Submitted by Soulless Zombie on Wed, 03/20/2002 - 22:58
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Season One will run from Febuary 6th to June 6th.
Due to a upgrade gone wrong all data was lost an thus all post have had to be re-posted so here they are...
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Past
Stalker
Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2002 11:44 pm
Post subject: Past
Stalker sat watching Kate. *She looks so peaceful.*
*I wonder if her blood tastes nice.* Stalker blinked. *Huh? What did I think that for? I don't need blood anymore.*
*Taste it! Go on, taste the blood.* The thoughts came from his head but they weren't his.
*No I will not. I will not taste the blood! I will not kill Kate. Who are you? What are you doing in my head?*
*I have always been here through your whole pitiful life as a vampire. You've had your turn and shown how pitiful you really are. Now you don't even feed me. Now it's my turn!!* And with that Stalker's face changed. Not like the vamp face he usually had; this face was powerful, mean and mottled with hideous green pussy sores.
*No!!!* Stalker thought, forcing his face back to normal and with that he scrawled a quick message by the door and ran out of the apartment, struggling against the powerful demon rising inside of him..
***223 years ago***
"Shhh Robert, go to sleep. Shhh." The baby continued to cry no matter how much she sang to him. "Shhh please Robert. I need some sleep. Please sleep." She wandered back and forth in front of her caravan carrying him.
He finally quietened down. *Thank God.* She carried the baby into the crib and placed him in his cradle. *Sleep well my precious child.* It was then the premonition hit her and she fell to the ground. What she saw next shocked her.
~~~It was a crowded bar, about ten pm. Suddenly the door burst open and three men walked in. The man in the middle was her baby, it was Robert all grown up, he was a handsome specimen and wore good clothes. She felt relieved that she knew her son would do well in life.
But then he and the other two men's faces changed. "It's dinner time! Dig in boys." Robert yelled as mayhem broke loose. *Oh my God, Robert is a vampire.* She tried to stop the premonition but it kept coming.
Robert and the two vampires slaughtered every human being in the bar except one. Robert commands him, "Go tell every one I'm back in the village and I run it now, I run this village." He pauses for dramatic effect, "And their puny lives." With that he lets out a loud roar of sadistic laughter and literally kicks the man out the swinging doorway. He sprawled in the dust for a second, quickly got up and limped away as fast as he could.
She continued to watch as the grown up version of her son went from town to town. Every time the deaths more gruesome, every time the tortures more horrific. Suddenly, the visions stopped.~~~
She knew there was nothing she could do about her son's future. If fate wanted him to be a vampire he would be, and to change the future would only make fate angry and and almost certainly mean death for her. 'What fate wanted, fate got and going against it only made fate angry and when fate got angry, fate got even.'
*Still, the deaths of all the people!!* She couldn't make her son not become a vampire, but she could lessen the amount of deaths and she knew exactly how she could do it. Her own life, she knew, was but a footnote in a bigger story. She knew that, and she was willing to give it up for the greater good.
Later... she stood over the crib as she placed it on the doorstep. *Good luck, my son and may your soul never fully desert you.* She took a pendant necklace from around her neck and placed it around the child's neck. "I love you, my child." She knocked on the door and limped off in the other direction. Fate was already on its warpath and she knew it wouln't let her live much longer..
***205 years ago***
"'Robert... ROBERT!!' Where are you? You child of Satan!"
Stalker looked up. "I'm here, madam, cleaning out the stables."
"No you wern't, you little bastard. You were talking to that horse again weren't you?"
"No, Mrs Margret, I wasn't, I wasn't Mrs Margret, 'onest" Stalker pleaded.
"Yes you were, don't you dare lie to me! Just wait until the Master gets back from the pub, then you will be in for it."
Stalker knew what would happen. There was no point hiding. Mrs Margret would tell the Master and the Master would find him and the longer it took to find him the worse the beating Stalker would receive.
"I don't know why we let that maid keep you, you've been nothing but trouble! The drought is your fault, I know it, you little beast. You little curse. Your mother was a gypsy, you know! A witch, a horrible horible beast! Now go clean that stable, there will be no food for you tonight." she said spitefully.
This was the way it had always been. Stalker never did anything wrong, he was just blamed for everything. Mrs Margret would blame him for something and make him go without his meal. The Master would come home and beat him for it, then he would go to sleep in the stable and later Miss Mary would come and sneak him some of her dinner and dress his wounds.
Miss Mary was the one who found him on the doorstep when he was abandoned and begged for the Master to let her keep him. He did, but only after he cut her wages and told her she had to feed Stalker with her own money. Mary was the only one that ever cared for or loved Stalker, she would clean his wounds when the Master or the local children beat him.
Stalker never had any friends. Even all the villagers believed that his mother had been a gypsy witch. She very well could have been for all Stalker knew, but no one really knew for sure.
The only thing Stalker ever received from his mother were the things on him when he was abandoned, a gold ring with a fiery red ruby and a silver pendant with the initials R.J.O. Thats where Mary had gotten Robert from. He never showed the Master or Mrs Margret these things as they would almost certainly say they were stolen and take away the only thing Stalker's mother had left him.
One day a vampire took Stalker's life and replaced it with the life of a vampire. Stalker vowed only to feed off bad people and leave the good alone. He never considered himself as doing 'good', only exacting revenge on the 'evil' that had tormented his existence in life.
Now the evil was back.
Alone...
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 12:30 am
Post subject: Alone...
Kate woke up with a start but when she looked around the room was empty. She lay back down and closed her eyes. But sleep didn’t come easily this time and her peacefulness was disturbed by dreams again.
****
There were many people all fighting each other, too many for Kate to distinguish one set of fighters from the other. The place seemed to be an old monastery but apart from that she couldn’t distinguish anything else. She recognised the Brotherhood of Bishamon amongst the fighters, Kate had known them from her years in the Coven. They were not the kind of people you wanted to mess with.
Kate wandered through the battlefield, what were they fighting over? Suddenly she caught a glimpse of the demon she knew as Victor fighting at the other side of the monastery. Someone swung out at the brethren with a blazing sword, while a woman summoned a league of shadow creatures to join in the carnage – wait, wasn’t that Janus? Kate ran across the monastery trying to get closer to her old adversary, *Why is she always in my head?* thought Kate with puzzlement.
Suddenly there was a blinding flash and a portal of light shot up in the centre of the room. Kate walked towards it slowly. There seemed to be a man inside, he was struggling violently to get out. Kate raised a hand to the portal, as she did an arch of fire collided with the portal from across the room. It pushed the man out of the light, he lay on the floor seemingly in great mental pain.
Kate knelt to touch the ring of stones that had invoked the portal. *The Cloch Cosan,* thought Kate. This was the great battle of 1981, the Parisian Discord, this had been the last attempt to open the Nether Arch. Janus reached out to the Cloch Cosan, she began chanting. Kate immediately recognised the words of the Rite of Sundering. The ring exploded in another brilliant flash of light and the shards of the Cosan were propelled from the centre.
****
Kate woke up again, her head hurt badly, *Why can’t I just rest when I sleep?* She shrugged off the blanket and stumbled into the kitchen to get a glass of water. The mid-morning sun filtered into the darkened room. Kate wandered back into the living area, slumping back down onto the sofa. She held her aching head. Something was wrong here. It was a while before she realised what it was; the place was just too quiet. She wandered over to the bedroom.
“Stalker?” she called out warily before gently pushing the door open. The room was empty. The sheets had not been slept in that night. She closed the door and wandered back to the living room. *What was going on??* It was then that she saw the scrawled letters of the note on the door. She ran over to it.
"Kate, had to leave, things have changed, don’t try to find me, you must protect yourself now."
The note on the door had obviously been written in haste. The room had a strange aura, like something bad had passed through it, something evil. A cold shiver ran up Kate’s spine. She jumped as there was a loud knock at the door.
The Coven of Sindell
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 8:01 am
Post subject: The Coven of Sindell
Inanna hurried through the dark streets of L.A. She had left Kate at Bob’s Bar twenty minutes ago but she still couldn’t get the look of Kate’s eyes out of her mind. Her psychic powers weren’t that developed but she had heard truth in all her declarations. *What was she going to tell the council now?* She walks down another street. Crossing the road she is nearly knocked off her feet by a passing taxi. The driver blows his horn loudly and shouts at her. “Hey are you trying to get yourself killed or something???”
Inanna hurries on, she eventually climbs a set of stairs up to a tall white building, The Bryson. She enters through the door, someone is waiting in the lobby. He is tall with short dark hair. He walks towards her and takes her by the arm.
“Inanna” he breathes, “I thought you weren’t coming back.” He leads her up a flight of stairs and towards an apartment door, room 113. He pulls a set of keys out of his jacket pocket and fiddles with the lock before finally pushing the door open. He stands aside, allowing her to enter the room first, then closes the door behind them. The room is sparsely decorated; the walls are painted white like the outside of the building. It has a very cold, utilitarian feel.
There are seven other people in the room, sitting and standing in various postures at the breakfast table, on the bed, looking out the window. Some are men, some are women, but all are dressed the same. They wear long black robes, the women have their hair tied back severely, everyone has the same pale withered looks like Kate when she first came to LA. A man in his forties steps forward and the others all rise to their feet. He approaches Inanna.
“So, did you find her?” he asks.
Inanna looks around at her contemporaries; she is the youngest member of Sindell there, brought solely because she was a friend of Kate’s. “No” she begins, “she wasn’t there, I must have just missed her.” She looks down at the floor. The man takes a step closer to her.
“Are you sure Inanna? Are you sure you didn’t just catch her?”
Inanna looks into the man’s pale blue eyes. *Could Kate have been telling the truth? Did he betray her?*
“All I ask from you is the truth, Kate is the traitor to the coven, not anyone here.”
Inanna looks away sharply; he was reading her thoughts. “I swear to you Serapis, I didn’t see her, she wasn’t there!”
“That’s a pity,” he lays a hand on her shoulder, “you did your best Inanna, I could ask no more of you.”
He turns and walks over to the window at the other side of the apartment; he stands in the shadow of the curtains looking out. “There is more going on in this city than we are privy to, I can feel the mystical energy fields. They,” he holds his head “affect my judgement, they cloud my mind”. He turns to his cohorts. “They do the same to you too, you cannot trust your judgement here, we must rely on what we already know to guide us through”. They all nod in acknowledgement and return to their divergences.
The man from the lobby approaches Serapis; he turns to receive him. “Ah, Lucien, talk to me”. Lucien shuffles closer towards him, he stands in the window, Serapis still gazes outside. His expression changes, he speaks in a low voice. “I shouldn’t have sent Inanna.”
“Yes, she lies about Kate.”
“Yes, but I suspect her mind has been poisoned against our cause.”
“Kate always had a talent for…persuasion, sir”.
Serapis smiles, “Yes she did.” He turns to look at Lucien, “I want you to approach Kate, we know she is in the city now, and she is close, I can almost feel her presence.”
“She has a strong soul…the pure one…”
Serapis smiles again, “I would not call her that any more now, would you?”
“I suppose… but it is her name sake…her soul was purified by the inner circle…sir.”
“Lucien, you must clear your head of these doubts, all you need to know is that Kate is evil, she killed our sister Janus, and she must be stopped. You will find her, and report back to us. I will take matters from there.”
“As you wish, sir”.
Lucien bows in assent then leaves the room. Inanna watches as he exits the apartment. She turns back to Serapis, he stands watching her. Inanna looks away quickly and resumes her employment.
Surprises
Black Jem
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 10:00 am
Post subject: Surprises
Jem and Chris were walking through the cemetery, it was night. They had spent the rest of the day in the shadows and when night fell they went to some of the bars and clubs that demons inhabited. They were talking of old times. Things were coming back to Jem; her past. Jem was happy and it seemed to her Chris was too.
Jem opened the door to Eb's crypt to let Bird out, who had been put inside just to make sure no demon came along and decided to play kitty poker with him, or just eat him straight away. Jem wasn't looking at the crypt, more at Chris' eyes. She didn't see what was in front of her until Chris pointed it out.
"Um, Jem..."
"Huh?"
"Does Ebony's crypt usually look like this?" Jem turned to face the inside of the building. Dust filled the air and the crypt was wrecked. Candles and their stands lay on the floor, the flames out. A coffin was totally broken, the lid riped off its hinges.
Jem stepped in, Chris following. Jem walked over to what used to be Jem's dressing table, the once beautifully engraved mirror was smashed, the table dented and full of holes. Eb's jewellery box lay on the floor, its contents lying on the desk - well most of them.
"Oh my God! What the hell's happened?!" Jem looked around at Ebony's broken possessions. *There's something missing.* Jem started searching for something.
"It's not here."
"What's not here?"
"Ebony's necklace."
Chris looked puzzled. "You know every single item of Eb's jewellery collection?" Chris asked sarcastically and puzzled and intrigued all at the same time.
"Well, ye-- shut up!" Jem replied.
"I don't know what it was, although it was powerful. It could have been some magic item or something."
"How do you know?"
"I don't." Chris gave her a look "Eb said something about her feeling power when she put it on."
"Oh. Well whoever or whatever took it......Slayer!?" Chris said.
"No, not a slayer."
"Why?"
"Because she's dead... And what would a slayer want with a crystal anyway?" Jem explained.
"Well, you said it was magic." He saw Jem's look. "Fine."
Jem was thinking, there was only one suspect. "Kain...he has Ebony, he's got information out of her, shit!"
Five vampires walked into the crypt carrying weapons. "Where the hell have you lot been?!" Jem shouted, she was totally pissed off.
"We were out, feeding, raiding the odd shop, you know, the usual." One of the vamps said.
"Look at what's happened! All my minions are now nice big plies of dust, you're the strongest fighters in the Black Veins, other than Eb and I of course, and you weren't here when I needed you. Daemons were just allowed to walk in here and trash the bloody place, as well as nicking something from Eb."
"Who's he?" Another vampire asked looking around to see Chris.
"Oh, Chris, lackeys. Lackeys, this is Chris."
"Hi." Chris said, putting out his hand to shake. The others ignored the offer, and Chris took back his hand. "Now, now, none of that. That's not a way to great guests and old friends of Jem's." He said sarcastically as he slipped his arm round Jem's waist.
"Right, now you've been introduced we need fighters, demons - as many as possible - and a plan. We'll take Bob's. You split up and take Narcosis and After Dark. You're unlikely to find anyone there but it's worth a try. We need all the fighters we can get." There was a pause. The vampires were a little hesitant. "Go!" Jem shouted at them. They left.
Jem and Chris grabbed some weapons from Jem's weapons chest and they were off.
Behind Bob's Bar, about an hour before sunset.
Victor
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 1:04 pm
Post subject: Behind Bob's Bar, about an hour before sunset.
Victor left Bob's Bar through the back. He had thought a quick snoop through the backrooms might tell him how much Bob knew about the Cloch Cosan. Finding nothing he slipped into the alleyway and quitly closed the door behind him.
"You shoun't be so sneaky," a voice said from the alley, "People might t'ink youse was up ta sumpin'." A demon and a troll stepped from the darkness.
Victor sized them up and decided that discretion was the better part of valour. He reached for the door, and discovered that on fire doors, there isn't a handle on the outside.
"Mr. Kain dere says you know where the other crystals are." The troll's breath was foul, he must have been eating goat entrails recently.
"If youse tells us, Den we might be able to lets ya go wid only a broken kneecap."
Victor was trapped...cornered. He might be able to get a few shots in, but these goombahs were gladiators in Kain's arena. They would kill him if he got too dangerous. "Boys, let's just cut to the beating, I think that your conversation skills are more painful."
They beat Victor mercilessly, but he was tough. After a few minutes of savage punching, Victor spit out a mouthful of goo. "That it? Or is this intermission? I'd tell you where the crystals are, but frankly, I think my suggestion of shoving them up your ass would just bring on more beating."
The troll seethed. *Good move. Now this will hurt.* The troll reached behind him and pulled out his hammer. He pounded Victor so hard he never noticed the demon beating him with the lead pipe.
The assault didn't stop until something made an audible *KRAK* . Victor grabbed his leg. "You gotta tough hide, dere chum." said the troll. I coulda used you when I wuz in trainin'. I t'ink I broke a sweat!"
"Mr Kain sez you'd bettah let him know if'n you find more o' dem crystals. He sez you'll wish you wuz bak in da pit if'n you don't." The demon leaned over and took Victor's wallet, money clip, keys, watch, and everything else that wasn't attached. He considered the jacket, but the appearance of blood all over it aparently turned him off.
The two toughs wandered off and Victor laid there long enough to figure out they weren't coming back. He staggered to his feet using the wall for support. His leg twisted at a funny angle. Victor hopped over to a dumpster nearby and wedged his foot under the edge and pulled. There was a clicking noise as the pieces of Victor's leg fell back into place. *One advantage of having an exoskeleton is that a broken shell is easier to repair than bone. But damn it hurts! *
Victor went out of his way to throw any possible tail, and when he was certain he was not being followed, he headed home to Poplar. Between the switchbacks and his limp, the whole trip took about an hour.
When he got to the front door, he realized his keys were missing. His leg was throbbing and he could feel the cracks in his armor plates grating against each other. He wandered down the alley behind the building to the fire escape. The drop-down ladder was more than 6 feet above his head. He jumped and tried to grab it in order to climb up.
His fingertips brushed the bottom run and he landed badly on his injured leg. He felt the crack in his leg jam together and splinter. He stumbled backwards into the row of trash cans and lay there in the dark. *Why did you do it? You could have told those dufuses anything!*
* Because you knew where the crystals were, and you didn't want to lie. Lies can be detected. *
*Damn you soul, this HURTS! Integrity sucks! *
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Natasha Brookes
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 1:26 pm
Jade and Matthias were seated comfortably on one of Tash's new sofas, drinking coffee. Tash, however, was feeling restless. After circling the room for the third time, she said "I think I want to go outside for a few minutes, I just need to have a short walk in the air."
Matthias smiled indulgently at her. "Don't be too long, our guests will be arriving soon."
*I'm sure he knows what I'm thinking.* Tash thought as she left the apartment. *He knows I'm nervous about seeing Tempest again.*
As Tash walked out the front of the building, she heard a tremendous racket coming from the side. *What the Hell?* Loosening her shoulders, Tash carefully approached the corner. There seemed to be someone lying just beneath the fire escape. She quickly checked around to see if anyone else was present, but couldn't detect anything. Going closer, she could see the aura of a man. There was a lot of grey in the aura, which puzzled Tash. *Not another weird aura, how much more of this can I take?* Somehow it seemed familiar, though....
Victor saw Tash approach from around the front of the alleyway. *Great. More explanations.* "Tash. It's me...Victor. Give me a hand."
"Victor?" Tash grew even more cautious. She looked down at him, lying on the ground. The colours in his aura were still much the same as she'd seen last night, but the darkness was gone, replaced by the dull grey. "Wow. You must know somebody very powerful. Not even Matthias can disguise his aura, and I gather he's a master at glamour."
Still not touching him, Tash hunkered down next to him. She looked straight into his eyes and spoke quietly but steadily. "Victor - if that's really your name - I don't trust you. I know you're undergoing some sort of spiritual metamorphosis, but you're still a demon. If I find you're still after the crystals for yourself...."
Victor stared back into her eyes. *She's sincere, and I need her help. You can't lie to her. Yes I can! But I won't. I need her to trust me, and I need to be able to trust her too if we are going to survive this ordeal.* "Yes, I'm a demon. No, I am not going for the crystals this time. I thought I could be rid of them. I thought that I was going to be free of their wretched curse at last. But that didn't happen."
"I need you to keep an open mind...I didn't want to trigger this...shitstorm. I sold a crystal to Kain. I didn't know he had three at the time. I didn't know the other five were here in the city. I just wanted to be rid of it. Now Kain is after me because he thinks I might know where the other crystals are. And guess what, I do! So for my silence I get a broken exoskelet...er...leg."
Tash stared at the battered form before her. She could feel the truth in what he said. *He sold one to Kain?* Tash let out the breath she hadn't realised she was holding. *I can understand him wanting to be rid of it. I was more than happy to give that orange one to Matthias.* She stared at him for a few minutes more. There were mere inches of space and a whole world of perspective between them. Finally she held out a hand. "Can you stand?"
“Yeah. My armor is cracked and hurts a lot. Probably the same as cracking a rib or a hairline fracture for a human. I'll be okay, but it'll take a while to heal. Are we okay? Not going to shoot me in the alleyway?"
Tash smiled grimly. "No, I won't shoot you in the alleyway." Her expression turned serious. "But I wasn't kidding. If I find you've double-crossed us at any stage, I'll hunt you down. I don't usually bother with demons - vampires are my thing. But in this case, I'd make an exception."
She grasped his arm and placed her other arm around his back. "OK, ready? Up we go." With that, Tash straightened her legs and helped Victor heave to his feet.
*She's strong. I am not light* thought Victor as he rose unsteadily to his feet. *And she's serious as a heart attack. I will have to be very careful with her. The fewer secrets the better.* Tash started to guide him out of the alley, but he held her back. "I want to tell you everything. The demon and the troll that beat me...they took my keys. I was trying to get in through the fire escape. I don't know how bad that is right now, but Kain knows I lived here before. He and I ...well..I worked for him in the 1840's. I want to be clear that I didn't know this was going to happen. The past I know very well, but the future...it trips me up every time."
Tash was still holding onto Victor. She could feel the shape of his body. He felt like a normal, well-muscled man. *I wonder what he really feels like, and looks like? He spoke of armour, and an exoskeleton…* "That's probably going to be bad. I think we can safely say that's what it means. We'll have to see if Matthias can help." Looking at his perfectly human visage, Tash added "Or maybe the witch who did this job on you."
"That might be easier than you think. She is our upstairs neighbor. She's the Sorcerers’ Guild Elder for LA. She's powerful, but the Guild cannot always be predictable. They try to preserve balance. And that does not always mean opposing evil. I'd be careful what we share with her."
Victor and Tash limped up the stairs to the door. She helped him climb the stairs to the second floor. Once there they paused between their apartments. There was an awkwardness while they tried to decide which way to go. Victor nodded to his door, and he easily broke the lock as he opened it. "Cheap locks." he said.
Inside, Tash was astounded to see his room fully furnished. The pictures still on the end-tables. The bed covered in nice linens. Her eye was drawn to the stone propped against the wall.
Victor answered her unspoken question. "It's from the Shrine of Ghortab. I stole it and escaped to this dimension 2000 years ago. It is both a burden and a comfort."
"Two thousand years? Gee, I thought Tempest was old." Tash helped Victor to his couch, where he lay back gratefully. "It feels strange helping a demon. I never thought I'd live to see the day, myself."
Tash started to head towards the bathroom, then paused. "Is there any point to my cleaning you up? Or is this - " she waved in his general direction "just part of the glamour?"
"To be honest, it’s a good general indicator of my injuries. It’s been a long time since I wore a spell as good as this. But cleaning it up is not going to do any good. The viscous fluids from my chitin will fill..." Tash was looking disgusted. He dropped the explanation.
"It might help to understand me and my people the G'rnathan Demons. We may be physically different, but we still have emotions, and lives and goals. My people are created in vast factories that were built by Ghortab. We are churned out in a bewildering variety. Each of us is assigned a role in life. The Battle Fiends are a group of military. My role was as a tracker and hunter.
Tash decided this was going to be a long explanation, so she settled on the floor as comfortably as she could.
Victor continued, "But I was not content with that role. I wanted to be more. I read a translation of this stone that said that a soul would make us stronger. But only a good soul would make us grow. Evil souls could sustain us, but pure souls would increase our power.
“I stole the stone and escaped to this world because there are always those among your people that will open a portal. I served as a hunter and tracker from one master to the next. Slaying each one as I tired of them. But the first time I saw the portal opened was in Turkey. Sometime around 1370 I think. I saw it opened on a heavenly dimension.
“I was drawn to the energy, and entered the circle of light. I saw a great tunnel of light and heard a voice calling to me. I was granted my wish of a soul. And it has tormented me ever since.
"I don’t know why I feel you need to know all of this. I don't know why ...but something in me tells me that you are part of my Quest."
Tash sat very still on the floor at the feet of this creature that looked human but so patently was not. She tilted her head up and held his eye. "I'd say you probably got exactly what you deserved."
"How can I help you? I don't know anything about magic and portals. It seems that's Matthias' area." *Not that I knew that until yesterday...*Tash thought bitterly. Part of her still didn't forgive Matthias for his deception.
"And I wouldn't say I'm an expert on souls, either. All I know how to do is kill vampires." Tash was feeling frustrated. So much was going on, in such a short time. She felt as though she were being swept away in a tidal wave. *Then there's Tempest. Why do I feel so strongly towards him, so quickly? I've always kept my emotions in check.* Tash shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the conflicting thoughts within.
Tash looked back up at Victor helplessly. "How can I possibly have anything to do with your Quest? And you haven't exactly explained what your Quest is. All you've told me is you weren't happy in your job, and now you've got a soul and you're not really happy with that, either."
Victor chuckled, "You make it sound so simple. It seems so much more complicated. But you really don't know why people are drawn to you? You have something," he reached towards her aura, "here. It reaches out to people. It is how much you give. People are greedy, they want more and more. The more you give, the more they take. But you make that something positive. You give until they have no choice but to give back. You always come out ahead in every relationship."
Tash instinctively started to draw away from the hand that reached towards her, then forced herself to stay still. *Funny, he doesn't seem that bad once you get to know him. Matthias was right about him.*
She looked at Victor speculatively. The form he'd chosen was very pleasant, she had to admit, but what did he really look like? Not so pleasant, she imagined. *Still, you've always judged people by their auras, and apart from the demonic parts, there was a lot of guilt and suffering in his. He speaks the truth.*
“That's all very flattering, but you still haven't told me how you think I could help you."
"I wish I knew. But I was built to find things. Sometimes I find what I am looking for without understanding how it fits in. I cannot explain it, but somehow, you are going to be very important to me and my Quest. My quest is to understand what is good and what is evil. I was built for war. I am designed to be the perfect spy, tracker, and hunter. I gather intelligence. Yet I am drawn to do evil things.
“My soul brings me pain. It makes me want to do good things. But why? What is the nature of this? How can a human born pure and innocent choose to murder and destroy other humans? Why would a human who carries guilt and evil in his heart choose to change and reform? Somehow, you can help me understand this. That is my Quest."
Tash let her breath out in a whoosh. "Talk about laying responsibility on a girl! You want to know the nature of good and evil?" She shook her head. "I don't think anyone's ever managed that one. Humans - beings with souls, if you like - are strange creatures. Sometimes we do things against our own nature, and we can't explain it even to ourselves."
Tash gazed at Victor sadly. "I don't know if there's enough time in existence for you to find the answer. But I'll help how I can." She looked down, "I don't think it'll be much."
Victor idly traced one of the runes on the Stone, "I don't need the answers tonight. I just wanted you to know what I wanted. I feel compelled to eliminate misunderstanding between us. I know you think 'Another drain on your emotions' is all I am. I don't want you to feel that either. I have resources that can help you as well. I know things. Including details about our mutual enemy. I know things about the crystals, and I know what needs to be done.
"All I am asking is for you to be honest with me as we go along. Maybe I have been trying to do this alone for too long. A fresh perspective can sometimes bring new insights."
Tash took Victor's hand in her own gloved one. "All right. That I can do." She paused for a moment, "Are you sure there's not something I can do to help you heal? I really don't mind a little viscosity."
"I will heal. Trust me. But if you want to help, let me show you what to do, if you have to. Close your eyes and clear your mind. The disguise is a lie. Remember that. If you reach out with your hands and do not expect to feel anything...you can feel the real me."
Tash closed her eyes and reached out. She recalled Victor’s aura the way it was when she first saw it, to help her focus. It was like the meditation exercises she learned from Matthias when it came to controlling her abilities. She reached up and felt the smooth oily chitin. With the gloves on, it was difficult to feel properly. Mentally bracing herself, Tash removed the gloves.
She could feel the cracks running through the plates in his leg. There were little pores in it, and she could feel the ichor pumping from them as it filled in the cracks. Maintaining concentration on breaking the glamour seemed to help dampen any visions she may have received from Victor. She lifted her hand and looked at her fingers and the yellowish ooze dripping down it. She could feel it getting thick and it was already crusting over where she had rubbed it thin.
Victor smiled, "All you need to do is rub that in. Polish my shell so to speak. The slime will do the rest."
