Chains of Retribution Rollin' Bones Casino: Schemes in the Making

[Knosis]

as written by Knosis

Rowan stood at the window, his figure casting long shadows against the floor against the golden rays of the setting sun. Dust nodes seemed to glow around him, hanging in the air as if time itself had slowed to a near stand still. He was quiet, his face relaxed and expressionless. He was a mockery against the thrumming of activities that went on all around him. A stone in the river, unmoving as the tide moved around him.

He grinned at that thought. A wolf among sheep, ironic.

"We attack tonight." He addressed the group he knew stood behind him. "Tonight, we will cause Baron more than just a little bit of trouble." He said with a grin. Rowan's eyes glinted in the light, glowing brightly as he turned to look at the rest. The energy could be felt through the pack. The blood lust in the pack was nearly intoxicating.

 

[Tiko]

as written by Script

"Been waiting to hear you say that." Jason grinned broadly at Rowan's words. Ever since they captured that doctor, he'd been waiting impatiently for it to be time to make another move. He'd half hoped that Baron's lot would've been bolder in playing at rescue.

Turned out they were too pussy, too busy with their new recruits, if you could call the rabble he'd heard they'd taken in that. He snorted at the thought. "It's been too long since I could really get my teeth into a fight."

The muscular young man was leaning lazily against a wall, a vicious glint in his eye as he ran over the possibilities that the night might hold.

 

[Tiko]

as written by Tiko, Knosis, and Script

"Just don't forget, it won't just be your people bleeding out there tonight," Batu growled. "All the arrangements have been made?"

A few eye turned as the vampire entered, and Batu took note of each and every one. His arrangement with Rowan was a tentative one, and unlike the blood lust that drove the werewolves, for him it was a profitable business venture and nothing more.

A careful balance had to be maintained though. Batu wouldn't bow to the werewolf pack leader, but neither would he cross the lines of respect demanded while within the heart of Scion territory lest he find himself rent limb from limb so far from his own allies.

Rowan turned to face the newcomer, and his smile turned to a dangerous smirk. “Of course. There are a few minor details that still need to be worked out, but we have a few hours still.” Rowan said. “The question is, are you and yours ready?”

Rowan could sense the questions that would be raised from the lowers of the pack. Only a few chosen in his higher ranks knew about the pact with Batu’s vampires. Werewolves and vampires did not normally work together, but it was over the course of time that Rowan had slowly integrated his territory to include safe havens for house-less vampires. It was almost to the point they coexisted somewhat decently.

Rowan wanted this to work to his advantage. “I am expecting our little surprise to be to die for.”

"Baron's litter will bleed a tide for every scratch we take in turn. You needn't worry about your people as long as they can keep up," Jason said, a slight sneer upon his face as he looked across at Batu.

Batu looked between Rowan and Jason before letting out an amused snort as some of the tension of his arrival seemed to ease. "They'll hold their own," Batu assured the pair.

"Claire," he called out.

"She's the best I could find, that fit your... needs," Batu explained as the woman entered behind him. "Her price is a bit unorthodox though. She's asked for four pints of werewolf blood."

It was a bold request to be certain.

The woman seemed to melt from the shadows and appear in the room with the rest. Her green eyes were soft and seemingly emotionless as she stood slightly behind her new boss. Her black hair was stark against the white of her pale skin. Claire, even for vampire standards, was stunning.

“Unorthodox for most, perhaps.” She spoke calmly. “But if you require my services, it is a tool that I require to be able to do my job properly.” Her accent was thick, but not harsh. Almost a commanding tone, as if she had once been a leader, or a motivator. “In particular, the more powerful the werewolf, the better it is for me.”

Rowan glanced at the girl, thinking of a solution.

“I think I can provide. Jason, call up Raven and have her bring Jesse.”

Jason suppressed a snort of amusement. If the more powerful the werewolf the better, then the Bloodstones' pet nurse might as well be a puppy for all the good he would do her. He knew better than to remark as such, though. If Rowan wanted to throw her four pints of Werewolf Lite, it wasn't his place to question it. He pulled his phone from his pocket and stepped out to make the call.

 

[Tiko]

as written by Knosis, Script, and Tiko

Raven arrived a little while later, holding Jesse tightly by the shoulder. "Brough' the welp." She stated the obvious.

The scrap of a werewolf certainly didn't look like much next to the Scion bruisers at hand, but his nerve proved more formidable than his gangly body and he stood his ground among the rival pack. He grit his teeth against Raven's rough handling, but held his silence while he waited to find out why he had been sent for.

