Nemia and Dorian walked behind the officer leading them to her now old apartment. Exchanging silent thoughts between glances. Dorian was stiff, cautious in Nemia's hand. Rounding the corner, Nemia pointed to show Dorian which apartment they were heading to before the officer in front of them stopped at the door.
"Please, take your time. Let me know whatever valuables you find missing." The officer stepped to the side and pulled the crime scene tape out of their way to enter and gave them a lighthearted smile.
Nemia nodded casually. "Will do, though in truth... You won't be able to help much."
The officers head drew back slightly at offense spread across his face. "Excuse me."
Nemia smiled and flashed him her fangs rather then go all wolf. After retracting then and watching the officer step back, realizing he wasn't dealing with humans. "See, no help. Though I do thank you for watching after the apartment and trying to do your job."
The officer nodded stifly, his neck flexing as he swallowed hard. "Not a problem." His voice trembling just a touch.
Nemia and Dorian both smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, we've already ate." Nemia winked, toying with the human though she was being truthful. To a degree that is, she'd never actually feed on a human that was innocent. In which case he was, she could sense that much.
Again, the officer gulped but seemed to relax a bit. Nodding his head. "Well, I still have to finish the report so I'll stand here till you get done. Though my report will have to clarify the inhuman nature of the crime."
"Of course, officer." Nemia and Dorian replied in unison. Giving a small bow of the head before fully entering the apartment.
Nemia stilled just inside for a moment. The furniture was flipped and broken, pictures ripped off the walls and shattered on the ground.
Dorian's hand came up to rest on Nemia's shoulder and squeezed softly. "God's Nemia... Wh-"
"Let's find what's salvageable. I'll see if I notice anything missing." Nemia's voice wavered slightly as she interrupted Dorian. Though, she honestly didnt think anything would be missing. Something inside told her this was a personal attack, wanting to destroy anything affiliated with her.
As Nemia moved deeper into the apartment, down the hall towards the bedrooms, that guy feeling came to light. Plastered on the front of the door to Nemia's room was every sketch of Malcolm's wolf, in all the forms she perceived. Some just the wolfs face, scar and all. Others of a more distant view, showing the entirety, moreover some having her dead aphla at the wolfs feet.
Nemia stopped just in front of the door, her hand reaching out. She laid it flat across the meticulously placed close up of the wolfs face. Perfectly eye level to her, staring into the sketches eyes peaking out from behind her fingers.
"Malcolm." It was just one word, one name. Venom dripping from Nemia's voice as it shuddered over his name. Instantly, a bright white light emitted from her hand and the sketches along with the door was engulfed in flames as a wave of rage pulses through her.
"Nemia!" Dorian jumped at Nemia and pulled her away from the flames. Breaking Nemia from her centralized self war within.
She blinked. "Shit." She mumbled, breaking away from Dorian and running into the kitchen and grabbing the emergency fire extinguisher that came with the apartment from what Julia had told her. Skidding to a halt back in front of the door, knocking Dorian to the side and out of her way.
The sprinkler system and fire alarm just starting to go off. She winced at the loudness of the alarm but continued fiddling with the fire extinguisher. 'God's why did I never learn to use one of these things properly.' She fussed at herself in thought, finally gripping and pulling the pin out.
Dorian was beside her again, grabbing the extinguisher out of her hands and aimed it at the base before squeezing the handle. Sweeping it side to side as the white plume came out and clbegan coating the door. The water from the sprinklers helping diminish some of the flames licking towards the ceiling.
The officer was heading down the hall towards them now, finally catching up with the fact there was a fire. Though now it was nothing but embers and a blackened door. He blinked. "Wha... Everything okay now?" Changing his question mid sentence and looking every bit confused and astonished. Eyeing the blackened door.
"Yes, everything is fine. Just a small mishap is all, we got it under control now." Nemia replied with a tight lipped smile.
Dorian glanced down at Nemia. "We sure about that?" He asked her under his breath but not loud enough for the officer to hear.
She glanced up at him, staring for a moment before giving a slight nod.
The officer nodded, though eyed her suspiciously and gave the same look to Dorian before speaking. "Let's not have any more fires then, shall we?"
"Of course, officer." Dorian replied with a small nod. Seemingly satisfying the officer enough to return back to his post outside of the apartment room.
Dorian turned to Nemia then and pulled her to turn and look at him. "Are you okay?" He asked, concerned as he reached for the hand she had placed on the door that started the fire and was fully submerged in it before he had pulled her away.
