Dustin Hopkirk's Story

A workshop just south of the gun range had commotion going on inside, a man was working on what looked like a large weapon, a gun. There were sparks flying, metal pieces going everywhere, suddenly a loud explosion broke open a wall and there was gunfire all over the place, destroying a whole rack of guns nearby. It was a robbery from a bunch of thugs with guns, the man however whos name was Dustin calmly looked at them and the damage they did. "That....was $1,235,000 worth of equipment you just destroyed." He sighed at this and watched as the thugs shouted at him in some odd foreign language.

"Alright, I'm going to give you to the count of 10 to either pay me back for damages or you can get the hell out." He said this in the most unpleased tone possible. When the thugs naturally didn't agree he then began counting down, as he got to 3 long mechanical arms started to sprout out from his back, each armed with powerful gatling guns. The thugs then began to back away in fear as he took aim at them and then finished his counting. He opened fire at the thugs, splattering them against the wall and through it, staining the grass with their blood.

Well, that was interesting. Dominic thought to himself. The sound of gun fire echoed, but he appeared to be unphased by the event that unfolded before him. The thugs went down in an instantaneous motion and he was bemused for a split second. The emotion rose to the surface and disappeared as quickly from his mind. There was nothing subtle about the way this man handled his business and perhaps that was what caught Dominic's attention. He appreciated the more aggressive types, but what caught his attention more, were the mechanical arms that sprung from his back.

Interesting. I'll make a mental note not to piss this guy off. He arrived just in time to see the bloodshed and hear the demands of the shop owner. So, the rumors are true about his temperament. Dominic thought, then eyed the destruction over with his amber pupils. From the way Dominic moved, he ventured forward with a fluid motion. It was otherworldly and each gesture seemed to be calculated. He rose an index finger to his chin thoughtfully and assessed the melodramatic situation. Even though the men were in the wrong, he had a suspicion that others would come looking for them.

Dominic decided to make the man an offer.

"I can make the bodies disappear for you and clean this up under one condition...create something custom for me." He motioned toward the bodies. "I think their friends may come looking for them. I don't think you want any more trouble with your shop." Dominic paused with a thoughtful expression. "It would be bad for business." He said in a smooth tone. The vampire inhaled and took in the scent of blood with a greediness. He wouldn't just make the bodies disappear. They would give him vitality. Their blood would still be warm from the quick kill, that much he could count on.

"So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?" He waved his hand over the bodies and looked toward Dustin with a thin smile.

"Oh by all means go ahead, I always take requests." He spoke this in a tone that wouldn't suggest he murdered a group of men, as the mechanical arms came down he removed the Gatling guns from their spot and set them aside. His arms then receded back into his harness which was again attached to his spine.

"So what can I make for you?" He walked into his wreck of a workshop as he spoke, not once actually looking him in the eye.

Dominic thought about the question for a moment and his mind processed the most logical choice. He decided he would let the creative genius make something unique for him. There was a trust being built here and that was a rare moment for Dominic Crane. He moved with a slow deliberation, each footstep with a purposeful grace. The bodies would be handled on a timely manner and he could begin to feed off of them within the hour, but it would be done in private, of course. Immense damage had been done to the shop, which was a damn shame. From what he saw, priceless artifacts, weapons and the sort, were demolished by the thugs rampage.

From his own ulterior motive, he would see that it was taken care of with a permanent solution. Better security and guards should patrol the outskirts for future intruders.

With a swift motion, Dominic produced an envelope that was fat with money. "If I help pay for the damages, I would like to insist on becoming a partner with your establishment. I can increase security and insure that this does not happen again." Dominic said to Dustin, his cadence just as honeyed as before, but his eyes were still dark and soul-less. His gloved hand slid the envelope closer toward Dustin on the counter top, where shards of glass lay scattered on the surface.

"I want you to create something unique for me. Make me something that no other customer has. A one of a kind, if you will..." Dominic paused and his amber eyes appeared to have life, but only for a brief moment. "I trust your ability. I will have the bodies removed within the hour." Dominic would take the bodies to a secluded place, feed off the remains and then destroy any evidence that pertained to the event. There was no sense in wasting time, so he walked over to the three bodies and moved each one outside with an effortless act.

He returned to Dustin to see what his final response would be to the proposition.

"A tempting offer, but you're too vague. I need details." A slight German accent was noticeably in his voice, his mechanical arms now had hand attachments on them as he used them to inspect the envelope.

"You can't expect me to have all the answers, tell me what you want done and I will. As for our partnership, I don't see why not." He spoke in that carefree tone again, not helped by the obvious whirring of the arms coming out of his back.

Dominic smiled at the man, but the smile wasn't warm, nor was it welcoming. It was as if the man hadn't smiled in eons and Dustin managed to make it appear again. The smile was crooked, thin and without warmth. His eyes glinted in the available light, their dark amber colors danced with a mischief. It would be futile to argue with the man and he preferred to keep the conversation business-as-usual anyway.

"I want you to create some armor, but not just any armor. I want the armor to be near impenetrable. I also want some custom bows and throwing knives, or daggers." Dominic said in a friendlier tone, but his voice hadn't changed by much. "I will remove the bodies and have my men help clean up your shop." Dominic stated and waited for him to take the envelope and agree to the request of the armor and weapons.