Victor was suddenly flustered, “I-well…I mean, I would’ve told you I had a job, y’know? I guess I’m just sort of used to going solo on jobs, no matter how dangerous it is.” He turned so that he was facing her a bit more. “If you really want to come….I’d worry something would happen, but I won’t stop you, love.”
Still muffled, she shook her head a little bit. “That’s not even the point. The point is that you might die, on one of these jobs, and I know almost nothing. You mostly just … vanish. And, you know, if you’re claiming me, then I have a right to be worried. Or maybe not, because neither of us has any real measure at all of the other one’s combat ability.”
Victor scrubbed his face, “You’re right, an’ I’m sorry. It’s like I said, I’m not used t’ havin’ someone t’ worry like that. Tha’s a good point though, love, we’ve never seen th’ other fight. If you come with though, we’re goin’ back t’ my place an’ I’m giving you some o’ my gear.” He cocked his head for a moment before asking, “Have you ever gone after one o’ my kind before love?”
Summer dropped her hands to give him a very flat look. “I have my own gear, Victor. I don’t need your weaponry.” She brushed her hands through her hair, then stood up. “You forget what I am, I think. Same as I forget what you are.” She lit one finger like a torch, then made the fire spread down over her hand and arm before she dismissed it. “I’ll meet you at your house in an hour.”
Victor was momentarily shocked by the sudden fire, having, just as Summer said, forgotten exactly what she was.
—
Victor was downstairs in his armory when he checked the monitor displaying the various closed circuit cameras around his house, it was close to an hour since he and Summer had parted at the park and she should be arriving any moment. He pulled out his phone, pulled Summer up in his contacts and shot her a text.
[text] Hey love, there’s a key taped to the inside of the door frame. Jus finishing some things up.
Then he continued packing his gear and weapons, waiting for Summer.
It took a minute of searching, but she finally managed to find the key. Stepping inside, she called, “Victor?” Her boots clunked on the floor.
Her red-and-gold cuirass was bulletproof, flameproof, and conductive to electricity. Spaulders and brassarts warded her arms, leaving forearms and elbows protected only by heavy cloth. Matching bulletproof leg guards bound to heavy cloth pants protected her legs, tucked into her knee-high boots, all of it designed matching her cuirass.
The armour gave her the full freedom of movement she needed to use both her fire and her martial arts, while protecting the most important areas. With luck, they would face this rogue vampire in an open area, where she could also take advantage of flight, but she thought it unlikely.
“Victor?”