Rasputin Vrestreni: Creature Comforts

The Czech Elder opened the door with a smile. The smile was quickly wiped off by what lay beyond. The blonde man from before, Dexter or something, was lying on the ground covered in blood. He was clearly dead. A man with black hair pulled back into a ponytail by a custard-coloured ribbon was crouched over the corpse, still jabbing a dagger in relentlessly. Standing beside them was that stupid redheaded guy, Garnet, and some black guy in a tracksuit. Ras slowly backed out, shutting the door as quietly as he could. He hurried down the halls, trying not to run. He didn't want them to know he had seen that. He stopped after a while, shaking a little. By now he thought he would be used to seeing dead people. As his breathing grew calmer, he could hear the sobs. They were coming from a short walk down the corridor. Ras wasn't exactly a good Samaritan, but he needed something to take his mind off the death. He knocked on the door and the person inside tried to stop crying.
"If you're Garnet, go die."
"I'm not Garnet...are you okay?"
"...No..."
"Can I come in?" There was no response. Shrugging, Ras opened the door and sat on the edge of B-J's bed. The was in foetal position, crying. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "Miss?"
"They killed him..." She sobbed out. "They k-killed Vex..."
"I know...I saw the body..." Shuddering slightly, he pulled her into a hug. He was a cuddly person. Cuddling was how he communicated. Rasputin could convey a lot of emotion through a hug. It made it far easier to comfort people, he thought as he shushed her gently. Soon she was quiet and nuzzling her head into his chest. He began to feel a little awkward, but she was still crying, still scared, still distraught. So he stayed there and cradled her. He couldn't remember the last time he had done this.

-----

Ursa and Mildred seemed unaware that they were being followed. The man behind him watched them, Mildred doing her make-up with the help of the side mirrors, Ursa chatting away animatedly while he drove. The man following them was Anonymous. That was his name. Indishan Anonymous, a Detective with the Australian Sanctuary. He watched them park in a clearing with a few other cars and get out, moving to a large building.

Anonymous cursed. He new the Midnight Hotel. He was familiar with it. As long as those two were in there, he had no way of touching them. He called the Sanctuary and stated his predicament, stating he was going to try and find out where or when they planned to leave. He walked after the two, already too late to stop them going in.

There was no-one standing at the front desk. Ursa went to take a seat and Firestone waited, leaning on the desk, staring at the closed door leading to the back room.
"Anton's sick." She looked down and saw a small child, English, staring up at her. "He's been vomiting all morning. He left the door open earlier and I heard him. Someone else said the food might have poisoned him. He's probably vomiting now."
"Food poisoning, huh?" She vaulted the desk and rapped her knuckles on the door. "Mr Shudder, are you okay in there?" She looked over her shoulder then looked back. "Only there's a line of us new here who are waiting to be signed in." There was no reply. She shrugged and went to join Ursa in the common room. Anonymous smiled, but didn't chance Shudder's momentary absence. He wasn't into taking risks until he knew he had at least one way out if it went wrong. A blonde girl let herself in to stand behind the desk and smiled.

Technically, Amandine Gilt's main job was janitorial work. She wasn't entirely trusted and usually only used as a last resort for that but she never left the hotel. Anton wasn't entirely sure why. Not that it mattered. Even with the low level of trust he had for her, she was still the most trusted person to take over when Shudder couldn't do anything. At the moment he didn't know she was standing there. She checked the recent bookings and found Anonymous a free room.


-----

Jack spun on his heel, well aware someone was behind him. His vision was distorted by creeping visions. Were the nasties back? The girl had said she would make the nasties go away. Personally Jack hated calling them the nasties, but that was what they said they were called. With no capital 'n'. Someone stepped out of the writhing shadows. A man. Blonde. Needed a haircut and a shave. Maybe a tan as well. He certainly was very pale. "Springheeled Jack?" The man asked, his accent very English. Jack nodded stiffly.
"You're being used."
Jack took a step towards the man. The fool didn't step back. "And you are?"
"My name's Austin. I can help you. You were hired by a friend of mine, she gave you something that affected your mind, and I know people who can reverse the affects, people who specialise in this sort of thing. Arachne can't do so."
Jack caught him at the throat. Austin gave a strangled cry. "She warned me one of you would come...she warned me...you control the nasties..."
"No...we only want...to help..."
"Don't believe you."

-----

"I need to make a call." B-J explained as she pushed Ras away. He turned to examine a jade bracelet on the bedside table as the girl took out her phone and dialled a number. "Ez?"
"B-J. Need something?"
"My friend just killed your friend."
"...by friend you mean?"
"Sorry, not friend, killing partner?"
"...Close enough. Would that be Vex?"
"Yes."
"Your ginger bloke just killed Vex?"
"Yes, exactly...I tried to stop them, but there were actually three of them..."
"Can I punch the ginger in the face?"
"Might have him howling for your blood, so I'd be careful...they didn't stop at just killing him..."
There was silence but for Esra's breath crackling down the line. "Okay. Thank you for letting me know." He rung off and she dialled another number.
"Hello?"

The number was unrecognised. If it was a spam call, Ravel would have to kill someone. He had just left a meeting to answer this call, and he wanted a conversation. Seriously, that meeting was killing him. "Erskine?" Asked the person on the other end of the call.
"Who may I ask is calling?"
"It...it's a friend..."
"You sound like someone...only she's kind of dead."
"Oh...well, there's something you ought to know. Well, a few things...but this first one has to be kept a secret, but I can't bear to not let you know anymore! because I'm not dead!"
There was silence. "...B-J..."
"I'm not dead...but Dexter Vex is..."
"...What?"
"This little trio of killers who had a thing against him kind of killed him...then stole his larynx as a souvenir...and disembowelled him...yeah, they were nasty..."
"...T.I.M...right...so he's dead..."
"Yeah..."
"...He was my best man as well as my friend..."
"What?"
"Huh?"
"Best man?"
"For my wedding."
B-J froze, but she didn't respond. She hung up and put the phone on the bedside table with a sigh. "I knew I had no chance with him." She told Rasputin, sitting down heavily beside him. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Ravel, on the other hand, repeated her name down the severed line a few times before jamming the phone into a pocket and walking into the meeting room.
"Anything important?" Asked the visiting Mage, bristling at the interruption caused by the call.
Ravel clasped his hands together, smiling cheerfully. "I've just been informed that an old friend of mine has been violently murdered."
"Oh."
Ghastly shifted in his seat, suddenly uncomfortable. His chest was aching again as well. He wasn't sure how well Sunshine had done healing him at all. "Which friend."
Ravel let the smile drop and collapsed into a chair. "Dexter."
The bristly Mage looked a little awkward. "Right...well...on with things..."

((Ending message: B-J should go to bed.))