"What do you think?"
"About what?" Willow asked her gaze, staring straight at the building.
"Do you think Elite Parker is the one behind this?" Lothaire asked beside her as they looked at his hideout that they learned about last night.
"No. Call it a gut feeling... but it seems too easy, too simple. Anyone can find his location for some bucks. This doesn't add up."
"Do you think he crossed us?"
"No. He is not the kind. I still can't believe you treated me like a dog before that vampire."
"Well, he didn't suspect a thing. That's what matters. And look at the bright side, you are groaning which is a better improvement over your growling"
Willow noticed his pale complexion. He is paler, much paler than normal for a vampire which means he is Low on blood.
"You are looking pale, Bones. Are you sure you are up for this?"
"Aww... concerned for me Tinkerbell? Don't worry. I can handle this. I had a good one last time"
Anger coursed through her veins. Of course, how can she forget that he almost drained her?
"Screw yourself Bones"
"No thanks. But I can screw you," he smirked.
Willow ignored his remark and put her hand on the nearest tree, gathering intel. She knows she is displaying the extent of her powers to Lothaire, which if asked, she never said or shown to her teammates. The teammates she trusted.
Willow didn't elaborate on why she is trusting this vampire more than her teammates. She fears she will not like the answer to it.
"This doesn't feel right. It's too simple"
"You already said that Bones"
"Well it's worth repeating"
"Alright, other than that it's easy to find, why else do you think it is simple?"
"You have to ask that? Look at the security. How many are in there?" Lothaire asked her, pointedly looking at the trees.
"Not many"
"Do you think a vampire who can capture thousands of supernatural beings will hide here with less than a handful of security?"
"Perhaps he thought hiding in plain sight is better than getting everyone's attention by posting guards everywhere "
"You don't believe that. Vampires like to display their power. And this guy doesn't seem like the one behind this"
"You said it, not me"
Lothaire rolled his eyes. Yes, he really did.
"Well, let's check if he is the one we are looking for or not"
"What now?"
"Do you have somewhere else to be?"
"But... What about weapons?"
"With the Arsenal, you carry everywhere, you still want more weapons?"
Willow scoffed at him. "Not me you don't, but you. Don't you want any?"
She pointed towards the truck they had parked a few blocks away.
"I'm a weapon," Lothaire announced without any preamble.
Willow pinched her nose. At this rate, she will have a red blob in the place of her nose.
"Right! That's why I had to rescue you"
Lothaire's face got red. If possible, steam came out of his ears.
"Once. Only once Tinkerbell. And you threw it on my face every time possible"
Willow bit her lower lip feeling guilty about her no-filter mouth. "Sorry"
"Next time..."
"It won't be repeated," Willow finished for him, her shoulders slumped, feeling dejected.
"Good, you are learning"
"Cut it Bones. Just because I said sorry..."
"Doesn't mean you have to keep quiet," Lothaire finished for her.
"Now we are finishing each other's sentences? Next what? Braiding our hairs?"
"I would like to run my hands through your hair tinker bell"
"Uhhh... why do I put up with you?"
"Because you like my charming smile?"
"Have you ever smiled?"
Lothaire lifted the corner of his lips, "attempting" to smile.
"Never bother. Look, I don't want to get killed just because you are arrogant enough not to carry a weapon"
Lothaire grabbed her arms, pulling her close to him until every part of her was touching his. She has never been this close to him before. Her breath left her body in a whoosh.
"What... what do you think you are doing?" Willow asked in a husky voice.
The proximity is doing strange things to her equilibrium.
"Never... never joke about your death," Lothaire growled with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.
"Bones..."
"Do you get it?"
"Fine!" Willow replied curtly, pulling and taking a step back, putting some distance between them.
Undeterred, Lothaire covered the distance once more, cupped her face, and said, "I would never let anything happen to you. Never"
A lump formed in her throat that became hard to swallow. Other than her teammates, no one ever had her back.
"Awww... do you want a handkerchief to dab your eyes, Bones? It's tough to find but I can arrange it," Willow whispered, trying to lighten the mood.
Lothaire snorted. "Are you threatening me with your female wiles? Because you and handkerchief never go in one sentence tinker bell. Except if you are talking about those shorts. They do look like handkerchiefs," Lothaire looked pointedly at her shorts.
"What's with you and the clothes I wear! At this rate, I won't have any left"
"That's the point Tinkerbell because either way, they are not covering much." Though he protested, his eyes tell a different story.
Willow cleared her throat loudly to divert his attention.
Heaving a sigh, Lothaire informed her, "you take left, I take right"
Willow looked at the building once more. It's nothing much. Definitely not a hideout of a mastermind.