She glanced down at it with him, completely unscathed. "It appears so." She mumbled, her voice distant as she flexed her hand in his.
He let out a breath. "So it does. But that scared the hell out of me, Nemia." His voice echoed in her mind. "I think finding control of this needs to be your biggest priority right now." He added a few moments later, drawing her attention back to his face.
He was being sincere, factual even. "Don't you think I know that?" She countered in her defense, her brows knitting together. "It's not like I asked for this and know everything there is to know about whatever the hell I am." She spat, pulling her hand from his.
He winced at the anger laced in her reply and she could tell he was hurt by it. "I know you know, Nemia. I'm just saying... We can't risk fires every time you get a strong wave of anger." His words were cautiously placed, trying not to anger her further but being rational about it.
Nemia sighed and glanced down. She wasn't even angry at him. More so, she was angry at herself. The anger and words were just a projection of the war she wages within herself. She shook her head. "I know.. but it's not anger. It's pure, primal rage that's triggering whatever that power is."
"Okay, so rage. Let's not become enraged for now, yeah?" His hands stretched out and placed themselves gently on each of her shoulders.
She half laughed and nodded her head. "Yeah, no raging." Glancing over at the door, remembering Malcolm's face, that intoxicating flame licked deep within herself. "That's if I can help it."
Dorian sighed softly that turned into a small chuckle. "If you can help it." He reiterated softly.
The two of them pulled apart from each other again, setting focus on finding clothes and other belongings. Quite a few of her clothes had been torn and splayed around her room but they managed to find a few outfits. A couple shirts and some jeans that were undamaged. Instantly slipping into a plain black T-shirt to replace the tattered one she currently wore.
Most, if not all of, her artwork and supplies was completely trashed. That flickered another wave of anger but she stowed it away for now, trying her best to keep her emotions under control for the time being.
"I'm sorry Nemia." Dorian responded as she tossed the last broken pieces away in the trash.
"Don't be." She mumbled softly, shaking her head. Maybe that part of her life was meant to end, all she drew was the wolf that haunted her dreams anyway. Why keep doing that to herself?
Then, the flash of a deeply surpressed memory flooded to the surface. A young Nemia, not even in the double digits yet running up to her adoptive mom. A beautiful brunette with grays just starting to creep in.
'Mommy, mommy. Daddy said you got me something. What is it?' The young Nemia skipped to a halt in front of her mom.
Mom smiled down at her, bright and dazzling. 'Oh it was supposed to be a surprise.' There was a hint of disappointment in Mom's voice but she followed with a light laugh and stared to pull the sketch pad and a fancy set of pens and pencils built specifically for sketching out of a black bag.
Bending down to get closer to Nemia's small face, she scrunched her nose. 'Here ya go sweety, so you can stop drawing on every surface in the house.' Mom teased, gently pushing the items into Nemia's hands.
Nemia's young, child eyes grew double in size and her mouth opened and closed, not a sound escaping at first. Then, a huge cheeky grin spread across her face. Her cheeks puffing up and turning her eyes into little slits. 'Oh thank you mommy, you're the best.' Nemia's small arms wrapped around her mom's neck as she clutched the items tightly in her hand.
"Nemia, what's wrong?" Dorian's voice cut through and brought Nemia back to the present as he wiped away a single tear that started to fall down her cheek.
With a shaky smile, Nemia finished wiping away the evidence of tears. "Yeah, just... Reminiscing."
Dorian's eyes flashed with pity but she just shook her head to not press.
They finished cleaning up the apartment as best they could, finding any salvageable clothes to bring back with them. Not forgetting the hanging plant Julia mentioned that seemed to be the only thing untouched in the apartment. Nemia noted the strangeness of that but didn't question it.
With two large garbage bags and the plant in tow, they stepped back out of apartment 318, returning to the officer just outside.
"All finished. Nothing was missing.. just an asshole from my past telling me he's here." Nemia gritted out as nicely as she could.
The officer nodded and glanced into the apartment before shutting it's door. "Alright then. Where's a good place for a bill to be sent?" He asked causlly, looking between the two.
"Send it to Bran Castle." Dorian answered, the regality in his voice slipping out.
The officers eyes snapped to him, instantly he knew who Dorian was. "I.. Yes sir." He murmured, casting his eyes to dorian's feet.
Even though most humans didn't care for the supernatural side of the world and choose to ignore it, every human knew who lived in that castle now. Even if it was originally steeped in other lore.
The two of them bidded the officer a good evening then headed back to the car, Sebastian waiting patiently outside. They loaded up and got back inside the car.