Bloodsuckers

Iodine's laboratory was the sort of place waiting for a fire.

It was a large, large circle, partitioned and sectioned off into squares and areas through tables and stacks of books high enough to serve as railings and walls. There were diagrams pinned to notes attached to scribblings that trailed downward like ferns in a forest, and bits and pieces of machinery and Equiptment in a hundred varying states between working perfectly and disassembled. The chandelier hanging down was festooned with softly whirling and tinkling glass spheres and tubes, each briefly glowing a different color in a constant pattern.

Electricity crackled above the Vampire's head, as she adjusted a glass array of lights on an arm to better focus on what she had in front of her. Iodine muttered to herself while she tinkered and adjusted a series of diodes and connectors. It had been one thing to finish Anne's friendship detector- to really finish it to her own specifics and standards- but creating a way for artificial beings to appreciate music was proving more difficult. This was a field she'd previously never worked in or experienced, and so Iodine had been sitting here since the sun had gone down-

When the heavy hand fell on her shoulder, she jumped and screamed while the other snorted laughter.

The Vampire was taller and weightier, regal and cold. Her deep red hair spilled over her black armor in contrast to her white corpse-flesh, and her smile looked more like a sneer. Iodine glared up at her and crossed her arms.

"Don't DO that..."

"I'll stop when it stops working." Said Abigail, looking around. "Is Noel here? I seem to have lost her again."

"I don't believe so. How, er, would we tell?"

"...Noel?" Abigail called, crossing her arms and waiting for a few seconds. When no answer was forthcoming she shrugged. "I don't know what I expected. Well, in any case, is it ready yet?"

"Er..." Iodine looked uncomfortable before getting up and moving pieces and parts around on another table, finally lifting a sword up and handing it off to Abigail. The armored Vampire eyed the edge and then gripped it tightly, briefly waving it around.

"How do I...?"

"You grip it like- there, there you are." Iodine said, putting her hands on her hips and watching the sword suddenly run with red fire. "That's Banefire. It will cling and burn so long as there is fuel. I haven't quite achieved the Witch-ice, however. I'll need another night with it."

"Another- oh, fine. Cease fiddling with your little earth-friend's bits and get to it already, would you?" She asked in an order, setting the blade down overtop Iodine's table. The scientist bristled.

"I'll get to it in time! You can't merely rush these sorts of things, dood-"

"Yes you can. I am now, and I want it done." Abigail said flatly, before leaving. Iodine mouthed her words and made a face before sighing and settling the sword in front of her to open the innards in the pommel and crossguard.

She didn't notice when Noel crawled out of a cupboard and watched her for three hours, but by the time she was finished with the blade, the other was gone.