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Love. Perhaps the one thing Erica hadn't been expecting was that answer. Of all things, love was the reason why he hadn't been killed? There might have been a startled look on her face, but it was obvious that the idea of love was entirely foreign to her. The blonde had been raised without care or love, scrambling the best she could as soon as she was old enough to take care of herself. No one had cared. No one had loved.

There was a sharp knife edge inside somewhere. An emotion piercing her as she became jealous of the pink haired man. Someone cared enough about him to love him and she... she never had any of that. One hand raised to twirl a bit of her hair between two digits, thoughts swirling to the point where it was hard to process any other details.

Of all things, love?

She blinked and shook her head, snapping out of the downward spiral that her mind had become obsessed with. And that will be a grave error on both their parts someday. Her eyes snapped back to him. He almost sounded like he wished he wasn't alive. "The only response such a thing deserves." It had to be lies, what vampire could love? She had heard a few different rumours about certain beings being in love but Erica? Erica didn't believe it for a second. "I wish you luck with that." Now she had her answer. The blonde really did wish him well. It really was past time to go though.

Except she stopped a second later, ears picking up on minor sounds around the camp. Others had arrived. Perhaps they had been interested in the band, perhaps they were drawn by the carnage, whatever the reason there were several other vampires standing directly outside of the mortal camp. She could count four, but there was likely a few not showing up on her radar. Her hands balled into fists. A fight was coming, that much was clear, but where would she be safest?

Erica decided to take a few more steps towards Zap instead of away. That seemed like the safest place to be for the time being. She didn't want to be a smaller target, easier to pick off. "At least four." She spoke quietly, just enough for another vampire to hear, just in case Zap somehow hadn't picked up on what was going on.

No, no one loves me. Erica didn't have much time to think about those words before the four began to close around them. However, the blonde vampire would remember them, because it was a thought she often felt about herself. No one loved her, no one ever would, and her survival was in her own claws.

Then Zap said something about four against one and Erica simply rolled her eyes hard even as the first of their foes stepped forward. "Zapathasura." They weren't here for her, but that hardly mattered at the moment. "We'll elevate ourselves with your death." A snarl of a second voice as another vampire came into view, stepping past a tent. Erica tensed as they rushed forward. Her fangs were barred and her claws matched, she crouched with her back to Zap and then launched herself at the one in front of her as soon as she could.

He'd have to handle the three, or potentially more, in all the other directions. Erica had to trust that he could keep himself afloat. These were not mortals huddled together in a camp, but Zap had taken on other vampires before. She just had to hope these were similar. The other three rushed Zap almost at the same time from every other side. Charging forward with killing intent. One was snarling, one was silent, and the other pulled a knife out of his pocket on his second step.

Erica didn't have much time to pay attention to what Zap was doing. She spent most of her skill avoiding needless fights like this one. Obviously they were after the pink haired man. Erica had had a few stray thoughts in that direction once, but she had also seen enough to know that his ability passed her own. Claws came in her direction, arching wide and down in a strong strike from a taller fae.

But the blonde danced into the other vampire, letting the blow land harmlessly from his elbow to her shoulder instead of where the claws were aiming. Her own claws scraped against his stomach, slicing through leather and then flesh. The other vampire then dragged his claws against her back, cutting through one her best jackets even as Erica used her other hand to slash at his neck. He jumped back a second later and the blonde growled at him, crouching slightly to move if he so much as decided to run.

Everything was silent behind her, the fighting there over. She could only hope... "Still upright over there?" She didn't look over her shoulder and the other vampire looked somehow paler despite being undead. Losing blood along his middle and then his throat, much worse than Erica with a few marks against her left shoulder. The other vampire then started to shuffle backwards, but the second he turned his back, Erica moved. Launching herself at him and slamming with considerable force into his back, quickly finishing him with a proper slash against his throat. It took a second for him to bleed out, but the last gurgle was really all she needed. Then she could feel the pain of her shoulder and let out a hiss, already moving to peel off her jacket and figure out what to do to handle it.

Thin bloods. A regular insult from someone with a higher status. One could easily call Erica that... but she didn't begrudge Zap the fact that he was right. Just another one of those things that couldn't be helped, like the claw marks on her shoulder. Zap said something else but Erica didn't quite catch it before the other vampire was standing right behind her.

