<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Vehemently she rejected the idea that Scarlett would be in a database of compliant Humans that allowed Vampires to feed off their blood. Her sister had sworn the same oath, and while she didn’t always agree with them, upheld and enforced their responsibilities as Hunters. There was a slight alleviation in the pressure against the Vampire’s neck, the cold steel just barely relenting as she pondered on the minuscule possibility. Denial was a stone wall fortified by blind certainty, preventing her from truly considering any scenario in which she was disloyal or <i>that</i> foolish. A sliver of chance resided in the offer, but just as she began to entertain the offer the handle on the door rattled. It swung open, an imposing figure standing in the frame with a shit-eating grin across a rugged mug. The blade that had allowed the Vampire at its mercy a small respite was now callously firm to those shallow, but threatening, wounds. It sank deeper, and she could feel how it pained him to even swallow, the bob of his Adams apple slow as he trembled. She wasn’t certain if he was more frightened of her or the hulking Vampire that taunted him condescendingly. Ava assumed the latter when he turned his cold, blue gaze at her, the icy yet cruel quality able to pierce her confidence. There was no need to claim it, he was the blooded Vampire Wes had warned her of. <br/>
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She was between a rock and a hard place, pinned by a gaze that was subtly turning to hunger. Uneasy was the feeling in her stomach as he tsked at her for her intrusion. Ava was unwavering on the exterior, her position unrelenting even as he stepped forward. If it weren’t for the indignant desperation of the Vampire at the end of her blade, distracting the blooded Vampire, she was certain she would have to adjust her priorities. Her brow raised as they began to speak as though she were no longer present. She would have been offended by the implied insignificance had it not provided the opportunity for the Hunter to even the odds. Relief lifted the ominous cloud that hung over her, the doom dissipating though it lingered some. The blooded Vampire wasn’t phased by the turn of events, his arrogance persisting even with a blade to his neck. More concerning than that he seemed to expect the Hunter, that Dresden knew he would show under the right conditions. Ava shifted uncomfortably at the thought, and Luke continued to stoke the fire that was rising within the Hunter. He must have struck a nerve when Wes finally dragged the steel across his flesh, opening the blooded Vampire up to spray crimson fluid onto the floor. <br/>
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Her curiosity was piqued, confused as she attempted to piece together an incomplete thought. There was little time to dwell on it, though. Ava turned her attention back to Ezra. “The database, where can I access it?” His eyes were wide, a war of emotions and thoughts colliding within them. “Tell me!” She demanded, the metal pressing deeper. “It’s . . . It’s in the security room. But you . . .You won’t make--” A smooth flourish of the blade brought it away from his throat, the sharpness redirecting to the Vampire’s chest. Between his ribs the gleaming metal disappeared, sinking into a lung that collapsed and seized from the brutal puncture. While raspy gasps of shallow breath tried in vain to sustain him, he tipped back against the couch. She pulled out the bloody knife, wasting little time as she patted his pockets in search of his phone. Database or not, there was likely useful information on the device. Ava punched buttons and swiped, blocked each time by a request for a pin or fingerprint. A frustrated sound left her from the inconvenience before she reached for the Ezra’s hand. Both were pressed to his chest, blood-covered and trembling. <br/>
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She tried his fingers against the screen, the slippery redness that coated his pads proved to be an issue. Ava wiped the phone on his expensive jacket, doing the same with hands that struggled to return to the painful wound. Another attempt made her wonder if she was too hasty in her actions, the infuriating “Try Again” error appearing once again. Ava took a breath, calming herself and steadying her own hands while she fought against Ezra’s. Pressing his thumb to the screen she sighed with relief to see the device unlock. She quickly reconfigured the settings, disallowing the fingerprint security so that she could access the phone later without needing to sever a finger. “Okay, let’s go.” She said, hopping off the couch. Her footsteps navigated around the red spill from the blooded Vampire, avoiding his weak reach as he swiped at her ankles. “This way.” She moved to the left, her stride hurried. Though she wanted to run, she knew it would draw too much attention. As stealthily as she could she moved through the crowd, a little less considerate as she pushed her way passed club-goers in her path and smiling shot girls balancing their trays. There were a few glances, curious and concerned stares that pulled from their fun. It must have been the scent of blood on her blade, or the rush she was in, but she could feel the attention. <br/>
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She reached the exit, and she pulled her key from her pocket to unlock the doors to her vehicle. Ava glanced behind her, making sure Wes was on her heels. Hopping into the driver’s seat, she started the car, waiting until the Hunter was in to take off. “Great timing back there,” she said when they were back on the road. Unsure if they were being followed, she did her best to avoid lengthy traffic lights, taking shortcuts and back roads when possible. “I’m pretty sure I would have been mauled.” She muttered, lifting the phone to her eyes to pull up Ezra’s text messages. It was mostly exchanges with women, but there were a few contacts that looked promising. More useful than that were the locations in his GPS. “Here, check that out and see what’s worth looking into. We’re going to need to toss that thing in the swamp in case there’s some tracking mechanism.” She handed off the phone to him. Ava was taking them to the nearest one, a public park during the day that was mostly deserted at night due to trespassing laws. “We might have to lay low after this. Dresden was expecting you . . .”</span>