Rowan nodded and grinned at the doctor. He walked over and motioned for Claire to follow. "Ms. Claire, allow me to introduce my resident doctor. He's going to be the one helping us this evening." He then waved for Jason to follow as he took Jesse's other shoulder, nodding to Raven to back off. "Come with me, my dear friend. "

His voice was dripping with dark intent.

Jason flashed Jesse a predatory grin as he passed by, before falling into step behind them.

He led the small group down towards the vault, passing the guards uncontested. He never let Jesse's shoulder go, and his aura was a dark looming presence over Jesse. Claire was silent and swift to follow behind all three men while Batu trailed at the back as he too joined them downstairs.

Once down the basement stairs, he motioned for Clair and Jesse to sit, for Jason to stay by Jesse. "You see, Jesse.." He started off. "My friend, Ms. Claire needs blood. Particularly, werewolf blood." He stated, moving over to a covered cage.

He pulled off the cover of the cage. "Time to wake up, dear." He banged lightly on Re'Altarm's cage. "Jesse, I'll need you to draw 4 pints of her blood." He said, casually.

It took a second for it to register, just what Rowan wanted him to do before Jesse balked.

"Four pints?! That'll kill her," he protested, aghast. "My cooperation for her safety, that was the agreement!"

"The plan's changed, and if you do it properly she'll live. I've seen the ambulance she came out of the night she transformed the first night." Rowan grinned. "I at least thought I would ask you first." He turned to Jesse and smiled his cursed friendly grin.

"If you're not feeling up to it," Jason interjected from behind Jesse, leaning heavily on the chair. "I can always do it my way. Messier, sure... but a lot faster." He chuckled maliciously.

Jesse grit his teeth and balled his fingers into tight fists until his nails dug into his palms. Either he killed her with a needle in her arm, and hypovolemic shock, or he watched that animal gut her alive.

Even with the alternative, it wasn't an easy decision. It flew in the face of his oaths as a medical practitioner.

"Two from her, two from me, that'll get you your four pints," Jesse proposed.

Rowan frowned. "Jason, would you do the honors?" Rowan turned his back towards the cage, as if he were heading towards the stairs.

"No, wait," Jesse said as he started to his feet, only for Jason's iron grip to push him right back down into the chair again. "I'll do it, alright?"

His face had gone pale at the prospect, but at least this way he was giving her a chance of survival - however slim it might be. At least that's what he told himself.

Moving his hand from Jesse's shoulder, Jason breathed out a snort of disappointment. "And there I was hoping you wouldn't have the guts," he murmured.

 

[Tiko]

as written by Knosis and Tiko

Rowan couldn't help but grin for a brief moment before he let it fade and turn around to Jesse with a stern face. "Very well then. Jason, let our doctor up please." Rowan walked over to the cage.

Re'Altarm was huddled in the corner, her face dirty and smudged with blood here and there. It was obvious she hadn't made it easy for anyone to get near her.

Jesse started rolling up his sleeves as he made his way towards the cage before crouching down to get a look at her while he waited for someone to bring him the things he would need.

"Hey..." he said. "How are you holding up?"

There was a heavy weight of guilt and shame in his eyes, for what he was about to do. But what choice did either of them have?

Re'Altarm scooted closer to Jesse, looking up at him with wide eyes. She looked nearly wild, with her hair knotted in some places. "I'm.. I'm doing alright I suppose.. Nights are hard.." She trailed off. Her eyes softened. "Go ahead. I don't blame you."

Raven appeared a few minutes later with her personal supplies she used to either stitch up her comrades, or torture her victims. In it would be the needles and blood bags needed. "No funny business, kid." She warned before tossing him the bag of supplies. "Remember, I still have my own with me." She grinned, patting the white lab coat where Jesse would know she kept her blades.

Jesse tried to ignore Raven for the most part, as he focused on Re'Altarm. Unfortunately her words did little to stem the guilt that gripped him.

"I'm going to do everything I can to get you through this, alright?" Jesse told her. "I need you to shift over here, on your back with your feet up against the bars there. And whatever you do, keep them elevated, alright?"

"I'll try.." She said, moving to the position that Jesse had asked her to get into. She looked away from him, hoping to ease his guilt for all of this. But she couldn't help the fast throbbing of her heartbeat, as if it anticipated what was about to happen.

 

[Tiko]

as written by Tiko and Knosis

It was with practiced hands that Jesse went to work opening up the bag and preparing the needle. Administering it through the bars of the cage would be awkward, so he helped guide her arm through the bars so that it rested on his legs as he applied a tourniquet.

