hatesdeerstalkers: (Oh well.)

[personal profile] hatesdeerstalkers 2019-10-28 11:42 am (UTC)(link)
It's not fraud if I genuinely do die, Holmes!

[Still, he laughs - clearly teasing.]

Well then - if they'll self destruct, then all we'll need to do is lay low for a bit. I hear Japan is nice this time of year - I assume you've never been?

[But at the comment about his appearance, he nods.]

The final trick I've learned - I was actually quite surprised when I managed to do this. It seems my magical 'talent' seems to be focused on illusion and
information gathering - not that it's something I'm going to complain
about, of course.
hatesdeerstalkers: (the old spider)

[personal profile] hatesdeerstalkers 2019-10-28 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
They would if they could, trust me.

[he gives a quick laugh, before nodding.]

Well - now you have all the time in the world. You can do whatever you would like to do, instead of what he wishes for you to do.

...You're a free man, Holmes. And that is how you should always be.

[He stares at the fire himself, eyes-half lidded.]

Foolish man thought that I would be happy, seeing you cowed. Instead, it all but signed his death warrant.

[That anger roils up again - not as intense, but rankling, still seething.]

Why on earth would he assume I would be happy seeing the one man who ever outsmarted me as a meek slave?
hatesdeerstalkers: (somber...)

[personal profile] hatesdeerstalkers 2019-10-29 10:07 am (UTC)(link)
A foolish outlook - after all, even the most dimwitted enemy can manage to surprise you. And while crushing underfoot has its place, if you do it all the time, you will eventually create an enemy greater than you can ever hope to defeat.

A surprise, that he lived so long, yet paid no attention to how history repeated itself, over and over.

[He shrugs, quietly.]

A natural Sadist, indeed. But - you needn't talk of him in the present tense, Holmes. He is gone - we have made sure of it, on this night.

From now on, Dracula will only be spoken of in past tense - and I dare well say the world is better off for it.

...Though, I suppose I'm a bit insulted he thought me the same type of sadist. I may have driven and been the cause of many a man's death, but I've never taken the kind of pleasure from it that he clearly did.

[There's another pause, as he watches the fire.]

...If you wish, however, we needn't travel together. I could give you money, and then we'd part ways.

[Something...internally coiled in him at that, but it had to be said.

He didn't want to keep the man under his thumb - oh, to spy on and torment him, yes, but not beholden to him, or keep him like a servant.

After this, it was the last thing he wanted.]
hatesdeerstalkers: (spins his web)

[personal profile] hatesdeerstalkers 2019-10-31 10:04 am (UTC)(link)
A bit, yes. Not that I was never vindictive to those who had wronged me - but to an innocent? No. The only men who have ever fallen into my web are those who knew the risks of their way of life...our way of life. Anyone may be fooled or stolen from, but tortured or killed?

[He gives a small grin, again.]

After all, I even gave you multiple warnings, didn't I? Ones you ignored, of course, but warnings all the same.

[He falls silent, listening to Sherlock's firm assertion - and then, he nods.]

Of course. If that's what you wish to do, then I won't stop you. Wiping out all traces of Dracula's ilk seems much like a good idea, anyway.

[...]

...Though, perhaps having a partner in crime might be a good idea...?