Tash realised this job would be a lot easier if she could see him properly. She had to admit she was curious, too. With the aid of bare fingertips, she thought she might be able to see through Victor's glamour. Touching his leg again, Tash concentrated as she had before. She could feel the chitin, and the slowly oozing ichor, but she could see Victor's human form. She delved into the calm place at her centre, and gradually his form flickered.
Tash had prepared herself for whatever unimagined horror she might see. The form that flickered before her was large - very large. He was at least nine or ten feet tall, covered in armour plating. His hands ended in sharp talons, and red coals glowed in his eye sockets. Long horns protruded from his skull. His greenish body was covered with slime oozing from pores. *Not so bad as I thought - could've been worse.* Tash thought as she swallowed the bile that rose in her throat.
Tash began smearing the yellow ichor around the cracks in his armoured leg. She was right, it was a lot easier now she could more-or-less see him properly. Mostly she could see him in all his demonic glory, but occasionally the human form he'd worn would flicker in, disturbing her concentration for a second. As she worked, Tash found that she quickly grew used to the sight of Victor. *After all, I've seen some pretty scary things in my time!*
Victor could see her eyes unfocus as she began to work. * She can see me. The real me. * He began to get uncomfortable. He squirmed and sat up. "That's it. That's the right way. But...um...now you know. In case of emergency." He was very uncomfortable. And the pain was not making it easier. "Thanks."
Tash murmured, "Hang on, I'm almost done. I know this must hurt. I'm sorry, I'm being as gentle as I can." Tash could feel the waves of pain coming from Victor, and a sense of vulnerability. Tash smiled. She looked up at those red glowing eyes. "I know how you feel. I don't like having to rely on other people to take care of me, either."
Tash finished her ministrations and sat back. As she let go of him, Victor's form blurred, and once more all she could see was the human body he wore as a cloak. "There, all done." She looked down at her goo-encrusted hands. "I think I'll go wash, if you don't mind."
As Tash stepped into the bathroom, Victor quickly changed clothes. He got his pants changed, but was struggling with a clean shirt when she came out. "Um...I'm having some trouble here. And we are going to be late for the meeting."
Tash cocked her head to one side. "Really?" Shaking her head in disbelief, Tash went to him, pulling her gloves back on as she did so. She disentangled the arm that was hopelessly caught within the shirt, and straightened out the mess. Then she guided his wrist into the sleeve and helped him pull on the shirt. As she touched his arm and back, she marvelled at how humanlike he looked and felt. *And smelled* Tash thought as the scent of maleness washed over her. "So, how's the leg feeling?" she asked him as she helped him with the buttons.
Victor looked sheepish, "It feels better. It may hurt for a while, but I'll be fine." He buttoned his shirt and tossed on a tie. Tash idly straightened his collar as he tied the knot and cinched it up. "How do I look?"
Tash looked him up and down. "If you want my honest opinion, I'd say you look incredibly handsome and dashing." She looked him in the eye, "But I know what lies underneath. It's not so bad once you get used to it, but you'd better not have been bullshitting me about your nature these days."
"I have told you who and what I am. I have not kept any secrets from you." He looked into the mirror as she straightened his tie. "You know what I really am. This," he said indicating his reflection, "is just a show for the public. It hides me from danger...but it does not change me." He looked into her eyes. "I have nothing left to hide from you."
Tash nodded. "I know. That's why I'm still here. I'm sure there's lots you haven't told me, but I think I know all that's important for now." She smoothed his tie. Somehow touching Victor this way didn't bother her the way the thought of touching Tempest had. *I guess the stakes are different.* "You know, there's a whole bunch of stuff you don't know about me. How do you know you can trust me?"
"Which one of us is wearing the disguise?"
Tash smiled. "You have a point, there. But I feel I owe you something in return for your life story. We have to go to the meeting now, but soon I'll want to talk with you some more, I think."
"I'd like that," he smiled, "Maybe even after this is over."
Tash walked to the door, its lock destroyed beyond repair. "You'd better get yourself a new lock, too." She looked back at Victor. "Coming?"
He pulled the door closed. And they walked down the hall side by side. * This was not what I expected. Hopefully it will grow into something * he thought as they entered her apartment.
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Tempest
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 6:41 pm
Tash opened her apartment door and was puzzled to find it empty. She stood in the doorway looking around as if she rather expected to find everyone waiting for the two of them. "Something wrong?" asked Victor.
Tash looked back at Victor, a puzzled frown marring her features. "Yeah, I left Jade and Matthias in here when I went out. I can't have been gone that long." She stood for a moment and sent out mental feelers. No, nothing seemed to be amiss. "Maybe they've just popped out for a minute. So long as Matthias is with her, Jade will be safe."
"Well," she said, holding the door open. "You might as well come in and make yourself at home."
Victor entered the apartment. The floors were still bare wood, and there was very little furniture, although it was obvious that what furniture there was, was new. He made a polite comment which Tash dismissed as pleasantries. But Victor peered around carefully as if doing a security sweep before settling on the couch. "It seems safe enough. I can't find any signs of a struggle, or foul play."
"No, it felt all right." Tash closed the door and locked it behind her, a habit she'd been in for as long as she could remember. She turned to Victor, who was sitting a little awkwardly on one of the couches. "How's that leg holding up? Something to drink?" Tash removed her jacket, and carefully took off the shoulder holster. It wasn't terribly comfortable, but she always felt strange without it.
"A drink would be fine." *Even if I won't drink it.* Misunderstanding her other question, he looked down at the leg of the couch, and the slight motion of the couch made it give way. There was loud *THUMP* but Victor managed to avoid falling over backwards. He just looked silly. "I'm sorry. I keep forgetting that even though I LOOK human I don't weigh human. I'll get it. He pulled a small stack of books off the shelf and propped up the corner of the sofa. * At least it looks new,* he thought.
Tash bit her lip as her brand-new couch, delivered just hours earlier, collapsed under Victor's weight. Then she saw the funny side. "I just got that today. I wonder if the warranty covers demons?" Tash dropped the jacket and gun she was holding onto the table, and went to the kitchen. "What was it you wanted to drink?"
"Water is fine." * I want to drink your soul. * *Not any more.* For once he didn't feel like arguing. She was so much better alive and warm and... *What is this?* *It’s affection. You know it, you just keep forgetting. Remember, you felt this way about Janus? * He remembered. He had tried to forget, it wasn't an accident. But now he felt those same sentimental feelings he had felt in Paris. *Friend.*
Tash felt a brief shiver run up her spine, a feeling of menace. Then, as quickly as it came, it was gone, replaced by something much warmer. She looked back at Victor, puzzled. *Maybe not quite entirely reformed, but at least he's trying hard.* She poured two glasses of water, and took them over to the couch. "You didn't answer me before you destroyed my furniture." She nodded to his leg. "How's it feeling?" Tash handed Victor one of the glasses, and took a sip out of her own.
"At the risk of sounding foolish, I had stopped thinking about it." He touched it gingerly, "It will ache, but the ichor is hardening. It'll be vulnerable for a long while yet, but at least there won't be as much pain. Thanks again for your help. You didn't have to." *More pleasantries? Damn soul! *
Victor wanted to rip off his skin and rage ...and as quickly as he felt it, it passed. *A crystal must be near.*
Tash sat on the other couch, which was at right angles to the first. She curled her long legs beneath her and rested one elbow on the arm. "I was glad to help. Let's just say it gave me a chance to get to know the real you."
She suddenly felt a strong surge of emotion from Victor. Though she was used to keeping her facial expressions as neutral as possible when she felt things, this was so powerful she couldn't help but look at Victor in surprise. "What is it?" she asked him. *That felt primaeval. Something upset him badly for a moment.* She shivered slightly at this reminder of just what this man sitting on her couch really was.
Tempest approached the door to Tash’s apartment. As he reached for the door knob he decided he best be polite and knock.
"Ah, that's probably Matthias and Jade coming back." Tash stood and went to the door. Habit once more took over, and before she unlocked it she asked, "Who is it?"
"Tempest."
Tash suddenly felt unprepared. Of course, Tempest was coming tonight. She opened the door for him. "Hi, come on in." She felt a faint whispering in her mind, a little stronger than she had with the two stones Matthias had. *Well, this one's not dampened, but there's only one of it. I hope the three together aren't going to be a problem. That's what Victor must have felt - he knew the crystal was near.*
"Hello, hope I’m not interrupting anything." Tempest entered the apartment and leaned against the wall across from Victor.
"Um...No, not interrupting, we were waiting for everyone to get here." *Guilt? For what? I haven't done anything. * * Not recently. * Victor tried to stand, but a pain shot up his leg...he winced and sat back down. "Sorry, I had an...accident".
Tash closed and locked the door behind Tempest. "Do you want something to drink, Tempest? I've got water, tea, coffee, Coke, brandy, whiskey..." "And you," she said, turning to Victor, "Stay sitting. I don't want you opening up that wound."
Victor looked helpless for a second, and shrugged at Tempest. "She's decided I need caring-for. Why don't you sit down until Jade and Matthias arrive. I'll tell you what happened."
“I’ll stand.” Tempest stood and listened intently as Victor described the attack by the Troll and the Demon.
"They are getting organized. We need to stay a step ahead of them. We have three crystals between me and Matthias and Kain only has four. Why don’t we try and find the other two then decide what to do. Sorry Tash, Victor distracted me, but I should be fine."
Tash looked from one to the other, then said, "I know where one other crystal is. I only found it a couple of hours ago. There's a woman in this building with one. She's not very trusting, so I don't want to scare her. I'm seeing her tomorrow with Matthias. She's a witch, and I think she may have picked up that I knew something." Tash shrugged. "That's really all I know about her, except that I think she's losing the battle with the crystal." Tash returned to her couch and curled up on it again.
"So, what’s the plan? We going to steal it or just kill her?" Tempest said fiercely.
Tash stared at Tempest. "You're joking, I hope!" *Maybe he's not joking - is this him, or the crystal talking?* Tash was now very glad she hadn't mentioned Kate's name.
"I don't recommend killing her. She’s an Elder in the sorcerers’ council. Someone that high-profile would be both powerful and well-warded as well."
Tash stared at Victor. "You know her? She's an Elder? Wow." *I didn't think she looked all that old - there are definitely advantages to witchcraft.* "Look, whatever happens with that one crystal - and I'm hoping Matthias will convince her not to try to use it – so long as we have three the Cloch Cosan can't come together, can it?"
"Well..."
Tash looked at Victor with some exasperation. "Well, what?"
Victor loved to talk. He was in his element. Debriefing. "There is the ritual of Sundering. It breaks the circle. There is also a ritual of gathering. But you have to know where the stones are to cast it."
Dawning realisation stole over Tash's face. "You mean, someone could draw them together mystically even if they didn't have them physically?"
"Did you think that all the times they have been scattered all over the Earth that they were hunted individually? No, it can be done. But both rituals are pretty obscure. I probably wouldn't know about it if I hadn't seen it cast."
"Who cares? If we don’t have a plan it doesn’t really matter. We’re just sitting ducks. Kain has far more power in this city than all of us, so if we don’t do something fast it won’t even matter. In fact Kain knows I have a crystal, I've felt someone following me. And not some weak goon. This is getting serious, and fast, so we better do something tonight."
"Well, you guys are the crystal experts. How do we hide them so someone can't find where they are? We have to get them somewhere safe - but what constitutes safe?" Tash looked at the two men in her apartment. "And where the Hell is Matthias??"
"Hiding them is tough. They are, as you've probably guessed, pretty obvious. And they want to be found. But they can be hidden from just about anybody if you have enough magic. But I might suggest another strategy. Tempest, can you pinpoint the positions of the crystals? You seem to have a strong bond with them. Stronger, I imagine, since you have one of them in your possession."
"I can feel them when there relatively close but it's far from precise. Though I can give us a general area."
Tash nodded. "Matthias said it was the same sort of thing for him. He could feel their vibrations, but not very precisely, and only if they were fairly close." Tash hugged herself, shivering. *How did I end up involved in all this mess? Because you saw someone with a strange aura and followed him out of a pub, that's how, you silly woman!*
Victor sat in silence with them as all three wracked their brains for a plan. * Would that witch Kate know the ritual? Maybe the Elder could help. If she already has one of the Shards, she might be planning something like this already. There is nothing to make you trust her. Especially her revealing she was a Dark guild member before becoming an Elder. Who else could have enough power...and knowledge? Matthias. We need him now. I wonder what he is up to? *
*This is ridiculous. I’m finally on the path to getting my memory back. These crystals are clearly the Key so why am I wasting my time plotting to hide them or keep them from Kain? If I could get near Kain's crystals I might be able to discover something more about them...*
"I still say we kill the witch and take her crystal. Then we track down the others and do what ever it takes to get them. If we keep waiting we’re all going to be dead, and I don’t intend to let that happen."
Tash looked at Tempest in horror. What was happening to him? The feelings she was getting from him were dark and terrible. How could he have changed so quickly? Was it the crystal? *Or is it my fault? I helped him with his memories, but he was after the crystals for their power - maybe he's becoming that man again.*
"Tempest, think about what you're saying. You've got one of those things on you, don't listen to it. Listen to your own heart." Tash could see the flickers in Tempest's aura. There was a battle going on in there. Whether it was between Tempest and the crystal, or between the old Tempest and the new, she couldn't tell.
"The crystals have no power over me, I know them... True they can influence you but only if you let them trick and deceive you. My heart says I haven’t lived as long as I have by sitting and waiting for something to happen. Face it, the world isn’t a nice place and right now it’s only getting worse. Now Kain has more than enough power to kill us all if we wait for him to make the first move. As I said it’s futile to try and hide the crystals.”
“They want to be found and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Eventually they will come together and what then? I've seen what these crystals have to unleash. I see it every night when I sleep. We can’t even imagine what’s going to happen when they come together. I’m sick of hiding from them.... It’s just a waste of time - we have to do something!."
Tash looked at Victor helplessly. She didn't dare speak out loud, but she tried to convey with her eyes, *What do we do?*
Victor got angrier as he listened to the old Tempest. The warrior and mercenary. They had had fun, but it had all been at the expense of others. Tempest wanted his memories back, and Victor could relate. He wanted things badly himself.
But this was not the way. "Want...Take...Have" was not how the world was supposed to work. "You want us to do something?" asked Victor in a voice laden with malice. He lunged off the couch and drove his fist into Tempest's gut. "In over 100 years of hanging out with you I never found out what could kill you. But I am going to experiment some tonight."
As Victor and Tempest started to brawl in her lounge room, Tash edged off the couch and grabbed up the gun she'd left on the table. *Just in case.* she thought to herself. She braced herself and waited, gun pointed at the floor.
Tempest rolled onto his back. Victor leapt onto his chest but Tempest was able to bring his legs up in time to catch Victor in the chest. He pushed up with all his strength and just managed to send Victor stumbling back. *Damn, he's not exactly what he appears to be now is he?* Tempest faced Victor. As he stood, a sword appeared in his hand and they circled each other.
As they separated, Tash saw her chance to end this quickly. She pointed the gun at Tempest and said, in a voice filled with deadly purpose. "Tempest, drop that sword now, or by God I will shoot you."
Victor didn't wait for her to carry out her threat. He rushed at Tempest both hands outstretched. Tempest braced for impact, but rolled to one side at the last second and body checked Victor to the floor.
"Victor, get out of the way!" Tash cried in exasperation as her clear shot was obscured by the tangle of limbs.
As Tempest turned to defend, Victor reached one hand up and into his chest. It didn't break into his torso, it just passed directly into it. Tempest froze. Victor slowly drew out his soul until it was half in and half out of him.
Tempest looked into Victors eyes...he could feel his soul being wrenched out. Tempest glanced quickly down to his hand still holding his sword. Tempest felt his life fading from his body but he knew if he could wound Victor in that moment it might save his life. He focused every thought to that end. Then he felt a voice, not his but much alike, thinking with him and he knew he had the strength. He jerked his arm forward and could practically feel the blade enter Victor’s abdomen.
They both fell to the floor on their knees. Tempest's sword buried in Victor's gut, and Victor with a vice like grip on Tempest's soul. Face to face. Eye to eye. Tempest was fading. Victor could sense him weakening, but Victor wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold on. Victor whispered into Tempest's ear, "It does not have to end here."
"Take a look inside, all I have is dead. I'll take you with me."
Tash felt as though she were moving through molasses, everything else was moving so quickly. Here were two men - beings, she corrected herself - that she'd met only days before, and she was being asked to choose.
Time seemed stretched. She had long moments to look first at Tempest, who had seemed so lost and helpless only this morning, and who had stirred feelings in her she'd not known she had. Then she looked at Victor, a demon, something she should kill or avoid, but this one had a soul, and right now he seemed far more human than Tempest.
She grabbed Tempest's sword hand, squeezing with all the strength she could muster. "Drop it." she hissed. She placed the gun to his head. "I said, drop it."
Tempest's grip on the hilt relaxed. Tash gently pulled it from Victor's body. She'd seen Tempest twice now have this sword in his hand when it was nowhere near, so she kept the gun at his head. Tash spat the words out, "And don't will it back to you."
Victor let Tempest's soul slide through his fingers. But before it had left his grasp completely, he spoke to it, "Everything inside you is dead, maybe. But look around you. She is not dead, and she cares very much for you. " Victor helped Tash guide the sword out of his thorax. He would be gurgling as he breathed for a few days, but he was already prepared to heal. He fell back on the floor. "Ouch."
Tash looked at Tempest coldly. "I think it's time you went." *My God, what has happened to him? He's not remotely the same man he was this morning!*
Tempest stared Tash in the eyes "Sure seems like it, eh?" Tempest began walking to the door though he had a strange sensation all about his body. As he neared the door he turned around and his arm spun faster than even Victor could see the sword appeared in his hand and was promptly launched at Victor. It landed in the wall less than an inch from Victor’s head.
"My flaws are the only thing left that’s pure. I can't really live, can't truly endure." Tempest turned and, breaking the lock on the door, left the room. As he reached the hallway the sword reappeared in his hand and he laughed coldly.
Shared Pain...
Jadyn
Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2002 9:38 pm
Post subject: Shared Pain...
After Tash had left the apartment, Jade and Matthias spent the next few minutes chatting. *He makes me feel so comfortable. I feel like I can talk to him about anything. * Jade stretched to relieve the kinks in her back and wondered idly about who Matthias really was and of his connection to Tash. She'd seen his true form in all its gold glory, last night, as he helped Tash with Tempest but her knowledge of the supernatural (if that was the correct term for it) was still pretty limited and she'd never seen anything like it before.
"Matthias..." She began.
"It's ok aghra... I know what you're about to ask." Matthias smiled. "Come closer. I'll show you."
*Show me? * Jade looked puzzled but complied with his wishes, sliding nearer till she was sitting right in front of him, her body mere inches from his. "Close your eyes; try to clear your head." Matthias instructed.
Jade did so and gasped as he cupped her face gently in his palms... Images poured through her mind's eye - Matthias as he'd been as a boy, as a man and finally, after he'd completed his training in fae magic, as a Sidhe. She saw him tenderly looking after a young black girl, comforting her as she awoke from a nightmare. *Tash... That's Tash, surely? * Her heart clenched at the visions that haunted her friend's dreams... horrific visions of blood and death... visions so similar to the ones that plagued her own nightly slumber. *Mom... Dad... Junie... Valerian...*
Jade's eyes were wet when she opened them again. Matthias brushed away her tears before drawing her head down onto his shoulder, comforting her as he'd comforted Tash many times before. What Jade didn't know was that holding her that way was comfort to him too. Those few moments that he'd touched her, Matthias had seen Jade's own personal hell, felt all the anguish and deep-rooted fear within her.
Anger burned, surprising him, for he rarely felt such violent emotion, even when hunting demons and vampires. This particular fiend, Valerian, however, was responsible for all the pain Jade's been through and that made him deserving of a fate worse than death. *Or, considering that he's a vampire, "un-death". * The last time he'd felt such a virulent fury, he'd single-handedly killed half a dozen white vampires males as they gloated about their killing of a young black family.
Jade raises her head slightly... Matthias' eyes were focused on her but she got the impression that he wasn't really seeing her. In an attempt to distract him from whatever was apparently disturbing him, she said, "Could we take a walk? I've been cooped up the whole day, first in the shop, then at home; I'd like to stretch my legs... Maybe we can catch up with Tash?"
Mrs. White
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2002 4:59 am
Post subject: Mrs. White
Kate stood motionless for a minute, the loud rapture sounded again, and this time more impatiently. She immediately turned and opened the door. There stood an old woman, probably about seventy thought Kate. She looked very angry until she saw Kate, then her face turned to one of embarrassment. She went pale and held her hand up to avert her eyes. It was then that Kate realized she was still only wearing her tight black t-shirt and knickers.
"Oh, I'm so sorry" said Kate dashing back into the apartment, "please come in while I get dressed". Kate grabbed her clothes from the sofa and darted into Stalker's room.
Mrs. White hobbled into the living room, she ran her hand over the mantle piece *Humm, needs dusting* she thought. "I came to see Mr. Smith; he needs to fill in a few forms..."
Inside the bedroom Kate looks at the mismatch of clothes that were in her possession. The stereotypical little black dress and her running clothes. She pulled the dress on, it didn't look too out of place if she dressed it down with her runners and denim jacket. She came back into the living room. "Mr. Smith?" she asked almost immediately.
"That's right...Jake, I think he said his first name was."
"Yes, that's right, Jake...Smith. Yes well he's going to be out of town for a few days," said Kate. *Damn she hated having to make up lies, she was no good at it.*
"Oh" said Mrs. White obviously caught off guard, "some kind of plumber's convention I suppose?"
Kate looked confused, *Just what tale had Stalker spun this old woman?* "Err, yes, that's exactly what it is, a convention, for plumbers, in Atlantic City I think."
"Yes, they usually are dear" said Mrs. White with a smile *Men love to gamble.* "And who are you? Mr. Smith never mentioned a wife...”
“Oh, how rude of me, my name’s Kate, Wiccham, I’m Sta...Jake's... sister...in law." *Christ! I don't think I can take much more of this. * "He asked me to come and look after the place while he was away, you know. He didn't want it to be empty so soon after moving in."
"Ah yes, I understand, very sensible. He struck me as that sort, not like half the weirdo’s I get staying here. Wheeling their motorbikes through my corridors. They think I don’t notice but I do, their strange friends coming and going at all hours. You know there was one last night had a bloody sword with him, this long it was.” She gestured with her hands, “what do you suppose he was doing with that?”
"I can't imagine" lied Kate, she could imagine only too well what sort of things - people visited, even lived in this building.
"A bunch of aura reading - numerology spouting hippies if you ask me! I must admit when I saw you dressed like you were I thought your Mr. Smith was one of them too. All this bloody free love and coming and goings at all hours.”
Kate tried hard to stifle a smile, *She said that already.* Mrs. White was getting worked up now.
"I work hard for a living, as long as they pay the rent on time I don't ask questions but it is hard for a poor woman living alone."
"I'm sure it is..." Mrs. White looked down at the papers in her hands, Kate followed her gaze. "I can get Jake to fill those in as soon as he returns if you want to leave them with me?"
Mrs. White smiled, "Oh I knew you were a good one." she handed the papers to Kate, heading towards the door. "I always know who I can trust. I've always been told what an excellent judge of character I am, and Kate you are a nice normal girl, I can tell."
Kate smiled at the woman again before she closed the door behind her *If only she knew the half of it,* she thought. For now Kate decided to straighten things up, thinking that Stalker might eventually try to contact her. *What had happened while she'd been asleep?* She couldn't think about that now. She had other problems; Inanna, Serapis and the council - not to mention the Colch Cosan. Things in this city were anything but dull.
A Walk In The Park
Jadyn
Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2002 5:41 pm
Post subject: A Walk In The Park
Jade and Matthias stopped by her apartment to pick up a coat for her before they left to look for Tash. As she took a dark blue, knee length coat with a fur collar out of the hall closet, Jade turned around and smiled a little at her handsome companion, who was staring at the multitude of jackets and wraps she had inside. "Before you can comment on it, which I can tell you are about to do, yes, I do realize that I've got a lot. A girl's entitled to one vice, isn't she?"
Matthias raised an eyebrow at the ashtray on her polished wood coffee table before giving her a pointed look. Jade grinned sheepishly and said. "That's a bad habit, which means it isn't terrible enough to qualify as a vice yet."
"No, it's not a habit or a vice. It's a death wish." Matthias rolled his eyes as he spoke. "Why then, pray tell, does having too many clothes qualify if smoking doesn't?"
"Because I'm a terribly compulsive shopper. Once I start, I don't seem to be able to stop till I've either bought everything in the mall or my bank account breaks. The latter usually happens first though, darn it! At least I can stop smoking whenever I feel like it..."
"That's what they all say..."
Chuckling as she slipped into her jacket and smoothed it down over her blue sundress, Jade linked her arm with Matthias' and steered him towards the direction of the door.
*****************************
They made their way out of the apartment building and looked around for Tash but she was nowhere in sight. "Maybe she went over to the park for some fresh air, should we head in that direction and see if we find her?" Jade suggested. Matthias nodded and they made their way over to a nearby stretch of grass. The hour was late and the park was deserted, allowing them to talk in relative privacy.
They stopped to take a rest, their breaths making little puffs of white vapor in the cold night air. "I've always loved the sound of running water. It's so soothing." Jade confided, closing her eyes and turning her head towards the park fountain. "I think that's one of the things I miss the most, living in L.A.... We're so boxed in, there's so little natural beauty around."
Matthias gazed at her, noting how the moonlight cast a pearly glow to her skin, how she carried a subtle scent of jasmine. *She's so close... All I have to do is lean forward an inch and...*
A sudden scream pierced the air. Jade's eyes flew open as Matthias jerked back. "Stay here." He warned as he ran off in the direction the scream had come from, towards a patch of trees. *Like hell I will!* She hurried stubbornly after him as fast as she was able. *Damn heels...*
By the time she reached the trees, Matthias had disappeared into the darkness. Jade closed her eyes, allowing her senses to take over, allowing herself to feel out where exactly Matthias was. She took a left, pushing several brambles out of the way and cursing under her breath as she felt them rip at the fragile fabric of her dress.
She finally came to a clearing of sorts and saw Matthias standing alone, facing five vampires that were scattered around a woman's body. Jade's heart quickened at the sight of the vamps. Despite the fact that XY was in one of the less savory areas of town, she'd managed to avoid too much contact with them or any other creatures of similar orientations.
She stayed in the shadows, having decided not to make her presence known yet. At least, this way, she and Matthias would have the element of surprise on their side if things got a little too hot under the collar.
From the looks of it, the fiends had dragged the woman here first to have a little fun before killing her. Matthias too had reached that conclusion and was looking at them in disgust. "Didn't your parents, God rest their wretched souls, ever teach you never to play with your food? It's no wonder that vampires aren't known for their table manners..."
The largest vampire, evidently the leader of the group, spoke up. He was huge, a hulk standing at 6'4", with the broad shoulders of a professional football player. "Look it 'ere boyos... A bloody 'ero wantin' to rescue de gurl." He grinned wolfishly at Matthias and spat, "Ya poked yur nose into de wrong biz tonight ya pansy. Spoilt our fun so now we're gonna 'afta get mean. Big mistake, messin' wi' de Black Vein."
*The Black Vein? Is that his name or the name of a gang? They have gangs?!* Jade blinked as the vamp launched himself at Matthias with a roar, only to be thrown back by the mere flick of Matthias' finger. *Woah, fae magic's pretty impressive...*
"Get 'im!" The hulk growled at the others who'd started circling Matthias, their fangs gleaming in the silvery light.
Matthias' form became a blur as he wove around the five vampires trying to grab him. None of them seemed able to get close, but neither did Matthias seem to be hurting them particularly.
Watching from the edge of the clearing, Jade couldn't tell if Matthias was moving too fast to be seen clearly, or whether he'd "done" something to make him difficult to pinpoint.
One of the vampires managed to get a grip on one of Matthias' arms, and threw him to the ground. Jade was sure the force would have winded most people, but Matthias simply somersaulted back to his feet and flipped the vampire onto his back. Unable to take advantage of the temporarily downed adversary, Matthias continued to dodge the other four.
Matthias was concentrating hard. He had to maintain his speed and agility, while keeping an eye on all five opponents at once. *If only I could get clear for a second.* Then, his chance came. He was able to maneuver in such a way that two of the vamps collided with each other. The brief respite enabled him to summon the force he needed....
