The doctor’s day-to-day life in the lab was monotonous at best, and torturous at worst. Most days were filled with the endless running of tests on the shapeshifters created and housed at the Nervana site of the labs, though on rare good days the doctor could get out of the lab and make his way to the surface to collect samples of various organic matter to feed the shifters. Of course, so long as Wagner did his job and returned with what was needed in a somewhat timely fashion, he found his superiors paid no mind to any additional activities he got up to while out on the job. Azazel knew Dr. Wagner was both far too broken to even try to run, and unwilling to risk the position he’d claimed as head of the Nervana site, so he was permitted his flights of fancy.
Sometimes he would use the time afforded to him to scout out new targets to turn. This particular evening was one such occurrence. He’d been collecting various samples of the fungus from abandoned dilapidated buildings when he spotted another figure glancing around furtively as they moved cautiously but purposefully through the dark streets. The figure’s face would’ve been hidden from human eyes by the cowl they wore, but Wagner could make out the man’s features in the darkness. Silver hair and a regal-looking face. Moving silently he capped the vial with the sample he’d just collected, slipping out through the doorway and stalking after.
He tailed him to a building without signs, its windows shuttered, catching a glimpse of what looked like a pub as the cowled man ducked inside. He knew these sorts of establishments well, the sort one went to when they didn’t want to be known. The sort one went to break the law. He circled to one side of the building, leaning his back against the stone wall, trying to pick out the voice that matched the face he’d seen from those within. He didn’t have to wait long, hearing who he suspected to be his point of interest order wine, shivering at the timbre of his voice.
Wagner lingered for a while, casting a glamour to further conceal himself in the shadows to be certain he wouldn’t be noticed. Eventually, he was rewarded when a figure emerged a bit later, followed by his target. He slipped further back into the darkness as the shorter male led the taller one into the alley, watching the tall one waste no time pressing the shorter to the wall.
Wagner watched the two as the taller hurried to ravish the shorter as quickly and quietly as the pair could manage, before watching them part ways. He followed his target back through the dark streets to his home, watching from a distance as the cloaked figure disappeared into a palatial-looking estate. Smirking, he retreated into the shadows to return to the lab.
Over the next series of months, Wagner sent out a handful of drones, carefully disguised so as not to raise suspicion of any mortals on the surface. Studying everything he could about his new target. Every waking moment he wasn’t working he spent reviewing footage and audio of his target. Learning his mannerisms and routines until he was ready to make his move. He learned his name, Lord Stahs Gray. A noble lord in his 40s. He had a wife and a family, Wagner gathered she was aware of Stahs’ occasional late-night outings purpose. Carefully documenting every detail of his life as carefully and obsessively as he did his work.
Timing his next venture out to that area to collect samples to coincide with the highest likelihood of catching the Lord he was after on one of his evening excursions. He took care of business first, collecting a particular type of hornet, before making his way to the pub. Casting a glamour over himself to give the illusion of warm skin and a heartbeat before he entered, unwilling to risk his target becoming suspicious too early. He ordered a drink, moving to sit near where he’d learned his mark typically sat.
He almost began to wonder if his timing was off when he saw Stahs walk into the bar in his periphery and sit nearby. Listening to the sound of his heartbeat, studying him as much as he could without looking at him directly.
Eventually, Stahs turned his gaze toward him. Wagner turned to meet his gaze, giving a demure smile and a nod of greeting that was returned by the silver-haired Lord before turning his attention back to his drink. He didn’t want to seem too eager or cloying, idly listening as the lord ordered his drink and engaged in light conversation with the bartender. Through a series of exchanged glances, he knew he’d garnered his target’s attention, giving a faint nod toward the door as he finished his drink and placed a few coins on the counter in payment. He saw Stahs give a slight nod of agreement, before getting to his feet and making his way to the door and outside into the alley, hearing Stahs following behind him.
Wagner moved to lean his back against the stone wall, Stahs closing on him in several paces and pressing up against him, feeling the lord’s hands work at his clothes as Stahs kissed him. He let him think he knew how this was going to go for just a few moments before he suddenly shifted his weight, seizing him by the throat to keep him quiet and using his strength to shove him off the wall and tackle the human to the ground.
Stahs gave a strangled cry of surprise as he was shoved back and fell to the ground, dazed by the collision of his head against the cobblestone. Keeping one hand at his throat as he clawed at Stahs pants with the other.
“Oh, how I’ve been waiting for this… you’re so beautiful terrified like this.” Wagner hissed, gazing down at him.
“Get off!” Stahs choked out, trying to shove him off, to claw at him, anything. Wagner gave a quiet cruel laugh, leaning down as he removed his hand from his throat to sink his fangs in. Pinning the hands that clawed at him as he had his way with Stahs, tasting the tang of adrenaline in his blood as he drained him.
“Oh god… you’re a madman…” It seemed Stahs thought him some sort of crazed cannibal, which wasn’t entirely wrong, though he was there for more than just a meal. The human’s struggle gradually grew weaker, though what surprised him was the lack of pleading.
“My… had you already resigned yourself to such a fate? Dying in a cold dark alley like this beneath a murderer?” Wagner whispered to him as he stopped short of fully draining him.
“No one… can know… destroy my… body.” Stahs croaked weakly.
“Protecting your family? How noble… but I’m not here to kill you. Not permanently anyway. I’m here to make you strong.” Wagner said, sitting back as he bit into his wrist. He pressed his wounded forearm to Stahs mouth, using his other hand to hold his jaw and keep him still. Holding him there until he’d consumed a satisfactory amount before releasing him.
“Wh… what.. did.. you..” Stahs choked out, curling up as Wagner pulled away.
“You’ll see soon enough, my beautiful progeny. Never forget you are mine… I’ve made you stronger than you could ever dream.” Wagner said as he fixed his clothes. He ached to stay, to watch the transformation in person rather than from his drones just this once, to take his new fledgling back with him to the lab. But the thought of what Azazel might do to anything or anyone he dared to deem worth keeping drove him away into the night, leaving his new fledgling to transform and fend for himself alone…