"Just try to keep calm. Deep breaths," he told her as he inserted the needle.

Re'Altarm squirmed slightly, making a face as the needle had pierced her skin.

Once it was in Jesse hooked up the bag and a steady trickle of blood began to flow. He applied a piece of tape to help keep the needle in place before removing the tourniquet.

"There, the worst of it's over," he lied.

Re'Altarm smiled up at him. "You don't have to lie, you know. Remember.. I was near dead before you found me the first time. You've not let me down yet, and I doubt you will. I'll be fine." She reassured him.

"I'm not sure if you're a wolf, or a cat," Jesse jested lightly.

The light attempt at a joke didn't do much to ease the anxiety of the situation though, but he did his damndest to remain calm and at ease, for her sake.

As the process got underway, he monitored her pulse with a gentle hold on her wrist.

The first pint went smoothly enough, as did the second, but by the third she was beginning to feel it. The color had drained from her skin and her pulse was beginning to feel thready.

"Almost there," he reassured her.

Re'Altarm had long since closed her eyes, but they fluttered open when Jesse spoke again. They were rimmed and dark, and she panted as if it were an effort to keep breathing. She could feel the throbbing of her heart in her ears. Still, she managed to smile faintly at him. She didn't trust her voice, or even if she had the energy to speak.

Her condition began to deteriorate rapidly once the fourth bag was put into place. Her breath was coming in short rapid gasps, and her skin was cool and clammy to the touch.

"Shit, Re deep breaths," he told her. "You're going to pass out."

He doubted she could hear him anymore though and he let out a curse as her head lolled to the side and her body fell limp. The fourth bag was only half full.

"Fuck," he bit out as he reached to disconnect the needle from her arm.

 

[Tiko]

as written by Script, Knosis, and Tiko

He was caught halfway, however, as Jason reached down and grabbed him. "Four bags," he growled. In the same instant, the larger man's eyes flicked towards Rowan for a cue.

Rowan had been watching from the shadows the entire time, and giving one look to Jason suggested that the job would be finished-- One way or another. Re'Altarm was useful to them alive, and Jesse's cooperation was useful. But tonight was a night for risks, was it not? And Rowan was planning to win.

"Make sure we get the full four bags, Jason."

"She's gone into hypovolemic shock, you're going to kill her!" Jesse protested.

"Wrong on that one, sport," Jason remarked with a toothy grin. "We never laid a finger on her."

As Jesse went to try and reach for Re'Altarm with his other hand, Jason once again stopped him. With a vice-like grip on his upper torso, he hauled him backwards and away so he couldn't interfere any further.

Jesse watched on helplessly as Re'Altarm faded rapidly with each ounce of blood drawn, but Jason's crushing hold showed no sign of abaiting.

Re'Altarm's breathing was still coming in short quick bursts. Raven, after a bit, walked over to the near dead girl and glanced at the bag. She seemed satisfied, and closed the plug on the IV before pulling the bag. "'Tis done, boss. Four pints, as requested. Can't believe she's still breathing after all that, though." She grinned wickedly. "If she lives through this, I'll enjoy opening her up one day while she's awake."

Raven picked up the other three bags and crossed over to Claire, handing them over. Rowan stood and walked over to Jason and Jesse. "Stuff the pup in the cage with the other mutt. We've got to be going."

Jason released his grip on Jesse before walking over to open the cage with a key from his pocket. "In you get, then," he instructed as he swung the door open.

Jesse didn't need to be told twice as he fell to Re'Altarm's side inside the cage, pulling the tape and needle free from her arm and checking her pulse.

There was scarcely one left that he could feel, and her skin was cold to the touch. He swiftly shed his jacket and put it over her, but there wasn't anything more he could do without medical supplies, and the means of giving her a blood transfusion.

"I reckon there's some good betting to be done in how long you can keep her going for," Jason remarked with a cruel laugh, swinging the cage shut behind him and fastening the lock.

Rowan grinned and walked over to the cage, crouching so that he was even with Jesse. "See? Isn't this pleasant? She at least has a sporting chance. And if she does die.. Well, she won't be alone in the next life." He slowly stood up, his blue hues glowing as the wolf seemed to pace impatiently within.

"Lets go. The time is now." Rowan growled, turning his back to the cage. "Raven, inform the others to get in positions. Batu.. You know what to do." He quickly made his way to the stairs.

"Too bad for your band of mutts that you're all cooped up here," Jason murmured with mock sympathy, before baring his teeth in a grin that might as well have been a snarl. "They're gonna need a doctor before we're through with them." With a final laugh, he turned and followed Rowan.

The night had only begun.