Darker Than BLACK: The Ultimate Price (BlisteredBlood & CirindeFae)

[BlisteredBlood]

"Wait..." Raphael spoke before he stood up to his feet slowly and moved over to her to gently catch Xenobia by the wrist. But as soon as he did this once more, there was that familiar feeling of razors scraping along his flesh and needles trying to pierce into his skull once more, causing Raphael to wince slightly, but still maintained a careful grip. "I know you want to leave, but under your current state as of this moment, I just can't see you go." He answered with a bit of a mournful sound to his voice.

"As soon as I can find you something a bit more decent to wear, I'll let you go with no fuss. Okay?" He asked simply.

[CirindeFae]

She tensed as fingers wrapped around her wrist making it so she couldn't leave. Forcing herself into action, she turned away from him some. "For a contractor, you're kind of strange." She muttered as she tried to tug her hand back to her side. She was doing her best not to use her full strength to take her hand back since Raphael didn't need to know just how strong she could be. Eventually though, she pulled her hand back and held it at her chest.

"I don't think I should stick around that long..." She muttered and looked away. "I really should be going. I'll be fine." She said quietly. She could make do with what she was wearing or even what he'd found her in. She just needed to get out of there.

[BlisteredBlood]

At that point when he felt her take her hand back, the stabbing and scraping feeling which he seemed to have felt just from touching her seemed to have went away slowly. It left him with a bit of a nagging itch over his skin, but it would eventually go away over time. At this point, Raphael lowered his head before shaking it, his eyes closed and his hands lifted upward with both palms facing towards her as if he didn't even care anymore.

"Fine." He answered in a rather harsh tone. "If this is the thanks I get for offering someone a bit of help, then that's all well and good." Raphael added before glaring at her with an equally venomous look in his eyes.

[CirindeFae]

Anger was something Xenobia had a hard time dealing with so when Raphael turned a glare to her, her defense shot up as she readied herself to call upon her power. "I don't mean to seem ungrateful." She said doing her best to restrain any sign that she might attack if further provoked. "I'm really thankful that you brought me in." She was struggling with her brain to try and figure out the best words to use to proceed. Shaking her head, sending her brown hair astray, she sighed. "Things have gotten complicated, dangerous. Even though you're a contractor," Her voice trailed off as she'd heard a sound outside that had her even more on edge and had her freezing to try and figure out what had caused it. After what seemed a long moment where she couldn't figure it out, she glanced back to Raphael and moved to press her back against the nearest wall. "I really should be going. I don't want to cause you any more trouble..."

[BlisteredBlood]

Raphael only shook his head at her before turned his back to her before walking away towards the parlor, but not before he spoke one last thing to her. "No. It was my fault for even wanting to lend a hand to those that couldn't help themselves. It's just the nature of the beast, I suppose. No matter what you try to do, it seems as though you have to be constantly reminded of what you are and why people seem to be afraid of me." He added, his demeanor continuing to sour further and further, almost dangerously close to a fully-blown hatred before he eventually stopped, his hands clenched into fists.

"Just go and stop wasting my time..." He concluded, his tone slightly quieter this time.

[CirindeFae]

If it had been possible for her to feel guilt over how he was taking this, she would have but due to her circumstances and her long time on the run had put her in a situation where she wasn't entirely sure what guilt was any more. Creating a sad expression was easy especially since she couldn't think of anything to say to try and make it better. Taking in a deep stabilizing breath, she watched him as he moved towards the parlor then darted to the door without bothering to leave his shirt behind and don on her old clothes. "Again, thanks for everything." She said before slipping out and making a break for the nearest shadows outside.

