Rockhound's among the dirt

outfit

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The heat hung heavy over Rockhound’s, the kind of dry simmer that made the earth crack and the air waver.

Xylah stepped through the crooked gate with all the grace of someone who didn’t care she might appear out of place. Her heels crunched against gravel, pausing just short of one of the weather-beaten signs. Caution: Snakes in Rock Piles. She raised an eyebrow, then stepped right past it.

The shed ahead offered nothing but the hollow sound of a box fan and the faint scent of sunscreen and dust. She didn’t bother going inside. Instead, she stood at the edge of the dig zone—hands folded neatly, posture perfect, gaze scanning the dirt like it owed her something.

Maybe it did.

Anyone watching might assume she was lost. But Xylah rarely went anywhere without a purpose.

She was waiting.

For what? Well, that was yet to be seen.

Fit

---

You know who didn’t give a fuck about either rocks or snakes? That’s right, Devin.

But this place was basically empty at night, and rocks were the perfect practice source, and these particular rock sometimes had shit inside them, and that presented both a challenge and a surprise. Two things that Devin couldn’t get enough of.

Was making her way down the pit when her nose caught scent of a familiar scent that already had her teeth tingling with need.

Fuck yeah, psychic.

Eyes caught sight of the source, and double fuck yeah because what a fucking beauty she was. Tonight was clearly her lucky night, and she would stroll forward with a wide grin noting that the woman did not look as if she belonged here at all.

Heels in this terrain. Crazy.

”Spur of the moment thing?” She’d question lightly in her approach. ”Or are you just one of the many gems that I can find around here?”

Xylah didn’t flinch at the voice—although the hair across her body rose at the feeling of being watched. She hadn’t zoned out as she took in her surroundings, mind drifting to the most recent social feed to cross her laptop.

Either, Alexander was truly alive or someone dared masquerade in his face. It had been the vampire from the water, and she had yet to allow herself to process what this could mean when she had found herself out here. She was not the sort to wander, not since she had been a child, and here she was with company where she figured none would be.

She had heard someone approaching but felt confident in her abilities to not immediately go on the defense. She had rolled a stone between her forefinger and thumb, the texture rolling across, attempting to bite her flesh, yet she never pressed hard enough to allow it.

Her gaze dragged once—measured, unhurried—from boots to just above the woman’s eyes as she rose to her feet. No fear. No blush. Just calculation and the faintest flicker of amused contempt.

Xylah had been taught to master looking in someone’s eyes without actually looking into them. Give the other woman a sense that she was being respected but never actually meeting the gaze for she would not be allowing herself to be mentally manipulated.

“Cute line,”she said dryly, “if you’re looking for quartz.”

A pause.

Her tone smoothed out like glass over fire.

“But no. I’m not a gem.”

Oh wow, those were some stunning eyes she had right there. Devin found herself drawn to them, and not entirely because she wanted to suggest the psychic either, not that she was above doing so if given the chance.

Even if she fucking sucked with that portion of her magic.

”Oh you’re right, definitely not a gem.” She nodded, ”clearly much better.” A pause as she looked the other over again, debating. ”A diamond feels a little cliché though.”

And Devin wasn’t knowledgeable enough about.. Rocks(?) to offer anything more unique.

Xylah’s lips curved—not quite a smile, but something close enough to be unsettling. Her eyes didn’t meet Devin’s directly, hovering just off-center. Calculated. Polite. Never careless.

"Obsidian, maybe. Formed under pressure, sharp enough to cut, and certainly not something you hand to a child.”

She let that linger, but her tone was mild, almost amused—like this was a game, and she wasn’t sure yet if she wanted to keep playing.

"You’re sweet to try, though," she added, voice lilting just enough to land somewhere between mockery and flattery. "Even if your rock vocabulary clearly peaked at ‘diamond.’"

A beat.

Her gaze drifted, just a little, to take in the grin, the swagger, the very clear disregard for the terrain.

"And you don’t exactly look like you’re here for geology either."

A faint lift of a brow.

Oh wow she apparently wasn’t only beautiful but had quite the way with words, which was both a turn on and a turn off because smart girls could be a bit difficult at times…

Good thing Devin loved a challenge. ;)

”I just made sure to excel in all the ways that really matter instead,” Devin purred. ”Rocks just aren’t my thing, which is why I’ve come to destroy them.”

A wink before she was nodding towards a nearby rock, pushing her powers within and setting it into a million pieces.

And yes, she put more power than needed, because yes, she was showing off.

The sudden explosion of rock echoed across the empty dig site, sharp and satisfying. Xylah didn’t flinch. She just tilted her head slightly, one brow arching in a slow, elegant curve.

“Well,” she murmured, “at least you’re honest about your intentions.”