"Aaarrrrggghhh!!" Two of the vampires were screaming hideously, beating at their own bodies as if to beat out flames. From her vantage point, Jade could see nothing - the vampires seemed to be performing a macabre dance of their own. The other three were distracted long enough for Matthias to ram one of them into a tree. Muttering a quick apology to Gaia, Matthias ripped off a small branch and staked the vampire.
*Good, one down, four to go....* Matthias ducked as another vamp tried to grapple him. Two vampires were still trying to beat out imaginary flames, but the third had spotted Jade lurking under the trees. *Damn! I thought I told her to stay!* Matthias wrenched the neck of the vamp he was brawling, snapping the vertebrae. *That'll slow him down for a bit, at least.*
Jade stood frozen to the spot as the fiend charged towards her. *Move! Damn it!* her mind screamed. Somehow, she managed to obey. Yanking her charm bracelet off her wrist, she flung it towards the vampire.
"Occido Extermino!"
The Red Phantom crystal on the bracelet glowed bright before a flame burst forth from it, engulfing the vampire in its heat. The vamp screeched in hideous pain and tried in vain to beat out the flames with his hands.
"You don't own a magic shop without learning a couple of tricks..." Jade thought to herself as she watched the figure writhe on the ground. She looked up to see Matthias making his way to her, so intent was he on getting to her, he didn't seem to notice the shadow following him. "Behind you!" Jade pointed.
Matthias whirled, and in one poetic motion he swept the legs out from under the vampire that was right behind him. The vampire landed on his back, and Matthias concentrated. A real fire burst from the vampire's chest. He screamed once, then was no more than a pile of ash.
The two who had been engulfed in illusional fire had finally worked out they weren't dead, but they sized up the odds with three of their buddies down, and wisely legged it through the park.
Matthias turned back to Jade and grabbed her, shaking her in exasperation. "Why didn't you listen to me and stay at the fountain like I told you? You could have gotten yourself killed!"
Jade's eyes narrowed and her chin came up stubbornly. "I'm not a damn cocker spaniel to stay at your command. Neither am I in any danger from buffoons like those. Half-vampire remember? And even if I weren't, those moronic jerks wouldn't have been able to touch me. I'm not that fragile Matthias. Don't try to wrap me in cotton."
Matthias stared at Jade for a moment. She seemed such a fragile thing, but as he'd noted earlier, there was a backbone of steel in there. He smiled wryly. "Well, in that case, next time I won't worry about vampires charging at you." His eyes sparkled as he spoke, belying the very real worry he felt inside at the thought of Jade in danger.
He turned back to the clearing, finished off the vampire with the broken neck, and knelt beside the still figure of the woman lying in the middle of the clearing.
He touched her neck lightly. The pulse was strong. He could find no signs of bites, just some bruises. It seemed that the woman had fainted and Matthias had come upon the vampires before they'd had time to feed. Again, he concentrated for a second, and Jade could see a faint shimmer appear around Matthias' hand where it touched the woman.
"She'll be all right, but we can't leave her here. We need to get her somewhere safe, where she can recover."
Jade spied a brown purse lying somewhere to the right of the woman's head, partially obscured by some leaves. Picking it up, she opened it and retrieved a wallet from it.
"Her name's Susan Porter. She lives really nearby... Do you think we should just bring her home?"
Jade was fascinated at how the bruises seemed to gradually lighten under Matthias' touch, till they finally disappeared. She smiled impishly at Matthias. "You've got a real nice bedside manner doc..."
Matthias looked up at Jade, her face flushed. The moonlight shone on her skin through the trees, making shifting patterns of dark and luminescence. It made her look otherworldly. Matthias broke out of his musing and registered what she'd said. "Yes," he replied, "I think we should take her home."
He lifted the woman effortlessly. "Which way?"
"We need to get out of the park. Her apartment's on Winchester Ave. We'd better hurry. I'm sure Tash and the rest are wondering where the hell we are."
*****************************
After cooking up a plausible tale of a mugging and leaving Susan in the care of her husband, Matthias and Jade made their way back to Poplar Avenue.
As they walked up the building's entrance, Jade said, "Matthias... It's midnight and I'm exhausted. It's been a terribly long day and I've got to be up by 7 to get down to the store... Several shipments coming in... Do you think it's imperative that I am at tonight's discussion? I'd really prefer to just head to bed."
Matthias looked at Jade's pale face and noted the shadows of fatigue under her eyes. "You're probably tired because you're not use to doing magic. It tends to take a lot out of you. Ok, I'll tell the rest. Go home and get a good night's sleep."
Smiling gratefully, she followed him up to the second floor. After he'd seen her in and made sure that she'd locked her front door securely, Matthias paused, standing thoughtfully on the landing between Jade and Tash's apartments. He never thought he'd find himself in such a predicament. Never before had he become so emotionally entangled, and it had happened in a matter of days! *I've got to sort myself out. If it weren't for the Cloch Closan, I'd head back to the realm of the Sidhe and spend a few days meditating.* Clenching his teeth in frustration, he berated himself. *You can't fall in love Oillill... Haven't you learned that by now?!*
Beg
Ebony
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2002 1:36 am
Post subject: Beg
Ebony was bored again. They had been torturing her for days. She wriggled in pleasure as another red-hot poker went through her stomach. There was a hiss as the flesh burned.
"Mmmmmm." the pain was like ecstasy, something new, she was no longer bored. The pained died down and the fun stopped. She knew they had got any information they needed from her.
After a day of acid and thumbscrews she decided they should have a reward for their work and whispered to them about her pretty jewels. This seemed to please them. Kain had grinned evilly when she told them of how Bird didn't like the pretty necklace.
Even after that they had continued. They thought it was fun to see another suffer. Soon they noticed how she didn't scream in pain, but instead giggled as if it was all a big game.
She opened her eyes. The pain had stopped. She was bored. "Why have you stopped?" She lulled, wide eyed to her audience. "I was enjoying myself. Though you could do with a lesson on how to make a girl scream!"
Ebony's wrists slipped impossibly from her restraints, as did her feet. She sat up and stepped off the table. She put her boots on and buckled them up, and then she put on her fingerless gloves and picked up Sparky. Only then did she pull the poker from her bare stomach.
"Well, little lady, if ya think you can do better!" A rough and hunched vampire trundled over in her direction.
"Well, I need a volunteer?" Murmurs flashed back and forth through the small herd of lackeys. A weedy, resisting vampire was pushed to the front.
"You then?" Ebony sized him up, sniffing him and gazing into his frightened eyes. "Mmm." She slammed him on to the table. The restraints clicked. She climbed onto his chest and sat on top of him. She leant over and kissed his forehead savagely.
"One thing straight, " the hunched vampire told her, "don’t kill him, or it'll be the end of you!"
In her hand a vegetable peeler's blade flicked out sinisterly. She looked quizzically at the hunched one and at her quivering volunteer. "Even if he begs?"
And now for the intro...
Daye
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2002 12:00 pm
Post subject: And now for the intro...
Daye stepped out of the door of her new apartment and slipped on a pair of dark sunglasses. The sun hung high in the L.A. sky, sending its light scorching down through the filter of thick smog. She walked quickly the few blocks down to the book shop that she was to begin working in. She had made arrangements to meet in a shop near to her apartment with an agent of the council, whose job it was to maintain active observation of all supernatural activity in the area. This information would give Daye a jumping off point in her quest to find some demons or vampires to vanquish for the council.
She would be able to use the shop as a center point for communicating with any other agents of the council that arrived in or passed through the city as well. It would provide her with a place to gather any information she might need in the situations that could arise fighting demons in this city. All in all, Daye felt that this meeting would be the first step in doing something useful and beneficial with her training and talent. She was actually quite excited by the idea.
Daye arrived at the shop and took a moment to get a good look at it before she went in. The store was located on the corner of a seedy street, nearby were a few other small shops, one that sold clothes, one that sold some kind of collectables, a convenience store, and on the opposite corner an ugly, rather disreputable pub denoted by the imaginative name of Bob’s Bar. From what Daye could see this neighborhood was far from upscale. It would, however, do very well for her purposes. This was the kind of sleazy, run-down area that vamps and demons loved. She was sure to find plenty to do here.
The shop itself was actually quaint and welcoming. Unlike the surrounding area, it had a sort of classy feeling that Daye found sort of funny given the situation. The front was a face of etched glass windows looking in on a cozy reading/café area with a nearby counter for ringing up all purchases. Above the door, written in fine lettering was the word, “Bibliophile.” The door was also etched glass set in a carved oak frame. A large, hand lettered sign rested on the inside of the door. It read, “Welcome all dreamers and wishers, all thinkers, welcome.” Daye grinned despite herself at the notion in such a place. Still, she went in, prepared for just about anything.
Once inside, Daye immediately went to the counter, where a middle aged woman with short dark hair stood, an open book in one hand, and a hot cup of tea before her on the counter. The woman was watching a pair of older men seated at one of the tables playing an intense game of chess. Daye glanced around the store, taking in the well organized, but full shelves of books and the soft lighting illuminating them. A couple of customers were browsing among the stacks.
“Can I help you, young woman?” a lyrical voice asked Daye from before her. She turned back to the counter to find the woman watching her curiously.
“Yes,” Daye responded. “I’m Amanda Blaise. I’m supposed to be getting some information from you today.”
The woman smiled broadly. “Of course, Ms. Blaise, I’ve been expecting you. I’m Mrs. Wyldling. The letter I received said that you would be available to help me here on a part-time basis, too.”
“Yes, well, I have some other commitments here in the city, so I don’t how much time I can give you,” Daye responded.
“Not a problem,” Mrs. Wyldling said. “We’ll work something out between us. For now, though, if you’ll come with me, I’ll be happy to fill you in on what I know. You’ve come at the perfect time. The locals are getting quite restless.”
Daye followed Mrs. Wyldling into the back of the shop. They talked about some of the things that had been going on in the area. In particular, they discussed the rise in vampiric activity and the sudden influx of new factions in the neighborhood. Mrs. Wyldling was not sure exactly what was going on, but there had been some strange fluctuations in the magical energies in recent weeks. She felt that something major was going down and Daye was the person best suited to finding out what, and if necessary, putting a stop to it. By the time she was finished and prepared to go out and do some investigating on the street, full dark had fallen. She left Mrs. Wyldling at the shop, with no idea when she would be able to return. When the council assigned her to a “part-time” position at Bibliophile, they were not kidding.
*First things first,* Daye thought, heading into the darkened street. *I need to go down and have a look at this Kain and his little operation. From the information I have so far, that seems to be the center of all this action.* Daye strode purposefully down the street in the direction of the Beazer Complex, her mind full of possibilities and her heart full of trepidation.
Lucien
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2002 1:51 pm
Post subject: Lucien
Lucien practically leapt down the stairs of the Bryson apartment block. Thoughts were running wildly through his mind - he didn’t know what to trust anymore. The only thing he knew was that his heart pounded wildly at the thought of seeing Kate again. He exited the building, stepping into the still dark street. LA always seemed to be covered in a pall of shadows. Inanna was supposed to check out Bob’s Bar. They’d had it on good word that Kate had been seen working there quite regularly in the past three months. The only other lead they’d had was Kadee’s house on the south side – Birch Street, he thought it was. It was a fair bet that Kate would go there if she wasn’t there already. He made his way down to the parking lot and pulled out a set of keys. He’d had the good sense to hire a car before he came to L.A – he hated waiting around for a cab, especially at this time of the morning. He looked at his watch; it was almost 5:20am.
He climbed into the car – a BMW Z3 Roadster in light blue - and hit the open road. As he sped out of the commercial area onto Huntington Drive, the early morning breeze blowing through his hair. He couldn’t help but remember one of his last encounters with Kate…
****
SIX MONTHS AGO
It is the festival of Samhain – All Hallows. There is a party in the Great Ballroom of Sindell Hall. The room is large, with a sweeping staircase at the main entrance. The room is darkened, lit with thousands of candles; bunches of white flowers and green foliage adorn every nook. Huge sails are hung from the ceiling making the room seem smaller and more intimate. Revellers enter the room from every direction. Kate and Lucien make their way down the main staircase. The younger witches run up and down the stairs laughing and shouting. Kate receives the view from the top of the stairs and claps her hands in joy.
“Every year this just gets better and better.”
Lucien gazes adoringly at Catherine. She wears a long black strapless dress, it is ruched and strapped under the bust, then flows down in floaty satin layers. Her red, shoulder length hair is held back at one side with a white flower. Lucien takes hold of her hand and kisses it in delight, leading her down the stairs. As they walk down the stairs they are joined by Inanna and Janus. They all talk and laugh like good friends. As they reach the foot of the stairs Serapis joins them.
“Don’t we all look charming on such a wonderful night as this?” He smiles as he takes Kate’s hand. He and Janus lead her over to a quieter corner of the room. Lucien and Inanna look put out but follow dutifully a few steps behind.
LATER THAT NIGHT
Kate and Lucien are standing out on one of the balconies that are attached to the ballroom. The night sky is black apart from a full glowing moon and a million stars. The grounds of the hall are lit up with pumpkin lanterns and children run up and down the paths and around the gardens playing games in the night. Kate smiles in happiness as Lucien joins her to stand by her side.
“So, what did Janus and Lucien have to say for themselves? Dragging you away from me like that.”
Kate turns to face him, resting her hands against his chest; she traces the folds of his shirt with her finger. “Oh they just wanted my help with a project, they didn’t really say that much. Besides,” she says smiling, “All I could think about was getting back to you."
Lucien laughs out loud. “What? Even with old Serapis making a play for you?”
Kate hits him playfully. “Don’t be ridiculous!”
Lucien catches one of her arms and pulls her close to him, wrapping his arms around her, “Kate, I…”
Suddenly there is screeching roar followed by a loud bang. They both look up to see an explosion of colour in the nights sky. Then again as another firework is launched into the sky. Everyone pours out of the hall to the balcony where Kate and Lucien stand, to watch the display…
****
PRESENT DAY
Lucien swerves to avoid hitting an on coming bus. *Damn it! Why did Americans have to drive on the wrong side of the road?* He clears his mind and concentrates on his driving as he takes the next turn off Huntington. It is only minutes before he is pulling up outside the old house of Kadee’s on Birch Street. He climbs out the car and runs up to the door. He is about to knock but something tells him to try the door first. He barely touches the handle before it swings open. The house has been ransacked, tables are overturned, books lay thrown around the room, pictures, ornaments are all broken. He marches inside uneasily.
“CATHERINE!!!” he shouts as he runs through the house, but silence is the only sound to greet his anxious cries. He starts up the stairs; every room he passes has been destroyed and overturned in the same way as before. Someone had been searching for something – that was for sure. But for what? And where was Kate?
Aftermath - Tash's Apartment, just after dark
Victor
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2002 3:32 pm
Post subject: Aftermath - Tash's Apartment, just after dark.
As she watched Tempest walking down the hall, Tash shivered. There was something badly wrong here. This Tempest was a stranger. *God, I wish Matthias were here.* Tash fretted about Tempest, she fretted about Matthias and Jade, and then she turned to Victor. Bluntly, he was a mess. She pushed the remains of the door closed and went to help Victor. She looked at the couch - too short. Goddamn, another one in the bed!
Half carrying, half dragging his battered body to the bedroom, Tash heaved and pushed until he was lying on the bed. She tried to ignore his cries of pain, knowing that she couldn't do this with any sort of grace or finesse - he was just too heavy.
"Let's get you sorted out first. We can work out what the Hell just happened later." Tash pulled off her gloves once more, with resignation. Trying to find that calm inner place was difficult after so much tumult, but after some minutes she found herself feeling more centred. She reached out to Victor and felt the smooth chitin of his abdomen. She opened her eyes, and let out a small gasp. The wound was enormous, and deep. "This is going to take a bucket-load of ichor, Victor."
“It may take more than that. In my room...top shelf of the closet...a suitcase. There are herbs.... I don't know all of them, but some of them might help. I will need a lot of rest. And may have to...well…leave for a bit. But I will survive."
"I'll try to stop the worst, then I'll get them. Hang on, this'll probably hurt a little..." Tash reached out, and as gently as she could she smeared as much ichor as she could gather into the hole. She could tell Victor really wasn't enjoying the experience; his eyes didn't seem to be glowing quite as brightly as before.
After a few moments, she had done all she could easily. "OK, hang in there. I'll be back as fast as I can." Tash left his side and ran across to Victor's apartment. *Lucky for me he had to break his lock earlier.* Tash found the suitcase and rather than search there, she took the whole thing back to her flat. Taking the suitcase into the bedroom, Tash opened it. "Which herbs do you need?"
Victor winced as he leaned over to look into the case. He pulled out a tube with a clear fluid in it, and another with an amber fluid in it. "Here, mix these in a cup. Make about a tablespoonful." He rummaged through the case and pulled out a silvery swatch of cloth, "Take this and coat it with the mixture. It will be thick, so be sure to cover it as well as possible. Then paste it over the hole in my back. Make another one for the front. Do them one at a time, they will dry quickly"
Working quickly and deftly, Tash did as she was instructed. The job was too messy to do with her gloves, so she gritted her teeth and did her best to ignore the flashes of visions from the vials. *Thank God they're mundane, at least.*
She rolled Victor onto his side, and pulled the shirt away from his back. The human glamour showed an ugly, bleeding wound, but Tash was once more able to break through the glamour when she touched that torn flesh. She pasted the drying cloth over the hole in his back, and smoothed it over the wound.
She then made up a second batch of the potion. Not wanting to move Victor more than necessary, she went around to the other side of the bed. From this side, he was on the far edge of the queen-size bed, so she had to crawl over the mattress to reach him. She plastered the second cloth over the wound in his abdomen, once more seeing his form shift from human to demon as she concentrated on breaking the glamour when she touched him.
As she smoothed the last bit into place, Tash let her concentration waver. Her fingertips still lightly brushed him, just below the sternum. As she dropped concentration, his form changed back to that of human. Tash felt a faint tingle through her fingers, and her eyes lost their focus.
"Vrithetek," Tash murmured. "Vrithetek, Tempest, Janus." The vision came to her, strongly. Victor was running towards the ring of stones. There was a circle of monks, and a man behind them. She knew it wasn't a man, though, but a demon. Matthias was there - he looked different, but he was Matthias - Oillill. The demon was struck by Oillill's magic, but the circle was done, the portal opening. Tempest was caught. Then the demon shot a line of fire at Victor. As Janus spoke the words of Sundering, Tash could feel the fire consuming her.
Tash gasped, and snatched her hand from Victor's chest as though she'd touched a hot stove. Her eyes snapped open and she looked at Victor. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...." *Liar, of course you did!* "I mean, I ... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." Tash could still feel the pain of the fire that had engulfed Victor.
Victor laid there in shock. His every nerve was tingling with pain. Even the plasters Tash was sticking over the wounds stung incredibly. His senses wanted to be elsewhere...feeling something other than pain.
He felt her close to him. Leaning over him. He reached out and brushed her soul. He saw her past, the horror of her parent’s death. He could feel the power that defined her, and entrapped her. From her earliest days, she was afraid to touch, to feel. Then she felt so much at once. The sadness!
Patrick her brother, her mother, her father. Dead around her. The taint of the vampires. Her following their trail by sensing their presence. They were overwhelming. So dark. So evil. She carried the pain of that encounter deep within her. As he could feel his own evil darkening her essence as she brought it into herself.
Were it not for Matthias and his training she'd have succumbed long ago to the despair. He is her anchor. A golden light he had released into her. It illuminated her, made her shine inside.
Victor was swimming in her light. It felt so good...so different from the souls he had consumed, so perfect...just a taste...Then she jerked her hand away and he was left with nothing. Just the pain and loneliness.
*I want more,* he thought. *You can have it if you let go.* *I could let go for her.* And Victor wondered whose inner voice that was: his, or his soul's.
Tash looked at Victor. She was still wrapped up in the powerful vision she'd seen. Victor seemed affected by something, too, but had he sensed her vision, or was he lost in something else?
She reached up to stroke his hair lightly, "Victor, are you all right?"
Victor gritted his teeth. "I'll live. Haven’t been injured that badly in a long time. But fortunately I don't have to worry about infection. But he pierced my "lung" so I'll be winded easily for a while. Really, I'll be fine."
Victor tried to put on a brave face. He smiled, but he could feel how fake it looked. He wanted to move a lot faster with this human. But he couldn't...he'd overwhelm her. So he wanted to run. He didn't want to spoil the one thing he'd found of worth in Humanity in 2000 years. There were geniuses, artists, and scientists...but they were all flawed. Tash had something pure in her; something he could never touch without ruining it.
Tash could feel the turmoil within Victor, but couldn't tell what was causing it. Had he noticed the vision she'd had? She bit her lip. Tash didn't want to hide anything from him, especially something this important. She'd heard the sketchy details of that opening, but this had given her far more.
She was still on the bed, sitting next to him. She leaned over slightly and caught his eye. "I'm sorry I took the vision. But, who is Janus? What happened to her?"
"Janus is a name I thought I could forget. She was one of the Council of Sindell...a coven of powerful witches. She was...darker...than the rest. We crossed paths in Paris. She and Tempest were...close. We were all friends. And we did some evil things. She was murdered by her order for trying to bring together the Cloch Cosan. She was the last person who knew of the Ritual of Gathering as far as I know."
Tash was feeling overwhelmed by all she'd seen and felt in the past hour. She knew they had to talk about Tempest, about why he'd gone so strange. Was it strange behaviour for him? Maybe it was just the old Tempest resurfacing? Victor's words helped some of her worries. At least the third person in their triumvirate was no longer here, and Victor was transformed. That only left Tempest to worry about, and the other demon she'd seen in the vision.
She lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She could hear Victor's laboured breathing beside her. She wished Matthias were there. He could ease the turmoil in her troubled mind. She turned her head and looked at Victor, still lying on his side facing her. His eyes were haunted. Tash knew there were two millennia of hurts in there. She'd always had a soft spot for wounded souls, and this was the most tortured one she'd ever seen.
Not sure why she did, Tash moved her head forward and lightly brushed his lips with her own, a small, chaste kiss. "I can't say it'll be all right, but I will be here for you."
Victor lay there a long time after the kiss. Only Janus had ever kissed him before. He was conflicted. He tried to sit up, and managed to get to a sitting position...but Tash quickly dissuaded him from leaving. "I don't know what to do. I was counting on Tempest and his ability to help us get the stones. Now because of me, he's off on his own, and I have no doubt he can get them together. What are we going to do? It's all my fault it is starting again!"
"I know, Tempest seems to have gone crazy or something, and he's as big a threat as Kain, now. I don't know what to do about him. I could go after him, but he'd beat me to a pulp. I know there's no point in 'what ifs', but I wish Matthias had been here tonight. He may have been able to calm Tempest down."
"But what do we do now! I can't sit here and just wait."
Tash looked at Victor. "You can't go anywhere right now. Let that lot heal a bit first. Tempest won't be getting all the crystals tonight, if that's even what he really intends to do."
Victor was reeling. His mind raced making and discarding plans. And then every time he looked over at Tash, she would smile at him. And then his heart would race and his thoughts would get fragmented. Most of his anxiety came from her. He had no qualms about fleeing LA and leaving the crystals far behind him. But he would not leave Tash here. Even Jade and Matthias were in his thoughts, but Tash dominated them. He was grateful for her help, but she seemed to accept his...demonic nature. That was new.
Even Janus who had cast disguise glamours on him before had expressed disgust. He really didn't know how to react. Obviously she saw something in him he could not see himself. "The irony," he muttered.
He turned to her, and asked, "What is it you see in me? I have examined my inner being so often I cannot imagine why you would help something as pitiful as me. What is it?"
Tash smiled sadly. "I can't believe you do so much - excuse the pun - soul-searching, and can't see what's in front of you." She reached out and gently caressed his face, letting the glamour dissolve as she did so. Staring into his demonic eyes, she said, "This is nothing more than the clothes we wear. Who we are is determined by what we do every day." She shrugged. "You've spent more than your fair share on the dark side, but now you're struggling to come to terms with it, and to walk in the light.
“You can't blame yourself for what Tempest did tonight. I don't know why he changed. Maybe it was the crystal, but I tried to help him regain some memories last night, and maybe I'm the cause of this."
Tash blushed as she recalled her talk with Tempest just this morning, and the feelings she'd been getting. She couldn't believe she was now here with Victor, when last night she'd wanted him gone badly enough that the crystals were able to amplify it into a real threat.
Victor relaxed. He couldn't feel any neediness from her. This was a gift. A time to pause, relax. His mind dropped into a meditative state. *Strange,* he thought. *I rarely feel this kind of solace unless I am in front of the Stone.*
He listened to her breathe, slow and regular. His sharp intakes of breath provided a counterpoint. He heard something in the other room. An intruder. The lock was broken it could be anyone. He glanced over at her to see if she were asleep.
Tash heard the soft footsteps in the lounge room, and tensed. She sent out a feeler, and caught the familiar sense of Matthias. She relaxed. *Thank God he's OK.* Not that she'd ever known Matthias to run into anything he couldn't handle. She sat up carefully, trying not to jostle Victor. He was awake and starting to look concerned. "It's Matthias," she whispered. "Stay here, don't get up, you'll only damage yourself."
Time
Zayn
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2002 4:11 pm
Post subject: Time
Zayn’Jae Vex had observed enough to finally take action. While she thoroughly enjoyed the picture show, the time was drawing near and her existence would be in danger. Generally her services came at a price, but since this was for her own good, she overlooked that minor stipulation.
Stepping away from her large picture window, Zayn walked her nude body across the room to her over sized closet. In her home, she was almost always nude. The constriction of a human form alone was enough to be bothersome; clothes only seemed to add to the irritation. But she would be leaving her premises and needed to choose an appropriate ensemble.
Perusing her choices, Zayn came out with black leather pants, boots to match, and a red tank top. Fully clothed she grabbed a black leather jacket and her ray bans on the way out of the bedroom.
Zayn lived on the third floor of a remodeled warehouse. Everything about the place was spacious. In the bedroom, the only furnishing was her king sized bed, which sat low to the floor, resting only on the box spring. The living room was much the same. Two black futons situated to look out, another series of picture windows. A rice paper screen divided that room from the dining room, which housed a short wooden table, painted black, with four large red cushions situated around it.
Pulling her long black braid out of the back of her leather jacket, Zayn entered the lift that would take her to the ground floor. Once at the bottom, she opened a security panel and lifted her sunglasses. The computer performed a retinal scan, thus allowing Zayn to turn security settings on. With her unusual eyes, it was the best key she could possibly own.
When the building was secure, Zayn hopped into her black, 1970 Hemi Cuda 426 Hardtop. The car rumbled to life. There were few things that Zayn’Jae Vex could really enjoy in this dimension. Speed was one of them. Pedal to the metal, the muscle car peeled out of the warehouse, first stop, Poplar Avenue.
Zayn opted to park down the block, with a good view the apartment building.
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Natasha Brookes
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2002 10:03 pm
Tash rose from the bed and went to greet her friend. Matthias was staring around the lounge room, taking in the pools of demon ichor on the floor, the overturned furniture, and the hole in the wall where Tempest's sword had struck. He looked at Tash, relief evident on his face as he saw she was unhurt. He raised an eyebrow.
"It's a long story. In a nutshell, Victor's badly hurt, and Tempest.... Tempest has gone a bit strange. He may be after the crystals for himself."
"No, he's definitely seeking them for himself," Victor said from the bedroom door. He was obviously in pain, but he was holding himself upright with the doorjamb. "Matthias, I was hoping you might know something about healing. I don't need to be whole, but something for the pain would be most welcome.”
Tash turned in exasperation. "Am I ever going to get you to listen to me? I told you to stay put."
Matthias smiled inside at the rapport he felt had already developed between the two. He helped Tash guide Victor back to the bed, and sat beside him. "I'll do what I can, friend, but this is a grievous wound." Matthias laid one hand on Victor's head, and stilled himself. A faint glow surrounded his hand, and the light spilled into Victor. Tash was too far away, and could only see the glamour, but the signs of damage seemed to be fading.
Victor felt his internal fluids resuming their courses, and his organs sealing. He could see the strain on Matthias' face in dealing with such an alien physiology. Matthias looked like he was pushing very hard. Then he looked into Victor's eye and winked. And then Victor felt a golden light flow into him. A peaceful, natural feeling that didn't come from inside or outside. It just was. Victor could feel his turmoil melting away. And even after Matthias leaned back and removed his hands, Victor could still feel the warmth.
*Just a little sedative for your mind, since you don't need any more painkillers,* came the thought into his mind. *My Tash is very fond of you, Vrithetek, even though you are what you are. I can see why she is drawn to help you, but will you let her? *
Victor started to answer, but Matthias didn't let him. "Just think about it," was all he said.
