#* . ⊹ ℍ.𝔹. › ft. benni

[hellonexrth]

001. heath & benni @devouredxmuses

Heath pulled up in front of Benni's residence and got out of the car, leaving it running as he leaned against the passenger side door. They had much to discuss. And seeing as he'd gone on his first investigative dive without his partner in crime—or perhaps his partner in revealing the truth—this time he'd made a point of picking her up.

When she stepped into view, he threw one hand up in a lazy wave, then gestured to his car and circled around to get back in the driver's seat. It wasn't a nice car by any stretch of the imagination, but it was his, and that made it special in its own right.

"So, like I said, I don't know much so far about what these assholes are up to, but I figured we could take a better look together." It wasn't much of a hello, but he still felt bad for forgetting to invite her the first time around, and wanted to get right into the action. "I'm thinking old-fashion stake out. You bring a disguise?" he asked, jokingly as he threw the car into reverse and peeled out of the neighborhood toward the building he'd only semi-scoped out beforehand.

[hellonexrth]

"No, I'm with you. The knives are definitely the badass choice," he joked. "How's your aim? Might be good to have a long range option in your back pocket too, even if that is just more knives." This whole operation was way over Heath's head, honestly. He was using to helping individual people get what they were owed whether it was in the form of money or a fist to their ex's face. He didn't have any experience taking down an entire organization dead set on killing all supernatural creatures, of which he was one.

"Well maybe we can use that to our advantage. If you trust her not to hurt you, maybe she could tell you something about this fucking collective." He said with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "In a controlled environment where no one's at risk of getting hurt, and I'm stationed outside with a gun, and you're strapped with those knives or whatever." Then, his gaze turned genuine. Though he often didn't know what to say, he offered. "I am sorry, though. Finding this out... must not feel great. I hope for your sake, that there's more we don't know."

benni was beyond grateful for heath and the rest of the friends she'd made in new orleans. in a city that was full of dangers for a human, they didn't feel terrified. they had knowledge, skill, and a group of people who would look out for them. it hadn't taken long for new orleans to feel like home. " listen, guns feel weird in my hands, " they say slightly defensively, then her voice turns to something more light, " plus knives make me feel like a bad ass. "this didn't feel right, something else had to be at play. benni knew that maisie's apathy to hunting wasn't fake and therefore the notion of her being a part of this felt impossible.

" long enough that i should have known this, " benni murmurs silently cursing themself from not picking up on this sooner. " she's not that kind of person, " the defensive nature of her voice obvious. even with this revelation, benni didn't believe all of this fully. quickly their head shakes at the second part of his statement. " she's not gonna hurt me, heath. i know she won't. and i'm a human anyway. not really a target. " her stomach was turning at the very thought of having to confront one of her closest friends about something treacherous.

[hellonexrth]

"Good. I'm glad," Heath said, genuinely meaning those words. He wasn't used to having friends. Before New Orleans he'd operated mostly on his own. Stayed under the radar, tried to avoid getting to know people too well. But now he had Ingrid, Benni, Asher, Emery, people that he truly cared about, that cared about him in return. And he wouldn't do anything to screw that up. Not with any of them. "Damn, knives?" he asked with a chuckle. He had a gun of his own, still not used to using his fangs for self-defense, but if he needed to, he would probably metaphorically reach for them first.

"Fuck Ben, I'm sorry." This girl, whoever she was, seemed to be betraying people left and right. And while everyone else seemed to be trusting of her, Heath would stay skeptical. "You known each other very long?" he asked as he reclined his seat a bit. "I know her and Asher just met recently. Just concerned she may have been playing him the whole time, knowing what he was and all that." He let his eyes settle on the human, sympathetic and soft. "You don't have to keep it a secret, but just be careful around her, okay? And keep those knives handy."

