MURDER ON THE HIGHWAY

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

Hmm. Right. People without heads couldn't cry, because they were dead. God damnit, more of these tricky answers and questions. Hadn't he given him the hatchet back with the understanding there would be no more of these?! Shouldn't reply lest he screw up again and say more than he meant to.

Still estatic to be in the city, letting Gabri catch up to him as he marvelled in the lights and glow. Outside of the parking garage they had been in it was like an entirely different world. Those clothes, the sounds, the giant screens everywhere, so, many, distractions. Jaw hung slightly slack, eyes wide as he marvelled at everything around him. Oh god, oh god, where to start, where to start?! Taxi was a kid in a candy store, shifting from foot to foot before he reached to snatch Gabri by the elbow and tug him along. "Mirage, mirage, ja, ja, I know where that it, just, around, this corner-"

He was having trouble speaking because every second there was something new he had to look at. Some splendid advertisment on a television coming on, somebodies cellphone, people moving all around him like a fish moving upstream.

The blonde was experiencing sensory overload as he barely managed to make his way to the mirage, very careful not to lose Gabri. Cars zoomed past with glowing blue lights under them and throbbing sounds, hookers in huge shiny boots, people with the most fabulous hair he had ever seen.. It was the smell of money, sex, and blood. That's what this city was.

[Rip]

While he wasn't entirely sure he could trust Taxi's navigational skills, Gabri himself was rather busy taming his senses. Unfortinatly, he didn't see things quite as lovely as his companion- rather unfortinate indeed. He had no choice but to just follow heel and toe, getting whipped around corners and through people.

About him were dancing monsters. By the sidewalk wiggled a 30 foot long worm, trashing under the hot street lights as giant centipeade sprung like an alien tiger and tore green guts to peices. Mm. No body likes me, everybody hates me, so I'm gonna go eat some worms... first you chop the heads off, then you suck the guts out, then you throw the skins ah-way...

Bird monsters fluttered in the sky, lead by a pirade of crows who shat white rain that impaled shadowy beasties clinging to the legs of the sinners. Shark fins jetted from the gutters, circling about the streets. Angels weeped from the buildings, their white wings molting and the feathers falling grey- sobbing for the pitiful state below.

And of course, perched on the shoulders of the people, were the black birds.

Into The Mirage they went, the enormous buildings and lights flashing and people moving about like ants. He could smell the coins from the casino and the distinctive oder of a new deck of cards. His inner gambler was screaming to be let out, but with so much work to be done...

"I might have enough money to pay for a room." He said more to himself then Taxi. "If not then I'll improvise, unless you have a better way to make a dollar."

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

Taxi was nearly salivating as they entered the building. Men in suits were everywhere, little tramps in short skirts carrying drinks, money, money, money. The sound of machines and the jingling of coins, the happy little noise they made when their lever was pulled. Cards everywhere, tokens, chips, people cheering in joy as they were rewarded for their hard efforts. So many happy screams.

Gods. The blonde was practically drunk off of this aura, dollar signs floating behind his irises. He could taste it, smell it, and god damn did he want to feel it. Hands were twitchy by his sides, fingertips feeling numb. So long without a ridiculous amount of luxury, he had tried to pretend he didn't miss it. Restrain his greed. It just hadn't been possible, and now here, confronted with it, he began to whimper. He needed this. He needed to feel cold hard cash clutched in his hands. Taxi had never been good with games of luck, but, he had always been good with people. Or rather, horrible with people. So. Utterly. Horrible.

A hard gulp. Legs felt a bit weak. Mind was a bit woozy. Too much stimulation. There was almost a look of fear on his face, the blonde was going to do something he regretted. He had once been excited, enthralled, but now it was too much, this was making him miss his lifestyle and feel guilty for it at the same time. The man who only appeared younger stepped closer to Gabri and grabbed him by the arm, burying his face in the others shoulder. Scared, timid, nervous, but unable to express it in any way other than clinging onto the reaper for comfort and to hide what could possibly be shame.

[Rip]

When met with silence from the other man, Gabri just sighed inwardly and slid a hand into his pocket. He was careful and concious of the hatchet's position now (not wanting to mess up again), and avoided it with ease. Picking out his wallet and checked how much straight up cash he had and it wasn't much. Maybe enough for dinner but not for a room at the most well known hotel/casino in Vegas. The bank, though. Maybe he had enough in his account to cover this- oh right, Taxi. Almost cursing his own nature, he assumed the hitchhiking 19 year old would want a place to stay too and now had him calculated into the equasion. Well shit, this was going to coast a lot. Maybe not for just one night but...