Tash knew something had passed between the men besides healing and ease, but Matthias had always been able to shield his thoughts from her. *Think about what, I wonder?* Tash looked at Victor, who was now lying on his back. He seemed to be much calmer, more at peace. *Yes, that's what it's like when Matthias does that.*
Victor sat up on the bed and felt his side, then his leg. He stood, and winced a little. Matthias looked at him and shrugged "I did what I could. You aren't human, and not from this dimension. There is only so much you could expect."
Victor extended a hand, "I could not have asked for more. You have helped me tremendously. I feel as if I have had a week's healing."
Matthias took his hand and helped him out into the living room. Victor looked around at the mess, then at Tash. "I didn't realize we did so much damage. I am very sorry."
Then Victor steeled himself, "But we must do what we must. I think I may know where to start. We were organized, and in one night ruined our chances for gathering the Crystals. If we can keep the opposition at each other's throats, we may have a chance to regroup...and succeed."
Matthias shrugged and said, "We still control two of the crystals. So long as Kain can't get hold of those, he can't do anything. Nor can Tempest."
"Unless they find the Ritual of Gathering. Hiding the crystals would be a good place to start. Tempest knows about those two."
"I can't argue with you there. At the moment the two I have are somewhat muted, but that won't hold for long, maybe a few more days at best. The problem is, where do we hide them? They always want to be found." Matthias paced around the room.
Tash looked at Matthias, "And we have the witch downstairs to talk to, as well. Victor says he's met her, that she's an Elder."
"Uh, she lives upstairs. She has the entire third floor."
Tash looked at Victor quizzically. "No, she's definitely downstairs. She's just moved in with some guy who looks mostly vampire except for the small fact of him standing in the sun. They have an apartment in the 100's."
"She is definitely on the third floor. I was in her apartment. Are you saying there is another Witch on the first floor?" Victor asked.
“There must be. The one you were talking about, then, that's an Elder? She's upstairs? Kate's downstairs. She's powerful, but struggling with her crystal. I think Matthias can help her."
"Kate? I've met her. She gave me a good jolt outside the Beazor Complex...Kain's place. She's powerful, and she might be able to help. She knows the Cloch Cosan. The woman upstairs is powerful too, but I really don't trust her. She wants to maintain 'Balance' ...keep things even. Heck, if she knew what went on here tonight, she'd be overjoyed! So Kate is living downstairs..." Victor looked around the apartment. He looked through it...*What are you trying to do here, building? Why are you gathering forces here? *
Tash looked at Victor sharply. "I had exactly that thought earlier....there are so many powerful entities drawn to this place. Why?"
"I may have mentioned this before, but there is phenomenon known as a lodestone. It is a gathering of forces. I think this house is such a place. I think it ejected Tempest because he was too erratic. I think it has gathered all of us here. This house has its own reasons, and they might be a key."
Time - early evening
Talhu
Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2002 11:57 pm
Post subject: Time - early evening
When Talhu entered the club called After Dark, he immediatly hated the place. It had that kind of Gothic look to it that reminded him of humans seemingly obsessed with death. Still, it was where one of Alaric's regular informant's could be found. When a young blond woman came to the booth where he was sitting, he looked up from his drink. "You must be Melissa."
The woman nodded. "Yes, I am. And you are?"
"Someone in need of information. I was told that you could provide it." Talhu reached in to his coat, and pulled out several small bills - $20s and $10s. "Feed me information worth my while, and you will be well paid."
"How do you know about me?"
"A mutual friend. Do you want to make money, or not?" Melissa sighed and sat down. He ended up giving her half the money in advance, and the other half afterwards. She didn't know anything about the shards, so he decided to start asking about some of those he had met in Paris. When he described Victor, he got what he wanted.
"Yeah," she said. "I saw someone like that around here. Watched him go in to an apartment building on Poplar Avenue."
Talhu smiled and handed over the rest of the money. "Thank you. Kindly forget this conversation ever happened." Then he stood and walked out.
I shall be wanting my pretty necklace back....
Ebony
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2002 5:48 am
Post subject: I shall be wanting my pretty necklace back....
The floor was littered with groaning bodies. Ebony had gotten a bit carried away, but she had stuck to her promise. No one had died. Although some of them had pleaded endlessly.
Anyway, she had run out of nails and her hammer was broken. She sighed. This was boring. Just then a creak came from up the stairs. To her surprise, an annoyed Kain came down bearing a vicious scowl. She liked the fear, it made her tingly.
"What ever is the matter?" she said, sitting on a skinnless vampire, her kiss of pain still on his forhead.
"I'll tell you what the matter is, missy, When I sent my pals over to your place--"
"You know where I live? Well I shall never feel safe in my own game pit again!" Ebony seem quite shocked at this news.
"Indeed! Well, as they found your pretty necklace--"
"Oh, is it hurt?"
"NO! But that stupid Tempest took it for his own!"
"Tempest? What kind of a pest is that?"
"An idiotic man who meddles in afairs that are not his own!"
"Well, that definitely sounds like a pest!"
"Indeed!"
"I shall want my necklace back, you know! That was not at all kind! It was my pretty thing, and not his. I shall hurt him, indeed. I shall hear him roar." Her eyes glazed over as if she was in a trance.
"Good luck to you! He is extremely powerful, and a well trained fighter! He shall dust you in a second!"
"Oh well then, that sounds like a party I do not want to miss!"
"What? Silly child! Don't you see? He'll kill you like that!" Kain snapped his fingers.
"Mmm. I shall not think so, although it does sound fun!"
Kain sighed. Then suddenly, as if for the first time, he noticed his minions on the floor. They were in a wide assortment of bad ways, but it seemed all were still there and not piles of dust. *Oh well,* he thought, *This girl is as crunchy as a fruit bat, and obviously not gonna tell us any more. Still, it would be a shame to set such an intricate mind out in the world all by her self. She can stay here for now.* Her twisted vision intrigued him.
He stepped over the mangled mass and walked back up the stairs. At the top he told the guard, "The little lady wants to see you." The guard looked at him, confused. Then he nodded and stepped inside the chamber. Kain slammed the door behind him and locked the door.
Ebony grinned and picked up the blunt hammer. Kain stopped. There was a long, clean scream, then he walked off down the corridor.
Where is Kate?
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2002 6:10 am
Post subject: Where is Kate?
Outside the house on Birch Street things were beginning to heat up. It was lighter now, although a damp mist seemed to linger in the air. Several of Kain’s heavies were lingering around the outside of the door. A man stepped out of a black car which pulled away immediately afterwards. He stubbed out his cigarette on the path before approaching the door. The heavies fell in line behind him.
“I hope this is worth my coming out here Mr Jinx.”
“Yes, yes, it is sir, someone has arrived, he had the mark of the coven, the same the witch is supposed to belong to.”
“Really? Interesting.” He looked at the goons – three vampires and Jinx, one of the smarter trolls in Kain’s employment. “I assume you have been invited to this little gathering?" he asked the vamps.
"Sure boss, the neighbour noticed the door was busted...she was very obliging."
"Damn tasty too!" smirked another vamp.
"Well? Let's go make ourselves known, gentlemen.” He leads the way, the heavies following close behind. Inside the house Lucien is turning the furniture back into place. Suddenly he senses a presence in the room and rises to his feet to see the three vampires, the troll Jinx and the dark stranger.
“Greetings! My name is Mortis, I believe you have something that belongs to me.”
Lucien frowned, “Well, we will have to see about that, perhaps if you told me what it was you were looking for…”
“I think you know, but I’ll indulge you. We here are associates of Mr Kain, now he is in the market for a certain set of, well, crystals you could call them, and we believe you are in possession of such a crystal.”
“Ah, well now, I guess this,” he gestures around the room, “must be your handiwork then.”
“Not mine,” he says, lighting another cigarette. “My colleagues here, I’m afraid they aren’t known for their diplomacy.”
“If you did not find this crystal the first time you were here what makes you so sure I know where it is?”
“We have it from a…source that the owner of this establishment has a crystal – a certain witch by the name of Catherine Wiccham.” Lucien tried to hide his acknowledgement of Kate’s name but he wasn’t quick enough. “Ah, so you do know her, well maybe you can help us after all.”
“I don’t know anything about any crystal, I’m afraid you’ll have to look elsewhere.”
“Now I was afraid you’d say that.” He turns to the heavies, “Gentlemen, I think our man here needs a little persuasion to our cause.”
“Sure boss,” said one of the vamps.
The heavies stepped towards Lucien. Suddenly the vampires all pounced and one of them swung out a punch towards him. Lucien grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back and holding him as a human shield. Another vamp lunged at him with a knife, Lucien threw his 'shield' upon the blade and the two of them landed in a heap on the ground. Lucien took his faithful stake from his jacket and plunged it into the uppermost vamp of the pile. The vampire turned to dust and Lucien ducked the second vamp’s attack, kicking his feet from under him; he lay on the floor stunned. The third vamp caught Lucien off guard, knocking his stake from his hand and sending him flying across the room. While he was recovering he grabbed a shard of wood broken from one of the table legs. When the third vamp got close enough Lucien knocked him to the ground and staked him.
By now the second vamp was back on his feet. He punched at Lucien but he blocked the swing. The vamp took several more swings but Lucien blocked them all with an incredible speed. Finally, he caught the vamp in a headlock, and finished him off. Mortis rolled his eyes in annoyance.
“Take care of him Mr Jinx,” he said as he exited the house.
Jinx looked nervous, looking around at the piles of dusted vamps and took a hesitant step towards Lucien.
“BOO!” cried Lucien, Jinx cried out in fear and fled for his life out of the door.
*If that was the best that this Kain had to offer I think I might enjoy my time in LA,* thought Lucien. He casually walked and stood in the doorway. Mortis was climbing into another black car that had appeared out of the night. As it pulled away he threw his cigarette stub out of the window. Lucien moves at an incredible speed to catch it before it even has time to hit the ground.
*Hate this habit,* he thought, crushing the stub in his fist. *What had Kate got herself into now?* he thought, *And will I be able to find her before those goons do?*
Fate
Zayn
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2002 5:35 pm
Post subject: Fate
Zayn left the comfort of her shiny black muscle car and approached the building. Simultaneous flows of energy swirled around her. The building sat on a mystic 'hot spot' - a little known fact to most of its inhabitants – though Zayn had a fairly good idea that a certain crew that could only be described as motley were beginning to understand.
Continuously aware of the molecules around her, the black haired woman eased her way up to the second floor. The flow coming off a solitary shard was enough to direct Zayn in the right direction. Within minutes she was standing in the doorway, the lock broken, with the door partially open. She pushed the door the rest of the way open with her black boot and answered the demon's question.
"Yes, but not this building. The answer lies beneath."
"Who are you? Who the fuck are you!"
Zayn'Jae Vex took a good hard look at the Battle Fiend, from behind her sunglasses. In this mystic hot spot, it was not hard to see through the humanoid glamour, though she was unaffected by the demon’s true form. *Damn Battle Fiends all look alike.* "Whom I fuck is none of your business, but for now you may call me Zayn."
Tash stared at this newcomer. She was starting to get used to this. *Another aura the like of which I've never seen before - ho, hum.* This one was vibrant swirls of colour, no one shade being dominant. Tash shivered at the power that flowed from this being. She felt no malice, though.
Matthias was the first to move forward. "Come in, come in. We could use a little spiritual guidance tonight. Care to sit? Can I get you something to drink?" He patted Tash on her back. He would take care of this. He was in control right now.
Victor sensed the tension in the room drain away. *How does he do that? That would have been a useful skill a few hours ago,* he thought. He sat on the broken couch. *No need to break the other one.*
"I have been aware of your goings on for some time now. The entire city is in a flux. When the time comes the final battle will be fought here. This is not the first, and it shall not be the last." Zayn continued to standing, alternating her focus on everyone in the room.
"The shards of the Cloch Cosan cannot be controlled, no matter what some may think. It is true that their effects can be dampened, but in the end, the Cloch Cosan is always united." A wave of uneasiness rolled over the room. A second later, realization settled in. "Your collective meeting is no accident. It is your fate."
"Curse is more like it. This is the fourth time I have been present for the uniting of the Shards. I really wish I could forget about them entirely. It has never been a highpoint in my life when it happens. Can I just avoid my 'fate' for once? Ignore it?"
Zayn turned toward the Battle Fiend. "You can try, but the laws of relativity still remain. The more you ignore, or avoid, the more your fate will fight you."
* Told you. * * Damn Soul. *
Tash stepped forward, "Look, I may be the novice here when it comes to these things, but surely if we take the ones we've got and go somewhere with them… I don't know where - how about a different continent? So long as nobody knows the location of all nine, surely that's enough?"
Tash had reached the point where she couldn't take much more. It was late, she'd had a rough couple of days, her emotions were see-sawing, and she was the only damn human in the room! Matthias shot her a look. She knew the one well. She sat down on the only functional sofa and tried to calm her frayed nerves.
"As much as as I hate to admit it, it has never worked for me," said Victor in a low voice. "The stones have their own plan. They have locked us into this cycle. We can either play it out now...or we are doomed to repeat it forever. " * As you have been doing since the first time,* he thought. * You’ve been so busy trying to bend them to your will, control them, or avoid them, you've never tried to ride it out to its conclusion. * "You," he said to Zayn, "whoever you are, seem to have some answers. I am prepared to hear what you have to say."
Zayn adjusted her sunglasses, considering just how much the chosen needed to hear. Logically the answers were all there. All they had to do was open themselves to the truth, and embrace their fates. Yet, the Cloch Cosan seemed to defy this dimension's logic at every turn.
"The answers you have, it is the questions that elude you. Remember, each of you have been chosen. Each of you have a special gift to bring to the quest. Stop looking inside and consider what or who is around you.”
Mathias laughed from the kitchen. His hearty, friendly chuckle broke through the palpable confusion that hung in the air of the room. "She's right," he said, "But Truth isn't always that easy to accept."
"Gathered in this room is a tremendous storehouse of knowledge," he said pointing at Victor, " Heart," indicating Tash, "and Power," he placed a hand on his own chest. "We have been brought together with Wisdom," he said pointing at Zayn, " to break this cipher once and for all."
Tash looked up at Zayn, who was still standing just inside the doorway. "If I get what you're saying, you think we let this ride out? That we let the crystals come together, that it's the only way to stop them 'once and for all'? But they've come together before, haven't they? And they've been stopped. But they keep coming back. Both Victor and Matthias are well aware of that, I'm sure. What's going to be so different about this time?"
"Yes, and they will come together again. Think of time as a circle, no end and no beginning. There are many planes and many dimensions, but it is an ever-repeating pattern. It is not always the same, but rest assured, that time will come again." Zayn paused, thinking on how she should word this next part. "You make it different.... together. Some of you have played this scene before; that is experience. The others, yourself included," Zayn nodded in the black woman’s direction, "bring something new to the circle."
Victor was very quiet, as were the others. Zayn's words hung in the air like an echo in a great hall. * Together you make it different, * rang through his mind. It carried the ring of truth, but somehow Victor's mind wanted to reject it. It wasn't the whole truth.
"It is the same," he said abruptly, "We have the enemy, the traitor, and the opposition, but we do not have the treasure seeker. Each time I have seen the Nether Arch there were these elements. This time Kain is the Enemy. Tempest is the Traitor. We are the Opposition. Who is the treasure seeker? You?" he said turning his gaze on Zayn.
Matthias looked at Victor. "Perhaps - the one who was there on many other occasions. The demon who calls himself Pravus. Was he not the treasure seeker? At Paris, it was he who reached the circle first, who wished to wrest control of it. He was disrupted by our efforts, and the circle was broken. He has tried on so many previous occasions, who's to say he's not involved again?"
"It would make sense, but I hope you are wrong about his presence. He has come so close each time...especially in Paris. He could actually succeed this time. But that does not explain why this time is different, Zayn. What makes this gathering of the Cloch Cosan so special?"
It was Zayn's turn to laugh at the Battle Fiend's skeptic finger pointing. *Not that it really has fingers.* "You ask questions that I cannot answer for you. In time everything will be clear.” She turned back to the apartment’s owner to finally answer a question that had been lingering. "It is not possible to 'ride this one out'. It never is with the Cloch Cosan. The shard will not rest, thus its keeper will not rest. Sit idle and the shard will take control. It is time, now, for action."
There was a soft knock on the door. The occupants in the room turned towards the apartment's entrance as Jade poked her head in. "I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. Thought I'd pop over..." Her voice trailed off as she took in the dismal state of Tash's front door and apartment. "Errm, bad time?"
She walked gingerly across the room and perched herself on the window ledge. It was then she noticed an unfamiliar face. "Hi... I'm Jade... You are?" She looked at Tash, Matthias and Victor, waiting for one of them to make the necessary introductions.
Tash smiled at Jade's dismayed face. "She says her name is Zayn. I have no idea who she is, really." She turned to Zayn. "Good, you say the time has come for action. I'm tired of us all sitting around contemplating our navels. I'm a pretty direct sort. Stake in one hand, vampire coming, it's easy to work out what to do. You seem to know more about the Cloch Cosan than any of us, so what do we do?" Tash tried to ease out the crick she was getting in her neck and shoulders. She was feeling way too tense.
Jade noticed Tash's look of discomfort and walked over to give her a back rub. "You look exhausted... Hey... Where's Tempest? Didn't he turn up?"
A shadow clouded Tash's face. "Oh, he turned up all right. See this mess? See Victor over there? That was Tempest...." Tash shook her head. "I don't know why, exactly. Maybe it's the memories I helped to restore. He's not the same man he was this morning." Tash looked up at her friend. "If you see him, be careful, Jade. He's changed. He was talking crazy. He wanted to kill someone and take all the crystals for himself."
Jade looked over at Victor, seeing for the first that he was hurt. *Wonder why I didn't see that before... Then again, I try not to look at him much, he still makes me uneasy... Judging from the amount of blood on his shirt, Tempest really went to work on him... It's surprising... He looks almost unhurt!* Looking over at Matthias, Jade deduced that "Doctor Feelgood" had worked his magic again and threw him a wink.
Victor had been thinking. Tempest, memories, and the crystals. "That is the difference."
The others in the room looked at him oddly for his out-of-place comment.
"Tempest was caught in the Cloch Cosan in Paris. He came out with no memories. Now the crystals must have them. Fractured, disjointed, and tainted by them. Each crystal he comes into contact with brings them back a few at a time. That is why this time is different. This time, the shards are uniting for him."
Everyone's attention turned toward the Battle Fiend. Never one to overstay her welcome, Zayn took this as her cue to leave. Feeling the flows of energy around her, she released her physical form and joined the foray, leaving behind a solitary business card.
Before drifting away, Zayn allowed her voice to be heard. "Listen to the truth, and prepare.”
Minutes later, Zayn'Jae Vex was back in her Hemi Cuda and driving away with a crooked smirk decorating her face.
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Stalker
Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2002 10:43 pm
Stalker sat in his lair in the sewers, sweat pouring down his face. He didn't know how long he had been there, but the strain of trying to keep his demon self from taking over was starting to wear him thin. He knew the demon was weak from lack of blood but so was he from lack of food. He had been down in the sewers for what felt like years fighting off his demon self, trying to gain full control over his consiousness..
*C'mon give up you can't win.*
*No, you will kill Catherine!*
*No I won't.. aww who am I kidding, of course I will, how about I promise not to torture her for to long?*
*Leave me alone! Find some other soulless creature to inhabit.*
*Ha ha ha.. I've never known anyone in so much denial. You DO have a soul, that's the problem. You always have had one, don't treat me as if I'm the evil one. You are the truly evil one. You killed people and your soul enjoyed it. I know, I felt it every time you killed. Your soul is just as dark as mine.*
*But I thought I was a vampire. I didn't know I had a soul.*
*Ha! A vampire! You felt guilt, did you not?*
*Yes.*
*You felt guilty? Vampires don't feel guilt, but you kept killing anyway.*
*Yes, but only evil people.*
*Ha! Only 'evil' people. Does a man deserve to die for stealing a womans purse? Ha! You killed for sport like any vampire would. I must admit I did have to prod you a bit in the right direction when you first changed, but since then you've done it all by yourself.*
Stalker believed it was true and the demon knew it.
The demon continued.. *We would be a great team, the two of us.*'
*How?*
*Well, you have the ability to walk in the sunlight and can enter peoples' homes and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Imagine what other things we could do, we would be unstoppable.*
Stalker felt a flaw in the demon's logic and decided to explore it. *But if you took over you could do those things anyway.*
*Yes.. but think of what a team we would make.* The demon sounded unsure of itself.
Then it dawned on Stalker. *You can't control me in the sunlight. That's why I felt sort of light headed in the sunlight, like a cloud was off my mind. You wern't there! I couldn't feel you towering over my subconscious, controlling me as you always had. I can feel it now, I know about it now, and I can tell the difference.*
And with that Stalker ran up toward the surface, using all his strength to fight off the now frantic demon trying to take control of his consiousness. *I hope it's daylight up there.*
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Black Jem
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 8:23 am
Jem had managed to round up about five demons and vampires willing to be in her 'army'. Most of them were drunks in Bob's Bar but they would do. There were three vampires, they were fairly strong but weak enough to be controlled and not become a problem for Jem in the future if she told them to do something she didn't like. There was also a couple of Demons...a slimy Kzz'targ - they're definitely not nice to look at even for Jem, gross looking things - and a Feyral demon, just what she needed, strong and not particularly clever.
Chris and Jem both carried stakes as well as an axe and Jem's sword. The lackeys followed close behind and Bird decided to sneak after them, not being noticed by anyone. They walked down a street that passed the back of the Beazor. The door was guarded by two Vamps, which were easily dusted by the twelve of them, not that it took more than Jem and Chris.
Chris and Jem sneaked inside the complex leaving the others outside. As the door was opened Bird slipped inside. They had been wandering around the Bezoar for a while now. No one had noticed them; they were just spectators. They came to a door. It was locked, and a small scream came from within. Bird was pawing at the door.
"Bird!? How the hell did you get in?" Jem whispered.
"Jem, you're talking to a cat!"
She gave Chris a stare and then Jem picked the lock. The door opened and Bird rushed in.
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Natasha Brookes
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 9:50 am
The forces within the earth stirred. They’d been gathering the pieces of the puzzle to them, the pieces necessary for the battle ahead. They could feel the power from those assembled above…
…and something else slept, something far more ancient and malevolent. It had been there, dormant, long before the others came. They were not aware of its presence.
Power surged from the people above, and filtered down to the ancient thing. It stirred slightly. It still slept, but now it was merely dozing……
Serapis
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 10:40 am
Post subject: Serapis
Serapis watched as Lucien sped away down the road, realising he might never return to the fold after he met up with Kate. But that was all part of his plan, and as Serapis was never one for surprises he had planned for every eventuality.
There was something rotten in the city of Los Angeles and he'd be damned if it would catch him off guard. Yes, this force was powerful but he had met it before. It was familiar, it was the gathering forces of the Cloch Cosan. Yes he knew it well. *So, someone is gathering the Cloch. This is interesting, very interesting, and it means it's now imperative that I get my hands on Kate...*
****
1981 - England: Sindell Hall
Serapis walks though the sunlit gardens of Sindell, Janus walks at his side. She smiles slyly.
"We will be successful this time Serapis, I can feel it."
"You are sure the stones are being gathered?"
"Oh yes, they are gathering - I take a flight to Paris tomorrow to meet a few other interested parties..." she smiles again.
"Yes, this Tempest character - we have been studying him for some time, and...who else are you meeting?"
"His name's Vrithetek."
"Ah yes, the G'rnathan Battle Fiend - distinctive name, but we've been tracking him also for the past two centuries."
"They are not to be trusted - but, then neither am I" she smiled again wickedly.
"And you found the Rite of Sundering?"
"I did. Do not worry Serapis, those insane fools need me for this - I've made sure of it. I am the only person who will ever know the Rites of Gathering and Sundering from this day, for I have destroyed the original scrolls."
"You did WHAT??" Serapis was unable to hide his anger.
"Hey, it's my insurance policy, now no one will even think of destroying me, not so long as the information lies exclusively within me."
****
PRESENT DAY
Yes, Janus had known the rites of Sundering and Gathering well, and now she was dead. Now Kate was the only link to that information, somewhere in her head was the key, all it needed was a careful hand to extract it...
Vision Quest
Victor
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 10:41 am
Post subject: Vision Quest
Jade leaned over to Tash’s ear and whispered, "I've only been here a few minutes and my head hurts. How can you stand it?" Tash just patted her hand in response.
Victor struggled to his feet and picked up the card where Zayn had been. "I think this Zayn may be a useful ally, if we can just pin her down to a few straight answers."
Tash snorted. "Well, she told us some very pretty stuff, but was any of it actually useful?" She looked thoughtfully at Victor, "Maybe she helped trigger that thought of yours about Tempest and his memories. How can we be sure that's what's happening, though?”
"It’s easy. You have the key: your psychometric powers. We have two crystals. If you can read Tempest’s memories in the crystals, we will know for sure. But are you up to it?"
Tash paled. *Oh, God.... * She swallowed once, then said, "I've already delved into some of those memories." She breathed in deeply. "But what's a few nightmares when there's so much more at stake?" She looked to Matthias.
"I'll be here to help you," he reassured her.
She turned to Victor again, "If you're sure that's what we have to do...."
Victor grinned, "Why else would you and I have been brought together? Can you think of a less likely alliance?"
Tash laughed. Matthias smiled to himself. Victor was the first person to have made Tash laugh for a long time. "OK," she said, "Give me a moment to prepare."
Tash got up and went to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water and quickly drank it. Then she returned to the couch and settled comfortably. She couldn't believe what she was about to do. She remembered the jolt of power she'd received from the briefest touch of the orange crystal, and shuddered. She was more afraid than she'd been for a long time, but it seemed they had no other recourse right now. She peeled off her gloves and laid them at her feet. Turning to Matthias, she said, "OK, give me one."
Matthias carefully extracted the Shard of Antenora; its orange glow a little duller than it had been when Tash touched it in XY. He held it out for Tash, trying to keep the worry from his face. If her attempt to heal Tempest had been dangerous, this was almost suicidal. But he could see no other way.
Jade bit her lip, feeling useless. Her friend was about to risk her sanity, and all she could do was watch. Matthias cautioned, "Be careful, Child. These are dangerous forces. But you have been carefully prepared for this.”
Tash steeled herself, and grasped the crystal firmly. The initial kick of power wasn't as bad as it had been in the shop. *Thank you, Matthias, * she thought. Then her eyes lost their focus as the visions took her.
They watched as she stiffened, her eyes rolling back into her head. Matthias was obviously concerned, and Jade held her shoulders firmly. Victor gravely looked on as she began to tremble. Then the visions flowed out into the room like a mist. They gathered into pools of events that everyone could feel and experience.
At first, all she saw was a confusing swirl of colour. *Concentrate on Tempest. Ignore everything else. * She saw a multitude of people, all those who had possessed this Shard at one time or another. Some were human, some demonic. All seemed to want something from it - all wanted power, wealth, knowledge. She saw the Cloch Cosan form a dozen times or more.
Rasputin in Russia being shattered by the Sundering, The Monks in Paris, their lives draining into the Nether Arch. Tempest….
When she saw Tempest she focused on that image. *Yes, show me more of him. * She had never tried to direct a vision before, but she found that the image of Tempest became firmer, more solid, even while other images tried to intrude on her thoughts.
Tempest was searching for knowledge. The knowledge of why he was unaging. (A wizard crafted the crystal, laying the basic enchantments. He drew on the arcane arts he had spent a lifetime mastering.) He had been alive for 94 years, and looked no older than a man in his mid-20's. (A monk mounted the crystal in a crucifix of Christ. He was sure it should be protected from ever coming together with its brothers again.) It was 1955 and he was in Moscow. He'd found he kept coming back to the USSR, since the time he'd almost got his hands on the crystals at Tunguska. (A criminal took the Shard from the murdered body of its former owner in some alleyway in ancient Rome. He added the crystal to the others in his bag knowing that his master would reward him.) He'd heard the call - they would tell him what he needed to know. He yearned to find them again.
