Bad Blood

---

Benedicte shouldn't of been so careless... Now, because of said carelessness, she was laying in an alley way - with a broken nose and probably some fractured ribs. Hunters always found ways of tracking her down - was she that obvious? Besides, she hasn't killed in over a year now - why would they hunt her down if she's neutral? Either way, the white haired lady attempted to pick herself up off the ground, holding onto the brick wall for support.

"I need a fuckin' miracle to help me get stronger..."

She grumbled with anger, as she limped her way down the alleyway in some help. If anyone asked, she'd say she was attacked and they stole her purse - nobody would believe it if she said she was an 'endangered species'. Who would say that to mediocre humans?

The alleyway seemed never ending, so she decided to slump against the wall and slide down towards a sitting position. Maybe she'd camp here for a while, or maybe she'd die.

She just needed someone right now - and she didn't care who it was.

---

"Look, I've put my deal down on the table. You can either take it and be free from being hunted, or you can leave it and be hunted for the rest of your goddamn life." John said with a smile, looking at the other male. He knew the other was a vampire, and was equipped with all the necessary tools if it got nasty. The taller male tapped his foot impatiently, staring daggers at the vampire.

John soon found himself walking around the room, waiting for the male vampire's response. Different pictures scattered across the seemingly normal house, pictures of the male with another vampire - Chloe, he learned her name was.

"Have you made your mind up yet? I'm a busy man running a tight schedule.. If you don't make your mind up, something bad will happen to the both of you."

((I didn't know if you wanted me to play Chloe's BF or not, so I left that up to you))

(totally fine! I'll do something short for him and then introduce her at the end or just next reply. Also I didn't realize how big the picture for Chloe was because I was on my phone. oops)

Studying people, and creatures alike, had been a favourite past time of Crowley's. Not your average every day vampire, human, or otherwise. But the ones that stood out a bit more and the most interesting, the ones that stuck out like a sore thumb. When you had centuries upon centuries to pass by, sometimes it was all you really could do to stop yourself from a bloody end to the boredom. Not that Crowley had ever been opposed to such either.

An arachne that didn't feed, that lived solely a human existence was ever intriguing to a man like Crowley. Interest sparked, Crowley had kept an eye on a girl named Benedicte for the past few days. Something would happen to bring her to him, it always would. Through his intervention or without, Crowley was a man that never ended up unsatisfied.

Having watched from afar, Crowley didn't bother to hide the smirk on his lips. He'd briefly considered feeling bad - the girl really was in a world of pain. But then, there wasn't fun in stopping an assault from hunters. They would turn on him and things would get messier than ever.

"A miracle, you say?" Crowley called after the girl as he approached, wrists crossed behind his back. He looked as uninterested as he ever did. But his eyes were trained on her form, anticipating what the creature's next move would be.

---

Benjamin sat at the table, face void of emotion as he stared at John. He fought the urge to rip into the man opposite him, wanting nothing more at that very moment. His hands rested on the table that had formerly been between them, knuckles turning white from how tight his grasp was. Clearing his throat, Ben refused to look up from the spot on the table he was glaring at. "Chloe, can you come here?"

Chloe hadn't paid very much mind to what was going on in her boyfriend's office. He was a man and could very well deal with whatever the issue was. Of course, if she was called, she would be just as willing to help him with whatever was at hand.

Hearing her name, Chloe set her glass of water down on the table. She pressed the bookmark into the page of the book she had been reading before setting that beside the glass. Standing, she made her way toward the office. She gave a light knock to announce she was, in fact, there before peaking inside. "Yeah?" She asked, frowning when she noticed how upset Ben was.

Chloe pushed open the door completely and took a small step forward. "What's going on?"

Upon hearing a voice, Benedicte looked up and saw a man, dressed in a black suit. Benedicte couldn't see much of his features due to the dim lit alleyway, but she swallowed a nervous lump growing in her throat. The woman always had a gut feeling of danger - and this feeling was swirling around her whole buddy to get the hell out of there.

But she couldn't.. Not in her current state.

"W-Who are you?" She questioned in a rather shaky voice, before clearing her throat. "You here to beat me up?" Now with a small smirk on her face, she tried to stand tall - but the pain in her ribs and stomach prevented her from reaching full height, and she had to remain in the slouched posture. Wincing, Benedicte let out a shaky breath before looking at the man, awaiting his next move.