as unlucky as she had been on the vampire front ( having been attacked on too many occasions ), they never really harbored major resentment for the species as a whole. just knew to be very cautious. plus, with their aunt and the reed's training, benni was much more confident in their skills to protect themself. an appreciative smile tossed his way at the words, " i know, i trust you. " in all honesty benni trusted most people until they were given a reason not to. for the entire time she's known heath, human or not, he's never given her a reason not to. " but, just to ease any worries you might have, " they pause for dramatic effect, " i'm packin'. knives though. easier to control i find. " a slight laugh leaving her. if the collective were humans than benni was better matched than the vampires they've fought off.

it sounded like his words were slower as they were taking time to process what they were seeing and hearing. there was a feeling of betrayal in the pit of their stomach, though it didn't feel fair. benni didn't think there were any secrets between she and maisie, this omission hurt. and zander too ? it really shouldn't have shocked them, but as someone who prided themself on getting to the truth of things it felt crushing. a blindspot they didn't know they had.

to benni, maisie's involvement in hunting felt reluctant, maybe that's why this all felt so impossible. zander's possible involvement felt more believable. " i'm inclined to agree with asher. i mean i don't know, but of what i know of her ? this seems wildly out of character. " the human still felt a need to defend maisie, zander even. " she was telling me she wanted to do something else, something different than hunting. " a hand lifts to pull their hat off their head to run fingers through her hair. " heath, i don't think i can keep it from her that i know this now. " maybe maisie could keep secrets, but benni couldn't. not this at least.

[hellonexrth]

As he pulled to a stop a ways away from the warehouse where The Collective operated, he glanced over at Benni. It was strange, being in a different group than her now, not being categorized as human. He still felt it, most of the time. Maybe that would change with time. In ten years when he still looked thirty, he'd likely feel different. But now? The change was difficult to adjust to. "Well don't worry, I've always got your back. If your disguise fails, I won't let anything happen to you," he said, his joking tone fading into something more serious. He'd always been one to look out for the underdogs, look out for his people. And Benni was one of his. Now he just had more power to protect them, and all his other loved ones. Silver linings.

He hadn't quite adjusted to the blood thing either. It still felt wrong, strange. But god, it felt good and tasted even better. He could still remember how it felt to kill the drunk Asher had flung at his feet over a year ago. But blood bags were good too, and they kept his conscious cleaner. "I'll forgive you just this once. Besides, can't go wrong with chex mix or whatever you got there."

Hazel eyes scanned their features, noting the shock immediately. "Well, Asher seems to think she's mixed up in all of this by accident, or that she's been forced into it in some way. Her and her brother. I'm not so certain, though. You're friends? She seem like a killer to you?" he asked, turning the car off and laying the file open on the dashboard. Then, he raised the binoculars to his eyes to get a closer look at the warehouse. He could just barely see through the windows. "Would love to figure out a way inside."

" that's what i thought, " she says with a certain smug air. " you don't need a disguise. you can run faster than forrest gump and you've got compulsion if you really need it, " they said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. while benni did envy some vampiric abilities, the whole immortality thing felt like a shitty hand. they knew heath hadn't been given a choice in the matter and for that they felt for him.

" don't tease because i think that would be the best gift anyone has ever gotten me, " she says giving him a look. " my brother always sends me a stocking with fucking coal in it. he's a real comedian, " her face scrunching at the memory. if benni had real spy equipment they would be much much more annoying than ever ( if that were even possible ). " listen, i always keep at least one snack on me. usually it's something sweet though, but this time ? i brought a variety. no blood though, i hope you'll find a way to forgive me on that front. "

the photo and the name had benni's heart jump into their throat. she knew maisie and zander were hunters, that wasn't a question, but part of the collective ? that had shock written over their features. " wait, i... " words catching as her eyes scanned the image as if waiting for the face to change into someone elses. when it didn't, of course, benni looks back up to meet heath's eyes. " i know her. she's a friend, " a close one. someone they owe most of their knowledge of supernaturals to. " i knew she was a hunter, i, i didn't know all this. "

[hellonexrth]

"I'm kidding," he said, shooting them a smile. "But I am offended you didn't bring me a matching hat. You don't think I deserve a disguise?" He teased, always enjoying poking fun at them. Though, when it came down to it, he'd protect Benni with his life, just like any of the other friends he'd made, recently or not.