The vision jumped, but it remained focused on Tempest in Moscow. (The Shard lay forgotten in a streambed for centuries, calling to the wilderness until a shepherd found it.) He stood over the body of a man, his sword bloody. The man had DARED obstruct Tempest and cost him the clue to a crystal's whereabouts. (The green hills of Wales and a Circle of stone ruined by the Ritual of Sundering, leaving dozens of dead Druids in its wake.) The Shard of Antenora. He wanted it, and knew it was close. It was here, somewhere in this city. (Chinese Horsemen ride across the plains to stop the Muslim priests from assembling the circle. They succeeded at the cost of their lives.) Tempest howled maniacally, his sword a blur as he fought the demon who held the Shard he wanted. The air was filled with sound, (Nostradamus stared at the crystal in the dim candlelight. It was telling him stories of things to come.) but still Tempest could hear the whisper of the crystal...the knowledge he sought was there. It had promised....
Tash could feel the pressure of the crystal on her mind. The barrier Matthias had erected was wearing down under the barrage of power. Though her eyes were closed, she knew the crystal glowed much brighter than before. Victor watched the visions pouring out of the crystal. He could feel their weight around him. He could only imagine the pressure they were exerting on Tash. *I hope we can pull her out of it, * he fretted.
Tempest freed the Shard from the dying grip of the demon. (The crystal was buried in a chest full of jewels. The gentle rocking of the sea ship was evident. A violent jolt made the deck tilt, and the waters of the sea closed over the chest.) Its light shone in his eyes, an eerie orange glow that made him appear demonic himself. (The shard of Antenora was placed next to the others, but the strange demonic creatures looking over them did not know the words to activate them. The stones whispered the incantation to them ever slower, waiting for them to comprehend.) Its lovely voice whispered to him. *Find the others. Together, we can show you what you want.*
The pressure built to pain. It stabbed through Tash's head like a spike. The crystal in her hand felt hot, her skin felt as though it were burning. *Free me. Let me join my fellows. Together, we can help you rid the world of monsters.* Tash felt herself swaying. She wanted every vampire dead, for what they did. For what they were. All she needed to do was take these two, kill the witch downstairs, and find Kain. So simple. They were all already here....
Victor leaned forward and slapped the Shard from her hand. It landed hard on the floor. He grabbed Tash by the arms and shook her. "Snap out of it! Fight it!" Tash could feel the struggle within herself. She felt herself losing, being seduced by the promises the Shard made. *No, I know the cost. Rid the world of monsters, you say. What about demons? What about Victor? * The thought of Victor came like a burst of clear light in a dark room. If these crystals did as they promised her, she would lose Victor! No, she couldn't bear that!
Victor could see her slowly coming back to them. He relaxed his grip. The crystal was no longer in her hand. She opened her eyes. Victor was holding onto her, his face contorted with distress. Tash gasped for air. "I.... I...." She found she couldn't speak.
"Its over," said Victor. He looked at Matthias and Jade, "I think we have answered the question. This time it is definitely Tempest's memories drawing them together."
She clung to Victor - he was the one who had brought her back. "Tash, why don't you come to my room across the hall, where I can protect you while you recover. It'll be dawn soon, and Jade and Matthias need to be out there looking for more leads."
Tash felt drained. Her head was pounding. She looked blearily at Victor. "What?" She looked around. She couldn't stay here - the place was destroyed. "Yeah, all right." she said dazedly. She turned to Matthias. "Kate...."
Matthias laid his hand tenderly on her forehead. "Sleep, child. You have been tested, and have passed. Your champion will protect you from now on. " He winked at Victor who looked uncomfortable. "Jade and I will see you both soon, and we will have much to discuss. Tomorrow you and I will see Kate. Tonight, I have things to do."
Victor lifted her in his arms and carried her across the hall; he laid her tenderly in his unused bed. Then he gently kissed her. * You are so brave to give so much. How can anyone not love you? *. He then gingerly left the room and closed the bedroom door.
First Sorrow...
Jadyn
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 11:00 am
Post subject: First Sorrow...
*The following morning*
Jade made herself another cup of coffee before sitting back down to complete her stockcheck. Her mind was still on all the events that'd happened the night before. *God, is it any wonder I feel totally drained?*
Sorrow entered the shop. The outside looked just like Jenny described, a little new agey but he had hopes. There was a sense of power about the place and such power is never there by accident. The proprieter was a petite Asian woman. Sorrow browsed the shop, looking it over. He wanted to get a feel for the place before he bought anything.
Sorrow moved towards the crystals - he'd need a good quality set of Bloodstone Carnelians for what he wanted and though anything up to scratch certainly wouldn't be on display, he wanted to make sure she was getting a a good supply.
Jade watched the stranger as he prowled around the shop. *He looks like a panther, stalking around, getting his bearings on a new territory.* Business had been slow so far but she would have noticed him in roomful of people. Besides being around 6 feet tall, the guy was gorgeous!
*Well, no one could ever complain about L.A having a shortage of good looking men, that's for sure! Although with my luck he'll probably be married. Or gay! Or some flesh eating demon that's gonna have me for dinner. Hmmmm, that last option sounds vaguely tempting, given the way he looks!* She chuckled to herself as she came out from behind the counter to play shop proprietress... *One of the little perks of my job. Heh...*
The proprieter moved out toward him. He couldn't help but notice. He moved away slightly, just to give himself time to appreciate her. *I'll be back here even if she doesn't have what I need* He picked up a quartz held it in his hand and slowly opened his shields he needed to sense the crystals. You could never be sure just by looking...
Jade asked softly, "Is there something you're looking for in particular? Or shall I just leave you to browse at your leisure?"
He turned to her "That depends." The crystal in his hand was virgin, never used in a working before, and had been mined by hand. She had good sources. "I need a few stones for a working. I was wondering if you had anything a little more harmonic." The crystal was the right quality but he needed the carnelians and they would have to be a matched set.
*Hmmmmm, this guy knows his stuff. Taste, as well as looks. Definitely gay. Drats!* Jade smiled and said, "Of course. If you'd just give me a minute, I'll get you what you need." She walked to the tiny store room she had at the rear. Slipping a key out of her pocket, she unlocked the room door and disappeared for a couple of minutes. When she came back out, she was carrying a small box. Sorrow noted that she was very careful to re-lock the door as she exited. *A cautious woman. Good for her. Can't be too careful with all the weirdos in this town.*
"Perhaps this is more on par with the stones you're looking for?" She flipped the lid of the box back, allowing him to take a look at its contents.
He looked in the box - there were a number of different stones, each in a separate pocket. He smiled. There was a set of twelve Carnelians in the box. "Could I look at the Carnelians? They would be best for the working."
"All twelve? You're looking at getting all of them?" Jade looked surprised. *That's a lot of harnessed power he's buying. What in the world is he "working" on anyway?!*
Outwardly though, she tried not to let her suspicions show through. Smiling again as she turned towards the counter, she cocked her head, indicating for Sorrow to follow her, her short red skirt swaying slightly as she walked off.
She was concerned. He doubted anyone else would have spotted it, not human anyway, unless of course, they were like him. Still, he was looking to buy twelves stones with a lot of power, she had a right to be concerned. He followed her to the counter... He would need to test them, check that they would work together, Carnelians were tricky... It didn't take much to throw them off and then... Well, it wasn't pretty.
Jade carefully took the twelve crystals he'd requested out of their protective case and laid them on the counter top. "I assume you'll want to check them individually to ensure that none of them are flawed. I'm pretty confident that my stock's perfect, but you don't have to take my word for it. Anyway, take your time, I'll leave you to it and start writing up your bill of sale first."
She hesistated briefly. *I have to know.* "I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry, but could you tell me what exactly you're planning to do with a dozen Carnelians? I'm not exactly comfortable with the idea of selling so many of them to a single individual, especially if the person doesn't know what he or she is doing..."
*Hmmmm, she's right. I would be asking the same question in her place.* "I have something I need to ward... it's powerful and I don't feel like taking chances. Pretty much a case of better safe than sorry."
He picked up the first stone and lowered his shields further. He focused a trickle of power on the stone and sang a perfect C. It came back to him just as he expected. *Well, if they're all the same, I'll buy all twelve... Assuming she'll sell them to me.*
Sorrow stiffened as he heard it... A faint discordant sound almost like a vampire. It was coming from her... Sorrow focused - She was human but her theme contained a discordant undertone that somehow blended with the rest... It was strange...
Jade felt an increase of power emanating from him and blinked. *Well, that pretty much lays my theory that he might not know what he's dealing with to rest. This guy's definitely no amateur.*
*I wonder what's this thing he wants to ward.* Her brow furrowed a little. *Maybe I'm getting paranoid but I can't help but wonder whether it could have anything to do with the Cloch Closan.* She snuck a look at Sorrow from the corner of her eye. He was methodically testing the Carnelians, one by one, and didn't seem to notice her scrutiny. "Maybe I should ask him if he needs help with whatever he's doing," she thought, "or if he wants to meet with Tash and the rest..."
Jade rolled her eyes. *Yeah, yeah, and of course, the fact that he's tall, dark and handsome doesn't hurt either...*
The stones were perfect. She'd glanced at him, considering something. *She probably thought I was too busy to notice.* He remembered then where he'd seen her before. *That night when I heard the first note... Should I ask her about it?*
He turned to her opened his shields completely and studied her with his power. *Nothing comes without a price. If she doesn't just throw me out, I'm going to pay for this when the backlash hits me.*
Jade took a step back and almost stumbled. The punch of power he'd suddenly directed towards her was almost overwhelming, as if he was trying to pry into her very soul. Suddenly angered at what she saw as a gross invasion of privacy, she glared up at him. "I don't know who you are Mister, but you'd best leave. I don't appreciate you trying to psycho-analyze me, or whatever it is you people call it. What I am and what I do is of no business of yours."
He could sense her theme with absolute clarity now. *Yes, there is something of the vampire in her but it isn't... imposed... Whatever she is, it isn't ordinary.* Sorrow shut down his power absolutely... dropping it to a level as close to nothing as he could manage, though he left his shields open... If she was adept, she'd know.
"My apologies. I had no right but you left this shop two nights ago, with an object of considerable power. I had to know. Again...I'm sorry , I've offended you and should go..." Sorrow turned to leave...
"Wait!"
Jade closed her eyes as she a vague memory nagged at her. That tall stranger. The night she was walking back home with Tash to meet Tempest and Matthias. The power she'd felt.
"I remember you. I felt you. The power I felt that night was yours, but it's different from what I felt just now." She knew he'd stopped trying to read her, she no longer felt as if she was being taken apart and tested like some lab rat. "Did you have something on you that was radiating a power far beyond your own? Who are you?" Her eyes snapped back open and she looked warily at the man standing in front of her. "Tell me..."
"That night, I was channeling the city but I had no items of power save my sword. As for myself... You'd probably be wary of my profession..." *Boy, is that an understatement!*
*No guts, no glory.* He took a deep breath and continued. "I hunt vampires. A friend of mine needed some help so I came to L.A..." Grief rose up then just as the backlash hit. Sorrow's knees buckled...
Jade gasped in shock as the stranger collapsed. Rushing towards him, she instinctively reached out and cradled his head. She felt somewhat lightheaded. *What is it with me and vampire hunters these past couple of days?! I gotta get myself a larger social circle... Does he sense my vampire side? Does he know? Is that why be brought this up?*
She frowned, shook her head as if to clear it and turned her attention back to the man lying in her arms. His face was pale under his tan and his lips were bloodless. He didn't seem physically hurt, but there was such stark pain in his eyes, as if he was suffering some form of emotional agony he couldn't descibe. Pulling a vial from her pocket, she dapped a bit of peppermint oil on his temples in an attempt to soothe. "You all right?" she asked quietly.
*Amazing how collapsing on someone makes them forget you've insulted them, she deserves the truth...*
"I've used more magic in the last few days than I have in the last few months, no reserves left, and of course it doesn't help that I'm suffering from major blood loss."
*Oh, real clever Sorrow... Tell the nice vampire - or whatever she is - you can barely protect youself...*
*He knows... About me." The thought struck Jade as she helped Sorrow up and onto a nearby chair. She didn't quite know how she guessed that... It was almost as if she could hear his thoughts.
"Well then. Aren't you lucky that I'm not some big bad waiting to pounce." She looked at him pointedly *Hopefully he gets what I'm trying to tell him,* before offering him her hand. "I'm Jadyn Lee, Jade to my friends."
*I'll reserve judgement on that one.* "Tristan Barrington, though I prefer Sorrow..."
The pain was fading. He hadn't used that much power... "Look, the crystal I've got is just in my hotel room. It's hidden but the spell I used won't last long and in this state, I'll need assistance if I run into trouble, which, going on my current L.A. experience, I will. I'm going to need help"
He looked at her tried to project how much it cost him to trust her like this *You've just met her and she's practically a vampire. Get a grip Sorrow!*
Jade smiled tentatively. "Well, it looks like this is your lucky day." She rolled her eyes... "You've probably come to the only damn magic shop in the whole of Los Angeles that has a chance in hell of helping you deal with your crystal." *If he's a hunter and he knows I got some vampy-wampy in me, why hasn't he tried to stake me yet? Why is he confiding in me like this?* Jade's mind whirled as she thought of what to do next.
Reaching a decision, she said, "Look, I know we don't know each other and you have absolutely no reason to trust me, but I'd really like for you to bring the crystal here tonight, after XY is closed for the day. I want you to meet some of my friends, they'll be the ones who're able to help you, not me..."
"Please?" She touched his sleeve. *This man is deep... He's a total enigma, it's almost impossible to read his mind clearly... Even with my heightened sensitivities, I get these sudden flashes of clarity but can barely make out what he's thinking or feeling the rest of the time...*
*Trust doesn't seem to be an issue here.* "Well, I'll get the crystal but other things are happening right now. I'll go get it and come back though, I really need to be around people at the moment..." *Yes, at least they'll be able to call an ambulance if you collapse...*
Sorrow rose from the chair. *Damn! I feel like an old man right now, this could take some time...*
"Hey... I could... Do you need... Errrm..." Jade looked at Sorrow worriedly. *He still doesn't look too good... I mean... He's still gorgeous but... Ah heck... I need to get out more if I've started arguing with myself over what I say in my head...*
Sorrow ran a hand through his dark hair and looked wearily up at her. "I don't suppose you'd... Mmmm... Nevermind." He gave a resigned sigh, looking totally drained.
Jade grinned wryly. "Look, I'll send you back to your hotel. Wouldn't want you passing out on your way back. Ok?" Not giving him a chance to answer, she grabbed a patterned red and black shawl that matched her skirt, wrapped it around her shoulders, fished up her keys and guided Sorrow out of XY. She gave a mental sigh... *He's a vampire hunter. I'd prefer it if he was flesh eating demon... At least we wouldn't have any "conflict of interest", so to speak... Ah well. He might be gay...*
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Sorrow
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 11:13 am
They got a cab to his hotel, since he didn't feel up to the walk. They sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts *Partial vampire, remember, Sorrow?* he thought as he stole a glance at her again. *That probably means more dangerous, not less, she's immune to direct sunlight after all...* He could still hear her theme, it was repeating in his head endlessly. *It's actually rather beautiful...* as he started to hum it.
Jade glanced over, somewhat surprised as Sorrow started to sing quietly to himself. *A few minutes ago he was barely able to stand, now he's humming a happy tune?!* "Girl," she thought to herself, "you always get the unpredictable ones..." She shifted slightly in her seat. The cab seemed awfully cramped... Either taxis in L.A were shrinking or she was having a "typical-airhead-reaction" to having a handsome man right next to her. Giving herself a mental shake, Jade deliberately turned her head from Sorrow and concentrated on staring out the cab's window.
They reached the hotel some ten minutes later having exchanged few words. They entered the hotel and took the lift upwards. As the lift doors opened on the third floor Sorrow put his arm out to stop Jade "Someone's meddling with my ward." he said quietly.
He moved out into the corridor, Jade a careful step behind him. "There're two of them, one's a magic user the other's just a plain vanilla human."
"So what do we do?"
Sorrow thought for a second, laid a palm on the wall and felt around the room on the other side. "Have you had any hand to hand training?" he whispered quietly.
"Erm, Chinese you know, Kung Fu?" Sorrow just looked at her.
"A little Wing Chun... I can look after myself."
"Right. This is what we're going to do..." Sorrow took a few minutes to explain.
"Why me?"
"Because powerwise all I've got is whatever I can tap from the ward and what you are makes the spell easier. Unless you have any better ideas?"
"... Ok..." She was only half convinced. *Is this what he's like when he hunts? Calm... Emotionless...*
They positioned themselves on either side of the door.
"Blind Katria..." Jade looked across at Sorrow as he began the spell to make her temporarily invisible.
She didn't manage to catch the rest of the incantation. Before she knew it, Sorrow drove his foot into the door, just beside the lock. As he stepped down and away, two bullets sped through the doorway, then two more came though the wall at about chest height. Jade darted into the room, heading for the crystal. As the crystal vanished from his sight, the gunman turned and sprayed bullets where it should have been, totally blind and clueless about Jade's presence.
Sorrow waited a beat then followed Jade into the room. "Sucker..." thought Sorrow as his left hand snared the gunman's wrist and his right drove into the gunman's shoulder. The gunman looked wildly around.
"What..." Pain filled the man's eyes as his shoulder shattered under the force of the blow. Sorrow's left hand released the man's wrist and connected solidly with the man's face. He flopped bonelessly back onto the bed, unconscious.
Sorrow heard chanting... *The magic user.* He turned to see Jade deliver three whip crack blows to the man's sternum, collarbone and mouth. Sorrow's eyes narrowed as he hears the sternum crack and sees the mess that made up what was left of the man's mouth. *Vampire speed and strength... Check.* he thinks as the hougan collapsed and stayed sprawled on the floor.
"We need to get out of here. We don't want to have to explain to the police why someone decided to start shooting..." He moved to his laptop and started packing it away. "Could you get that case for me?" he asked, pointing towards his magic supplies.
Jade picked up the case silently, seemingly in a daze. *What's happening to me? I practically bashed that man's face in... I've never used Wing Chun for anything else besides a part of my workout regime... What the hell came over me in there?!* She watched as Sorrow finished up his packing and motioned for her to follow him.
She glanced around the ruined hotel room and the two unconscious men lying it in. *So much for a late morning tete-a-tete...* A few minutes later they were headed back in the direction of XY.
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Talhu
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 12:03 pm
Talhu turned down Poplar Avenue, and started to enter the apartment building at 1318. On the way in, he ran in to an older woman. "Oh, hello," she said. "Can I help you?" He could feel a bit of apprehension coming from her, but dared not try to pick up her thoughts. * I need to conserve energy. *
"Yes, you can," he said. "I'm here to meet an old friend. He goes by the name Victor. I was told he was staying here, but not what apartment number." This time he reachd out to read her surface thoughts. The room number entered her mind long enough for him to capture it: 202.
"If he's your friend, why wouldn't he mention the room number?"
"Actually, come to think of it, he did mention room 202."
He then walked past the elderly lady and up the steps before she could say anything else. Talhu took the stairs instead of the elevator. The things were moving death traps, and provided no escape route. When he reached room 202, he saw the lock was broken and smiled. As Talhu entered, he spoke. "You know, Victor, you really should get that fixed. All sorts of people can just walk in on you."
Victor was in the kitchen when he heard the doorknob turning and cursed the broken lock. Then he heard a familiar voice reproach him about the lock on his door. * No, it can't be. How did he escape those demon hunters tracking him around Europe.* He glanced at the closed bedroom door as he walked in to the living room. "Talhu", said Victor with surprise, "I didn't expect to see you here before the party started. You are usually more of a party crasher."
"Come now, Victor, save the biting wit for the humans. You used to call me Pravus, as everyone else does."
Victor decided to cut this meeting short, "You're searching for the shards again."
Talhu did not respond verbally, but just smiled in that same malevolent way he always did. Victor continued, "Listen to me, if our former…association meant anything to you. The Cloch Cosan will not give you what you want."
Talhu lost his smile, "We've been through this before, Victor. Just tell me what I need to know: Where are the shards? It would be a shame if an accident happened to the old woman downstairs, wouldn't it?"
* He's not changed one bit. Except maybe a little more ruthless than he remembered. * * Like when you suggested that the two of you should go after the nuns in the convent because they tasted better? * Damn soul. Always reminding me of who I was*
"Leave her out of this, Pravus, she's nobody."
"Well then. Tell me what I need to know. I already know someone is gathering shards right here in LA."
Victor smiled. There might be a way he could get Talhu to leave. "I'll offer you a deal. I can tell you where five of the crystals are. In return, you don't harm anyone in this building."
Talhu's raised an eybrow. * If he knows where there are five, then he knows where there are more. He may even know where all of them are. *
Pravus' smile returned. "Done. I will not harm anyone in this building. Assuming, of course, it's not in self defense. Now, tell me your information."
Victor spoke slowly, watching Talhu carefully for any telltale signs that this was not new information. "The first source is Kain. He owns a big battle arena called the Beazor Complex. You should have no problem finding it. He has gathered four." *Good luck getting through Kain's security.*
"But you said five. I distinctly heard you say five."
Victor grinned internally. * Like a fish on a hook. He bit on that tidbit like he had no idea. He is just starting to locate the Shards. He is well behind the curve. He may be less of a danger than I had feared *
"The fifth Shard is held by Tempest," Victor was enjoying this, "Remember him? I remember he was a sore subject with you at one time. And despite what you might belive I have no idea where he is. Last time I saw him was hours ago when he stabbed me in the gut. But you are familiar with that kind of encounter with Tempest, aren't you?"
"Pleasure doing buisness with you, Victor," Talhu scowled then turned to leave, "I'll keep in touch with you, old friend. And you should get that lock looked at."
More Nightmares
Natasha Brookes
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 2:23 pm
Post subject: More Nightmares
Tash was staring up at the stars. The night sky seemed so tranquil, the grass beneath her soft and springy. Then she felt her arm. Something was wrong with it. Slowly turning her head, she saw the vampire feeding at the inside of her left elbow. He was tearing chunks of flesh from her arm.
She tried to struggle, but found she couldn’t move. How had this happened? Then she remembered – the vampire had caught her with his gaze, lulled her. She was in his thrall, lying back calmly to accept her fate. She looked again at the monster. He was dark, with pale skin and finely chiselled features. His black eyes bored into hers, and she turned her head sharply. She couldn’t get caught again! Panic rose in her – she had to break free from his grip on her mind, or she’d die….
A pulsing orange light tugged at Tash. There were words accompanying the light, if she could just strain enough, she could hear them…..*Bring us together, we can help you, rid the world of those monsters….*
The swirling maelstrom surrounded her, passed through her. Her mind was being splintered; her memories scattered, being absorbed by the crystals that formed the ring. Shapes loomed at her from the darkness, horrifying forms that wanted to tear her soul from her body…..
Tash sat up with a gasp. Her breath came in ragged gasps. That first nightmare, she’d had that just last night, for the first time in years that memory was coming back to her. She absently felt the scar tissue on her left arm. Why now?
Her eyes slowly focused, and she felt a presence in the room. For a second, panic rose, then she noticed Victor’s aura glowing to her right. He gently stroked her face, murmuring, “You were dreaming, it’s over now.”
He eased her back onto the bed. Tash wanted to stay awake, wanted to talk to Victor, but she was so tired… She was afraid to go back to sleep. She didn’t want the nightmares to come again, but Victor’s smooth voice continued murmuring in her ear, and slowly she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.
As Tash’s breathing deepened into that of sleep, Victor eased away from her and stood up. Just before he left the room, he looked back at her sleeping form. A small frown creased her forehead, then was smoothed away again. He sighed, then closed the door quietly behind him.
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Tempest
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 4:49 pm
Kain brought a cigar from his desk, stared at it a moment then ripped one end off and placed it in his mouth, “Bring him in,” he shouted. The door swung open and a tall dark haired man entered. As he seated himself, across the desk Kain lit his cigar and spoke.
“Now, why would you happen to be visiting me again?” Smoke drifted slowly from Kain’s barely open jaw.
“It’s about the crystals you were looking for. As you know I have one, I also have some information that I'm sure will be of use to you.” Tempest leaned back in the large black leather chair and began looking around. The room was far more elegant that he expected compared to the rest of the complex. It also seemed different from the last time he was here.
“You risked your life coming here after stealing property so valuable to me especially when you already have a debt to repay me.” Kain stared harshly at Tempest.
“Well, this information should repay both; you’re collecting the nine crystals. I know you have four already and also happen to know the location of another three.” Tempest grinned as he saw the look that came over Kain’s face.
“You're right, this information would certainly be of use to me. However, you owe me a considerable debt. It will all be considered forgiven should you return to me the crystal you have already stolen and provide me with the locations of the other three.”
“I was thinking of a more substantial reward, you’re a wealthy man and I know all about why you want these crystals. I have no doubt that the information I have would be far move valuable than, say, $500,000 and the forgiveness of our little debt.” Tempest again grinned as he finished his sentence.
“$250,000 after the first two are retrieved and $250,000 when the other two are in my possession.”
“Considering the value of the crystals I think everything up front would be fair, and don't worry - all the crystals are close. They should be easy enough for your men to retrieve.”
Kain grinned angrily, if this information was correct his reward would be far more than this pittance. And if he’s wrong the pleasure of his death may even be enough he thought. He then reached into the lowest desk drawer and muttered a few inaudible words to open the locked case that the drawer hid. He removed five thick stacks of $100 bills and tossed them to Tempest. “Now for the location of these four crystals, where are they?”
“I said three, after you retrieve them we’ll make a deal for the fourth.” *Hopefully I takes him a while. I still need to find out some more about these damn crystals and how they're connected to me. * “As for the three - 1318 Poplar avenue - they're all in that one building. A Faery cloaks two, the other is owned by a witch on one of the lower floors."
“Now, if this information doesn't pay off I'll rip you apart limb from limb myself!” Kain grinned widely. Even the thought of killing someone made him happy this day.
Tempest stood up from his chair, collected his money and turned to leave. “Just so you know the people in that building are far from the usual amateurs you deal with. You might want to send in something heavier than usual.” Tempest reached for the door and it was suddenly opened from the other side by a pathetic looking vamp. “I’ll be back when you get them, Kain. We’ll make another deal then.”
*A few hours later*
Kain sat at his desk waiting apprehensively. He put his cigar out on his desk, and the smoke rising from the desk was suddenly blown into his face when the door crashed open.
“Kain,” a voice boomed as an even larger man entered the room. He was well dressed, much like Kain, but far taller and of a smaller but equally impressive build.
“Aetolus, you’re here... I'm sorry sir but...” Kain almost stammered...
The morning after.
Natasha Brookes
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 5:49 pm
Post subject: The morning after.
Victor checked on the brewing coffee. * I hope I made it right. I haven't made coffee in ...ever. Still, it’s the thought that counts right? * He checked the refrigerator, and wasn't surprised to find it empty. * I wonder what happened to the residents of this apartment. They left a surprising amount of stuff behind. * Victor shrugged. It saved him the trouble of furnishing.
Tash awoke more slowly this time. She actually felt rested. There hadn't been any more nightmares, though she still remembered the ones she'd had earlier. Again, she rubbed the scar tissue on her arm. *Why am I remembering this now? I haven't thought about it for years....* Truth be told, she hadn't wanted to think about it. That vampire had been the only one that had truly terrified her. She'd been scared plenty of times, but that one.... She shivered.
The other nightmare was Tempest's again, but this time it had felt like her. The texture was different. The first time she'd dreamt of the maelstrom she'd felt slightly detached from it. This time, it was much more personal.
She pushed back the blanket, and swung her legs over the side of the bed. *Ugh.* Victor had taken her shoes off, but she'd slept in her jeans. Usually she only ever wore something to bed if someone else was in the house, and then it was usually just a long t-shirt. Then Tash smiled. She remembered Victor in here last night, soothing away her nightmares. *Just like Matthias used to....*
She heard the rumble of an unfamiliar voice from the next room, and the front door shut. Puzzled, she reached for the bedroom door. The smell of coffee struck her senses. *Aahh, that's the ticket!*
Victor stood in the living room, staring at the front door. * I hate the fact that he can come in here and make me want that kind of life all over. * He shook his head to clear the thought. *I'd better check on Tash.* He went to the bedroom and pushed the door slowly, only to find it pulling itself ...Tash was holding the doorknob from the other side.
"Uh...sorry. Good morning," he murmured.
Tash nodded slowly, "Well, not so bad as I thought it would be, at least. I remember the headache I had last night." She inhaled deeply, "I smell coffee." She looked up at Victor, "Thank you. I remember you in there last night, when I woke. Thanks." A smile spread across Tash's face.