If worst comes to worst, she'll try to fight him - her race were gifted with super strength and speed, alongside spider-like properties, so it wouldn't be hard for her to put up a fight...

But in her whole 23 year of her life, she's never been taught to use them to her advantage.

She felt dampness seep through her shirt, and she knew it was the crimson liquid she hated seeing - so she held her head high, and tried to deny the pain in her chest and sides.

---

John smirked ever so slightly, but kept his eye on the picture that he now held in his hands. The frame looked delicate, and the picture inside was in good condition - a very nice picture of Chloe and Benjamin.

"So, Chloe.. Do you ever wonder what your boyfriend does in his spare time?" His question was casual, almost as if he wasn't a threat - when he damn well was, with his group of hunters ready outside the house to strike if anything went wrong. "When was the last time he had a feed?"

The male could see Benjamin's jaw tense, as John let out a small chuckle. "I sense your beloved boyfriend hasn't been telling the truth... Care to elaborate, Benjamin? Have you not told her that the reason why you were absent last night and the night before was because you went on a feeding frenzy?"

Shrugging his shoulders, he turned to face Chloe. The blonde was very attractive, but still... She was a vampire, after all. He always had to keep his guard up around their kind.

"I think Benjamin will also explain to you about the deal that we've proposed, won't you Benny?" John asked, his smile growing wider at the new nickname that sure to make the vampire's blood boil.

Crowley's brows raised at the question, silent as he watched her stand. He had little interest in physical intimidation. It was so much fun when he had the chance to delve into someone's mind, find out what made them tick, and exploit their fears, their habits, and turn someone's world upside down. A masterful game of chess.

"Tsk, tsk. You should sit and listen to my proposal. You'll only make our time together shorter if you exacerbate your injuries, I'm afraid," Crowley chided her, a gentle smile on his lips.

"To answer your question, my name is Crowley. Or Mr Crowley. Uncle Crowley, whatever you decide to call me, I'll likely answer to.

He was smiling now, noting the interest that his name had peaked in the young arachne. He briefly wondered if she had heard the name before, even in passing. His reputation did often precede him, after all.

"I'm here because I find myself in need of an assistant of sorts. Someone to help me when I need you. My offer is simple. You agree to become my assistant and I can make all of your current... problems, disappear. You will be well cared for, probably more than you are used to. But please, understand that this is a non optional agreement. You do not get to agree and then disappear on me," Crowley finished, a small smirk on his lips now. Oh, these moments were always the most delicious.

---

Chloe closed the distant between herself and Benjamin, setting a hand on his shoulder to try and help him to relax. Something was wrong, she wasn't sure what, but she was sure htey could get through it all together. If they only tried.

She turned her attention to John when he spoke, her eyes narrowing. The man reeked of being human - even with her weakened senses. It had been nearly two years since she had last fed on a human, only using animals to feed. "It has been a long time, I assure you. I don't know what you're speaking about but I'd like it if you quit with the lies, sir."

She had been fine until a deal was mentioned. Her stomach dropped, an unnerving feeling taking over. Chloe had no clue what John had been talking about but her gut told her something was wrong.

"What is he tal-" Chloe was interrupted by Benjamin slamming a hand down on the table. She looked down to her boyfriend who was glaring daggers into the hunter.

"Why don't you take her and leave? Make this a little less painful for her," Ben forced the words out through gritted teeth, half raised out of his seat.

Chloe took one, two, and three steps away from Ben. Her gaze raised to John, hair on the back of her neck raising. "Get out of my home. You're not welcome here."

Benedicte never was good with pain. It was always her weakness - and this pain? This was some intense stuff. She almost wanted to cry, but she knew she had to stay strong. The young arachne listened to the demon's words, and processed her options in her head.

Go with him, be his assistant, get rid of the pain. The whole idea sounded good, but Benedicte knew she had to be cautious with this man. If he is the Crowley he says he is, she knows that others have betrayed his deals but have never lived to tell the tail.

She didn't want to be one of them.

"I'm not sure... Maybe-" A sharp inhale of pain stopped her speaking for a moment, as she closed her eyes tight in an attempt to stop the worst of the pain. "O-Okay, I agree.. Do I have to sign something?"

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she tried to stop the trickle of the crimson liquid she felt coming back down, and blinked back tears.

"P-Please, I'd do anything to stop this pain..."

---

John looked at Chloe. It was nice seeing that she had some emotions (unlike other vampires), and it was also nice she could stand up for herself. What wasn't good, however, was that she didn't understand what was happening.