A little mouse climbed up his shoulder, carring a checklist in it's teeth. When it settled by his ear it picked up a small pencil and dotted vigrously, chattering 'take off your hat' in an annoying, old woman voice. Gabri started, realising he did indeed still have his at on, and with a small nod to the rodent it ran down his coat and across the rug. When Gabri turned away it was eaten by a cat with four ears.

He just finished removing his hat when he felt something odd and unexpected. Looking down, half expecting a little monster (well, that wasn't far off) or a demon was Taxi. Confused and slightly alarmed, he stopped walking, not sure what to do. Push him off? Confort the guy? Both seemed wrong and inapproperate, especially since Taxi had kissed him last time. But still. Guilt attacked his belly, and dispite blushing a little, he just frowned and plopped his hat on the german's head before pulling him over towards the desk. The woman was very boney and her head was nothing but a skull with blonde hair- it had not occured to Gabri why she could talk without a tongue. He ended up lucking out and having enough money, but just enough. Thank God- Jesus was certainly looking out for him that night.

"Goot a room, hinny. Go unlock it, yeh? I fergot something."

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

Taxi hadn't expected that. Well, he hadn't really known what to expect, he wasn't the sort of being that really planned anything out or made any expectations. Living (Or dying?) in the moment. He was pleasantly surprised by what he considered to be an affectionate motion, letting himself be pulled along and tugging the hat down over his head in a marginal effort to hide his face. It made him feel better to have something to cover him, something to shield his eyes from all of this debauchery around him. For different reasons then Gabri, because it wasn't that he disliked it, loathed this sin, no, it was just the opposite. He loved it. He loved it far too much for his own good and he knew it.

Thin pale hand clutched around the keys and with a spark of life (Death?) he scurried down the hallway to the elevator. No questions, not even any of his lovely little words, he just set himself upon the task given. Up the floors, out the sliding doors, glance down at the room number on the keys and drifting along till he found the room.

Metal sunk into its corresponding hole, sinking its teeth into it's soulmate and coiling in copulation before being pulled out forcefully and torn away from its lover. Taxi then pocketed the keys, only half closing the door behind himself before entering the room. He pulled the singular chair out infront of the rooms window so he could look out at the city he lusted after.

SIGH. Atleast he had interesting company. Just what had he forgotten, anyways? Damnit. The blonde recalled that he had himself had let something slip from his mind, he had forgotten to eat. A pang of hunger in his stomach which he repressed for now, scowling at the night sky.

[Rip]

Gabrjel walked a bit away until Taxi took off, which he made sure to note, before playing the slot machine quickly just to kill some time. The machines weren't his strong point and it promply ate his quarter and gave nothing back at all. Once that was done and he was certain the hyper blonde had gone where Gabri asked, he went back for a bit of a walk down the halls of the hotel portion. It took him a while, though the plague carrying black rats kept him intertained as he walked- it was always in these big fancy places you never expected to find them, so you never looked and thats why they were always there. Finally, he happened upon what he wanted.

A man, not quite handsome but not entirely horrorendus to look at, was standing atop a ladder grudgingly fixing a flicking bulb. This light had given a very rich guest a headache, and therefore was top priority to fix. The task was a simple one though, and he was finished quickly. Gabri was waiting at the base. They conversered lightly and the matinence man rolled his eyes once the polish boy's back was turned, following him. They made no pitstops and were seen by no one who would remember.

Gabri noticed the door just ajar and pushed through it, holding it for the man to enter before closing it behind him. "Taxi, Mr. Clay is here to fix the shower head. I told him how it was leaking."

Under the table was a little black blob in the shape of a child, giggling madly and covering it's eyes with it's clawed hands.

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

It may not have been apparently by his looks, but Taxi was a born and natural predator. It was, as you might say, in his blood. And as soon as the hunt began, he was no longer Taxi Teufel Ungeheuer. He was a vampire, born to kill, and that was what he was going to do. Although he fully intended to honour the Poles wishes, which seemed to be wanting to bash his face in with that hatchet of his. Head turned towards the door, peering at Gabri from under the mans own hat, dull eyes taking on a sort of feral vibrance to them.

The expression only lasted on his face for a second. A hyena who had just heard the sound of a packmate, standing at attention, dead eyes moving sharply from one to the other and ears hidden by yellow mane listening to the call of the wild. It was gone like that, and a straight mouth turned into a pleasant little smile and moved to stand.