The blade he had just used on his foe was pressed into her jacket. Erica felt an odd rush as she stood there, suddenly standing still as Zap got to work. Her eyes were staring straight ahead, all thoughts of her jacket straight out the window as he... cut her jacket basically off of half of her. That was something that never had been done before and the blonde had to quietly processes the odd sensation such a thing caused. Once her jacket was off, Erica cleared her throat. It felt dry for some reason, almost like she was hankering for some blood, but the dryness didn't quite feel the same. "Thank you." She decided not to start a fight about the jacket. She could... replace it, somehow. At... some point.

The claw marks felt rather deep. Erica should have been a little more prepared but it had been quite a bit of time since she had gotten into a physical altercation. "I doubt they'll be the last." It was more of a muttering than anything serious. "Though I suppose if they don't come at you with double digits, you seem like you'll be able to handle yourself." Erica twisted her torso, taking the ruined part of the jacket that had been cut off to try and press it where she could without hurting herself further. He had helped her, but Erica didn't expect further help. That would have almost been kind.

But she did make a mental note about the knife. Which is all that odd sensation earlier was. Knife against cloth... something to make note of to explore at another time... and probably with someone else. She finally looked back up at him, one eyebrow raising as she. did. He didn't look like he had taken a single hit while killing three others. "Perhaps even more, actually." Erica spoke again softly before chewing on the inside of her cheek. Zap was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He didn't need her, which meant Erica had less leverage than she might have hoped for, but she might have been staring ever so slightly. Mind processing far too many things while her wounds continued to bleed because she could not reach them.

"Thin blood." There was a slightly snide tone in the response, but it was the truth. Her parents were clanless with no relation to anyone high up on a food chain or anyone important. Her blood was thin. "And I haven't fed properly in a few days." The blonde sighed slightly, but her wounds were slowly closing all the same. Every step she took meant a little repaired. Within the hour it would likely be gone on the surface and by the end of the day, it'd be gone under the skin as well.

They moved across the camp's yard. Weird things happened on the edge here. Things that Erica tried her best to take in stride. "That... does that happen often to you?" She couldn't quite imagine surviving for very long if she had to deal with such things.

Oddly, Erica was seeing the exact same thing as Zap. The whale actually made her crouch slightly, as if she expected the belly of the beast to come far too close to the top of her head. She leaned in slightly towards Zap on accident with the movement even as he snagged her by the shoulders. "Ye... yes, it's ver--" And then he jumped at the sight of an entirely too large mouse.

Erica burst into laughter for a second, and though it started because it was weird to see the pink haired vampire startled, it quickly took a little bit of a concerned edge to it. And died rather quick, because she saw a spring burst from the ground next to where the mouse hole had appeared.

Her hand landed on Zap's chest without meaning to, hand tightening around his shirt for a second while she tried to get her bearings. She felt... odd. Really odd. Almost as if her feet were unsteady under her. "Are you... are you having trouble standing too?" Erica had never dabbled in drugs, so she had no idea what was happening, but her eyes had started to lose focus as the full effects hit her.

They must have weapons laced with something. It made all the sense in the world. Her mother had talked about such things... once or twice before. Maybe? Her thoughts weren't clear and her memories seemed to swirl when she tried to recall it all. Erika didn't know what to think or feel as Zap tried to keep them both up. She was leaned against something rougher than him and slowly sat down like he told her to.

"I... don't like this." Captain obvious, Erika was. But sleeping it off? Very likely correct. Erika just didn't like being aware of what was going on around her. She had no chance of being in "control" when it came to a lot of different situations, so she set her goals to more reasonable marks. "It's too wide open here." She thought she muttered under her breath, but the remark was stated out loud for the world. Her eyes squinted and she sighed, leaning to the side so a shoulder was against Zap. At least he was around. This was... likely as safe as she could be as long as Zap didn't get too annoyed with her.

"...I think this is the most I've ever heard you speak." She snickered slightly, letting those eyes of hers close. Sleep was probably going to come sooner or later, but Erika was still struggling to come to terms with it. Zap was talking more than he had, but he was also more friendly than he had been before. Perhaps a little bit of drugs made everyone relax, no matter the circumstances. "What... what are you seeing? Did you see the big thing in the sky too?"