"I admire your courage. Sadly, if you hurt me or attempt to kill me, then the deal will be broken, and Benjamin will be hurt severely... Think about your actions within the next hour."

His voice was monotone, but there were occasional strands of annoyance in his voice. He wouldn't like to admit to anyone he was doing a trade with a vampire for a vampire - John imagined that this would be similar to babysitting. Of course, he wouldn't mind - he's done it before.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way, but your boyfriends reckless behavior has made him a suspect in the murders... One of the officers working on the case is a good old pal of mine, and I can divert the police to look at someone else."

John placed the picture down he was admiring for what seemed like ages, and he turned back to Chloe. "So, as a result of the deal, you're coming with me."

(looking more into Crowley, the original human made a deal with a demon for a longer dick. are you serious )

Crowley was quiet as he watched Benedicte. A gorgeous woman by his side had never been painful before. It was only when, for whatever reason, they were separated that it became painful. He so wished that this wouldn't end painfully so.

When she agreed, Crowley hesitated opposite her. A small smile on his lips still, the demon closed the distance between the two. He offered his hand, pulling her up to her feet with ease.

His hands moved to her ribs, pressing ever so lightly to relieve her pain. To give one a little taste of their dream was usually enough to seal any deal that he was a part of.

"No signing of anything is required, I assure you. Though I don't think you'd be capable of such a thing in your current state," he remarked, amusement quite clear in his voice. "I require only one thing if you would like to seal the deal. Your future is on the other side."

"Kisses seal deals with a Crossroads Demon, haven't you heard, Miss Benedicte?"

---

Chloe's heart, if it had still been beating, would surely have stopped at John's statement. She was silent as she looked from John to Benjamin and back again, waiting for some sort of indication that this was all a joke. Surely, he wouldn't just... sell her off like that right?

"He's been framed. We can prove that. I'm sure of it," Chloe spoke, her voice betraying exactly how unsure she was of that fact. Benjamin still refused to look toward her. It was slowly cementing reality for her.

Chloe shook her head at John's next statement. She glanced toward the window, under the impression that they probably weren't the only ones surrounding her home. "If he killed, why does he go free? There's nothing special that I can offer you," Chloe finally spoke, her voice straining to keep from shouting at either of them.

"I don't want any trouble. I'm not... coming with you. You and your men can do as you please with Benjamin if he really is the sort of monster you're implying he is because I'm not. I've not touched a human in years. Why would I be punished?"

(you might say that the human made a bit of a DICK move.... ))

Benedicte felt her eyes close slightly as he pressed against her ribs, and her pain seemed to rather rapidly slowly evaporate from her body. In the span of a few seconds, she'd never felt so alive before. A small smile crept onto her lips - feeling relaxed and rather tranquil given the current situation.

She faintly listened to Crowley, but it was his last words that caught her out.

"A kiss?" Her voice was small, as she opened her eyes and stared at Crowley. She'd heard about it before - but Benedicte never cast her own thoughts upon it, she merely thought of it as a joke when someone said it.

Noticing how weak her voice sounded, she cleared her throat and averted her eyes from Crowley. What, was she just going to kiss him? Benedicte, always being secluded to herself and not caring much about relationships, never really kissed anyone... Of course, apart from the teddy bear she recalled from her previous human life that her childish self would snuggle up to.

"F-Fine, just get it over and done with." Crossing her arms, she turned her head away from him - clearly embarrassed by this way of 'making deals'.

---

John let out a small sigh, and crossed his arms over his chest. "When did I say that you were being punished?" Damn, this vampire had a bite to her - and he wasn't sure if he liked her attitude. Sure, he liked it when people stood up for what they believed in... But not this much.

"If anything, I'm helping you - do you want to see your boyfriend turn bloodthirsty right before your eyes? Do you want to be there when he turns into the very thing that you try not to be? Besides - he suggested it."

John pointed out, shrugging his shoulders. "Look, Chloe... I'm not exactly a fan of your kind, but I'm thinking of changing my mind. You know, if this deal goes well. If not - then this whole alliance thing me and Benny got going on will be void."

The man stepped towards the table that Benjamin and Chloe were beside, and tapped on the edge of the desk twice. "As much as I hate to do this - if you don't come with me, then your boyfriend will... Well, die." He said effortlessly, as if it wasn't going to hurt Chloe hearing this.

