AU: Pigs, Sheep and Wolves (Josh)

[Dr. Sean Neville]

The truck was nothing remarkable.

Sean kept it for four reasons. First, it was non-descript and had served him well. Second, it was old and of no interest for theft or hijacking. Third, it was sturdy and could withstand a collision. Fourth, but not least, it was made of iron, which proved invaluable during stakeouts and road trips.

Tonight was a stakeout.

Sean didn’t mind stakeouts. They were an important part of his duties as a Hunter, and he was long-used to his eclectic sleeping schedule. As a Hunter, Sean slept when and where he could. Perhaps he was too old to pull all-nighters like a college student, but this was for the dual purposes of intelligence gathering and stalking. That made it worth the lack of sleep, even if he needed to increase his caffeine intake to guarantee the success.

Sean typically conducted stakeouts alone, because he typically hunted alone. He had his own methods and style, and often working in groups or with partners proved disastrous. Such conditions provided variables beyond his control, and, on more than one occasion, working with others resulted in those others getting kidnapped or facing loss of life or limb. Then, rather than receive assistance, Sean found himself engaged in an additional rescue operation.

Tonight, the Hunter had company.

The other passenger in the truck was not another Hunter. He also had no interest in hearing about Sean’s exploits in killing vampires, although the Hunter was the crème de la crème when it came to that supernatural specialty.

Tonight, they were on the lookout for doppelgangers.

There had been a rash of reports lately, and Sean had concerns that, unless he stymied the occurrences, would lead to a snowball effect. He couldn’t allow that to happen.

But, so far tonight, there had been little that could constitute a clue.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Joshua was not impressed with the truck, and had said as much on past occasions.

"I could buy you something superior to this," he would say, wrinkling his nose at the battered vehicle. But Sean, less taken with ostentatious displays of wealth, never took him up on this offer. The vampire Lord wished he would;the whole vehicle smelled strongly of magic and iron. Neither were harmful to him, but they were odors he associated with the sorts of people who wanted him dead.

Again.

Despite his discomfort with the smells he sat perfectly still, neither shifting nor blinking. There was no rise and fall of his chest; just a statue still figure staring into the night with eyes that reflected the moonlight.

He could sit like that all night if necessary, although once the sun began to rise new would need to flee back to his manor. However, he didn't want to sit here all night.

That wasn't fun.

"I thought you said there has been an incident near here," he complained in a whisper. He had really wanted to kill something, and instead he was stuck in this truck while they waited for...

Something.

"We could at least make out a little while we wait,"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Joshua had the uncanny ability to make Sean regret inviting him anywhere, particularly when involved in his work.

The Hunter was long used to the vampire’s criticisms about the vehicle and about the nature of his work. As exciting as some of his fights, as exhilarating as the adrenaline rush could be, much of his work involved investigation, and investigation involved longs waits and periods of observation. It wasn’t all running through back alleys with his crossbow.

Sean was also long used to the fact that, despite having lived for several centuries, Joshua could be remarkably impatient. It was a frustrating quality, particularly when combined with his ego and his inability to react properly to any given situation.

“We aren’t going to make out.”

That directive came with a frown on the Hunter’s lips, but at least he managed to suppress his sigh. Sighing would only encourage the vampire to pout, and Sean didn’t need that right now.

“And there had been an incident near here; that’s why I parked here.” If there hadn’t been a nearby incident, the Hunter would have chosen a different location. This was his closest lead, and they had to stick with it, either to see it to fruition or to cross it off the list for the next step.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh folded his arms across his chest slowly. "I thought that was what mortals did in trucks, the kissing and making out, not watching their surroundings so to be easy targets."

In reality, he had never attacked a couple making out in a parked vehicle. Although he had a less than ethical view about who to prey on and his track record with consent was abysmal, he did have some tiny moral compass remaining. This moral compass said that people clearly involved in an intimate encounter not involving himself were off limits for food.

However, he was trying to improve. He dragged his feet about it. He sulked and whined. He didn't understand what Sean thought was so important about consent.

Or maybe he did.

After all, he would never feed from Sean because the hunter said no.

But whether he understood or not he did want to make Sean happy. So he tried.

Most of the time.

Even if it wasn't fun.