"What if there is an escape route inside?"
"I don't think so. Basing on the security, he is not smart enough to have a plan B"
"I hope you are right or else we will be saying sayonara to the only lead"
"Let's find out"
They both entered the building and turned to their respective wings.
Willow tiptoed the corridor that covered the entire left side.
A vampire turned and stopped at the sight of her. Before he can alert others, Willow sidekicks him with her left foot, taking his breath away.
She then wrapped her legs around her torso, grabbed his neck firmly with her hands, and twisted. A sickening sound alerted her of his broken neck. He is not dead but will be down for many hours, healing his neck. Not to take a risk, Willow slit his neck, making sure he stays down forever.
Willow sprinted in the direction the vampire came out of and collided with two more vampires.
With lightning speed, she held onto one vampire and kicked the other, flipping him with her legs.
She then wrapped her arms around the first vampire and flipped him as well. She took out her dagger and finished the job while they were down.
By the time she reached the middle foyer, she had encountered 8 more vampires. Lothaire met her there not a second late, looking as impeccable as ever.
Willow's lip curled as she looked at the blood drops on her shirt.
"Bastard," she muttered under her breath, as they both entered the lower level.
Four vampires advanced on them just as they came into full view.
Without any words between them, they worked in sync as Lothaire grabbed and lifted her, giving her the leverage to kick the vampire nearest to them.
He then flipped her. Willow did a 180 and kicked the vampire in the shin, followed by a kick to his stomach and a punch to his jaw.
She then took out her silver daggers and pierced his heart.
The second vampire crept slowly behind her but Lothaire sensing her blind spot, grabbed him by his neck, and with a twist ripped his neck from the torso.
The last vampire tried to shoot them, however, Willow landed a kick to his hand, flipping the gun and landing it out of his reach. She then held his outstretched hand, turned, and stabbed him on his stomach.
They then proceeded to the room the vampires were guarding.
Upon opening the door, they met with a scared-looking vampire with twitchy eyes.
"Behold your mastermind," muttered Lothaire to Willow.
Willow bit her lip because he doesn't look like one. In fact, he looked more like a politician than a killer.
But then all vampires are killers to a certain degree.
"I will be the conductor this time," Lothaire threw the remark over his shoulder as he casually staggered to the vampire.
Willow gave a "hmph" sound and followed him.
Unlike her, Lothaire didn't waste time on ceremonies. He grabbed his neck and held him above, his feet leaving the ground as he dangled in the air.
"One snap and you are finished. Tell me what you know," Lothaire informed calmly. Too calmly. His voice never raises.
Damn... and here she ranted and raved until her voice became hoarse. She needs to learn that savvy, calm tone.
"I... I don't know anything... please... please," the vampire begged as he tried to escape Lothaire's hold.
"3"
"Please... I know nothing"
"2"
"Please... spare me"
"1. Time up"
"Wait!!!! Wait!!"
Lothaire cocked his head.
"It's... it's... the vampire king," the vampire wheezed.
"Morherfucker!" Willow swore.
Lothaire's lips curved upwards, giving the semblance of a smile.
"And where is he?" He probed, his eyes sharp, his jaw relaxed.
"I... I... I don't know," the vampire whispered, panic evident in his voice.
"Wrong answer," Lothaire squeezed, increasing his hold on him.
"Wa... wait"
Lothaire slowly loosened his hold. He still has a firm grip on him.
"Missives... he always communicated with his missives. That's all I know"
Willow stepped beside Lothaire, facing the vampire all the while ignoring Lothaire's glare. Too bad.
"Why is he capturing Supernaturals? What did he want with their blood? Why is he turning them, rogue?"
The vampire looked at Lothaire and then said, "I don't know"
"You," Willow took out her dagger.
"No... wait, listen to me. I don't know the purpose of their blood. I can only think he is selling it in the black market"
"I don't want your speculation vampire. I want facts," Willow cut the silver dagger at his thigh.
The vampire hissed in pain.
"I'm telling you the truth"
"What about turning them, rogue?"
"All... I know... is he is trying to... build a rogue army"
"A rogue army? For what? He has all the vampires at his command. Why does he need a rogue army?"
"I... don't know"
"Then what the hell do you know!" Willow screamed at his face, losing her calm.
Lothaire snapped his neck, taking it cleanly from his torso before he could answer.
"I was not done questioning him, "Willow asked incredulously, throwing her arms wide.
"He knows nothing. Unless you want to hear I don't know all night, we are wasting time here," Lothaire said as he calmly walked away.
"I hate vampires," Willow grumbled as she followed him.