((not sure if I tagged you in the last post ))

Crowley was quiet as he watched Benedicte consider her options, the grin still plastered across his lips. When she seemed to be taking longer than he would have preferred, Crowley made to take a step backward. His arms slipped from her sides, only for her to speak. The decision had been made. His head shot back up to study her features - he didn't want to deal with problems after the deal was sealed. If she was agreeing, there was no out for her. She could run as far as she wanted but hiding? There would be none of that once you entered Crowley's world.

He turned back to her entirely, his hands going to her hips to pull her into him. "Now, tell me, Miss Benedicte. How in the world do you want me to kiss you when you've turned away from me?" He asked, almost sounding offended.

When Benedicte turned back to him, Crowley wasted no time in leaning forward. His lips pressed to hers, tongue teasing her lips. "Benedicte," he murmured, voice harsh as he leaned back to look at her. "Don't ruin our time together."

---

Chloe let out a laugh, shaking her head as she drew in a deep breath. "A hunter is going to protect me from my boyfriend? How stupid do you think I am, hunter?" She spat the last word out, anger dripping from her words.

She was angry at first but then, fear shot through her at the mention of Ben dying. The man had done nothing but treat her like a princess as they lived out their days - she wasn't going to let him be hurt because she was being selfish. That was the very last thing that she was willing to do.

Chloe took a step away from Ben, hair raising on the back of her neck. Everything about what she was doing screamed that this was wrong, but she didn't see any other choice. Ben certainly wasn't offering her any help, he had been quiet the entire time. "Can I at least pack a bag?" She finally found herself asking, refusing to look at John. She wanted to ring his neck - but they weren't alone. She wouldn't make it out of the house without paying for her mistakes.

Benedicte found herself surprised by the sudden pair of lips against hers, but made no effort to kiss back. Of course, open hearing Crowley's words, a small frown made its way onto her lips.

Did she have to kiss back? Can the deal only be sealed if both sides cooperate?

Either way, Benedicte found herself biting her lip weighing out her options as always. Under Crowley's impatient gaze, she let out a soft sigh before looking back at him. Mustering up courage, she lifted her arms from her sides and wrapped them around his neck. Looking away once again, after a few seconds she took in a breath before towards him and meeting his lips.

She never thought she'd stoop so low as to kiss a demon... Let alone a cocky one like this. Benedicte liked the idea of that 'special' first kiss humans dreamed about, but that seemed to go down the gutter the second she found herself in this situation.

Pulling away almost instantly, she looked at him with wide eyes. "I did have to kiss you again... Right? Don't both sides have to cooperate?.... I've just made a fool of myself, haven't I?" She covered her face in her hands from embarrassment.

---

A quizzical brow raised at her first words. Threats weren't going to get her anywhere, but he managed a small smile at her asking to pack a bag. Finally, she decided that it would be best for both parties for her to come with him.

"Of course... How long do you need?"

John knew that she would probably try to escape, but with his hunter friends outside, he'd doubt she'd get far... And that would suck, because she showed determination and courage with a pinch of faith.

Something most vampires neglect.

"Will ten minutes me enough?" He asked in a rather soft voice, trying to get in her good books for the journey. Sure, he has the Impala which is comfortable, but she probably wouldn't be comfortable with the parade of cars following them to insure John's safety. He recrossed his arms, rolling his shoulders forward a few times in an effort to relax. His gaze focused on Ben, who currently didn't say anything.

The coward.

Crowley thoroughly enjoyed how awkward he was making Benedicte - the poor arachne seemed to have little to no experience when it came to relationships. Not really, any way. He was going to enjoy every last moment he had with her - whether there was pleasure to be had or not, Benedicte would benefit him.

"Relax, Benedicte. I have had far worse than you, believe me," Crowley answered back, a smirk still teasing at the edges of his lips. His hands travelled down her sides, coming to a halt at her hips. His arms slipped around her waist, pulling her close to him as he deepened the kiss. His fingers massaging circles into her lower back, wanting her to relax and enjoy the moment. At least as much as she could manage to.

Crowley pulled back once he decided that it was over. His hands still on her body, he gritted his teeth as he absorbed her pain. A few fleeting moments later and the pain was gone - Benedicte was healed. The bones would take a bit longer to fully realign but minor details didn't matter in the grande scheme of things.

"Now, do you care to tell me what brought you to this alley?" Crowley asked, backing away from the girl.

---

Chloe was good. She was fine, or as good as she could possibly be given the circumstances. She was quiet as John spoke, nodding her head finally once he gave a more specific time limit. She looked up to him and produced a wonderful smile, "Just... one moment, please."

