'Til the Bittersweet End [M] ( Midoripickle & Ashen )

[Midori-Hime]

Aeryn caught his look and then turned her attention back to Liam as if Link wasn't even there. Just a decoration at her side. But she started to chat him up more about the leading coven of the city. "They are quite impressive... and I hear that another coven from Syracuse will be coming shortly to discuss the joining of the two covens." Liam said casually. Aeryn was surprised to hear it, but she feigned a pleasant smile. "Is that so? How interesting." She said, casually pressing for more information. "Yes, if they were to join, then the House of Descoteaux would rival the size of the New York coven." Aeryn managed to hide her distaste in hearing that. A coven of that size, here, would reak havoc on the mortals that lived here. Aeryn's hand then slid to Link's, taking it absently in her own, though it was her own little gesture to reassure him. She could only imagine how he was feeling hearing this.

She stole a glance at him, forcing a smile before questioning Liam more about the meeting, when it was to take place. But she was careful not to ask too much about it, or it might seem suspicious. As long as they had enough, she was sure they would find out the rest later. Aeryn soon changed the subject, trying to gradually bring the coversation to a close. "It's been fascinating Liam... But the night is calling me, and I'm growing hungry..." She said, suddenly looking to Link now. "What do you think my pet?" She asked, brushing his hair from his eyes playfully. "Shall we go home and... unwind?" She asked, tracing a finger from his temple down to his neck, over his pulse. She shivered, feeling her mouth go dry before looking to Liam again. "It's been a pleasure Liam... We should do this again soon~ I'd love to get to know the house better." She said before rising, Liam following. Aeryn gestured for Link to follow as they started out into the main room again.

[Ashen]

Finally they were going to leave. Link didn't respond when spoken to, only nodded and looked as obedient as he could muster. She bid Liam farewell, and the entire time the vampire hunter's mind was somewhere else. The House of Descoteaux would rival the size of the New York coven. Link couldn't imagine what that would mean. Vampires joining together, terrorizing the mortals, eventually coming to outnumber them... Would this be the end of humanity? How could he possibly keep the vampires at bay? He was just one man, and most people poked fun at his profession. Would humanity even be able to fight against a vampire uprising?

Aeryn and Link started out of the club. He would have been happy about that, but his thoughts were all over the place. He had to do something before the vampires got out of hand. How could he stop them from joining together? Aeryn needed to exact her revenge soon, because he had lots of work to do. He didn't speak until they were well away from the club. It was then that he turned sharply to Aeryn. "We can't let that happen." His voice was back to normal, though eerily even and harsh. "We can't just let all these vampires join forces like that. If they succeed, I can't imagine what that would mean for us. It's so colossal to think of. We... We have to act."

If nothing else, the night did reaffirm Link's beliefs. He knew there was a lot at stake in his job, and he knew it was up to him to save his own kind. But was he getting himself in too deep now, more than ever? He didn't know, but he would not give up before he exhausted everything he could. "Aeryn," he said, grabbing at his wrists. "Tell me how we can find your guy as quickly as we can. We need to move fast, and take this down before it can get unmanageable. I... This means a lot to me, this is what I was scared of happening, we have to save us."

[Midori-Hime]

Aeryn kept up the facade until they were well out of earshot, before Link turned to her suddenly. Her eyes were sympathetic, knowing what this would mean for him. "I know..." She agreed, nodding. A deep frown spread across her features then, trying to come up with a plan. "Yes, something has to be done." She reassured him before starting back towards his place. She didn't want this any more than Link did. Even if it had nothing to do with her plans for revenge.

She paused then, looking to Link suddenly. 'We have to save us' His words echoed in her head. "Link..." She muttered, trying to think. Aeryn then sighed, shaking her head a little. "Dorian... will have to wait. This could ruin everything and more if it's not dealt with immediately." She told him. It was a big risk, but even she had to admit that this was more important.

"Come on... Let's get back to your place quickly. We have work to do..." She said then, reaching out to take his hand before yanking him onto her back. Aeryn then instructed him to hold on before she hiked her skirt up on her legs, allowing her to run quickly. They'd reach his apartment in just a few minutes, before Aeryn let him down. "So, how do you want to go about this?"