Victor felt completely lost in her smile. He couldn't think what to say, so he walked her into the kitchen, held a chair for her, and went to pour her a cup of coffee. She was obviously amused by his behavior, and chuckled to herself as he clumsily served her a very black cup of coffee. Victor sat across from her at the small wire-frame table. "I don't need to eat, and even then it’s all for show, so I don't have anything to feed you. But I did find the coffee in the cabinet. I hope its okay."
“To be honest, right now I'd drink just about anything." Tash reached for the coffee, then stopped, staring at her bare hands. "My gloves....." She looked up at Victor, a hint of panic in her eyes.
They stood up simultaneously "I'll get them!" they said in unison.
Tash looked at Victor gratefully. "Would you? Thanks. I might have a shower then, the coffee can wait a minute. Hot water on the skin is almost as good a restorative as coffee. And while you're there, would you mind getting me a clean shirt from the wardrobe? This one's pretty disgusting now." Tash felt a bit horrible using Victor to run errands for her like this, but she couldn't face touching anything. Turning on the taps in the shower would be bad enough.
Victor, happy to serve, smiled and dashed off. He shouted from the door, "I don't know if there are towels in the thing there. Use my shirts if you need to dry off...or better yet I'll grab one of your..." his voice trailed off down the hall.
Tash laughed quietly to herself. She sipped a bit of the coffee from the side of the mug where it sat on the table. *Whoa! That'll put hairs on your chest!* Tash suspected the coffee Victor had found must have been a bit old. Feeling rather more awake from that one sip, Tash pushed open the bathroom door. Quickly opening the cupboard * a middle-aged woman putting the laundry away...* , Tash found plenty of towels. She pulled one out *same woman, doing her hair...* and dropped it on the floor.
She discarded her grimy clothing and turned on the taps *the woman and a man, showering together...* . Tash rolled her eyes. *I really hate these things sometimes!*
Needles of hot water hit her skin and she instantly started to relax. For several moments she just stood there, letting the water wash away her thoughts. She found it easy to shut off completely while in the shower. No thoughts intruded, no visions. Just her and the hot water.
Victor heard the water running in the shower when he got back. He pushed the door of the bathroom, and laid her gloves, some panties and a bra, slacks, a black tee-shirt, and a white blouse folded neatly on the toilet. He knew she could feel him, but he respected her time and left quietly. He saw the towel on the floor, and didn't feel so bad about forgetting to grab one. As he sat on the couch listening to the water splashing off her he tortured himself internally.
* You HAVE changed, Vrithetek. You care for her. *
* Shut up. You don't have to remind me of the danger I put her in. Or the danger I am going to put her in. She knows the score. She SAW. *
* But does she KNOW? You told her a fine tale about your past, and glossed over an awful lot. Remember the vampire army? Remember the baby factories? Remember the torture, death, and suffering? How about the wars...you could never forget the wars.*
* Shut UP! I know! I remember! Don't you think I WANT to tell her? But I am NOT...THAT...DEMON...ANY...MORE. *
* Yes you are. You cannot escape your past. You can only grow past it. *
*Damn soul. Damn me. *
A song was running around inside Tash's head. The same verse, over and over. Matthias had always complained she never sang enough, he told her she had a lovely voice. Usually, Tash never felt like singing, but this song kept coming back to her. Before she knew it, she was singing full force....
I was alone, I was afraid
I couldn't face another day of pain in my life
I called your name and you were there
Just like an answer to a prayer
You made it all right
So I give my heart
And I give my soul to you
And now I know
I know I found the truth....
As Tash paused for breath, something batted against her mind. Victor. Vast waves of guilt came washing over her.
Victor listened to her beautiful voice echoing from the bath. She sang of love and commitment. Two things Victor had never known. He wanted to weep, but he knew she would be out soon, and he had things to do. He ducked into the bedroom and quickly changed clothes. But the haunting song kept playing through his mind...
He braced himself. * If she asks, * he bargained with himself, * but not until then. I will never tell her just how evil I really am. I will not burden her with that until she is ready. * He looked down at the Stone of Ghortab. He traced the runes with his finger. The old translations that he had been so sure of at one time...
Time will come when you will need more than life. Then those days of existence will pale with the desire for more than a creator can give. A soul will give you power. A pure soul will take you higher than an impure soul. An impure soul is worse than existence. Only one thing can free the impure soul from its torture.
But that one thing - that key - was never explained. 2000 years Victor had searched for the difference. The key to what separated good from evil. Could it be love?
Tash's voice rolled out from the shower again, belting out the chorus...
Just a little bit of love's gonna turn it around
A little bit of love can do it
Just a little bit of love's gonna turn it around
And around, and around
And it can free your mind
And it can free your soul
Yes it can free your mind
And it can free your soul....
After soaring into the high notes, Tash let her voice trail off as she finished her shower. She turned off the taps and quickly dried herself with the towel. She raised one eyebrow at the clothes Victor had brought her. *Poor bastard. I wonder if he's ever had to go fishing through a girl's underclothes before?* She dressed herself in the slacks and t-shirt, leaving the blouse for later. Much as she hated seeing her arm, she also hated wearing too many clothes in the morning. She'd grown used to ignoring the scars, but the dreams she was having was making her aware of them again.
She returned to the table where her coffee waited for her. *It's probably going cold by now, but I don't care. Give me caffeine!*
Victor waited a while after the water stopped before he came out of the bedroom. * What are you hiding from? * He walked into the kitchen, and sat at the table again. "Feeling better? More human?"
Tash nodded, her gloved hands wrapped around the coffee mug. She'd almost drained it, strong and bitter as it was. "Much better, maybe not up to human yet, but better." She looked at Victor, trying to determine the source of the guilt she'd felt earlier, but he'd clamped right down on any feelings.
"I know you carry a lot from your past. All I can say is what's done is done. You have the opportunity to reinvent yourself every day, by the choices you make." Tash sighed. "I wish I could help you, you hold so much grief. If you don't let it go, it'll consume you." Tash regarded Victor silently. He was sitting so close, yet part of him was so far away, she wasn't sure she would ever reach it.
She took his hand in hers. "I don't care what you've done before. That's what I'm trying to tell you. It's what you do now that matters. I..." Tash trailed off, she found she didn't have the courage to complete that sentence.
Victor nodded. "Me too."
They sat there for a while, just enjoying the quiet moment free of thoughts, visions, worries, and danger. Just a little moment where only the two of them mattered.
Until a light knock on the door broke the silence. Matthias' voice carried in from the living room, "Anyone home? I've come to collect my girl." Matthias reached the door to the kitchen and smiled indulgently at Tash and Victor. "Tash, my dear, we have a date downstairs..."
Tash blushed and let go of Victor's hand. Why did she feel like a schoolgirl being caught smoking at the back of the shed? She composed her expression, then replied, "Yeah, it's more important than ever that we speak to her now. You may need to protect her from Tempest, too, if he comes looking for the crystals. What about the ones you have?"
Matthias shook his head. "They're safe. That's all I'll say. Shall we go?" He held out a hand to Tash.
She started to grasp it with her left hand, then stopped. She pulled the arm back. *Gotta get my blouse on, first.* She stood and slipped the blouse on over the t-shirt, hiding the arm. *That's much better.* "I'll catch up with you later, Victor." She paused. "Thanks. For everything."
Victor reached up and took Tash's hand again, and gently placed a kiss on it. "Please be careful."
Tash smiled wryly, "Aren't I always?" Turning to Matthias, she said, "Let's go meet the witch."
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Natasha Brookes
Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 6:00 pm
Tash and Matthias descended the stairs to the first floor. As they approached apartment 103, they passed Mrs White, who seemed to have just come from there. Tash smiled at her, "Hello." Mrs White nodded, but said nothing, a small frown of disapproval on her features. Tash sighed. *Well, you can't win them all, I guess. You can win the trust of a 2000-year-old demon, but not your 70-year-old landlady!* Tash knocked gently on the door of the apartment.
Inside the apartment Kate was once again startled by a knock at the door. *If this is Mrs. White again...* she thought as she opened the door. "Look..." she began, stopping short upon seeing the tall, leggy girl from the previous afternoon. "Oh," she uttered, taken aback. She had forgotten all about Tash's courtesy call.
"...Natasha, isn't it?" She looks at Matthias, she was sensing a strong magical presence from him, "This must be your friend?" Kate pauses a moment, sensing the overriding emotions as they passed through the air. *Everything seems safe.* She stands aside, "Please, come in."
Tash smiled, "Hi, Kate. Good to see you again. This is my friend Matthias."
Matthias stretched out a hand to Kate. As their palms met, each sensed the other's power. A look passed between them that conveyed the knowledge. Tash could feel the crackle of energy between the two, and was very glad she wasn't a witch. That much power couldn't be safe. What she had was bad enough. Matthias said, "Pleased to meet you, Kate."
*Damn it!* Kate hated picking up everyone's psychic abilities every time she touched them. It was like getting a small electric shock. It made the small hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "Can I get you anything? Something to drink?" said Kate trying to prolong the pleasantries. Her voice was shaky, *Who, no, what was this guy?*
Tash and Matthias entered the room. "Coffee would be lovely, if you're making some," Tash said. She turned to Matthias, who simply asked, "Tea?" Tash felt a little awkward, but Matthias guided her expertly to the couch, where they both settled.
Kate looked panicky, as she dashed over to the kitchen. *Now what would a recently humanised vampire keep to drink?* Luckily she found some of the kind of coffee and tea leaves that were usually left in hotel. *Hmm, should be interesting* She noticed her 'guests' had taken her offer of a seat. She lit the old gas stove and put the even more archaic copper kettle on the hot plate. She turned back to her visitors. Tash looked about as nervous as Kate felt. Matthias looked peacefully calm.
Matthias had centred himself, feeling the vibrations of the crystal Kate possessed. He felt out the tendrils of its power, and was concerned to note that it seemed to have a particularly strong link with the witch. *Tash was right, we do need to act fast here.* He could also sense the alarm Kate was feeling. "Tash tells me you've just moved in here, with a friend," he said mildly.
Kate couldn't help but pick up on the random thoughts in the room. *Stalker* she thought, *No, it's Jake*. "Um, yes, well no, not really," she stammered. *What was wrong with her?* "Er, my 'friend' has moved in here, I was just, um..but, he's gone." *Oh, God, what was going on?* The whistle on the kettle shrilled loudly and Kate dashed back into the kitchen. In the kitchen, she leant against the counter. She had suffered the panic attacks ever since the council accused her – Serapis had said they were indicative of her guilt. Her breathing came in laboured gasps, snagging at the air as it escaped her lips. She couldn’t breathe!
Matthias looked at Tash, who was chewing her lip. He knew she was picking up the panic from Kate. He had to calm her down before she took flight. Rising smoothly from the couch, he approached the kitchen area, but didn't get too close. "Kate, we're not here to hurt you. Let's stop pretending. We all know you've got power. You know I've got power. I believe we should be on the same side in these current ... times."
He reached out to her slowly. If he could touch her, he knew he would be able to ease her pain. He slowly took her hand and held it firmly in his. "Please, trust me." As he touched her hand, he let the inner calm from his core spill over into her, in much the same way as he had with Tash last night. Kate seemed to struggle, but he held fast – after a moment he could see Kate visibly relaxing as the peace washed over her. "Let's finish making these drinks, then we'll talk," he said quietly.
Kate let him take her hand; his very presence seemed to soothe her. As they touched she felt an inner peace she hadn't known in days and her breathing seemed to retract, and return to normal. She nodded slowly and took the kettle from the stove.
Matthias helped Kate take the mugs to the lounge room. Tash received her coffee gratefully and inhaled the aroma. *Instant. Oh, well, it's still coffee!* Matthias fixed Kate with a clear gaze and said, "Do you want to tell us about the crystal, or should we tell you about it?"
*The Crystal, where could she start?* "I have the Shard of Judecca," she began. The words flowed so easily from her mouth, "I know little about it, except, well I have had it in my possession for the past five years and it has never seemed anything more than a simple crystal, but since I came to L.A, well it has changed, it seems...activated in some way."
Matthias nodded. "I get the feeling you're also aware of what that crystal does, and I'm sure you know why it's become active." There was such confusion boiling under the surface of this witch. Matthias felt she was on a knife-edge where the crystals were concerned.
"It has certain...connections for me" she began, she couldn't help but think about Janus.
Both Tash and Matthias were hit with sharp feelings of guilt, betrayal, loss, the pull of power. And a word - Janus. Matthias seemed outwardly unperturbed, and Tash did her best to maintain a calm facade, but she knew that Kate would almost certainly pick up on the echoes of that blow. Tash leaned forward slightly. "I'm not generally the sort of person to dance around an issue. I've heard of Janus. I know what she did with the crystals. Are you following in her footsteps?" Tash held Kate's gaze.
Kate frowned, she didn't even have time to think before she spoke, "No!" she cried out. "How could I? I would never...she was evil, I didn't know, how was I supposed to know? I trusted her,,," her voice trails off. She realised she'd been rambling like an idiot, *But these people thought...would she never be free from the hold Janus had on her?*
Tash felt the truth in Kate's words, but there was something underneath, a faint whisper of doubt. She looked to Matthias, who nodded. He'd felt it, too. Matthias said, "Kate, are you finding it difficult to concentrate at times, or do you get the urge to do something you wouldn't ordinarily do?"
"I heard the crystal whisper its promises to me, it offered me what I most desired - the truth. I was tempted for a moment. I ... I read an old legend, it said that the Shards made their masters insane. To answer your question, I don't know. There is so much, too much chaos in the air. I have problems of my own to deal with and these shards, they cloud my mind." She paused, “But I have been unable to relinquish this one since it … came into my possession. You were right, I do know the power of the Shards. I know what they are capable of doing, opening the Nether Arch, and someone in L.A is gathering them for that purpose."
Matthias nodded. "Indeed they are. We can't let that happen. I know you've only just met me, but can you trust me? I can help you deal with the crystal you carry." He shook his head, "I wouldn't dream of trying to take it from you. That could unhinge you completely." He held her eyes with his own. "I can help, if you'll let me."
"Believe me, I have no intention of using the power of the shards – that is not my intent. I know I have the power to protect it. I can, I must. But it is so powerful..."
Matthias frowned at her evasion. "I know you're powerful, probably powerful enough to protect the shard, if you hold to your purpose. But I can ease the shard's grip on your mind, make it easier to bear. You have to trust me, though."
Kate stared into his eyes and became lost for a moment. "I trust you". She did trust him, the moment she opened the door to him, she could feel his energy fill the room, it was warm and comforting. She had to trust him. If Serapis found out about the shards...but that was a different story. Kate stood and walked over to her coat pocket. She pulled out a satin bag and brought it back over to Matthias and Tash, carefully opening it. The crystal glowed brightly, white and alive.
Tash steeled herself. She had felt the crystal as soon as they'd entered the room, but somehow seeing it always made things worse. After her experience with the Shard of Antenora, she wasn’t sure she could face another one right now. Her head still pounded from the aftermath of the visions she’d picked up. Whatever Matthias had done to her yesterday was still holding, though. She felt a faint tickle in her mind from the Shard of Judecca, but nothing more.
Matthias smiled at Kate, a warm, open smile. "Good, I'm glad you can trust us. Please, sit back down, make yourself comfortable." As Kate settled back in the seat next to Matthias, he gently cupped her face in his hands. "I want you to relax as much as you can. Think of someplace where you feel safe and secure, and imagine yourself there."
Kate couldn't imagine a place where she felt safe or secure anymore. But she tried for Matthias' sake. His warmth burned into her cold skin. She cleared her mind and closed her eyes. Matthias centred himself. He pushed his essence into Kate. "You can close your mind to the crystal. It will hold no power over you. Your mind and spirit will be free of its taint."
Sitting quietly to the side, Tash could feel the edges of the calm that Matthias was generating. It felt exactly the same as he'd done for her so many times in the past.
After a few minutes, Matthias let go of Kate. He sat back, and regarded the crystal that lay at his feet. It looked so white and pure, but he knew well what it was capable of.
Kate looked at the shard too. "Its purity is a facade," and she felt the truth of her words in more ways than one. She suddenly felt drained, but like an enormous weight had been lifted from her. It was akin to flying. "So what now?"
Matthias picked up the crystal. "Now, I meditate for a while. I can dampen the power of the stone itself, but it takes some time." He looked at Tash. You may want to attend to other matters that need looking after. I will probably need to be here for some hours."
Tash looked at Matthias with concern. The last time he had done this, he'd looked incredibly tired afterwards, and she knew it took a lot to drain him. He reassured her with a pat on the shoulder. "I'll be all right, girl. Don't worry. Attend to those who need your care now."
Tash looked at Kate. "Will you be all right with being here alone with Matthias?" Tash grinned, "I assure you, he's the perfect gentleman. Besides, he'll be busy." Tash was a little worried how Kate might feel. It was one Hell of an imposition to leave a strange man with someone you'd just met. But she also knew that a lot had passed between Kate and Matthias while he soothed her spirit.
"I'll be fine," Kate assured Tash. She felt a great amount of obligation for the help Matthias had given her, and she felt she should stay near in case he needed her help.
Tash stood. "I know this is a very strange way to meet a new neighbour ... even if you're not quite living here ... and I'm sorry to be rushing off like this, but I have things that need my attention right now. " As Tash opened the door, she looked back inside. "Believe me, you couldn't be safer at this moment than with Matthias." She closed the door gently behind her and started back up the stairs.
Matthias found the couch too soft. It wouldn't do for a long session. He settled himself on the floor, his back against the sofa. Cupping the shard in his hands, he began to meditate, gradually dampening the power emanating from the crystal. He knew the process would take several hours, but it was well worth the energy he'd expend to preserve the peace of mind of this tortured woman beside him.
Kate huddled up on the sofa, watching Matthias intently, she had never seen something like this done before. Tash left them to it, closing the door behind her. 'You couldn't be safer at this moment than with Matthias.' - whether that was true remained to be seen but she did feel safe, and at that moment it was enough.
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Ebony
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2002 4:47 am
Ebony was sitting on the guard, who was lying on the torture table. Her legs swung back and forth childishly. Her face was cut and burned and there was a large hole straight through her stomach.
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Jem, have you come to visit? And you've brought.." some thing clicked in her memry "Crissy boy! And Bird, my precious!"
"Come to visit?" Chris was shocked *Didn't she care that she was locked up in a dark, damp room, with all these--* He looked around and so did Jem. A vampire groaned under his breath. He had no skin left and nails driven through his skull. *No, i guess she doesn't.*
"Haven't got rid of that habit of yours yet then?" Chris asked sarcastically.
"Oh, you mean her torture thing?" Jem replied. "Nah!"
"Mmmm. It's been a while, Chrisboy!"
"He's called Chris, Ebs! And you know it!" Then something struck Jem "Ebony, I think Kain swung by your place and took your pretty necklace."
Ebony stopped stroking Bird with one hand and drew her fingers from the guard's inner chest.
"No," she said plainly.
"But Eb, the place is all smashed up and--"
"No. the Pest took it."
"The Pest?" Chris inquired.
"Tempest!" Jem hissed.
"Yes! The Pest! he took my pretty necklace and stashed it away from all the world..... But i shall have it back...."
"Ebs, I don't think you get it--"
"Oh. I think I do. He has many friends.. but not for long....my necklace works pretty things on his mind...and any way... he shan't like it when it's all his fault.... his friends shall help... we shall see..." Again, Ebony's hand sunk deep into the vampire's chest and rooted around. The guard roared.
"Come on, Ebs! We gotta go!"
"Why?"
"Errr..." Chris butted in, "to get back your most beautiful necklace!"
"Oh, yes! Silly me! We must leave at once, for I have many things to do.....mmmm." She gazed in a trance again.
Then she stood up and skipped over the mess and up the stairs. Bird almost glued to her heels. "Well, come on then..... I have much much to do," she whispered.
Kain's Office
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2002 7:02 am
Post subject: Kain's Office
Mortis took his last breath of nicotine-filled air before he was hustled into Kain's office. Mortus edged nervously towards the desk.
"Well?" boomed Kain, "Did you get the Shard of Judecca?"
"Well, sir, I, I," stammered Mortis.
Kain grabbed him by the shirt and held him in the air. "She is a trifling little witch and you let her escape with the crystal??"
"Well, well, it wasn't as simple as that sir..." Mortis continued to stammer as he hung several feet from the ground in Kain's fist. "...the witch wasn't there and we searched her house and the crystal was gone..."
"Maybe your source is unreliable Mr Mortis..."
"No, no, sir, it was Mr. O. R. Wedge er, Bob the Snitch, she was supposed to work for him, I assure you it was good information..." he stammered again, "...there was a complication, another..."
"What? Another witch? Speak up man!!"
"Yes sir, another witch, a man, he had the symbol of Sindell on his hand."
Kain lowered Mortis to the ground, "So this little witch has allies, does she? Does she think she can stop me from gathering the crystals? Does she???"
"Sir, if she is from Sindell too, well, there is a chance, if the witch Janus..."
"Yes, the Rite of Gathering, you have done well Mortis, for this I shall let you live."
"Oh, thank you, thank you sir." He backed his way out of the office, but before he shut the door Kain spoke to him again.
"Oh, and Mortis? Our good friend Tempest tells me the witch now currently resides in the building on Poplar Avenue, you might want to check that out if you're not too busy."
Mortis looked embarassed and quietly shut the door behind him.
"Things are going well Kain..." said the deep voice of Aetolus as he emerged from the shadows, "...you have the location of eight crystals now, and maybe a way of regaining the hidden scrolls of Ghenna. Our business is almost completed..."
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Sorrow
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2002 10:39 pm
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Natasha Brookes
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2002 11:22 pm
Tash climbed the stairs slowly. She felt as though she'd been run over by a truck. The last two nights had taken their toll, both physically and mentally. She reached the hallway and made her way down it. She paused as she reached the door to apartment 202. *Oh, God. Should I? He'll think I'm pathetic... But I do want to ask him about that voice I heard this morning.* That argument didn't even convince herself, but Tash knocked anyway. She waited, but there was no sound from within. She knocked again, a little louder. Still nothing. *Oh, well, dilemma solved!* Tash turned to her own apartment.
Some time later the locksmiths had left, and Tash felt much happier with her new lock. It was quite large and heavy. *That should stop humans, at least.* She'd straightened up the disarray in her lounge room, and managed to scrape most of the ichor from the floor. She'd been very glad she hadn't got around to getting a rug. At least the stuff came off the floorboards without much hassle. However, after all the cleanup had been finished, Tash no longer had anything to keep her mind from the empty apartment across the hall. *I wonder where he's gone?*
Unable to stand being cooped up in her apartment, Tash found her shoulder holster and other assorted items, and wheeled the bike down the hall. *Time I talked to Jade. I promised to see her this morning...* Reaching the outside of the building, Tash straddled her bike and took off down Poplar Avenue towards XY.
Just a Little Mind Sweep...
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2002 11:22 pm
Post subject: Just a Little Mind Sweep...
Matthias had spent the past three hours meditating over the crystal and it was now fast approaching midday. Kate had spent the time studying his movements. He seemed to be locked in a very high state of concentration. This was a difficult thing to do even for a MP10. Kate realised that this Matthias wasn’t your ordinary demon hunter – he must definitely be something ‘other’. But she didn’t pick up the sorcerer vibe either. It confused her - he obviously wielded great power but she was unable to determine his origin solely from outside vibrations.
If only she could…but she didn’t dare. *If I could do a mind sweep I would know the answer.* Kate was very adept at the mind sweep; she didn’t even need to be in physical contact with her subject. But she disliked invading someone else’s privacy and after a mind sweep she always felt dirty, tainted, like she was coated in her host’s essence. It was a disturbing feeling, but Kate was used to reading the minds of vampires and demons, and this Matthias didn’t appear to belong to either category…did he?
So much betrayal, so much distrust. Kate had trusted Matthias to perform his magic on her, but she still felt wary. If she had trusted the two strangers at the door that morning it had been obvious they hadn’t trusted her. Matthias hadn’t even mentioned the Cloch Cosan. She knew he had been holding out on her. And Tash, she’d sensed an inordinate amount of hostility there, or had it been guilt? Her pain had rung as loudly as a bell but everything else seemed…confused.
*There is only one way you will ever find out…* Kate closed her eyes and focused herself. Slowly she entered Matthias’s mind, swimming around in the pretty colours, quietly, unobtrusively, carefully. It was all light and warmth – she knew she could trust him now, he was good. She hadn’t spent more than five minutes in meditation before she decided she had her proof and decided to break the transmission.
Suddenly Matthias grabbed her by the arm, dragging her off the sofa, *I hadn’t been careful enough!*
“I don’t know what you think you were doing but…”
Kate stopped him, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!! I didn’t want to pry but…I had to be sure.”
His hold loosened “You think that gives you a right to mind sweep whoever you choose?”
“No, I, I mean, how could you expect me to trust you if I didn’t know who you were? I told you about myself, I allowed you to perform your magic on me TWICE and I gave you the shard but YOU , you kept every thing a secret! You didn’t even mention the Cloch Cosan!”
“So you expect me to trust you now?? After this? I come here trying to help you and this is how you repay me!” He let her arm go and turned to leave.
“Please, Oillill…I mean Matthias, please, I’m sorry.” Kate grabbed him by the arm as she did they were both thrown to opposite ends of the room.
Matthias shook his head clear, “Wow, what was that?” he exclaimed as he climbed back to his feet.
Kate looked around the room, “I don’t know, it’s this building, it’s like a magnet for mystical energy.”
“So you’ve noticed it too?”
“I was drawn to the building one day, I’ve been unable to go a day without coming here and standing in its presence.”
“The Lodestone” said Matthias in quiet awe. There was an uncomfortable silence for a minute.
“I’m sorry I read your mind,” said Kate painfully.
Matthias smiled at her, he had felt her genuine guilt and disgust at her actions when they had touched, “I’m sorry I couldn’t have been more up front with you in the beginning.”
“We are on the same side, you and I, in times such as these we should be allies, not enemies.”
“I agree.”
“Look...” began Kate. She hunted around for a pen and paper and tore the corner off an old newspaper, “…this is my address and phone number, if you discover more about the Cloch, or need my help, you’ll be able to contact me here.”
“You mean you aren’t staying here?”
“No, I don’t…this just isn’t my ‘safe place’ if you know what I mean.”
“Perfectly,” he said with a grimace.
Matthias made his way to the door. He didn’t exactly approve of her methods but he couldn’t fault her intentions, besides Kate appeared to be a very powerful witch, he had hardly noticed her mind sweep until she began to retreat. He knew she would be very useful when the day of reckoning finally arrived. Before he exited the apartment he took Kate’s hand one last time, but she resisted his powers and he couldn’t sense anything. “Take care of yourself Kate,” he finally assented and left the room.
Kate felt emotionally drained, but comforted that she now had a true ally in this city, someone she could trust. She walked over to the crystal, picking it up off the floor. She could still feel slight vibrations running through the core but it was so faint. Anyway she’d had enough of sleeping on sofas in strange mystical buildings. She washed the cups, put away the blanket she had slept in and gathered her things. Leaving the apartment in much the same way as she had received it she exited the room and locked the door behind her. She was glad to be out of there.
But now she didn’t know where to go – if she went home there was a good chance that the council might be there – the same was true if she went to Bob’s Bar. So where could she go now??
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Natasha Brookes
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2002 3:09 pm
*** Near Bob's Bar ***
Four vampires are gathered at midday in an abandoned building they use as a lair. All of them look apprehensive. They'd been guaranteed this would work. Bob had sworn he'd seen it with his own eyes. He'd bet his mother's life on it, he'd said. Still, they knew Bob was a swindler; God knows they'd paid enough for this innocuous looking tube that lay between them.
The three older vampires looked at the youngest of the group. He started to edge away, but the female vampire next to him grabbed his arm. The others started applying the cream from the tube to the unlucky vampire's skin. Soon, their ministrations complete, they shoved a grubby piece of paper at him. Knowing at this stage that he had nothing to gain by refusing, the young vamp read the words.
"Aliali ickyrectus dominus confusius kabodle sungod no fire," then he spun around three times, jumped backwards once and forward twice.
Grinning in anticipation, the other vampires then dragged him to the door. One of the vampires opened the door a crack. Sunlight spilled into the room, and all four vampires flinched. The young one started to struggle as the other three grappled him and pushed him out the door.
A few seconds and a short scream later, the three remaining vampires looked at each other. Then one spoke. "I think we need to go get a refund...."
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Cian
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2002 3:11 pm
A young couple slipping off into an alley across the street. Their familiarity with each other obvious, their reasons for leaving the main street even more so.