She stepped back toward Ben, handing shooting out to grasp the base of his neck. She slammed Ben's head forward, into the table. "I hope you remember me, sweetheart," she spoke, voice sickeningly sweet as she rubbed Ben's neck for a moment.

Chloe stood back up, turning and leaving the room. She took the stairs two at a time, devising a plan as she moved into her bedroom. Grabbing an empty back pack, Chloe shoved clothing inside.

Cocking her head to the side, Chloe listened to the heartbeats surrounding the house. They were evenly spaced - just a few feet between each. Two of them seemed to have a bit more space between them. Which led to her climbing out of the bathroom window upstairs, making a break for the space between the hunters. She had a feeling she wouldn't make it to freedom but she had to at least try.

Benedicte cleared her throat in an attempt to gain some confidence after the kiss, but it was soon gone when she tugged on the bottom of her torn and ripped sweater. It dawned upon her that the deal was now sealed. No turning back. No running.

"I only indulge in the taste of a human once every two months, and I haven't had a taste in four months.... So, I followed this guy down an alleyway. He seemed drunk, so I thought it wouldn't matter.... Turns out, he was mimicking being drunk, and his hunter friends jumped me. Threatened to behead me if I fought back... And of course, that means death for me. I got scared, so I just took in the beating."

With a simple shrug, Benedicte hoped Crowley wouldn't ask anything about how she managed to not fight back. He'd probably seen the fact that she only fights when she wants to feed, and that she takes beatings for everyone.

She's a softie, too soft for her own good. Hopefully Crowley could change that.

Benedicte looked down at her attire - her sweater was splattered with blood and dirt, shorts and sleeves ripped and slashed in multiple places. With a sigh, she grumbled something under her breath about this being her best set of clothes.

---

John knew something was up when he didn't hear movement upstairs, and that Chloe didn't come down. His assumptions were proven correct by his phone buzzing, as he answered.

"John, she escaped... We managed to get her shoulder with the blade in dead mans blood, but she's still running, and-"

"First of all, she has a fucking name Dan. It's Chloe. Secondly, we agreed to only use the blood if she hurt someone, and has she?"

"Well, no, but-"

John hanged up his phone, and cast a glance over to Ben. With a smirk, John just walked out, and met with Dan outside. He picked up the mixture that could subside the effects of the blood, as he jogged off im Chloe's direction.

"Chloe? I'm sorry you got hit by the blood... Look, can we talk about this? I didn't want Dan to use it, but he's a dick and... I'm sorry!"

He wasn't going to say he had the cure.... Yet.

Crowley's brows raised as he studied Benedicte. She didn't seem to be lying about what had lead her down the alley but he couldn't help but be a bit surprised. She had fallen for a trick that seemed like it would have been easy to pick up on. Had he made a mistake in picking her? He doubted it but the thought was there, in the back of his mind.

"That won't do any longer. You'll have to learn how to fight," Crowley said finally, a small frown on his features. An arachne without a backbone would serve him no good, he would have to show her how to use her powers to the full extent. Or maybe find someone who could. No matter, he had enough influence that it wouldn't be difficult.

"Follow me, we'll get you new clothing in the morning," Crowley said after she muttered to herself. When she looked up to him in surprise, he only raised a single brow. "What? Did you honestly think that I wouldn't hear that? Dear, if you've heard anything about me, you should know enough to never think that I would be able to," Crowley finished, a wicked grin covering his features.

He held out a hand to her, "Come, girl. We have places to be."

---

Chloe had been amazed when she broke through the hunters surrounding the house. By sheer luck or skill, she didn't have a clue. She was just thankful that she had. Until she felt a bullet hit her shoulder. Chloe cursed under her breathe, trying to reach and dig the bullet out even as she ran.

It was only a matter of seconds before she realized what the bullet had been. A dead man's blood. Poison to her kind. Chloe stumbled, cursing as she fell against one of the many trees that surrounded their property. She grimaced, the pain only intensifying as she tried desperately to dig at the bullet with her claws.

Hearing her name, Chloe's attention shot to the area behind her. It didn't take very long at all for her to catch sight of John. Her body tensed as she leaned her head against the tree. "Talk? Your men just signed my death warrant," Chloe spoke through gritted teeth. Chloe leaned over, unable to keep her stomach contents down. "Better make it quick, we don't have a lot of time."