[Ashen]

Aeryn's words startled Link. She was postponing her search? Surely Aeryn knew the severity of their new situation. She had to know the implications of what the vampire scum had said. But to postpone her revenge? She didn't seem like that type of person, the one to put other people first. She was a vampire after all, and regardless of the time they had spent together, regardless of whatver feelings Link was going to continue to deny, that meant she was a monster. But her words, her offer--no, not an offer. There was no question in her resolve, no intonation in her voice. She meant this, and Link didn't know what to make of that.

He climbed onto her and allowed her to get them home. All the while, Link was thinking of ways they could stop this. He had never worked with something on such a wide scale before, and to think of what he had on the line if he failed was terrifying. He would need to make a really big plan, something that would kill more vampires than he ever thought. But what? An idea started to formulate in his mind, but Link didn't trust himself to speak until they were back at his place.

He entered his home and went straight to the trunk in the main room. The man popped it open and sifted through the various weapons he had inside. "Aeryn," he said sharply, the first word in minutes. "We need to go to another gathering, like tonight. We need to go to a bigger one, the biggest gathering of vampires in the entire city. And there, that's when we could..." His voice trailed as he picked up a case of something. As he looked inside, his body blocked the contents from Aeryn's view. "Yes," he said slowly, though reluctantly. Suddenly, Link turned to Aeryn with piercing eyes. "What if we planted a bomb?"

It was a barbaric idea. Link knew that entirely. His entire life would be over if their plan went wrong. If he killed a civilian, no one would believe him when he claimed to have done it to save humanity. If the plan backfired, would he lose his life to this? So many thoughts raced in his mind, possibilities of failure, but Link did not waver. He kept his gaze with Aeryn, willing to take all these risks. He turned back to his trunk. "It would take me some time to develop it," he went on. "I've made grenades before, relatively harmless to humans, but on such a wide scale... I would need something more potent, something that can decimate an entire establishment. Which... I can do."

Link's mind flashed to his sister, from so long ago. How many nights had they stayed up far too late playing some violent video game or another? And now, Link was the player, he was clearing through waves of enemies now, with a single MOAB. It was crazy to think about. His sister would have scolded him endlessly for even exercising the thought. My baby brother, making a bomb? she would say, with that voice she used that told Link he was saying something stupid again. But if it would work, did it matter how crazy it sounded? Link turned back to Aeryn. If she just backed him up, he was sure he would get the confidence he truly needed for this. "So?" he prompted. "What do you think?"

[Midori-Hime]

Aeryn watched him head to his chest once she sat him down, watching him curiously until he said her name, his voice cutting through the silence. "What-" She muttered, her brows furrowing in confusion, wondering what exactly he was thinking. Her emerald eyes then went wide, meeting his as he turned to her sharply. "A bomb..." She repeated in disbelief. She stared, seeming to mull that thought over. "Link... That might just be crazy enough to work. But-" She paced for a moment. "This is dangerous... We're talking about taking out a whole coven. Just the two of us. And we'd have to be sure to take as many out as we can in one shot... So many things could go wrong." She feared for Link most of all. She couldn't deny that this was no longer just a business deal for her, and if anything were to happen to him on her watch, she would never forgive herself.


But as Link stared at her with an unwavering gaze, she nodded. He already knew the risks, she could see it in his stormy eyes. "I think it's our best chance. We'll have to plan this out carefully. How long do you think it would take you to make something like that?" She asked. "And we might need more than one depending on the size of thier complex." Aeryn strode over to him now, the beads of her gown glittering in the low light. "Do you think it possible to harness some sort of UV light inside of it? Perhaps Like a flash-bang. It could take out those in the immediate area with UV light and the rest would burn up from the fire." She said, looking down into the trunk. This could actually work... But they would have to be very thorough.

Her mind was already racing, creating a plan and how they could pull this off with the least amount of risk. "We should move to the area... Stakeout the coven and form our plans there. I can take care of our residence, you don't have to worry about that. If you don't mind... sharing a space with me." She amended, wondering if that might be a kink in her plan. Aeryn looked into his eyes again, wondering if he would be willing to leave with her.

