Bloodbound Negotiation: The Hunt Begins [A4A or AF4A] [Reluctant Allies] [Vampire Speaker x Vampire Hunter Listener] [Part 2]
This is part of a series! You can find the first part here
Monetization is okay, and so is putting it behind a paywall. Just credit me and give me some way to listen to it, please! I am not looking for money myself, I just write scripts to practice my writing.
Summary: You and your vampiric partner walk through the city as twilight falls, preparing for a dangerous mission. While your vampire is consumed with confronting their sire, you carry a deeper personal burden—the search for your missing sister. You agreed to help them in exchange for information, but their cold demeanor and focus on their own problems create tension between you.
Settings: Starts in the speaker's house at nighttime, then it switches to the street when the two start walking toward the third location. The third location is a bar.
Word Count: 1,607
Estimated Length: ~8-9 minutes
A couple of quick notes: Nicolette Leroux is French, so her name would be pronounced as LeRoo, and all of her lines are optional, I wrote this so that if you can’t/don’t want to find someone else to voice her (or don’t want to do it yourself) you don’t have to. Heck, you could even gender-swap her if that strikes your fancy. I don’t mind either way. Once Nicolette’s lines start, I will specify with “S” for the speaker and N for Nicolette. Sorry if this is confusing! If you have questions, let me know!
(Talking as if in the middle of a conversation) Hunter, you can’t add more conditions to our deal. Besides, what kind of information do you even need from my sire?
You want to find where your sister is? Why would my sire even know?
She’s with a vampire? As in dating a vampire, or kidnapped?
You don’t know? She just disappeared?
(Sigh, sounding annoyed) Can you stop pleading? We can ask if we find my sire, but I think that’s going to be almost impossible. Everyone I’ve asked has told me that he hasn’t been seen in years.
Yes, except for me, obviously. Quite a few of the older vampires I’ve talked to were skeptical when I described who attacked me. I swear one of them almost fainted, though. I have a feeling that my sire is a dangerous man.
(Frustrated) No, I haven’t been able to get his name. The most I’ve been able to get is a nickname. I guess they call him Nox. It’s like a Voldemort situation or something. I don’t know.
I talked to a vampire two days ago who told me to look for a woman named Nicolette Leroux. He said she owns a bar downtown called Blood Infusion.
(Laughs drily) I agree, the name is a little too on the nose.
So, how do we find her? I don’t know. I was just told, “you’ll know her when you see her.”
[Clothes rustle and metal clinks when the listener stands up, then footsteps as they walk toward the speaker’s front door.]
Ready to leave already? We have time for you to rest if you need it. You still look like shit.
Ok, Hunter, but don’t blame me if you pass out and I have to save you. I warned you.
[Door opens, footsteps as they both exit the house, the door closes, keys jingle as the speaker locks their front door.]
No, we’re not taking my car. The bar is close enough to walk to. I don’t want anyone we don’t trust to know what my car looks like.
Oh, yeah, your car is probably still at the school. You passed out, why would I bother finding your car, putting you in it, finding your keys, driving your car here, and then taking the bus back to the school to find my car?
I’ll take you to go get it when we’re done with what we have to do tonight.
[Footsteps as the two start walking to the bar, occasionally a car passes by. The listener’s backpack also clinks every so often while they walk.]
(After walking in silence for a couple of seconds, Annoyed) Hunter, do you need that stupid backpack? It’s so loud.
Just ditch it behind that bush, we can grab it on the way back.
[Zipper opens and the listener digs around in it for a second before rezipping it and stowing it behind the bush.]
Thank you.
[Footsteps resume and then slowly fade out as the scene changes. Fading in: Pop music playing and the sound of talking and laughing and cups being moved around.]
(Talking over the hum of the bar) I know he said “you’ll know her when you see her” but I have no clue who we’re supposed to be looking for. She could be literally anywhere in here. It’s packed.
You think we should ask the bartender? Ok, but I’m doing the talking. You’re the only human in here and I don’t need you drawing attention to us by acting stupid.
[Footsteps as they walk up to the bar, both stop short.]
So, the bartender *is* Nicolette LeRoux. (Sarcastically) Perfect. How the hell do we get her to talk to us?
[Footsteps as the speaker walks up to the bar and the listener follows.]
N: What can I get you? A pint of beer? A glass of blood?
S: Oh, uh, neither. We’re actually here for information, Madam Leroux. I was told you might know where my sire is.
N: Follow me.
[Footsteps as all three walk into the kitchen and into the walk-in cooler.]
S: You have information for me, don’t you?
N: Yes, but you’re not going to like it.