*People are stupid.*
Cian dashed across the main street, the rags of his jacket and shirt flying behind him like some dark cape.
*In a place like this, a darkened alley presents a myriad array of mundane dangers.*
Cian stood at the entrance of the alley, his form blocking the meager light from the street. Disturbed by the sudden loss of luminance, the couple disengaged themselves from each other and stared at Cian with something between shock and shame.
*And an equally wide array of dangers which are decidedly not mundane."
With a single step Cian had covered the distance between himself and the lovers. He took hold of the man's head and twisted it in a single deft movement. The vertebrae slid away from each other, the spinal column separated. Cian let the man drop to the ground.
The woman tried to scream, but before she could move air from her lungs to her lips Cian had lunged forward, transforming his face as he moved. His fangs easily passed through the woman's soft skin and clicked against her spine. Cian angled his head and pulled free of his victim's throat, pulling apart the life-giving trachea, the only comparatively less important esophagus, and the only thing the woman possessed that could possibly have given pause to, or at least inconvenienced, her assailant - her scream-enabling larynx.
Cian began to feed.
The couple had been a stroke of good fortune. Infinitely more vitality flowed in their veins than in those of the standard wrecks that inhabited this part of the city. And besides, they were cleaner too.
The vampire, with fresh, healthy blood now flowing in his veins, lifted himself from the mutilated woman and stretched. He felt his spine crack and his chest wounds knit together a little more. He again knelt to the woman and consumed what more he could of her blood.
*Just that much closer to whole.*
Three filthy and diseased degenerates that would not be missed, a pusher and one of his customers, and an exceptionally weak, and pitifully foolish, witch. All little pieces that over the last two days had brought Cian, 'Just that much closer to whole'.
Cian sank his fangs into the man's still-warm throat.
All that blood, six, now eight, victims in just two days. And it had all gone into healing. Cian had done nothing beyond the abilities of a normal human in the time since his return to the abandoned shop that had, out of necessity, become his lair. Instead, focusing all his strength and all the blood he consumed on rebuilding his shattered form. It had paid off. The torn flesh had mended, the broken bones had knit, and the intricate systems of his body had pieced themselves together and had again begun to function. Perhaps another day to heal the minor lacerations and abrasions still remaining to him, and he would be returned to his peak strength, as good as new.
*Then I abandon my inadequately protected little shop and its ruined counter. Then I find my 'better accommodations'. Then I settle with Kain, and then with the swordsman. *
Cian finished with the man and rose from his body. He was wearing a coarse denim jacket that, despite Cian's diminutive stature, looked as if it would fit the vampire.
Cian again knelt beside the man. He rolled him over and pried his jacket from him. Cian cast down his ruined jacket and donned his new acquisition, covering his guns and his torn shirt.
*Defeated in single combat, made to barter for my life, forced to hide from the sun in a ruined and open wreck of a building, stealing from the dead like some petty thief.... How did I sink so low so fast?*
Cian stood still in the alley for a moment, his latest victims to either side of him. Shame and a sudden self loathing washed over him. Anger flashed, Cian's reflections and the emotions they conjured were banished to the back of his mind. He threw the denim jacket to the ground.
"I am not a thief," Cian said, looking forward with a piercing glare, but not focusing on any one thing. "What I need is not taken from the weak as plunder, it is taken from the strong as trophies."
Cian formed his right hand into a tight fist.
"I have failed many times in this city, I have shown much weakness. I will atone for these failures. I will drink from the veins of those who have belittled me; I will see their arteries spit crimson vitae. Their lifeless corpses will bear testament to my worth."
Cian did not raise his voice. He merely whispered to the darkness. A quiet declaration to the world.
A not so bright idea.
Daye
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2002 3:58 pm
Post subject: A not so bright idea.
Daye approached the Beazor Complex warily. She had been very careful to conceal her true appearance with a powerful glamour, and would appear to those guarding the door to be a scruffy looking black haired woman. She came upon the two vampires guarding the front door, and stopped, appearing wary and skittish.
"Dere’s a cover charge fer t’night’s fight,” one of the vamps said.
“How much?” Daye replied.
“$20,” the vamp said, looking bored.
Daye took a $20 bill from her pocket and handed it to the vampire. He leered at her, but let her pass. Daye moved quickly down the hall, and ducked around a corner. She let the glamour drop, so that her natural appearance was revealed. For this infiltration, she had dressed all in black, black pants and a black turtleneck sweater. She even had her distinctive hair hidden beneath a black cap. She carried no visible weapons, and had left her staff in her apartment. She did have a small pouch on her waist that held some spell components, and there was a small pistol tucked into her boot just in case.
Daye emerged from around the corner and continued down the hall. She scanned the area until she came upon a dark staircase. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching and then quickly made her way to the stairs on one side of the room. There was a vampire guarding the stairs and Daye took a moment to draw some spell components from her pouch and cast a spell. She created an illusion of herself stopping by the stairs. While the vampire was busy watching her doppelganger, Daye slipped past him and up the stairs, apparently unnoticed.
Daye did not realize that a large man watched her little trick and peeled himself away from the crowd around the fight pit to follow her up the stairs. She was unaware of him as she moved down the hall at the top of the stairs, peering around corners and into mostly empty rooms. There was something here, and she wanted to know what it was.
Daye was backing out of a room on the left of the hall when she bumped into the man. She gasped and cursed as he seized her by the arms and spun her around to face him.
“Are you looking for something, miss?” the man asked gruffly.
“Uhmm,…would you believe the bathroom?” Daye was grinning sheepishly. The man just frowned. “I guess not,” she said.
“The boss doesn’t take too kindly to intruders around here,” the man said, dragging her down the hall toward a closed door. “The way things have been, I think he will want to see you for himself.”
The man brought Daye to the closed door, and rapped sharply on it. From within a cold voice called for him to come in.
As they entered the room, obviously an office, the man behind the desk said, “This had better be important.”
“I found this woman snooping around up here,” the other man said. “I thought you would want to have a look at her. She’s not your normal thief. For one thing, I didn’t see her come into the building at all.”
The man behind the desk finally looked up and Daye had to control a shiver of revulsion. Without more than one look at this creature, she could see how evil he was. This was a demon in human form. He gave the appearance of a heavyset, middle aged bald man, but beneath that face lurked a shadow to strike terror in many hearts. Daye knew without being told so that this was Kain.
Kain smiled wickedly as he gazed upon her. “You are a guardian, little witch. Are you not?”
Daye shrugged noncommittally. This was the exact kind of monster she had trained all her life to face, and Daye felt no qualms about doing so.
“I wonder why you have been sent here,” Kain mused, not really expecting an answer. “Are you here to interfere with my plans? What does the Watcher’s Council know about this?”
Daye thought for a moment before answering. Maybe if she played this right she could manage to get some information out of Kain himself. “I am here to try and stop you. We know all about your plan,” Daye bluffed.
Kain began to laugh softly. “I don’t think so. If you knew, you would never have come here alone. So, either you have other reasons, or, more likely, you are just sniffing around.”
Daye glanced back over her shoulder and saw the guard standing by the door. This demon was very quick and had a lot of resources. Perhaps coming here like this was not the best idea. She had always been headstrong and now it looked like that trait could cost her.
“I don’t know if you are a threat now, or not,” Kain said. “I do know that I don’t want to attract any more attention from your council, so getting rid of you the old fashioned way is out of the question.”
“Maybe I should just impress upon you the importance of staying out of my way,” Kain continued. “Paul.”
The guard approached from the doorway. He took hold of Daye’s arm. “What do you want me to do, Boss?”
“Take some time to show this little witch how serious we are,” Kain replied. He then bent back down to his desk as Paul dragged Daye out of the room.
Paul took Daye down the stairs, and then led her down another flight of stairs below the main floor. She watched carefully, looking for a quick way out. Unfortunately, here on the basement level of the Beazor Complex, there were many more guards. Glancing around, she got the impression that this was where Kain kept the slaves he made fight in the pit. They were a heavily guarded commodity. Paul led her past a number of cells to a room off to one side.
Inside the room, there was a set of iron wrist and ankle cuffs attached to a stone wall. Paul locked Daye into those cuffs and left the room. Daye was trying not to panic as she attempted to concentrate on manipulating the locks with her mind. Unfortunately, there appeared to be some sort of dampener or magical field that prevented any manipulation of energy on this level of the complex. That made sense, since some of the slaves were demons, and they might have abilities that had to be controlled to keep them under Kain’s power.
Paul returned to the room after a few minutes, carrying a whip in one hand that consisted of nine leather strips attached to a thick handle, each strip ended in a lethal looking barbed ball. Paul came around behind Daye, and reached out to grasp the back of her collar. He gave a hard tug, and the material ripped. Paul spoke not one word as he began to methodically beat Daye with the whip. Stroke after excruciating stroke landed upon her bare back and she bit into her lip, controlling the urge to cry out. She would not cry or scream, no matter what. She would not tell him anything about her mission here in LA either. As the lash fell again and again, Daye focused her mind on Kain. He would pay for each blow. She forced herself to keep that thought in mind as the interminable whipping went on. After what seemed to be hours, in terrible pain, Daye was granted a respite. She lost consciousness.
After the witch passed out, Paul stopped beating her. He left her hanging while he consulted with Kain. Once he had his orders, Paul returned and took the girl down. He took her in the wee hours of the morning, and dropped her body in an alley near Bob’s Bar. With luck, come nightfall, one of Bob’s regulars would find her and finish her off so he wouldn’t have to worry about her again.
Shopping, Flashbacks & Job Prospects...
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2002 1:46 am
Post subject: Shopping, Flashbacks & Job Prospects...
Kate heads towards the commercial centre. She had decided that since she couldn’t go home just now that she would have to buy some new clothes. *Oh well, life is really tough,* she thought – *any excuse for shopping!*
She strolled down the street until she saw a shop that looked suitable – ‘Maenad’ – well if it was good enough for Dionysus it was good enough for her! She walked inside, the shop was light and airy and the sales woman gave Kate a friendly smile from behind the counter. Kate walked in and started sorting through the rails. She pulled out several items and tried them on. *Wow.* She didn’t realise clothes were supposed to look so good – she’d got hardly anything at home – being on the run meant travelling light. The assistant tugged at a sleeve and straightened the neckline out.
“Wow, it’s beautiful; it really brings out the colour of your hair,” she cooed.
It was beautiful - dark green silk, cut off the shoulder with billowing sleeves that bunched at the wrist only to bell out over the hand. “I’ll take it” Kate said, “Um, could I keep it on?” she asked.
“Sure,” said the assistant, “I’ll just take out the label.”
As she came towards Kate with the scissors in her hands Kate felt faint, she wobbled in her new shoes and stumbled to the floor. The sales girl ran to her aid, holding her around the waist while Kate cringed on the floor…
****
FLASHBACK SEQUENCE
The abyss swirled behind Janus as she came towards Kate as she lay on the floor. Janus smiled wickedly and pulled out a black handled athame from under her robes. The long blade flashed in the light being thrown forth by the vortex.
“Innocent blood consecrates sacred rites,” she mumbled.
Kate crawled back across the floor in terror. Janus grabbed her arm and slashed the clean blade across the pale flesh. Fresh blood oozed out of the cut and dripped on to the floor. Janus dropped the arm; Kate held it close to her chest in pain, the blood smearing across her white robe. Janus stretched up high, the knife held above her head and bore down on her. Kate rolled to the side. The blade met with the stone floor; Janus scrambled on top of Kate. They struggled, Janus trying to drive the blade towards Kate, Kate trying to get the knife from Janus.
“Aut Vincere Aut Mori…” began Janus.
“No,” cried Kate, still struggling with the knife. She held Janus off with one hand, resting the other firmly on her forehead. “Veneficium…Conversio…”
Something moved in the shadows of the room. For a second Kate was distracted by it – it was all the opportunity that Janus needed. She struck Kate’s hand away and drove the knife deep into her flesh. She was off mark; the athame lodged itself deep into Kate’s shoulder. She cried out in pain. The shape in the shadows moved around anxiously but Kate didn’t notice. Janus had already removed the blade from Kate; she held it high above her.
“Casses Anima,” whispered Janus as she threw her weight on to Kate. Kate caught the blade. They both held on to it, each pushing in the other direction. Suddenly Janus goes limp and flops over Kate. Kate rolls her over. The knife is embedded in her heart. Kate pulls herself over to Janus; she runs a bloodstained hand down her cheek, moaning in sorrow.
Suddenly Janus moves her hand, Kate takes it in hers, and Janus squeezes it, looking directly into her eyes. “Dies Irae….I shall see you there…” her voice trails off and she closes her eyes. Kate coughs, blood rising in her mouth.
“Janus? Janus?” She whispers, her breath coming in laboured gasps. She rolls on to her back. She is exhausted and badly wounded. The blackness swims around and swallows her up; her heart beating loudly in her ears…then all is dark.
END OF FLASHBACK
****
The young assistant girl holds Kate as she begins to come around. The girl’s face is pale and drawn. “Miss, Miss, are you all right?” She calls out anxiously.
Kate rouses herself from the floor. “I’m sorry, I, I’m sorry…” she begins. She climbs to her feet. “I’m fine, really” she reassures the girl. “I’ll take these,” she says as she rests against the wall for support. The assistant goes and rings up the sale. Kate pays and leaves the shop. She stood outside the shop, taking in the cool air – she hadn’t thought about that day for a long time – she tried not to think about it. She could still remember Janus’s eyes, cold, staring, dead…
She gave herself a mental shake and moved on, it was then that she noticed the sign in the window.
She looked up at the shop “XY” - *hmm,* she thought, she remembered she had seen this shop the night she met Victor at the Beazor Complex. Well she did need a new job, she certainly couldn’t keep working for Bob, he couldn’t be trusted, and now he’d seen the Shard…
*Well, if XY needed a clairvoyant they couldn’t do much worse than herself, and perhaps she could again find a practical use for her magic…*
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Tempest
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2002 10:19 am
*Kain’s office- Beazor complex *
“But what?“ Aetolus glared at Kain. “Were you not able to obtain the crystals for me, old friend?”
“Well yes and no, I have four but the other five have as yet eluded me. However I now know the location of an additional four crystals. I have already sent some of my best men to stake out the location.”
“At least we're on schedule.”
“Sir, we shall have the crystals soon and then our plans will be able to go ahead. I will not fail you.”
“Good. It shall be a glorious day for our people, Kain.”
“Indeed, I expect you want to take the four crystals I have already obtained.”
“Not right now, your ability to protect them exceeds mine right now. However, on my way in I spoke with Paul, I believe his name was. It seems security breaches have been a problem. I want this to end. I brought a few of our people with me and I expect they shall be put to good use as security.”
“Indeed sir, L.A. seems to have an abundance of lower Deamons but no one truly worth employing as a guard.”
“Well, during this time I expect security not to be a problem for us,” Aetolus grinned.
*That afternoon*
A cab pulled up in front of a large seemingly gothic apartment. Tempest exited the cab after tossing a $50 to the driver. “Wait here. This shouldn't take long.”
Tempest entered the lobby and approached the lobby attendant. “I’m interested in purchasing an apartment here? I spoke with a manager earlier.”
“Right this way sir.” The attendant guided Tempest to the manager’s office. “He’s expecting you sir.”
Tempest entered the room. It was well furnished and quite comfortable, a fireplace even burned at the back of the room.
“Hello, please take a seat,” the man at the large mahogany desk said with a smile. “So you’re here about the penthouse correct?”
“Yes, How much. And when can I move in?”
“Well sir, for a five year lease it's $250,000. And you could take possession as soon as the payment has cleared.”
“Ok good, is it furnished?”
“Of course, and quite nicely I might add.”
“If I pay cash can I move in tonight? My current apartment isn't somewhere id like to stay any longer then necessary.”
“Of course sir.”
Tempest with drew three stacks of bills from his jacket. Removed half of one stack and handed the rest to the manager. “I’ll be back around eight, I expect the room will be clean.”
“Of course sir, Everything will be ready for you at eight.”
“One last thing, the apartment has a heated garage correct?”
“Yes sir, I shall reserve you a stall.” The manager again smiled as he counted the bills. When he was done he reached into his desk and withdrew a key. “Here you are sir, If you wish we could have the locks changed tomorrow.” He then handed the key to Tempest. “As well, I have some forms I will need you to fill out. I’ll have them sent up to your room later tonight.”
Tempest took the key and left the room. A few moments later he reached the waiting cab, “I need a car, and I’m thinking BMW. But first I’ll need some new clothes, Take me somewhere nice.” The cab soon arrived at 436 North Rodeo Drive. “Armani, very nice Tempest said as he passed another $50 to the driver.
A few minutes later Tempest exited the store, followed by a man from the store carrying Tempest's new clothes. He laid them carefully in the trunk thanked Tempest for his business and re-entered the store. Tempest again sat in the cab. *Now I need a car - a BMW would be nice.*
When they finally arrived at the nearest dealership Tempest was exhausted, again he handed the driver a $50 and told him to wait.
When he entered the showroom he immediately went to a silver Z8 at the front. As he looked it over a sales man approached him. “What can I do for you today, sir?” He said with an obviously fake smile. Tempest looked at the man and then at his reflection. He was still wearing his old clothes, *I should have changed at the store dammit* “Sir?” The salesperson questioned.
“Oh sorry, I want this one.”
“Of course, Let’s go to my office.” The man then led Tempest to the back of the dealership where his office was located. Minutes later Tempest exited the office. He stopped in the doorway. “I’ll need it delivered to my apartment. The address is on the form.”
Tempest then exited the dealership and again got into the waiting cab...
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Victor
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2002 6:38 pm
Morning Feb 13th
Mortis had been watching the apartment since daybreak. He had seen a few people coming and going, but no witch. He sneaked around the back of the building looking for an easy way in. He was crouching by the dumpster staring up at the fire escape when a voice behind him said "Hey, Morty? Still working for Kain?"
Mortis turned around in time to see a tall man with brown hair and an expensive suit before strong hands grabbed his jaw and his neck snapped.
Mortis lay there on the ground watching the retreating figure of Victor leave the alleyway. *Its been more than 100 years since you left town Victor, you don't know what new abilities I have *
Mortis, stood up, and pulled his neck back into place. *That'll be stiff for a few weeks BUt being unkillable has some advantages *
He walked down the cellar well and broke a pane of glass on the back door. The cellar was dark and cool. Mortis fumbled around looking for a light switch, and when he didn't find one, left the door open for the light it provided.
*Sheesh! You'd think a joint like this would have better facilities! * Mortis marvelled at the old coal burning furnace that was still down here. It was giving off copious amounts of heat. Mortis wondered briefly how they could afford to run the place on coal until he noticed that there wasn't a coul bin.
*A ha! Smart buggers! Make it LOOK like a coal burning stove. Who'd look there? * Mortis smiled, he wasn't worried about burning, after all, it was just skin, it'd grow back. And pain wasn't a problem for him either. He opened the door of the tender. The heat blasted out, curling his eyebrows and the front of his hair. He coughed once or twice, he'd forgotten the smell. He often forgot about the smell.
He looked inside the red-hot tender. There were what looked like coals lying in the bottom. No crystals, no anything...*Darn, gotta reach in...*
Mortis reached his arm into the furnace, and rooted around. He closed his eyes and tried to see past the illusion. *There is something in here...* he kept thinking to himself in a sort of mantra. Then he touched something. It wasn't a coal, and it wasn't a crystal. It was soft...pliant, and moving.
Mortis opened his eyes, trying to maintain the trance. He looked into the furnace and saw his ruined hand, the flesh boiled and charred hanging from the bones. His skeletal hand was touching a heart that was slowly beating in the center of the heat. Veins and arteries snaked off through radiator pipes into the house from the massive organ that pumped here.
Mortis snatched his hand back as fast as he could. The door of the tender snapped shut just as his fingertips cleared the edge. *What the Fuck!* kept rolling through his mind. He lay back against a metal shelf with cans of paint stacked neatly on it. He looked around for a stairwell or elevator. Some way out of this strange dark place.
He stood carefully, and walked arms outstreatched through the dark cellar, looking for a way up...he felt a string brush his arm, and he groped for it, hoping it would turn on a light. As his hand closed around it, his foot slipped into something moist that immediately soaked through his canvas tennis shoes.
He tugged the cord, and a light blinked on. His foot was rapidly disappearing down a mouthlike orafice in the floor. He tried to pull free, but the mouth just sucked harder, drawing his leg in up to the knee. Mortis looked up at the light, hoping to find something sturdy to grab, and he noticed that the lightbulb had a well-formed pupil that was focussing on him.
Mortis threw himself across the floor only to have a workbench shuffle deftly out of his reach. His leg disappeared to the hip. An electrical cord snaked its way across the floor, and Mortis grasped for it, but it rapidly entangled him and bound his arms to his sides.
Mortis knew he wouldn't die but he would be munched, broken, dissolved in digestive fluids, and hopefully excreted into some underground cavern where he would spend the next several decades regenerating from the pitiful bits of undigested matter that would be left of him.
He hoped the time would pass quickly.
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Victor
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2002 8:04 pm
Victor exited the cab in front of the AfterDark club. *The outside has changed,* he thought * but I have no doubt that the inside is much the same as it was 150 years ago *
Victor entered the club, and walked past the empty bar. The tables in the center were all stacked with chairs, and the muted lighting gave it a gothic feel. * Yep, same old place * thought Victor.
"Hey, Mac! The place don't open 'til dark. You can't be here," a voice said from a shaded alcove. A tall, thin man wearing an apron walked into the dining area. "It's okay, " soothed Victor, I'm here to see Eriantha, "I am an ...old friend."
The man nodded, things hadn't changed that much. There was still business outside of the booze and companionship to be done. Victor didn't have to wait long before a satin voice came from behind the bar, "Victor? Is that you?"
Victor turned and gazed upon the woman he had last seen over 150 years ago. She was as lovely as he remembered her. Slender, slight, and dark, she glided gracefully out from behind the bar. Victor bent down to kiss her gently in greeting.
"Where have you been, Victor?" she purred, "I finally stopped trying to look for you after you left. But your trail led me quite a ways. I was in Europe before I gave up."
"Eriantha, you were so new to the unlife when I left. I was trying to protect you by leaving you behind, but I could not linger. Demon hunters had discovered me, and I had to flee. But the travel has seasoned you, wonderfully. You look marvelous. Is Fascion still around? Or is he letting you run his club while he parties in private?"
"My Sire Faschior fell afoul of the Slayer 30 years ago, I am sorry to say. I came back here to finish what he started. A club to cross cultures. A place to bring the world of the day together with the world of the night!"
Victor smiled. It was a beautiful dream 150 years ago, and it was still a noble thought, but doomed. It would only ever attract the fringe element from either world. You do not go out to a club that makes you mingle with your meal, rather than be served it.
"Eriantha, you do not have to sell me, I have very fond memories of this place. It pleases me that Faschior's best disciple has kept his traditions. What of the others of your clan? Is there still a following?"
She looked sad and Victor feared he had traveled here in vain, "There are others, Victor. But they are not the force they once were before. The few faithful who still hear the spirit of Faschior in his writings and my meager attempts number only a few dozen."
* A few dozen will work nicely * thought Victor. "I have a favor to ask of you my night lotus. I need eyes and ears in the underworld communities. You followers have sworn to curb their natures until they can see the light of day without fear, and that is just the sort of help I need."
He told her of the Cloch Cosan, and the forces he had encountered that were attempting to unite the nine shards. He was careful to portray himself as the underdog on the side of justice, and Kain as the evil forces seeking to dominate the city. Victor was surprised that he did not have to exaggerate much.
"You see, we are few, and they are many. If you and your fellow apostles will move among them, tell us of what you find, we can stay abreast of the evil and counter it. Will you help us?"
Eriantha had quitely listened to Victor's story, and was visbly moved by his plea, "Yes, my dear Victor. We will help your cause. If you will help ours once again."
Victor felt cold, he had been afraid of this. This is what had delayed his coming here earlier....
FLASHBACK-----------1844
The After Dark Saloon was packed as usual, the best women, the best beer. All for reasonable prices. Out here in Alhambria, it was hard to find good entertainment. The proprietor, a quiet elderly man named Faschion kept things reasonable. And it was said, that for a price, he could get you some exotic pleasures....
Victor climbed the stairs on the back of the saloon with the body over his shoulder. He knocked on the door at the top of the staircase and waited patiently for someone to open the door. He hoped it was dark enough that nobody could see him up here. He was feeling a little exposed. He thought he'd be safe, after all, he might be returning his date for this evening...
The door opened, and a young girl with black curls held it for him, "Victor, you have brought treats again!"
Several of the other girls gathered round, and looked at Victor's passenger who lay unconcious and who was obviously having trouble breathing. An elderly matron came over. "Mr. Tek, you have gotten these girls so enamored of your 'treats' they will hardly drink calves' blood, or drink from the dogs any more."
"My Dear Lady Hesper, I know these girls must maintain their strength while they are newly spawned. The first year is tough, while all the stronger vampires can suckle on patrons and be expected to control themselves, these little lambs," he said stroking thier hair and smooth backs, " will need real human blood to help them survive and prosper. I know they will gladly let you taste the first draw from the poor creature, to insure its purity and safety. "
Victor heaped on the flattery and smooth talk as he had so carefully practiced while selling his patented "Cough Medicine" across the state. His "carefully crafted, native brew" laced with arsenic and belladonna was guaranteed to cure any cough...permanantly.
Occasionally, one of his "customers" didn't drink enough medicine to kill them outright, so he brought them here to be 'treats'. The best candidates he extracted souls from, like this one, and examined and consumed them later.
"So, Lady Hesper, do we have a deal?"
-------------------
Victor knew what she wanted. She probably had not had real human blood in years. Her devotion to her sire's vision would have starved her of it. But she had no misgivings about killing those who were dying already...or were nearly dead. She expected Victor to provide her and her fellow disciples with 'treats'.
* Is it worth it? Win the war but lose your inner battle? * *Damn soul, don't you EVER shut up?*
But that was exactly where Victor was, on the fence again, "My dearest, Eriantha. I would like nothing more than to fill your delightful belly with the blood of the infirm once again. But I cannot. I am out of the snakeoil business."
* Are you? Isn't that what you are selling her *
* Shut up! *
Eriantha nodded slowly. "Victor, I would have waked into sunlight for you at one time. You treated me and my sisters like little queens. Now you come here, and I beg you to be my shining prince on a white stallion like a little girl all over. What sort of queen would I be to snub a humble request from her loyal servant?"
Victor relaxed, this would be helpful. He pulled a card out of his pocket, and wrote down an email address for her. "Please send anything you find about the Cloch Cosan, and Kain's efforts to claim them to this address. And I owe you. One day I hope to be able to give you the royal tratment as you deserve."
As she watched her childhood crush leave the club she glanced down at the address he had scribbled on the napkin.
It was familiar to her, but she could not say why. But she would get some of her faithful into the streets to find what he was seeking. If Victor was concerned, it must be bad.
The Shard of Lethe
Jadyn
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2002 9:19 pm
Post subject: The Shard of Lethe
Jade kept XY closed after she and Sorrow returned from his hotel. What'd happened earlier had shaken her to the core and she didn't think she'd be up to handling anymore business or customers today. *It was so systematic, the violence. I barely had to think before I moved to destroy a man's face... God... What is wrong with me?*
She looked over to where Sorrow was seated, the Shard on the table in front of him. Unlike its brothers, this crystal seemed evil to her. She could still feel remnants of the fiery blood rush she'd experienced when she'd touched it. She remembered the deep, almost overpowering yearning to possess it, to absorb all of its power, to kill anyone who dared to attempt to take it away from her...
She remembered... a temptation to bite the shamen's neck... to taste his blood... to feel his life force drain away...
*No. No, no, no...* Jade looked around a little wildly. *What the hell was I thinking? God...*
Sorrow was trying to remain focused. The crystal was singing, sucking him in again...
"Do you have the Carnelians?" He said as he took out a credit card.
"Huh? What?" Jade whipped around, looking somewhat disoriented. "Oh..." She nods and grabs the box she'd left behind the counter earlier...
"Please... Tell me you can control it... I..." Jade hesistated, her fingers plucking nervously at the hem of her skirt. "It seems to be... I don't know... dragging me to places I don't want to go." Her eyes were wide with fear as she reached a hand out to Sorrow, in a helpless gesture for help.
*Oh God, way to go Sorrow...* Sorrow moved towards Jade and gave her a quick hug. "If I raise this ward, it won't be able to effect you for a couple of days at least"
Sorrow reviewed the fight at the Hotel "You've never really raised you hands in anger have you?" he said softly.