She didn't get to make it though, for someone had fired a gun in her direction stopping her in her tracks leaving her completely exposed and right under a street lamp. Her mismatched eyes darted around the place to try find whomever had fired at her and the nearest place where she could get away. Not finding such a place she pinned her gaze to the vague figure she could make out across the street and changed her stance so she'd be ready for the next gunshot. Off it went and Xenobia tensed her entire body as she anticipated the right moment to activate her power. In a split second she called it forward as a vague sense of pain tried to urge itself forward and the pain vanished as water splashed to the ground. In that moment she'd taken to holding her breath and released it now, just in time to hear another gun shot be fired. She wasn't skilled enough this time around and she ended up taking a good deal of damage before she could alter its properties causing her to cry out in pain, her right hand going to left arm as it started to bleed. "Shit," She hissed and shot a dangerous glare to the person hidden in shadows across the way. She was screwed, stuck with no escape, on a road with someone that seemed intent of subduing her or killing her if that wasn't possible.

[BlisteredBlood]

Once he was alone, Raphael was left with his thoughts. Yes, he knew he was a Contractor and chances were she would've put it all together at some point or another. All she had to have looked for was the scarring that was etched on his chest. Even his thighs were no better off. His biceps? Forget it. There would be plenty of that there because of what he is. All she had to have done was to just look at him.

But before he was able to sit and think for long, the sound of a gunshot could be heard, causing Raphael to immediately drop down onto the floor of his apartment. Almost instinctively, his mind began to race through all of the possibilities. His first thought was that she was followed here! If so, then by who or what? Was it another agent from another organization? Or perhaps it was one of his own that had decided to go rogue and come after him. If any of these were the case, then there was no other choice now. He had to leave this place fast.

Quickly and while staying low to the ground initially, Raphael began scurrying over towards his bedroom before he rose carefully to his feet and looked over towards the drawers. Of the things he knew he was going to need was his dice, but he also needed that big revolver he had right next to them. Once he had everything he needed, Raphael first snapped the safety into the on position before shoving the barrel of the long revolver into the back of his jeans before reaching in again and took two six-shot cylinders and placed them into his pockets, one in each. With that, Raphael turned to head out, but not before he took hold of his cell phone and jacket along the way.

[CirindeFae]

Xenobia found herself snarling as she straightened and looked at the figure across the way head on, her body radiating with energy as she called forth her power. At this point, this life and death point, she didn't care if Raphael stepped out of his place and saw her like this. She was not going to let this person who'd harmed her to take her anywhere. Narrowing her eyes sharply, her dangerous contractor nature showing through, she raised her right hand which was now dripping with her own blood and pointed her finger at the figure. "I've had more than enough of you," She growled out before she turned her finger upward. And just like that the gun the other possessed had turned into acid and started to burn through their hand before howling in pain and trying to shake the acid off which only resulted in it splattering on them and burning through whatever clothing they had and their skin.

Nearly spent from using her power over such a distance, her right hand returned to her injury and she sank to the ground where she didn't move and was forced to listen to, what she could now tell was a male, scream in pain. Scoffing she moved to lean against the lamp post. "Serves you right. Never face a contractor without a contractor at your side." She muttered and closed her eyes to send her attention to her ears. If people started rushing out to see who was being so loud she'd have to bolt. She only hoped no one would find the sound worth inspecting so she could have a moment of rest before she started back upon her quest for solitude and many nights of good sleep.

[BlisteredBlood]

Sounds of someone screaming along with what sounded like flesh sizzling. Not good, Raphael thought as he began to quicken his pace. That could've meant one thing. There was another Contractor nearby. Possibly from that rival agency he had heard about a scant few times. He had heard enough. More importantly, the fact that he didn't have an offensive based skill himself meant he could be in serious trouble if he was seen. He needed to move and quickly.

His teeth were gritted tightly as he continued to move with a purpose, not even pausing especially after turning a corner once he was a little further down the street then turned sharply again once he was at an alleyway. At least here, he could stop for a moment to attempt to gather his bearings, despite he was quite a bit miffed. With that, he reached into his jacket and plucked out his cellphone and pressed a few buttons to call an emergency line.

Someone soon came on the line when he called. "What's going on, Raphael?" A female answered.

"There's another Contractor that sprang up. I don't know who or what, but it was relatively close by. I need someone to get me out of here quickly." Raphael explained.