[Ashen]

She wasn't saying no. Link watched Aeryn as her face twisted into surprise, then consideration. Did she really believe him capable of making a bomb? His gaze fell to the case in his hands, and cautiously, he popped open the small metal latch. The dangers were severe, and Aeryn was aware of that too, but Link couldn't concentrate on those. A lot of things could go wrong with this, but he had to believe they wouldn't. This could be the biggest moment in his entire career; there was no time for failure.

Link listened to Aeryn plot, taking into consideration the UV light she was suggesting. "I could do something like that," he murmured, toying with the tools in his case. "Light and... poison." He picked up a vial that was tucked neatly into his case. Such a tiny bottle, smaller than his pinky finger, but he knew it contained enough poison to murder everyone in this city. Highly illegal, Link had bought it on a whim and figured he would never use the whole thing. Pouring the entire vial into a bomb recipe would be stupid, but it would definitely burn whoever even a drop touched. Between the blinding, burning light in the bomb and the sizzling poison to accompany it, Link was sure such a bomb would clear out a large group of vampires with little to no effort, assuming he and Aeryn could get out of there before it went off.

"I don't know how long it might take," he admitted, looking over the rest of the contents of his weapons chest. "It'll be complicated. I need finer tools if I'll be working with poison, to make sure I don't kill myself just making it. I could probably pick up some stuff tomorrow, though..." He pulled out another box from the chest, a much smaller one, and opened it to reveal old-looking matches. "If it's to be combustible, I'll need to figure out how to get it to go off only once we've left. A time limit, maybe. Or a trip wire. Hm..." He was thinking aloud, plotting his actions as he went along. He pulled out his phone, quickly doing some research, before returning to what was in his hands.

It was only when Aeryn spoke that he stopped mumbling to himself. He looked up, eyebrow raised. "Living there would probably be a good idea," he murmured. He set his box and case down. "We could gather more information more easily, and I could even kill any stragglers if I'm careful enough. Less traffic on the day of this joining party, yeah?" Link walked away from his chest, slightly pacing around the room. "I don't mind living with you," he said. "I think it would help us get things sorted more easily. When did you want to leave?"

[Midori-Hime]

Her eyes lit up a little hearing that Link was capable of something like that. However, one thing he said gave her a bit of a pause. "Poison...?' She repeated curiously, under her breath. Her eyes then went to the small vial he held, briefly wondering how he'd gotten a hold of something like that. Aeryn listened carefully, frowning at the thought of Link working with this stuff, and potentially harming himself.

Well that was certainly another problem... How would they manage to escape without killing themselves in the process? Of course... if it meant taking out Dorian with her, perhaps she wouldn't mind being the sacrifice. If it came to that. However, that thought sent a little pang to her chest. Her thoughts were wandering, wondering what it all meant, as Link looked through his phone, and then when he finally looked at her Aeryn met his eyes. "That's the idea, yes... I can do some recon while you're working, come up with a more solid plan..."

Aeryn's thoughts suddenly trailed off as Link said he wouldn't mind living with her, and a faint smile tugged at her lips. But just as soon as it appeared, it was gone, with more important things to focus on. "I'm sure I can find something within 48 hours. If not sooner." She said, her eyes steady and focused on their plan. If they pulled this off, perhaps they could kill two birds with one stone. Aeryn would be free of her need for revenge, and while there would still be vampires in this area, it would be a huge burden taken off of Link. The rest of them would be easy pickings for him.

Suddenly she remember their bargain. Would Link still uphold his end? And more importantly... Did she still want him to? Aeryn wasn't so sure anymore. Quickly brushing away those thoughts, Aeryn moved to gather her things. "I'll go now, to secure a place as well as prepare my own things. Unless you need me for anything else tonight?" She asked, pausing to look back at him over her shoulder.

