Xavier had been so startled to find the room empty that he barely gave thought to simply listening for them, so he had missed any hint of conversation from the room next door.  The rap at the door, however was enough to grab his attention.  He made a bee line for the door but he wasn't about to be taken by surprise again.  He had been a trusting fool last time and he wasn't about to do that again, even for a lady, perhaps especially for a lady.  This time as he opened the door his sword was drawn and ready.  At the same time Katya had opened the neighboring door, he glanced at her, a brief look of annoyance but he returned his focus to the gypsy girl.  "Show me your teeth or lose that pretty head of yours."  He told her, hoping that Bucren's methods of killing vampires was accurate.  The aroma of garlic, body odor, and stale cigar seemed to emanate from the open door containing the twins and a drunken Ishmark.<br/><br/>He kept his eyes on the beautiful gypsy girl, her beauty only making him more suspicious of her, but hissed at Katya.  "I thought I told you not to open the door for anyone but me."  Though he had no time for such lectures if what this girl said was true.  He had promised Bucren he would not abandon him so readily but he had to be sure this wasn't another vampire.  "Get some of that garlic and test her."  He demanded of Katya, he was certain she was clever enough to catch on, but only if she was convinced.  "She isn't making the vampire story up I'm afraid."<br/><br/>Once satisfied he wasn't allowing another vampire into the room with them he physically shoved the new girl into the room with the others.  "This time, don't open that door for anyone but me."  He warned then turned towards the stairs, hoping they would listen this time but he had his doubts.  Part of him wished to have Esperanza's blade to back him up but that was a selfish thought and he felt ashamed for even thinking it.   He went down the stairs with more caution than he had climbed them.  He had a fleeting thought about what happened to the 10 minutes the vampire had promised, then scolded himself for putting any faith into the word of a vampire.  So many things didn't make sense but he might have time to think about all that if he survived the next few moments.<br/><br/>The first thing he noticed was the mist along the floor then the pale beauty silently approaching Bucren with an almost casual grace, as if she had all the time in the world.  The door remained intact, another puzzle for another time.  She was too close to Bucren for him to intervene, at least physically, so he decided to do some taunting of his own.  "You don't want him you Devil's whore, his blood is poison, I can practically smell the infection from here."  He said with more bravado than he felt at the moment.  He had already begun to think that he had fucked things up beyond repair and he would soon die and his charge soon after, his entire purpose in life coming to naught.  He pinned much of his hope on Bucren, that he might be equipped to kill this creature if she were distracted enough.  He crossed himself once more and pulled a holy symbol out from under his shirt, it was perhaps a futile gesture, but he felt it a talisman to stiffen his resolve.  "Come take mine if you dare."   Pias' blood on her dress showed in sharp contrast to her pale features, a reminder that this bitch was truly blood thirsty.  His chivalry had prevented him from striking her at the door, the blood stain would make it much less likely he would have such reservations again.