"Damn, guess I know what I'm getting you for Christmas," he said, taking out his phone to type out, Benni Christmas list: laser watch in the notes app. If vampires existed, so could laser watches, right? Although, he feared exactly how much damage the human could do with one of those bad boys. "Okay, okay. I'll stop mocking, you've got good stuff in there." He'd only brought his trusty camera and binoculars. "No the snacks were definitely a good call. You're basically ready to take your private eye exams with that call alone." Answering her question, he dug through the file he'd started working up after the party.

Pulling out an image of Maisie and Ruby outside the facility from a few days prior, he handed it over. "Asher's been dating this girl, Maisie Reed. Turns out she's with The Collective. I followed her to find the place. That girl with her, Ruby something. Asher killed her, but she seems alive to me. So. Learned something, but still have lots of questions."

all the time benni spent as a child reading every supernatural mystery book her local library owned was finally paying off. if you'd have asked them at age eleven where they'd be now she would have said something eerily similar to this. of course she hadn't known of the actual existence of vampires, werewolves, witches, and co back then. it just so happened that not only were some in the family, but they'd made quite a few friends with beings that go bump in the night. while she might not be at risk, after the party those very friends were and benni had every intention to get to the bottom of whatever the hell was going on.

" hey ! " they grumble as the visor drops over their eyes, " you were supposed to compliment me. not agree. " a mock incredulous look passing over their face before a grin emerges. " ha ha, very funny. i don't own a laser watch, but not for lack of trying, " she unzips the bag. " binoculars, a flashlight, a dash camera, and a bunch of snacks because i get a little hungry when i'm amped up. " closing it once more they drop it down by their feet. " and how'd you find wherever we're staking out ? "

[hellonexrth]

"You're not wrong," he said with a chuckle. Ever since the party, he'd felt a strong need to get to the bottom of this. Whatever it took, he would figure it out, figure something out. Even if he had to put himself at risk. The people of this city deserved to be comfortable and safe, even the supernatural ones. Even the more dangerous ones, like Ingrid's sister. No one deserved what had happened at their party, the ambush, the bodies, he could still see it all in stark clarity. Could still see the anger on Ingrid's face, could still feel the adrenaline racing through his veins. He'd wanted to kill the man who threatened them. He was used to resorting to violence, but murder, that was certainly new for him.

He let out another deep belly laugh. Dropping a knuckle on the rim of their hat, he knocked it down slightly over her eyes. "You're right, you look ridiculous," he teased. Eyes flicked down to the bag on her lap with a curious gaze, one eyebrow raised. "Oh, good." Turning his eyes back to the street, he pulled out onto a side street near the warehouse he'd followed Maisie to a few days prior. "What'd you bring? Spy glass, night vision goggles? Don't tell me you forgot the laser watch."

benni wasn't surprised that heath had been finding any trail he could so immediately after everything happened. he was much like them in that sense. needing to uncover any mystery that was presented before them. the bigger the mystery, the bigger the desire to solve it. plus when people they cared about were involved, benni could be a bit of a blood hound. their friendship with the man came easily due to how alike they were. it just made sense that her first text once decompressing had been to him.

skipping out of their place a broad smile etched onto her features as she spotted him. adrenaline was already pumping through her veins at the anticipation of what he was going to disclose and what they would hopefully find. jumping into the passenger seat she slung her backpack down by her feet and buckled up.

" two brains are better than one, right ? " they muse with a grin. " it's good that you've got something for us to start working with. " now that he'd looped her in, he was absolutely stuck with her. " well what do you think the hat is for ? " they point to the baseball cap they wore with a chuckle, " i don't really have the head shape for 'em, but hey, they're good for concealment. " she then pulled her bag up into her lap, " i also brought my very own snooping materials even though you said you got 'em all. i'm always prepared. "