Her gaze swept toward the shattered remnants—then back toward the woman, taking in the casual stance, the self-satisfaction, the way her power still hummed faintly in the air like static on silk. The pressure of the metaphysical world had already alerted this woman to being someone supernatural, but with the display of power…psychic or vampire?

”Explosion aside, I’ll give you this…” A faint pause, her tone thoughtful as if she were appraising a painting she didn’t ask to see but couldn’t quite ignore. “You do know how to make an entrance.”

She stepped just a little closer, her heels unbothered by the terrain. Close enough to speak softly, but still just out of reach. A tease hidden under the layers of deep thought, her guard remained up but she was never opposed to letting potential prey come in close.

“So if rocks aren’t your thing,” she said lightly, “What is? Or are you one of those types who just show off for anyone with a pretty face and a good pair of heels?”

What could she say? She was the pinnacle of open honesty, a lie never passed these lips of hers, and she was just the hot female version of Abraham Lincoln himself.

Really more people should aspire to be like her.

”Could never bring myself to lie to a face as beautiful as this,” she assured with a wink, happy with praise that she was being offered, grin widening further as the psychic took a step closer.

What powers stirred within this beauty? She was eager to know, but not quite as eager to ask.

”Pretty faces draw my in, but the personality is what determines if I’ll be sticking around.” She answered, ”so many beautiful women in the world, but unfortunately, so many of them are so boring.”

A tilt of her head as her eyes ran over the psychic, ”but you don’t peg me as the boring type?”

That earned a faint huff of air—Xylah’s version of a laugh. Barely there, but real. Amused, if not entirely impressed.

“Flattery and delusion in the same breath,”she murmured, head tilting just enough for the light to catch against her earrings. “You must be exhausting at parties.”

But she wasn’t walking away.

If anything, she was circling now—just a slow arc, heels light over gravel as if she were inspecting something rare she hadn’t decided to buy. Eyes never quite making full contact. Just glancing, brushing, slipping off again like her attention was a blade too sharp to handle directly.

“Boring is a matter of perspective,” she said softly, “and attention span. Fortunately, I have both in abundance.”

She stopped a few paces away, still angled slightly askew—just enough to let the other wonder if the distance was strategy or invitation.

“And you…”

A pause, then the full weight of her gaze, just for a second—like a psychic tap at the edge of thought. The flicker of a challenge before her gaze drifted toward an upturn stone. She plucked it between two fingers and rolled it around with a hum before offering it out to the woman.

“You peg me as someone used to getting your way.”

A subtle smile.

“I’ve never found that particularly interesting.”

Devin couldn’t quite determine if she was being insulted right now, or if all of this was apart of some game that the psychic keen on playing. She liked to think it was the second, because all the things that were now being mentioned couldn’t be further from the truth.

Exhausting? Never.

Getting her way? Hardly.

Devin watched as she circled around like a sexy little shark, smile remaining in place and even met those beautiful eyes for the briefest moment. Did not utilize it even when instinct screamed that she could, that it would make things easier.

But, again, Devin liked a challenge when it was a woman on the other end. Wasn’t looking to break any sort of potential here, not this soon at least.

”Oh, but I can already tell that you’re not the type to just let me have my way either.” Devin hummed, ”and I’m not running the other direction, so maybe that will keep your interest just a little longer. What do you think?”

Xylah didn’t smile this time, but the stillness in her expression was no longer icy. Just… observant. Considering. Finding herself entertained for now whether this person was a vampire or not. She’d have to touch or cause a scene that could potentially put her at risk to know for certain.

“You’re not wrong,”she said simply, her voice a soft cadence against the quiet rustle of the night. “I don’t make a habit of surrendering ground.”

She let the silence stretch just long enough to feel intentional.

“But I do admire those who know how to stand theirs.”

Her gaze flicked back to the woman—direct now, if only for a moment. “And for what it’s worth,” she added, faintly amused,“ I think it’ll take more than running to get rid of me.”

Then, with a graceful pivot, Xylah turned her back—not to dismiss, but to walk a slow few steps toward the pit’s edge, giving Devin the choice: follow, speak, leave, press. It allowed her to access the woman’s mind as her eyes flickered brilliant orange.

---

telepathy activated

And Devin would dutifully follow like the dog that she’d often been referred to when it came to the beautiful women that surrounded her, and while there had once been a time that Devin had found offense in the comparison… She’d learned to accept it just a little bit.

Because damn these ladies had her barking. Woof! 0;)

”Oh yeah?” She questioned lightly, ”I’m pretty fast you know, might find it pretty hard to keep up with me if I really tried.” Not that she’d be attempting anything right now.

It would be a shame to run away from someone who’d peaked her interest like this!

Hmm.

The thoughts that this particular woman held were troublesome in the sense that she was not as self-serving as initially thought. Who would accept being called a loyal dog? She often heard the term whispered about her regarding the way she worked for The Dragon.