[Ashen]

Link checked over his home, noting the array of illegal objects now easily visible to anyone just standing at the door. It was amusing in a way, and he had to admit he liked the danger. His mind was full of ways he would devise this bomb, and too busy thinking of that, he could hardly notice Aeryn's reaction to his agreement in staying together. "I think that's everything..." he said, trying to think of anything else. "I'll keep in contact. Let me know how the living situation works out. I'll tie up some things here and we'll go from there, yeah?" He finally looked at her, his pale eyes glazing over her body. Did he hug her goodbye? Why did he suddenly feel compelled to do more? "Good night then," he said awkwardly. "I'll catch you soon." And just like that, Link was left to himself again.

He kept himself busy. Before returning to the bomb, Link plopped down on his bed, journal and pen in hand, and began updating. He was thorough, detailing the hideout they'd infiltrated and the things they had learned. He made several sketches of the hall and of Liam, then wrote enthusiastically about blowing his face off. He commented on his rage against him--why did he hate Liam so much? Was it because he got to flirt with Aeryn--no. He focused on his journal again and, when finally finished, he stashed the small book in a suitcase.

Link figured he'd pack now to save himself the effort later. Aeryn would probably find them a place swiftly, so Link threw some clothes and other essentials into his suitcase. He stashed the suitcase in the corner of his room, to remain untouched until he heard from Aeryn again. Then, with the sun rising beyond his window and the exhaustion dripping from his eyes, he got to work devising their strategies.

Link couldn't remember falling asleep, but when he woke up the poison was dangerously close to the edge of his desk. If it had fallen and shattered even onto the skin on his leg, he wondered if he would have woken up at all. Securing the poison and looking over his notes, Link showered and got dressed to buy the parts he needed. He checked for messages from Aeryn, then completed his quick errand. Once he got home, he went back to work, content with his new obsession.

[Midori-Hime]

There was a flicker of emotion behind Aeryn's cool emerald eyes, but it didn't touch the rest of her face as she simply nodded. "Good night, Link. Rest well. We'll see each other soon..." She said softly and then slipped out of the door silently. Leaving the building, she started down the street in a different direction, having a new task for the evening. Though as she walked her hands brushed along the beaded gown at her hips, remembering the way Link's eyes had wandered over her form. A soft sigh left her then and she hurried along to procure a new residence.

The next night would come... and go without any word from Aeryn. Then, just shortly after night fall the next day, Link's phone would ring.

"It's me. Everything is ready." Aeryn said, smiling a little to hear Link's voice again. "I secured us a place, secluded... with a perfect view." She hinted with a bit of a smirk. "If you're ready, I'll be there in an hour..." She said before hanging up.

And within the hour, there would a knock at his door. Aeryn was dressed in a dark grey blouse and jeans, looking surprisingly pedestrian. "Do you need help carrying your things to the car?" She asked as she stepped inside.

[Ashen]

Link hardly noticed the absence of Aeryn's presence as he devoted himself to his work. He spent hours working on his bomb, high school chemistry textbook and Google nearby. By the time Aeryn texted him, he'd made considerable progress. He'd managed to figure out how to get the bomb to explode in a beautiful array of light and poison. Surely that combination would take care of a clan of vampires quickly enough. He just didn't know how long the actual construction would work, and he didn't know their escape plan, and he didn't know if this would even work at all.

He'd also done other things in his days alone, too. Link kept on top of his journals, sometimes spending hours writing an entry on his hopes for this bomb. He found himself writing about Aeryn an awful lot, and whenever he noticed he would quickly get back on track. He even worked on some art, including a portrait of Aeryn, which he had managed to finish that morning. He wasn't satisfied with it, but he couldn't place his finger on why.

When Aeryn arrived, Link was ready. He wheeled his suitcase from his room to the door. "Um, yeah, you can help," he told her. "Get that one covered painting by the computer, would you? It's just something I want to work on a bit between the real work." He put his suitcase into the car, then came back to his home to retrieve his two swords and his bomb, secured tightly in a box with all of his notes. "I've been making great progress, and I think this has a nonzero chance of working." He smirked at her. "Otherwise... That's it." He watched Aeryn handle his painting, the painting of her. "Careful with that one," he said. "Now... I'm ready if you are. Where are we going?"