"There will be a vehicle to come and collect you within five minutes. Hang tight, Raphael." The woman answered.

"Good." He answered before quickly hanging up.

[CirindeFae]

Fighting her injury just wasn't working out for her. Her arm continued to bleed despite the pressure she was putting on it and her choices to fix it were rapidly narrowing. Releasing a heavy sigh, he finally tore her hand from her arm and rubbed at her eyes as she was starting to feel the exhaustion of using her power. Blood now smeared over her eyes and around them, she shot her gaze about to try and find something that wouldn't take a lot of effort to manipulate into a good filler for her injury. With another sigh, she frowned and fiddled with lower hem of her borrowed shirt turned dress when an idea hit her. The shirt she'd borrowed, as it was woven together, was a great choice as a skin supplement. She frowned further. She didn't like the idea of ruining Raphael's shirt mostly for the fact that she intended to return it at some point. It would be impolite to return his shirt to him ruined. Gritting her teeth, she shook that aside and set her hands to the side of the shirt at her leg and started to rip. Soon enough there was a large enough pieced ripped from his shirt for her to press against her bleeding arm. Again she closed her eyes only this time she was calling up on her power once more to shift the material of the shirt into synthetic skin.

A few moments after she repaired her arm, in a manner of speaking, she heard the sound of a car echoing off the walls putting her on edge. Was that a car coming for the man that had attacked her? Had he told them she'd been found? She could only hope not and push herself onto her feet to get her moving away from that spot where just across the road was a sizzling body that occasionally found just enough air to issue a quiet sound of pain. She could not be caught there. She would not be roped into an investigation of that man's death. She simply refused so despite the fog her brain was trying create she started to shuffle forward and away from the scene.

[BlisteredBlood]

Five minutes. All he had to do was to just wait. And wait, he did. For five whole minutes, Raphael remained tucked into the shadows, trying his hardest to keep his movements still and his breathing steady, for there was no real clear cut definition of what was out here with him. All he did know as of the moment in time was that there was a Contractor out there with him, and he was running on borrowed time if he was picked up on.

At this point, Raphael growled lowly to himself as he attempted to control his ever-mounting anxiety. He was just about at the breaking point of just wanting to flash out and just aim at whatever was there and just fire off one round and hope and pray it hit something had it not been the sound of tires screeching somewhere close by not more than five minutes later.

"Raphael, I presume?" Someone said from inside the vehicle as the passenger side window rolled down slowly from the stopped Cadillac DeVille.

"Yeah." He answered.

"Get in. I'm getting you out of here." The driver spoke before gesturing towards the passenger door.

Without another word, Raphael hurried over to the passenger side door and opened it before hopping in. Once inside, the driver pressed down on the accelerator, allowing the two to speed off into the night.

[CirindeFae]

Xenobia continued to force herself away from the scene she'd created and hopefully away from the car that had come into the area. Unfortunately, she couldn't take to an alley to hide herself. Alleys were usually a bad place to go after being attacked. Cops liked to check alleys. So instead she kept moving forward, trying to get to the next block or past that. The farther she got the better. All thoughts at this time were focused on her getting out of this scott free and not what would happen to the Contractor she'd met only hours ago. Still, if she'd taken the time to think about him she'd have ultimately decided that since he worked for somebody, putting whatever power he had to their benefit, he'd be looked out for. Unlike her who had to run for her life every time someone died of 'strange' circumstances. And acid was certainly a strange circumstance. When that body was found the cops would be all over the place for signs of a Contractor. Thankfully all they would find would be that small puddle of blood she'd left at the lamp post before she'd patched her arm, maybe a few strands of Raphael's ripped shirt, but nothing for them to trace back to her. Unless....Unless they managed to track the shirt fabrics to their original owner who then told them about her. The idea made her worry greatly. Contractors like herself were well known for not having a conscience, or at least guilt, over what they'd done. She couldn't trust the man with her identity. She'd been a fool. Oh well. If they met again, she could cut the head off that snake if she deemed it necessary.
If that makes no sense, let me know. I did this buzzed... @.@