"Oh? I'm glad, it's been a pain in the ass." Body traveled the room, although he knew every single step he was making. The tone of his voice was relief, welcoming the other in as he motioned him towards the bathroom. Nothing to fear, he was just a teenager with a friend. No. He certaintly wasn't considering what blood type poor Mr. Clay was. "Just in here, thanks for coming, i'm sure this won't take long..."

[Rip]

While Taxi lead the grudgy Mr. Clay into the bathroom, Gabri snuck a 'do not disturb' sign on the doornob and turned the lock. He slid his hand under his coat, just to make sure the tool that had basicly become an extra limb was still there; it was. In satisfaction he followed, entering the enormous room, and he ignored the huge bath, the hot tub- all the rest. It didn't concern him. His eyes and focus were on the back of Mr. Clay, who was fiddling with the shower head as if he couldn't discover the problem.

"When does it leak?" He asked in a gruff voice, straining as he played with the settings.

"When it's not suppose too." The polish boy, who was now right behind him, replied in such a snappy, uncharacteristicly sarcastic tone that the man wheeled on him in an instant, face beat red in rage, and when his mouth opened to yell the metal handel of a tiny axe broke his bottom jaw. Three teeth dislodged and struck the wall with a 'ping ping' each, blood splattering the curtains and running down the plastic like sticky water. The man was shocked into silence but in Gabjel's mind eye he heard a horrorific caterwauling. SHUT HIM UP SHUT UP HIM screeched the crows lining the tub. SHUT HIM UP OR THEY'LL SHOOT YOU The axe handle struck three times more, a bashing, sick and disgusting crack of bone and sliding teeth across the floor.

When the boy was finished he backed off, his face caked with rusty red, leaving the man quite alive, with blood pooling out of the destroyed mouth and dangling eye. He did not leave though, and settled himself on the toilet, intending to watch Taxi as he took off his coat and worked on his shirt, using it to whip his eyes and- still intact- nose clean.

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

The blonde tapped his foot impatiently while the guy fiddled with the shower. He wasn't left waiting longer, thank god, so much for nice Gabri, that was downright MEAN. And Taxi loved it. The crisp scent of copper filled the air and he was losing any composure he had, watching excitedly as the little drops of blood flew through the air. He never did things like this, it was such a waste of that precious red nectar, but this did look like fun. The thick odour in the air was rapturous and he couldn't wait till he was allowed to go for that wonderful fresh fluid. And after what seemed like forever he saw Gabri back off.

The German wasted no time. He was aching with hunger, in such a blood-lust it nearly hurt. He went about this with delicacy, moving the injured man to the floor so that Taxi could straddle his torso and coo comforting little things into his ear. "Sshh, shh, it'll be fine, hnn, just let me-" Tongue dragged from the gaping wound of his jaw back up to that ear, sending the dying man into a spasm of pain. Hands moved around Mr. Clays neck almost sensually, feeling the flesh there, massaging it. "Ah, sshh, precious, miene liebe, i'll make it better~" A purr of his voice as he only took one last inhale of that heavy air and a nip of an anniahlated lip before tearing down into his neck.

Taxi's back arched upwards, delicate looking hands smoothing over the mans hair and letting the other rest on the side of his neck. They had done their job and found his jugular which his sharpened teeth were tearing into primitavely. Gluttural noises, tearing at flush, sucking at the vein, gnashing of teeth as he slurped up what he could and tried to let none of it escape. Eyes were closed as he enjoyed himself, letting the quickeningly thickening substance pour down his throat. Pale skin was looking a bit warmer as he was filled, a rosy quality added to his features as he burried his face in the dying mans throat. Soon the blood slowed down and he could feel the heart stop. The last spasms of life and Taxi was pulling away, lapping at the wound he created while their victims body froze up and tensed up before he gave his last beat.

"Hnnn." A pleased noise, dragging fingers along the poor repairmans face and dipping them into the gaping hole created by the hatchet before drawing them up to his mouth to suck on the digit and then repeating the process. He had sat up while still remaining ontop of the dead man, only now thinking of look beside himself at his companion. Taxi's eyes were half lidded and he had a sort of drunken smile on his face, cheeks and face slightly red.

[Rip]

For the first time all day (night), Gabri was not having any delusions. The crows were gone, the monsters were gone, the odd, unexplanible noises and sensations were gone. All that remained was the unfortinate Mr. Clay, Taxi and himself. All the appliences, the lighting, the floor- everything was completely as it was. He was seeing the world the same way everyone else was seeing it- out of his head and away from the fantasy. The funny thing was he couldn't tell the difference.