It was a role she played as no one but herself may know her true motives. Her Aunt may take credit for her rise in power among The New Sun but ultimately Xylah was her own strength.

”Oh? Do you have speed alongside explosives?”

Yes and no, because her category of fast couldn’t be attributed to the same magic that she’d displayed. Explosions were uniquely hers while speed was unfortunately shared across the board.

Sad world.

”You could say that,” she answered aloud. ”But it’s not exactly the same.” Hands into her pockets, ”it’s more that I was just born quick.” Reborn that it.

Xylah’s lips pressed together in a thin line.

She closed her mind from the vampire because that’s who she was lurking around. Between her words and her thoughts, it was evident that they weren’t talking about psychic abilities. This had been fun but now it was tainted by the truth. The reality. It wouldn’t be the first, nor the last, to be charmed by a bloodsucker.

This made the game all the more sweeter.

Xylah shifted a hip, a playful smirk on her lips to hide her disgust. She still refused to fully acknowledge that her beloved twin had became one. She had to meet with him again to be sure…dig into that mind, see what occurred. It had to be a monster wearing his face, and if not, she will save his soul.

”Mysterious. Way to keep a lady guessing.”

---

end of telepathy

Any shift of demeanor or feeling was completely lost on Devin who hardly ever paid much mind to those that she felt were weaker than herself. Didn’t bother with analyzing the words or the movements of a woman that she felt very little threat from.

Psychics could be a danger, yes, but Devin was well aware of who was stronger between the two of them.

And so when a smirk was passed her way, Devin would grin for it, hands remaining within her pockets. ”Wouldn’t be much fun if I laid everything out for you.” She returned easily, ”plus you haven’t revealed any of your powers yet.”

Yes, she knew what you were you beautiful psychic.

Xylah raised a brow, she could play the clueless woman, but she had already shown her intelligence.

Instead she frowned, pushing her bottom lip out in a brief pout. She never shared her telepathy, and fire was a quick way to start a fight. There were so many powers out there that were useless and hard to demonstrate. Her mind drifted to mimicry but she couldn’t pull that off.

”I don’t have anything as fancy as blowing up rocks, I’m afraid. The most I can do is heat myself up when I get cold.”

Xylah drifted from pretending she could do something to playing off her pyro ability as a heater rather than a flamethrower.

”I’m told there are so many powers out in the world but alas, practicing alone hasn’t helped all that much.”

What a fucking lame ass power to have, Devin did her best to hide the pity from her face, but she’d never been good at acting and that was soooooo fucking sad.

Fuck, what would she do if she’d been given a power like that? Probably make it everyone else’s problem.

”God, hopefully there’s more to it than that.” Wishful thinking probably, but there was some hope! ”Like it gets cold here, but not magic worthy cold.”

It would seem a good call on Xylah’s because the vampire ate it up.

There didn’t appear to be the slightest of doubt and what a shame, this one wasn’t all that bright. Too trusting, perhaps? Or, overly confident in her ability to come out on top? Whatever it may be, the vampiress lost more points for being gullible.

”Tell me about it. Some told me it would only improve but it’s been two years now, and I may be able to heat a drink if I focus on it but then I’m too exhausted to enjoy the drink.”

Another shake of her head.

Devin didn’t know shit about powers, knew that the way she’d learned her was fucking around with it until she’d found a method that worked best for her and then just kept pushing the limits with that method until she got a new result.

Felt a little bit too close to the advice that the woman had already gotten so didn’t bother mentioning it.

Some people were just fucking unlucky, and then others… Well, Devin had to win the life lottery at some point, right?

”You ever, like, fucked around with the method?” She questioned, ”like maybe you’re using it wrong?”

”How so?”

Xylah was curious what this monster had to offer someone down on their ‘power’ luck. She raised a hand to brush through her hair, pushing it back and over a shoulder.

It was easy to keep someone from noticing the genuine threat when playing into a role. This helped her many times on her own hunt and right now it seemed to be another on the docket. Smile when appropriate and bat eyelashes for emphasis like someone eager to listen.

To soak up new advice until it felt right to strike.

Now how exactly did she put these thoughts of hers into words? A light grimace as her brained whirred with the need to articulate, and when nothing came, she decided an example was the best way to go.

”Alright so, I obviously don’t know about your power or how you’ve been using it.” She began, pulling a marble free from her pocket. ”So, example, when I first started using my power I’d wrap my magic around the object.” A finger around the marble she now held.

”And it would get shit to shatter, but not in the way I wanted.” A raise of her brows, as she wrapped her magic around the marble. Felt the glass crack within her fingers. ”So, I started just shoving my magic into it instead.” Tossed the marble aside as she sent her magic into it this time, watched it shatter instead.

”Gave different results, and actually made the shit a lot easier.”

Homegirl would just have to figure out what worked best with hers.