grip on her victim -- will be enough to let Ginia pull away. If she DOES pull back, it will be from sharp fingernails that are trying to peel her flesh from her body, and from snapping teeth that want nothing more than to get at the blood inside of her.

[shadedsunlight]

For months Ginia carried a stake in her bag, just in case. Then all the vampires were sent back and while the necklace remained, the stake went back to her room. Lucky Dru.

The bag twists and gets in the way and Ginia is forced to waste precious seconds untangling herself from it. Certainly enough of an opportunity for Drusilla to grab, claw, and/or bite a leg or arm. Ginia it's loathe to lose hey bah because it has her journal and notebooks and she'd rather not have them fall into anyone's hands, but once she's free if her bag, it makes a nice shield.

[hismasterpiece]

A leg, then -- and the attempt is to hamstring her victim before slowly taking her apart and feasting. Dru is feeling particularly bloodthirsty tonight after those lambs. She wants human blood more than anything.

The bag DOES work as a shield, and Dru finds her clawlike nails stuck in it rather uncomfortably. She wastes precious time trying to yank them out and free them.

...I should never phone tag again. Dear god, the typos.

[shadedsunlight]

She'll have her blood, a sample to tempt her appetite as her claws sink into Ginia's leg. Ginia bites back a groan of pain, amazed at how deep fingernails can dig in to flesh. She pulls back on her leg, nails digging painfully out, and kicks with the other one before she can shield herself.

She'll take those seconds to scramble out from under, taking only an extra second to save her journal from the bag before getting back to her feet.

XD

[hismasterpiece]

"IT CATCHES! WHY DOES IT CATCH, JABBERWOCK!" Those words are practically screamed as Dru continues to try to wrench her nails from the bag. She moans. She gibbers. She is clearly not in her right mind, and easily distracted, too -- the purse is mightier than the sword. This gives ample time for Ginia to escape should she choose.

/begs for forgiveness

[shadedsunlight]

Ginia will take that moment and run. Each step is painful and it's more a fast limp as blood streaks down her leg and sticks to her pant leg, but she'll haul herself off as fast as she can.

/bestows it

[bloodwaif]

The bag is in shreds by the time Drusilla begins sniffing out the blood trail. Best run to ground, Ginia, or face round 2: soon enough the vampire has picked up the scent and is following along, though the headstart was significant.

[shadedsunlight]

Thankfully the distance from the plaza to House 44 isn't that great a distance. Even with the pain and the danger of bloodloss, Ginia puts on a bit of speed with Kipinn's power, racing across the ground toward her home and not stopping until she's behind a solid locked door.

Once there she'll collapse onto the ground, holding her bloody leg and trying her best not to scream in pain and frustration.