The Pole watched the disturbing sight with interest- as a young doctor might observe their first surgery. He felt nothing but curiosity, amazed and bewildered; sorrow was lost and so was compassion. The dead man was no longer a man. It was his time to die, as that large, fat crow on his head had dictated. Hardly any of them remain human when it's time for them to die. And now, drained of blood completely, he looked more like a manican then a person. A plastic, hollow shell- essentally all that Gabri and Taxi had left.

"Cruel." the boy repeated, just like he had noted back in the car, and he kept the same tone as then: matter of fact, emotionless, an observation. "I made more of a mess then you, hinny." Whiping his face with his shirt, he stood up and stuck his head under the sink for a moment, washing out some red from the curls. Black hair looked so funny when bloody- just sticky, like he overkilled on gel. "Feel better?"

It was indeed occuring to him that they were not on the first floor and getting this body out was going to be difficult- of course, he could always leave the maid a present in the dirty laundrey basket.

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

Normally after rising up off of this corpse he would take to cleaning up the area around them with his tongue. Steal the blood from the curtains and all the spatters in the area, probably even insist on taking what was in Gabri's hair. But Taxi was already quite pleased with his accomplishment, staggering a bit as he attempted to leave the bathroom but ended up leaning against the doorway to support himself. The Germans head was in a complete fog, dazed by the sudden surge of blood. Right now was when him and Quinn usually had crazy pseudo-drunken sex, but this was an unfortunate impossibility.

"More of a mess?" He purred the words out, hiccuping once. It was true, Taxi was utterly spotless, completely void of any evidence of the gruesome act he had just commited. "Are you.. bragging?" A stupid snicker, biting the tip of his tongue as he reached forward to return the hat to Gabri's wet head. "Muuuchhh better."

The blonde managed to stumble into the main room before he fell into the chair and held his face in his hands, feeling better, but, disoriented. This drunken sensation would fade quickly, but for now, he was a bit fucked up. And in this state he was prone to say things he probably shouldn't.

"Ohh, Gabri, I have to tell you soommetthinngg, something immpoortaannttt-" He looked up, hoping to land his vision on the Pole. "If I fall asleep, you have to promise, PROMISE, no, SWEAR, to not let the sun touchme. Or else, or else, i'll, pooft!" Hands swept upwards in to express just how he would 'pooft'. "So noo opening the curtains. Please."

[Rip]

Gabri folded his shirt and coat, placing them on the top of the toilet to avoid ruining them with blood. This was going to me a curious business, he realized as he took a quick glance at the dead man- most of the blood was spattered, and the small pool under the jaw. Taxi, had indeed, drained the rest of it. How interesting and... useful. If only the Polish boy could use them as food- become cannible... but the idea suddenly terrified him and he was quite glad to leave that to people like Taxi.

"I can do that. No curtains, ok hinny." he replied as his hat was placed back on his head. No sunlight, that wasn't so strange was it? Afterall, bats didn't like sunlight and it often dried out the worms... worms ate blood sometimes, some worms, didn't they? At least the worms in his head ate blood. Something evaporating or turning to dust because of the sun shouldn't be weird, so he dismissed the thought. For the first time all day the word 'vampire' flashed across his minds eye, but he waved it away like smoke in an instant. How silly. Vampires didn't exist.

In the corner of the room, he watched two black plague rats dancing until the female ate the male, and the male's skeleton ate the female.

Nope, vampire's diffinatly didn't exist.

"No curtains. I wish you could eat all of him." The boy sighed, taking off his hat (placing it atop his coat) and went to work. He supposed he'd have to find some place to dumb the body. He didn't prefer the sewers- infact he hated it, but he was certain he could find something...

While he worked, he sang quite softly, "There's an axe in your neck and the blood is dripping down, there's an axe in your beck and the blood is dripping down: consentration, consentration. Poor Mr. Clay, I'm awful sorry." There was a nasty flop as he dragged the body into the tub. and started cleaning the floor. "... then you suck the guts out, then you throw the skins ah-way. I think I might have to chop you up Mr. Clay- well, this is a problem."

Not sure what to do with the man, he just continued to clean, deciding to bother Taxi into helping him figure out an idea once he wasn't so tipsy. Afterall, if the german was as godly as he was suspecting, it shouldn't be a problem.

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

And tipsy Taxi was. Very tipsy. Not just tipsy, but, drunk off of his ass, the blood had gone straight to his head and was fucking with his senses. In all the right ways. Absolute euphoria had taken him over, sitting back in the chair and letting his head roll back. Blood truely was his reason for living when it all boiled down to one point. It was the reason for any vampires existance. To leech the essence of life out of another creature, and it felt so fucking good to ensure that no matter how unnecessary and horrible it seemed they would continue to do so. To crave it, to need it, to lust for it, even if they could exist without its presence.