S: What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I like it? I’m so close to finding my sire.
N: About that, you’re actually much further away.
S: How am I further away? I was told he’d be in this city. I was told he’d be in Baltimore so here I am.
N: It’s not that simple, he moves around a lot.
S: (Snaps) And you couldn’t have mentioned that before I wasted days in this goddamn city chasing ghosts?
N: I told you, it’s not easy tracking someone like him! You knew that from the start. He’s not just any vampire.
S: (Pacing, sounding irritated) Yeah, well, I’m getting real tired of chasing rumors of him from city to city. How far is he this time? Tell me he didn’t run off to the other side of the country.
N: (Quietly) Actually… he’s in Texas now. More specifically, he’s in Austin.
S: (Stunned silence for a beat, then incredulous) Austin? What the hell is he doing in Texas? That’s halfway across the country! He’s supposed to be laying low, not vacationing in the South.
N: (Defensive) I don’t think he’s there by choice. Word is, something went down in Baltimore, and he had to bolt. Some bad blood—pardon the pun—caught up with him. Austin’s just a pit stop. He’s not staying long.
S: (Sighs heavily) Great. So, what, I’m supposed to drop everything and go halfway across the country on your maybe? He probably won’t even be there when I get there. He’ll be in Hawaii or Alaska by that point.
N: It’s not a maybe. It’s solid intel. I wouldn’t have my associates lead you to me if it wasn’t. He’s hiding out in a safe house outside the city. But I don’t know how much longer he’ll be there.
S: (Frustrated) And what’s your definition of ‘solid’ now? Because last time your “associates” said that, I walked into a warehouse full of traps with no damn sign of him. You won’t even tell me his name!
N: (She sounds hurt) That wasn’t my fault! He’s got spies everywhere, and he’s paranoid. Always covering his tracks. You think I want to be wrong? You think I like telling you this?
S: (Cold) I think you’re playing both sides, and I’m starting to wonder which one you’re really on. You’re just as old as he is, in fact, you’re older. Why are you scared of him?
N: (Sighs, exasperated) Look, Ethan, you don’t have to trust me, but you know I’m your best shot at finding him. Nobody else is willing to dig this deep for you. No one else would risk what I’m risking.
S: I know. That’s why I’m still standing in this room instead of walking out of here. I am fully aware that he’s dangerous, so stop beating around the bush. I’m not asking for your advice. I’m asking where he is. Tell me everything you know.
N: (Brief silence, then resigned) He’s been lying low at this place on the outskirts of Austin. Some big old house. It’s run-down, looks abandoned. He’s got a couple of other vampires with him—loyal ones, the kind who won’t think twice about tearing you apart if you get too close. He’s expecting trouble, so don’t think you can just walk in.
S: I’m not an idiot. My sire is smart, I know he knows that I’m coming for him. What else?
N: Rumor has it he’s got some kind of deal going with a local coven. Witches, powerful ones. If you show up there, they’ll know. They’ll be watching. You’re going to need help.
S: (Defiant) I don’t need help. I need answers. And I’m tired of people telling me to wait. This ends with me and him.
N: (Earnestly) I get that, I really do. But if you go in guns blazing, you’ll end up dead. You can’t be reckless.
S: (Snarls) Reckless? You think I’ve been careful this whole time? I’ve been hunting him for weeks, and every time I get close, something pushes me back. I’m done waiting. I’m done with all the excuses. Just tell me where.
N: (Long pause, then quietly) Alright. There’s a road just outside the city, Route 71. Follow it west until you hit the hills. The house is hidden there. You’ll know it when you see it.”
S: Route 71. Got it. And if he’s not there?
N: He’s there. But be careful. If you go in half-cocked, he’ll destroy you.
S: (Flatly) He can try. I’m not letting him slip away again.
N: Good luck. Don’t get yourselves killed. And don’t bring a human into my bar again. (Pause, and then a laugh) Yes, little hunter, I can smell the human all over you.
[Fades from inside the cooler to the street. Footsteps fade in as the two walk back to the speaker’s house.]
(Muttering to himself) Stupid old bat. She can’t even tell me his name. What kind of informant can’t tell me my sire’s name?
(Annoyed) What, Hunter?
(Bitterly) Yeah, I realize we forgot to ask about Claire. You know where vampires tend to go, why can’t you just ask them?
(Softly) You’ve already tried?
(Hurriedly) Woah, woah, woah. Hunter, are you crying?
(Kindly) Come here.
[Clothes rustle as the speaker pulls the listener into a hug.]
Let’s go to Austin together, maybe we can ask vampires along the way if they’ve seen Claire.
[Street noise fades.]