This line of thought was ended when a movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He said nothing, but slammed the car door open. It made a highly satisfying thus as it connected with a body, and the vampire quickly exited to survey his victim.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“Do you think I make out in trucks?” Sean asked, although the question was largely rhetorical.

Joshua had spent enough time with the Hunter that he should know that the answer to that question was a resounding no. Sean didn’t do many things that other humans did, or had the luxury of doing. Any degree of intimacy in a semi-public sphere, like a truck, topped the list of reckless behavior. Even if they weren’t in the middle of a stakeout, the hunter wouldn’t allow himself the lapse.

A home was better guarded.

However, he did know that in some part of Joshua, the Vampire Lord had some lines of morality. Although Joshua pretended otherwise, Sean knew, because he knew that the vampire drew lines that he couldn’t defend from a purely pragmatic standpoint.

The discussion about morality would have to wait. With the door slammed open, Sean grabbed his crossbow and quickly climbed out of the truck. Poised to shoot if necessary, he walked around the vehicle, meeting his lover on the other side in order to see what, precisely, Joshua had managed to knock into submission.

The hunter recognized the body on sight.

“Renee Hendricks,” he remarked. She was quite unconscious. She was also a siren, on his watch-list.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh tilted his chin back in order to look down at his conquest through his nose. She was very pretty, but that was a trait all sirens shared. He was secretly relieved that she was unconscious; an awake siren would have been dangerous. Even he didn't have the ability to listen to a siren's voice unscathed.

"I suppose you will object if I feed from her," He remarked to the Hunter. Although it would certainly prevent her from being a problem he knew that his lover had some very particular ideas about ethics and morals. Eating people who hadn't so far done anything was usually considered a bad thing. "Which begs the question of what to do with her. Are the sirens involved in this doppleganger matter, liebling? Luring people to be eaten and then allowing fiends to use the discarded husk? What a clever idea, if I ever want to take over the City I need to keep that in mind."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“Yes, I will.” Sean expected Joshua to keep to their agreement regarding feeding by consent. It was bad enough that the vampire would try to get around it when Sean wasn’t present. The hunter would not further blur the lines by giving permission to his lover to feed from an unconscious person. Even if that person was a siren in a shady area in the middle of a night during a stakeout. “If you get hungry before the night is over, we can go by a club.”

There were clubs that existed solely to connect vampires with fetishists. Sean experienced no jealousy when Joshua frequented such establishments.

That did nothing about the immediate question of what to do with her. As she hadn’t done anything wrong, and Sean didn’t kill every supernatural creature on sight when he had objective knowledge that they weren’t current threats (that was how he kept alliances with some of the gentler amongst the supernatural world), he needed to think. Her voice and powers made her a danger to his current objective, which meant that she needed to remain unconscious or gagged.

“We need to dump her,” the hunter murmured, as he allowed his crossbow to fall along the strap across his back. “To my knowledge, they aren’t involved, which makes her presence unfortunate.” So they needed to move her somewhere that she wouldn’t wake and affect them with her powers.

“And if you tried to take over the City, you’d find yourself chained to a radiator until that impulse passed.”

[Joshua Bernstein]

"I can dump her for you." Josh offered, his expression serious but his tone light. Given that he had just suggested feeding from her, he doubted that his lover would allow him alone with the Siren for a moment. Sometimes he thought that Sean didn't trust him.

"I could take her back to the mansion." This was a more genuine offer. If he told his coven not to touch her nobody would, not unless they wanted to be diablarized.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean didn’t want to leave her alone with Joshua, but he also didn’t want to dump her in an alley somewhere, alone and unconscious. She was a siren, but she had yet to do anything wrong, and so she had every right to live her life. Since she had every right to live her life, the hunter could not – in good conscience – dump a woman unconscious in an alley. Inevitably, someone would hurt her or take advantage, and that was morally wrong.

The mansion was not a great suggestion, but it was better than dumping her in an alley. Sean couldn’t take her back to his home, as that was a security risk.

There was a church a few blocks away. Joshua wouldn’t be able to go in there, but it was sanctuary. The hunter believed that Renee would be safest there until she regained consciousness. Moreover, she would be out of his hair and would not be a risk to him with her powers.

It would have to do.

“Watch the truck.” With that, Sean leaned down and lifted her effortlessly over his shoulder into a fireman’s carry. “I’m going to dump her at St. Vincent’s, and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh made a noise of protest at Sean's proclamation. It wasn't that the church was a bad idea for shelter, but the rejection of his coven stung. He was more trustworthy than his lover was insinuating by choosing somewhere else.

