Bittersweet Lullabies [M]

[Draconian]

Callista went to grab her clothing that she'd left under the bed and quickly pulled on the form fitting black suit, though she left the mask and hood off. Get out he said. "It's not that easy," she said softly, hands at her side, "payment was exchanged, they'll be coming to look for a body." It was an odd situation, but she'd gotten a hold of herself and she just stared at the man. "Where is it?"

[Lion]

He could tell by that black suit that she meant trouble.  "Hendrick is dealt with.  Don't you worry about him," he said, more lowly this time.  "Just say it was a bloody goddamned mess.  You wouldn't even recognize him."

[Draconian]

Worry about him?

"I'm not worried about him, I'm worried about me," Callista snapped at him, taking a few steps closer. Not that she wasn't naked and much more prepared she gave this stranger a once over, frowning at him. "Are you some sort of demon?" A weary look was cast over her shoulder to the dagger though quickly she looked back towards the man.

"Who are you?"

[Lion]

Rembrandt straightened, still wary of her but relaxed enough.  "I'm of little consequence," he stated, quickly buttoning his shirt and reaching into a drawer, pulling out a play bill. "But if you really want to know.  Come."  He handed the play bill to her.  "Tomorrow night.  It's called The Midnight of Madame Movenco. You might enjoy it.  Come alone."

[Draconian]

Hesitantly, confused, Callista took what was offered to her, giving it a slow look before looking back at him. "You don't understand..." Her hands went to her neck, pressed against the scars for a moment. Licking her lips she looked down at the ground, she wasn't a murderer. Was she? Her fingers itched to hold Carn. It would be so simple to run this man through, just... End his light.

"Can you wear Hendricks face again?" She swallowed and looked at him, searching his face, "You need to wear his face again." Slowly her hand went around the hilt of the dagger and she moved to tuck it into the front of her suit. "I... I won't tell them about you. I'll take the punishment," The eye on the dagger snapped open and looked frantically at Callista, "But you need to wear his face again."

[Lion]

He was sure to keep his distance, eyeing that knife that so abruptly eyed him back.  He felt a sharp shiver down his spine at that, but did not comment on it.  Why did he have to become Hendrick again.  "You intend for me to play dead?" he asked, a smirk spreading across his lips.

[Draconian]

Callista shook her head, her hands going to her hair to press her palms to her temples. "I don't understand," Her hand moved up to pet at the hilt of the dagger, finding comfort in the strangely warm steel. "Where is his body. I'll bring it here. I'll feed him to Carn so that they don't know what happened." The dagger made a retching noise, cold dead bodies weren't something he enjoyed. "But there needs to be a body in this room."

[Lion]

Rembrandt shook his head in frustration.  "I went through all this trouble for nothing," he sighed.  "To think, I might enjoy a fine house, and a good lay, and blow the money on a few gambles.  But no, this Hendrick fucker has to go and piss someone off enough to kill him!  He's in the cellar.  It's a bit of  mess down there."

[Draconian]

If Callista could feel bad about anything now would be about when she'd do it. There was nothing however while she examined him, if anything she found herself growing curious.  Who was this person, to steal a face assume someone else's life? Callista flicked her gaze to the bedroom door before looking back at the man. A few steps closer and she reached her hand out like she wanted to caress his cheek. "Lead me to the cellar." It wasn't a request.

[Lion]

He considered throwing her out the window for a moment.   It'd be brief.  But it would raise too many questions.  Broken windows were hard to explain off, and this girl clearly had plenty of secrets of her own.  "Follow me," he said and went back to the door, wary of the blade at her side.

He stepped lightly down the first flight and quieter down the second.  He stepped out into the dining area and opened the iron door that led down to the cellar.  "We'll need the lamp here."  He unhooked an oil lamp and when it was lit, led the rest of the way down.

[Draconian]

The man wouldn't hear Callista walking at all. Her footsteps were silent and she moved as quietly as a shadow does.  Curious. That he wouldn't give her his name, invite her to a play of some kind but lead her to his kill. To her kill. Slowly she followed him "why dont you take his things and gamble as yourself?"

[Lion]

Rembrandt smirked at her, turning his head in her direction, briefly.  "Where would the fun be in that?" he asked.  "I am myself all the time.  It's nice to don another face once in a while.  Here we are.  That crate there."  He pointed to a box with a leg oddly twisted out of it.

[Draconian]

That crate there.

Callista looked over with wide eyes and stared for a moment. The booming manly laughter that shot through the celler caught her off guard and she jumped. "Thats the sloppiest thing I've ever seen! There's even a leg sticking out!" Another long string of laughter. Alarmed now, Callista moved her hand to her mouth, pressing agaisnt the wound in her mouth from when he'd punched her. A familiar feeling to calm her down, bring her back to where she was physically.

Slowly she looked at the Face Stealer and moved her hand to cover Carn's mouth with her palm before taking careful steps towards the body. Mutilated. That alone would get her into trouble.  "You may leave if you choose to. I need to move him."

[Lion]

The cackle made him jump, his eyes shooting to her dagger.  "That was.. your blade?"

[Draconian]

Callista removed her hand from the dagger and moved it to her face, tracing the scar ever so gently. "No. It was the hilt. His name is Carn." The dagger remained silent.

[Lion]

"I see.  A talking dagger hilt," he said, letting out a slow steady breath.  "I guess it's not the weirdest thing that's happened all day."  Still, it unnerved him and he gestured to the crate.  "Let me help you.  It's the least I could do after not cutting my balls off.  Among other things."

[Draconian]

Callista put her hands on the crate but looked at the man oddly. "You're not who I was sent for." Her tone was clipped and she looked away after a moment, "the night is still young, you know." Gently she pushed at the leg, frowning between it and the Face Stealer. "Why not gamble and whore all night? I can do the on my own."

[Lion]

Rembrandt grinned at that possibility. Indeed the night was still young. And this was far more exciting than whoring around.  "I don't much care for filthy prostitutes.  Too many diseases.  But apparently this was a special about this arrangement.  One that I was only made aware of recently.  Are you at liberty, exactly to say what Hendrick did to piss off whoever sent you?"  He shook his head.

"Maybr I'm better off not knowing," he said after a while.  Never the less he helped with the crate, pulling it toward the stairs.

[Draconian]

Callista pressed her hands to her belly and looked at the Face Stealer. "I'm not diseased, if that's what you're worried about."  She was still, technically, a filthy prostitute. Callista pursed her lips, pondering on how to relay information she didn't have. "I simply do as my master bids me. Do you ask why water boils?" Callista smiled and looked at the crate now at the foot of the stairway, "no, you don't, boiling is simply what water does when it's heated." Gently she booted the crate.

"Is he whole or in pieces?"  Not interested in prying open the crate to check.

[Lion]

Did it matter if she was diseased or not?  Not anymore.  Rembrandt just shot her a look and focused on moving the crate.  He turned it, huffing a little, and catching his breath.  "If you do not question something, simply because it is then you, dear lady, are a fool.  But aren't we all in this game of masks."  It was an idle comment and he wiped his brow.

"He's whole, but his neck might be a little twisted.  Falling down a flight of stairs can do that to a person."