Nirvana was pooling in his body, reaching out to his fingertips, to his toes. Other areas, too, but Taxi was skillfully ignoring those. Lucky for Gabri the blonde was taken and trying his best to be loyal or the Pole would have been jumped and ravished.

Some tune hit his ears. Atleast there would be no hangover effects, thank god poor Mr. Clay hadn't been drinking. Or else Taxi would have ACTUALLY been drunk as opposed to this blood-induced state of bliss. His body moved slowly, languidly, lazily. It's master was pleased with it so there was no rush or strain to his muscles, sauntering across the room to rejoin Gabri in the bathroom. Whatever red had been there was gone now, what a pity.

A hand rubbed at his eye and then he stood and arched his back to crack it, observing the scene before him. His polish friend was singing while contemplating how to dispose of a corpse. It really was too bad Taxi couldn't just gobble the body up. Well, not too bad, as that would have been disgusting. "You talk pretty." The german said idly as he considered their dilema, leaning against the doorway and examining one of his hands carefully. "I like that, you oughta try singing. Next evening i'll call in a favour and have this removed. It's vegas, afterall."

After speaking words which almost, just almost, seemed to belong to someone much older and far wiser than the wierd little blonde said wierd little blonde glanced down to inspect his nails more carefully. In his pseudo-drunken state he had said he'd have the corpse removed as though it was perfectly normal for him to have these abilities. Yeah, there oughta be someone he can call, he's done enough shit in this city to have people owing him left and right. That, and loyalty to who he is. Or atleast who he was.

A giggle left his lips, biting down on an unbreakable nail. "Y'know, people usually wig when they meet me and realize i'm not normal, I like you, you don't get all," And at this point he made another extravagant gesture to accompany his words, "Aaahhh, LETS BURN HIM! GET THE PITCHFORKS!" during this he ran from the bathroom to throw himself on the bed, "Or ask stupid questions, like the whole cross thing, or garlic, or coffins. No, nice Gabri just does nice Gabri things." one hand clutched a pillow and drug it to himself to hug it, sighing as he cuddled it. Taxi was just 'sane' enough to function properly, but just heated enough to ramble on.

[Rip]

"It would be nice if the beasties could eat him for me, but they never do what I ask." He mummbled under an airy breath, cleaning out the sink. His clothes were all bloody still and this was slightly upsetting; afterall, it was a nice coat. At least it hadn't torn though, he did hate sewing very much.

When Taxi reappeared in the door way, Gabri crocked his head a little, replacing his hat on his head. A bit of blush formed on his cheeks but nothing from the glowing red he had been before- he was never good with being complimented. While he did enjoy it, just like any other person on the planet, he didn't know how to respond. A small, "Thank you", would have to do for now. As for the rest of what Taxi said, who was suddenly not a bloodsucking bouncing ball, Gabri thought it was both interesting and concerning. A person with alot of connections was useful but dangerous, and unlike the vampire, Gabrjel could die in many other ways then 'poof'. "Well that's convient hin-"

All of a sudden, the bouncy ball returned. A grin slid onto the boy's face, though it faded quickly soon as his companion dashed out of the bathroom. Arching one eyebrow, he picked up his shirt and followed, putting it on along the way. "Well most people try to kill me if they know what I do hinny, so I'm not one to judge." a small pause and then, "Actually, I am, but I won't judge you. Sun came up hinny. Stay here so you don't explode." After that he turned and left the room, carring his coat with the hatch wrapped up. He kept the do not disturb sign on the nob and headed into the city. He had alot of work to do and he figured Taxi would still be there when he got back.

[KOCHI-KOCHI]

Taxi didn't need to be told twice to stay. Not when there was the possibility getting exploded. So he stayed in the room when Gabri left, not bothering to think of what he meant by the judgement comment. No, his brain was lucidly mulling over the nights events.

Got a nice shirt. Good.
Got stranded. Bad.
Got attacked by crows. Very bad.
Got a ride. OK.
Got to watch someone get their face bashed in. Very good.
Got to drink their blood. Very very good.

Mm. According to his brilliant calculations this had been a good day. Even better because he was in a nice bed and Gabri had promised to not open the curtains. So now with his mind at rest he could let himself drift off into sleep without worrying about his immobile body being in danger. As once he let himself fall into darkness the creature that was Taxi would not move or respond to anything untill the sun once again fell.