However, he made no move to stop the hunter. Instead he leaned against the truck, arms folded and eyes glittering in the dark.

It was a lonely vigil, but one broken soon enough by rustling and the faint outline of a body. The vampire smoothly pushed himself away from the truck, landing on the offending party with a snarl

"Don't move."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean made his way swiftly and carefully to St. Vincent’s. Fortunately, he didn’t feel Renee stir in his arms, which meant that he could drop her and leave without having to worry about the siren rousing and utilizing her powers again him. At least the weather was clear, tonight. That made the weight of this errand more tolerable.

One inside the Church, Sean crept to the Confessional, dropping Renee’s unconscious form in the parishioners’ side and then closing the door for privacy. She would be undisturbed there.

Since he didn’t see the Parish Priest, the hunter chose not to wait around. Surely, they could put two and two together and come up with some semblance of explanation. Even though “sirens” and “vampires” and “truck doors” would likely not come to mind insofar as specifics were concerned.

With that, he crossed through the pews quickly and exited the Church. Back to his stakeout.

Back near the truck, the man walking by was quite displeased to find himself thrown to the ground. The body above him was heavy and prevented the freedom of mobility that he desired. “Get off!” He growled, trying to push himself up in order to dislodge whoever was on top of him.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh was sure that Sean would be pleased with him for immobilizing whomever he had attacked. He really hoped that this one was one of the doppelgängers, and not some random lycanthrope or something in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"I am afraid I cannot comply." The vampire apologized insincerely. "State your name and business and then we can discuss your freedom."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“Abraham Beame,” came the terse reply. “And you should know my business. Now get off me before I summon the police.” Again, the man tried to throw Joshua from his body, to no avail. Abraham was too small, and Joshua was too strong, too heavy, for him to easily displace.

Sean walked with a brisk pace back to the truck. He didn’t run, as he didn’t want to invoke suspicion or cause anyone to pay particular attention to him. He benefitted from the fact that, if he concealed the crossbow, people found him a relatively unremarkable specimen. Albeit a tall, solid one.

As he reached the truck, he saw neither hide nor hair of Joshua. He quickened his pace, a frown forming on his lips. As he circled around the truck, he saw the vampire on the ground – technically on top of someone. That would explain why Sean had been unable to see his lover on his way over. Joshua looked uninjured, although he typically did, even after exerting himself. Still, it didn’t seem that his lover was in any immediate danger; in fact, he had the upper-hand.

Approaching, he came to crouch beside the vampire, so that he could get a better look at his captive. “Who do we have here?”

[Joshua Bernstein]

"How do I know that you are really who you say you are?" Josh demanded, refusing to budge. Abraham Beame indeed! Now that would be an excellent person for the dopplegangers to choose! Which made it all the less likely the vampire would relinquish his grip on the man unless Sean gave the word.

Speaking of Sean, the hunter returned just when the vampire was beginning to wonder how long he would have to sit on his victim. He could hear the pumping of blood through living veins, and they cried out to be drunk from. He knew that Sean wouldn't approve, but oh the temptation...

"He claims to be the mayor," The vampire's tone suggested that he didn't believe this. "Would you like to have him?"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“Who else would I be?” Abraham sputtered, insulted by both the question and the insinuation. “Who are you to question me? I will give you one last opportunity to let me go, before this gets messy.”

“Does he now?” Sean pulled a flashlight off his tool belt and flicked it on. The light flickered for a brief moment, before stabilizing its beam. The hunter lifted it, taking a moment to inspect the man’s features. “Where is your entourage?” He expected no satisfying answer to the question; it was asked to check reaction, nothing more.

“It’s the dead of night! Why would I have anyone with me?”

“I’m aware of the time.” Sean flicked off the light, quickly dropping it into its proper place on his belt. The hunter then turned to his lover. “Restrain him and throw him in the back of the truck.”

That instruction was met with resistance from the man who claimed to be Abraham Beame. Sean paid no mind to his protestations, as they had a far bigger mystery on their hands. Besides, he had never been one to kowtow to authority for the sheer purpose of authority; that was more in line with vampire and werewolf hierarchies and faerie courts.