Jade shook her head. "No, I've never had to..." She looked up at him and whispered in a voice choked with tears, "Just now, at the hotel, I felt... Oh god, I wanted to kill that man. I almost did... If you hadn't stepped in when you did and distracted me, I would have... W-w-why is this happening to me?"
"Ssshhh... ssshhhh... It's the crystal. It's trying to trap me as well... Could I use the back room to do this while you process the payment? Maybe distance will help a little..." *It's her dual nature. The Shard's probably finding lots to work with...*
Sorrow kept holding her, waiting for her to calm down. He wished he could offer her a little more strength but right now he needed everything he had for when he raised the ward.
Jade took a deep breath as she tried to compose herself. Smiling a little sheepishly at the man in front of her, she nods and moves away from the comforting, protective circle of his arms, albeit reluctantly.
"I'll be at out front, figure I'd better give Tash and Matthias a call and update them on what's happened. XY's closed for the rest of the day, I've drawn the shades too so we won't have to worry about anyone disturbing us."
She felt Sorrow's eyes on her back as she picked up the phone, then heard the rustle of the curtains as he slid out of sight, into the tarot card booth... Sighing tiredly, she lit a cigarette and rested her head against the counter top. Tash wasn't picking up... *Hmmm... Wonder where she went...*
Tash pulled up as she reached XY. Concern filled her as she saw the shades drawn. *Maybe she's gone to a late lunch?*
Trying to shake the feeling that something might be wrong, Tash parked the bike and tapped on the shuttered door. "Jade, you in there?" she called.
Jade practically flew to the door in her haste to open it. "Tash!"
Tash didn't need to be psychic to know that Jade was tremendously upset. Jade's eyes looked haunted. Tash edged through the doorway and closed the door behind her. "Jade, what's happened?" Jade looked as though she was about ready to cry, so Tash folded her in a hug. "It's OK. Tell me about it in a minute."
Tash walked with Jade back to the counter, where Tash sat the distraught woman on the chair. Tash knelt beside her, clasping Jade's hand in her own.
Sorrow took a deep breath, centering himself. He had added a set of seven diamonds to the circle of Carnelians. Sorrow raised his voice and sang. The crystals raised power and Sorrow lost himself in raising the ward.
Jade's and Tash's heads snapped towards the back of XY as Sorrow's voice rang out, pure and true...
"Who...?" Tash began.
"His name is Tristan Barrington but I think he's better known as Sorrow. He's got one of the Shards. Matthias mentioned something about the 9 crystals seeking each other out. This one brought him," Jade nodded her head at the direction of the tarot booth, "to us..."
Tash felt beyond Jade's distress and - yes, there it was. The faint whisper in the back of her mind that signalled the presence of a shard. She used the strength she'd gained from Matthias to shut it out again. *Why didn't I feel that the minute I walked in? Maybe Jade's emotions blocked it out - she was broadcasting pretty wildly.*
Tash turned back to her friend. "Well, I'm assuming he's OK, since you've let him in here." Tash picked up feelings from Jade that indicated she thought this Sorrow was far more than just OK. Bringing herself back to the here and now, Tash continued, "So let's not worry about him for a minute. What's upset you so much? The crystal? The others never seemed to affect you much."
"This one's different Tash. I felt it. Like there was this huge black hole sucking me in, sucking me into this horrible void where nothing existed except the Shards, where nothing else was important."
Jade swallowed hard. It was evident that what she was about to say next was terribly difficult for her. "Tash... When I touched the Shard, I felt my vampire side surfacing, for the first time in my life. It... It almost took over. If Sorrow hadn't..." Her voice broke then and her shoulders shook with silent sobs.
Tash just held Jade as she sobbed into her shoulder. She knew there would be plenty of time for words later. For now, Jade just needed to be held.
Finally, Jade's shaking subsided, and Tash eased back a little. Still holding Jade's shoulders, she said, "I know how terrifying they can be. The important thing is, you didn't let them get to you. Whether you were strong enough by yourself, or whether someone with you helped, in the end you've come out of it. From the feel of it, there's some heavy magic going on in there, so I imagine soon this crystal will be somewhat muted, like.." Tash had almost said 'like the others', but she wasn't sure if this Sorrow character could hear her. Until Tash met somebody for herself and could see their aura, she took nothing on faith.
Tash had to admit, the idea of Jade's vampire side coming to the fore worried her. Perhaps Jade was more susceptible to the crystals because of that darkness within her? Then something else that had been nagging at Tash's memory came to the fore. *Perfect, this might get Jade's mind of this crystal long enough for her to calm down a little.* Tash looked at her friend. "Let's talk about the crystal later, after it's been dealt with. For now, tell me what happened with you and Matthias last night. I never had a chance to ask either of you last night, I was somewhat - distracted - by the visions."
Sorrow completed the ward with a long descending peal. Breathing heavily he shuddered through the edge of backlash. *The Carnelians were barely enough.*
Sorrow heard a voice he didn't know coming from the other room. He gathered himself and loosened Hizashi from it's sheath. *She was locking up, maybe it's a friend maybe not.* He opened the door softly, listened as the last of Jade's sobs subsided. He opened the door further and saw the second women holding Jade closely. *Hmmm, I wonder how close they are...* He mentally shook himself and moved towards them.
Jade was about to tell Tash about her and Matthias' encounter with the vamps in the park when she caught sight of Sorrow, standing partially concealed behind the curtain.
"Tash... Meet Tristian Barrington, or Sorrow, as he prefers to be called..."
Tash turned to see the owner of the tenor she had heard from the tarot corner. *Figures. How many weird auras does a girl have to get through in a few days?* Sorrow had the blues and purples that signified magic ability, nothing unusual so far from recent times. The rest of his aura more or less followed the normal pattern, except the whole seemed to be overlaid with black. *Freaking vampire signals again! I've been seeing so many different variants on black. What is going on?*
Tash forced a smile, "Hi, Tristan ... Sorrow." Tash inclined her head to the back room, "I can tell you've done some good work in there. Thanks." Tash could feel the caution rolling from Sorrow, and the hint of menace. *He's protecting Jade - I haven't the heart to tell him she's tougher than she looks.*
Sorrow reached for Jade's hands. "Feeling any better? That ward should hold for a week, at least." *She looks calmer, obviously a friend then.* He turned towards the second woman. "You would be Tash then?"
Tash was armed, the pistol was the easiest to spot but there were stakes and what he presumed were bottles of holy water. *Guess Jade has less of a problem with vamp hunters than I thought...or maybe Tash doesn't trust her*
"Better, thanks." Jade smiled softly. Though that was true, her lashes were still wet, her eyes shadowed. The fear she felt was still very much evident in her tensed shoulders and stiff posture. She searched Sorrow's face, seeing the strain he was trying to hide, knowing that he was suffering from the further exertion he'd placed on his magical capabilities.
Tash's eyes betrayed her concern at Jade's state of mind. Her friend was very obviously not OK. She turned to Sorrow and regarded him for a moment. Had he told Jade about his vampire connections? Did he know of Jade's? There was too much high emotion floating around the room for Tash to pick up any thoughts at all. Emotion was all she had to go by right now.
"Jade, do you want to go home to rest? You've had a rough time. Our other friend is still at the apartment, maybe he can make you feel better?" Tash didn't trust this newcomer enough to mention Matthias by name.
"No Tash, I'm fine... Really. Just... Do me a favour and don't leave me alone with the damn crystal..." Jade smiled tremulously.
"I wouldn't dream of it." Tash could feel Jade calming down, especially now that Sorrow had contained the crystal's vibrations. She turned to him, every feeler out for any hint of untruth, "So, how did you come by that crystal, anyway?"
Sorrow's eyes tightened. The grief was still too raw... "I was here on business... That business led me to the crystal."
Tash felt pain, the pain of loss. She knew that pain all too well. *But just because he's lost someone doesn't mean I can trust him.* "I'm sorry," she said, "I'm a suspicious sort." She turned again to Jade, "How well do you know him? Can he be trusted?"
"To be honest, I just met him this morning. He came in to buy some Blood Carnelians. We talked, and I ended up going back with him to his hotel room. I mean... Not that way... We... We went to get the crystal. God... Did I really just say that?" Jade rolled her eyes. "Sorry, my tongue-brain connections seems to be a little faulty at the moment..."
"Can he be trusted?" Jade shrugged. "I don't know... I've taken a lot on faith these last couple of days. Gone on instinct and I've come out okay so far. What's to stop now?"
"While you two discuss whether I can be trusted, even after I've brought the crystal to you, do you mind if I sit down?" The backlash was growing stronger and he needed to eat again. *Anyone would think they were absolutely trustworthy by now...*
Tash fixed Sorrow with a hard stare. "We've already had one person we thought we could trust go ... erratic. I'm now doubly wary of anyone, especially someone with vampire connections." Tash didn't like to play her cards this way, but she'd had enough of beating about the bush.
Then she noticed how weak he seemed, the magic working had obviously taken it out of him. *No, don't let sympathy get in the way.* She continued to hold Sorrow's eyes.
Jade placed a hand on Tash's arm and shook her head imperceptibly. "Leave it for now," her eyes seemed to say.
"Vampire connections? Perhaps you mistaking me for someone else." There was anger in his voice. His eyes skipped over Tash's body, lingering on the hidden weapons. His eyes returned to met her glare. "An odd choice of accessories to visit a 'friend' with?"
Tash shook her head. "These aren't for Jade. These are for others I might meet. I kill vampires. And I can tell if somebody is a vampire, or is associated with them." Tash looked Sorrow up and down, trying to fathom exactly what the black overlay really signified. "I'm not sure what you are, but there's something there..."
"Just what are you implying Tash? That I'm associated with vampires?" There was harsh laughter in his voice. "Perhaps I am, but only in the sense that I kill them!"
Tash was now very puzzled. She could feel the truth in Sorrow's words, but that aura..... *I wonder if he's something like Jade, but he doesn't know?* "You hunt vampires?" Tash forced a grin. "Well, that's good news. There's certainly plenty of them about here. Look, I'm sorry if I come across as heavy-handed, but this whole crystal thing is shaping up to be very nasty. We have to be certain that everyone's on the same side."
"Heavy handed, definitely. And you do little to make me trust you. If I don't meet your approval, what are you going to do? Kill me and take the crystal?" Sorrow was still angry and he could feel the rage beginning to build.
Tash could feel the anger from Sorrow, and the black within his aura deepened. Then his words registered. "Kill you? Of course not! I don't kill people, only monsters. Quite apart from anything else, taking crystals by force seems to be the absolute best way to let them control you."
"And I don't blame you for not trusting me. You know as little about me as I know about you. Less, probably. All you know is, you've got a powerful crystal and I seem to know something about it. Do you even know what it is? What it makes? There are, and have been, people who have killed countless numbers to get hold of one of those. It's happening again, now. Someone is trying to gather them. Some of us are trying to stop it."
"That's enough. Both of you." Jade's head began to throb painfully. "Look, we could go on like this for hours and we still won't get anywhere."
She massaged her temple as she continued to speak. "The way I see it... We need to get back to the apartment. If Tempest's really reverted to evil, there's every chance he's going to lead Kain right to us. The way we are now, we wouldn't stand a chance!"
"God knows he could be out there already, looking to kill us and take the Shards. From what I know of him and the Beazor Complex, he's got access to fiend armies that make vampires look like characters from Sesame Street..."
As Jade mentioned the word armies, a thought struck her... "Tash, last night, at the park, Matthias and I ran into some trouble with a bunch of vamps that said something about the Black Veins." Looking at both Tash and Sorrow, she asked, "Don't suppose either of you know anything about that and what it means?"
As her friend started speaking, Tash turned to look at her, concern spreading over her face. She knelt beside Jade and took her hand again. "I'm sorry, Jade. I'm finding it hard to trust people after Tempest... I don't know if he's really reverted to evil, or what's happened to him." Tash bent her head, "I blame myself, I tried to bring his memories out, to help him. But it turns out he's tried to get crystals before, and I think those memories are coming back. It's my fault."
Jade gripped Tash's hand tightly and whispered, "You're wrong. It's not your fault, you know that as well as I do." She glanced at Sorrow over Tash's bowed head, silently asking that he stop the confrontation for now...
"I'm sorry, you're right." Sorrow pushed the rage back down and with it went the last of his strength. He stumbled to a chair and sat down. "I really need something to eat and a little rest. If Tash agrees to hold off on the animosity, I'll do the same." *For now*
Tash knew exactly where her animosity was coming from. Jade had some flecks of black, and Tash still worried at the back of her mind about that, but this Sorrow - his aura was completely overlaid with vampire black. There was much more to the story, but it seemed even Sorrow himself had no clue what it was. *I'll be interested to see if he can walk in the daylight. He hasn't been close enough to me to see if the cross worries him.*
She nodded. "So long as I know you don't want the power of the crystal for yourself. I've had enough of people wanting to use them. If you really want to stop them, we'd be more than grateful for the help. I think we're going to need all the help we can get in the days to come."
Sorrow sucked in a few breaths. *It's more than the crystals that's worrying her. What did she mean about vampire connections?*
"Look the way that crystal sings... I have no intention of ever using it , it would steal my soul. The four at the complex are already too powerful for my taste. I'll willingly help you keep them apart..." *Trust between Tash and I will come later, though it's strange that Jade and I have gotten on so well...*
"So... Can we go get something to eat now?" He said mock plaintively.
Tash smiled genuinely, for the first time since she'd entered XY today. Sorrow's words were merely the dressing for the feeling she got from him of revulsion at the thought of using the crystal. *The same way I feel about them...* "Well, then, good to have another on our side. Let's get home, get you something to eat, and you," she said, turning to Jade, "Need some rest."
Tash recalled Jade saying something about her and Matthias being attacked by vampires last night. *So that's why they were late.* She could worry about that later. It was still daylight, and vampires were the least of her worries at the moment. *Except possibly our new friend...*
Jade grinned weakly and quipped, "Does that mean you don't want me to cook this time? And here I was thinking of making us a gourmet lunch!" She ushered Tash and Sorrow out of XY, thankful that they'd called a truce, however temporary it might be...
Lovers...
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2002 10:18 pm
Post subject: Lovers....
The shop XY looked like it was closed for the day *Odd, the sign says it opens till five…*. Kate decided to move on.
She also predicted that she would have to go home sometime, so she might as well do it now - at least it was still daylight. She caught a cab from the commercial centre to Birch Street. As she neared her house she could tell something was horribly wrong. It had little to do with the door hanging from its hinges – the whole immediate area had a dead feeling around it. It was a feeling she had learnt to accept from working at Bob’s but her house was a fair way from that bad part of town. For this presence to be here must mean that she’d had some unwelcome visitors in her absence.
Not knowing whether there might still be some big bad hanging around Kate entered the house warily, ready for any probable attack. As she crossed the threshold she knew magic had taken place. She could feel the energy as she crossed over – it was warm and there was the faint smell of burnt sage in the air. Someone had performed a protection spell. She wandered into the living room; the place had been really trashed although it was obvious that someone had made an effort to straighten things up a bit. She picked up an old quarter-staff that lay knocked over on the floor and warily made her way upstairs.
As she wandered around the first floor she heard a noise in one of the rooms. She opened the bedroom door to see a man standing near the dresser, he seemed to be picking up objects and turning them over in his hands – he was dressed in the black robes of the coven. Kate crept up behind him and swung with the quarter-staff, knocking the man to the ground. She sits over his torso, the staff under his chin.
“Who are you? Who sent you??” she demanded fiercely.
“Kate…” the man chokes out, the staff cutting off his air supply, “it’s me, Luc…”
“Luc??” she pulled the hood of his cloak back to reveal his face, “Oh God, I’m sorry…” she cried throwing the staff to one side, Luc rubbed his throat where the staff had been. They are motionless for a moment – Kate straddled on top of Luc.
“Um, Kate? As much as I’ve fantasised about being in this position with you…”
Kate rolls her eyes and climbs off of him, pulling Luc to his feet.
“Well” he dusts off his robes “I can see you still work out, guess you don’t really need my help after all…”
Kate touched his cheek, “Luc,” he turned towards her, “I’m glad you’ve come.” He looked happy and took hold of her hand, holding it in his. He held it against his face and kissed it softly. Kate looked around the room in dismay. “What happened here?”
“I don’t know. The place was already like this when I got here.” He sat down on a chaise “There were…people waiting here too…demons.”
“Yes,” said Kate sitting by his side, “I felt their presence when I came near the house. What did they want? Are you all right because if…”
“No, I’m fine. Kate, they seemed to be looking for some sort of crystal, I said…” Kate looked away quicky, “Kate? What is it? Kate?” She looked up into his eyes.
“I’m so glad you’re finally here,” she whispered.
They gazed at each other for a moment, slowly, Kate leaned in towards Luc, and just gently pressing her soft lips against his, kisses him. Luc closes his eyes, receiving the kiss, feeling her light breath pass over his own lips, tasting the sweetness in her mouth and the silky touch of her hair as it brushes against the side of his face. What takes just a moment seems to last an eternity. Luc reciprocates the kiss, merging his mouth with Kate’s. Slowly they part, although retaining their close proximity; they softly touch their faces together, breathing slightly heavier now in expectancy.
Luc holds her closer; he breathes in the deep scent of her skin, not daring to let her go. He takes her in his arms, and kisses her with passionate fervour, running his hands through her silky hair and stroking the pale curve of her cheek. Kate could sense his desperation in his kiss, it was burning, lingering, she sensed his desire to take her into himself completely, and she felt drowned in his love for her. She pulled away, breathless and overwhelmed by the intensity of emotion flooding through her. Luc held her close, feeling her body beneath the thin silk of her shirt. He kissed her bare shoulders and neck, squeezing her thigh, pushing Kate back on to the chaise…
Suddenly there is a ripple of energy through the atmosphere of the room. Glasses and bottles shudder on the dresser and suddenly begin to shatter. Kate and Luc both scramble from the chaise, still holding on to one another. The tremor grows stronger and pictures begin to fall from the walls. Kate and Luc look at one another and frowning they let go of each other. Suddenly the tremor stops.
Luc sighs, “Not again!”
“We got so close that time – I thought…maybe, we had…”
“I know, me too.” He sighed, looking at his object of desire sadly. He cleared his throat, “I’d better go and fix that front door.”
He leaves the room, Kate goes over to the dresser and begins clearing up the broken glass.
At the Beazor
Tempest
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2002 10:58 am
Post subject: At the Beazor
Kain pushed open the door leading onto his personal viewing deck. He lit his cigar and approached the rail. He looked over; it was an amazing change from what he usually saw when using his viewing deck. There were no patrons, no one fighting in the pit, the bar and wager areas were deserted. However, in the two large open areas on either side of the pit there were large blocks of men moving in formation.
Kain then noticed at the head of each block there was what had drawn him to the deck - others of his race. Two of them were instructing the men in basic combat skills. There were, however, a few piles of dust and a couple of corpses lying off to the sides. Apparently not everyone agreed with this new approach. Kain stood in amazement as the men broke into pairs and began sparring. Even Paul had not been able to elicit this kind of response from his men.
“I see you like what you see old friend,” came a whisper from a few feet behind Kain.
“Of course, Aetolus. This is a most welcome improvement.” Kain turned to Aetolus. “Do you think it will work? They contain great power but something seems amiss with them.”
“It shall work; nothing can stop us once we have them all,” Aetolus grinned.
“Are the two you brought who I think they are?” Kain then returned to the balcony and glanced down again. The sparring had come down to two men on either side. Kain knew these drills by heart. He had spent most of his old life practising them. That was before he was cast into this hell.
“Of course they are. Your men should be fully organized by the end of the week. I also sent out a few of your more senior men to find some more recruits.” Aetolus sneered he had expected a far larger and more organized force from Kain. But the luxuries of this world had seemingly made him lazy. “I also told Paul to send someone to go collect the crystals from that address we spoke of earlier.”
“Well then, all is well but there are still two crystals, only one of which I know who wields. The other is still a mystery, sir. Should I have a few men dispatched to find some information?”
“No. Once we have seven the attraction for the other two crystals will bring them to us, we need not worry.”
“Of course sir. Then we shall wait for them and take what is rightfully ours.” Kain released the smoke from his lungs through his nose and watched it down towards the pit. *Soon,* he thought to himself as Aetolus left the balcony.
Welcome Home
Victor
Posted: Sun Mar 03, 2002 11:51 pm
Post subject: Welcome Home
Tash looked at her bike as she left XY with Jade and Sorrow. It could take two, but wasn't designed for three. She sighed as she wheeled it onto the footpath. During the walk home, Jade told Tash about the attack by the Black Veins in the park. *Hmm, time I started doing my job soon, * Tash thought.
The cab was rolling down the street towards Poplar Avenue when Victor spotted a small clutch of familiar friends outside a cafe downtown. He stopped the cab, paid the driver, and stepped out into the street. He waved to them, and even though he didn't recognize all of the faces, they waved back warmly. Victor smiled as he joined them in the Bibliophile Café.
Jade spooned up the last of her Minestrone soup and stared wistfully at the counter, debating if she should have a cookie. Staring ruefully down at herself, she patted her tummy and decided against it. *Comfort eating will be your downfall, my girl...*
As Victor sat down, she made the necessary introductions between him and Sorrow, leaving out any mention about the Shard of Lethe. * Victor may be able to sense it though, even with the ward Tristan did. * Just in case Victor jumped to any negative conclusions, she added softly. "Sorrow's a friend. On our side."
Sorrow winced inwardly at just how much he ate. * My metabolism 's ramped so high I'll eat as much again.* "Hello Victor."
He looked at Victor warily; something was off about him. Tempting though it was, Sorrow wasn't ready to open his shields again. Besides, whatever it was it was too subtle to catch without power.
Tash started to beam at Victor, then caught the edge of some new worry. It was hard to read his eyes, but Victor seemed freshly disturbed by something. Curbing her smile to something more cautious, Tash asked, "Everything OK?"
Victor kept his voice even, and even managed a smile, "I'm fine. I am feeling much better than I was before. How about you?" He nodded subtly towards the Swordsman, "Is everything okay here?"
Tash gave Sorrow a sidelong glance. She nodded, "I have to say, I was worried at first, but I think he's OK. Mind you, I thought Tempest was OK, too." She shook her head and muttered, "My bloody fault, shouldn't have interfered..."
Tash could tell Victor wasn't fine, but obviously whatever it was could wait until later.
Jade's brow furrowed at the pain that flashed into Tash's eyes at mention of Tempest. She could tell how hurt Tash was by his about-face. Taking Tash's hand in her own, she gave it a little reassuring squeeze before letting go. "Well... Now that we've pigged out enough, shall we make a move? Before I succumb to temptation and buy the entire jar of macadamia cookies to take home!"
Victor, to whom mealtime was usually watching everyone else eat, was eager to go. He felt he needed to tell Tash where he had been, and that was difficult to do in this crowd. Once on the street, however, he could lag behind and fill her in. The swordsman bothered Victor. The intensity of his aura was disproportionate. He had power, but it flickered and sputtered like it was under fueled. It was as if he was borrowing power, and not generating it alone. That meant he was in debt to someone...or something. And that made him vulnerable. * Any more vulnerable than you? * *Damn soul.*
As they made their way out of the cafe, Jade observed the way Victor looked at Tash. * It's strange but I swear he almost looks tender when he catches her eye. Why do I so think something happened between those two? * Jade felt a wave of apprehension wash over her. She couldn't forget how strongly she'd reacted to Victor when she first met him: the almost-overwhelming feeling of evil that permeated the air even before he'd appeared. She frowned to herself. * He'd better not hurt Tash or I swear I'll tear him limb from limb, battle demon or not! *
As the group left the Bibliophile cafe, they walked in groups together towards the Building. Victor and Tash, Jade and Sorrow - two couples. *Hm, * thought Victor, *this is interesting. * The space between them widened. He leaned over to Tash and whispered, "I have contacted some...friends of mine to feed info to Zayn. I am hoping she will return the favor."
Tash gave Victor a searching look. "These friends - they relate to the old you? Is that what's worrying you?"
"No...Yes...its complicated." *Damn soul. * * I didn't say anything. * *You were going to. *
"They are evil, but they've been overlooked so far. I am putting that to work for us. I didn't tell them how to reach me directly. I gave them Zayn's email. That should be enough."
Tash nodded at Victor's response, then looked ahead to where Jade and Sorrow had pulled ahead slightly. *Or did we drop behind? * "Victor, you can see Sorrow, can't you? What do you think he is? I can't work it out...."
Victor wondered how much to tell her. She wanted...needed to know something, but Victor had so little to go on. "Do you trust Jade, Tash?" he asked.
Tash replied, "Of course I trust Jade. That's why he's still alive. That and the fact that he can walk in sunlight..."
"Then I say we trust her on this," he said with conviction he didn't really feel.
Sorrow felt much better as he walked away from the cafe. The pain of using his magic had receded though he was dangerously overextended still and would be able to use very little power for a couple of days. He leaned over towards Jade. "I know he's a friend Jade, but what is he exactly?"
Jade was neutral, "Right now, he's an ally. That's all we need to know..."
Jade turned to Sorrow as they walked and said softly. "Tristan, it's not that I don't trust you but I'm not the only one involved in this. Tash and Victor... Well, let it suffice to say that we've been burnt before by trusting too much and they're a little wary about making the same mistake twice."
She paused, looking up at his face intently. "They don't know anything about you other than the fact that you're a vampire hunter... Neither do I, for that matter! You've been exasperatingly obscure about your background!" Jade sighed as she lit a cigarette and looked away...
"We all have our secrets Jade. You, me, I dare say Tash has hers as well. If you want to know about me, ask. I will answer as best I can," he said holding up a finger, "but some answers may endanger your life as well as mine."
"Seeing how I'm already involved in something that's going to unleash hell on earth, I'll take my chances!" Jade rolled her eyes.
Victor nervously put an arm around Tash. He felt awkward doing it, but it somehow seemed to be the thing to do. He waited to see if she would react. Tash could feel Victor's uncertainty, and indeed her own. Still, it felt nice to be held, and she leaned into him a little.
Victor whispered to her, "There was an intruder outside the apartment this morning. One of Kain's men. I dispatched him, but there may be more. Many many more. It could get very dangerous to continue to live there."
"Kain's men? How did he know about..." Tash's face fell. "You don't think Tempest...?"
As Sorrow filled her in, Jade glanced behind to see if they could be overheard. Despite her misgivings at what was happening, she couldn't help smiling a little. *Tash looks so damn contented! Dammit, those romantic novels are warping my mind... He's a demon for goodness' sake! *
She tossed her cigarette butt into a trashcan as the apartment building came into sight. It was then that she noticed a black van parked on the sidewalk, its back open towards the door of 1318 Poplar Avenue. She tried to shake off the unexpected feeling of unease. *Relax girl... You know you're getting paranoid when you start to think that you sense demons everywhere you go...*
"Vampires" Sorrow spoke softly but it was pitched to carry to the others. Sorrow could smell the scent of the grave; it flowed from the van in a miasmic wave. He paused for a moment and loosened Hizashi in its sheath.
Matthias detached himself from his vantage point near the corner of the building as he saw the party of four approach. His gaze took in Jade, Victor and Tash, and then settled on Sorrow. Flicking his eyes back to Tash, he said, "Excellent timing. I believe the gentlemen that have just exited this van are here to see us. Shall we go make their acquaintance?"
Tash felt a profound sense of relief when she saw Matthias. They had made quite a formidable vampire hunting team. *About time I saw some action in this town, anyway. *
Victor pushed Tash towards the alleyway next to the building. He coarsely whispered "We have got to get in to the house without them seeing us. I am not ready to charge in like this."
Matthias moved smoothly in behind them. Victor looked at Tash, "You have weapons in your place? Can we get into your room from the fire escape?"
Tash looked at Victor, "Yes, I've got some on me, but there's a crossbow and some other stuff up there.... Matthias, you, Jade and Sorrow go in at the bottom, and we'll go in from the second floor. We'll meet you halfway..."
Victor held out his cupped hands beneath the fire escape ladder. He nodded to Tash who quickly stepped onto Victor's outstretched hands and deftly flipped herself up onto the fire escape. Trusting that Victor could make his own way up, Tash ran up to the second floor windows. She turned her face away from the window and used her elbow to smash the glass to her second bedroom. *Damn, another jacket ruined. *
Sorrow stepped to the door and drew his softly glowing blade. Jade withdrew the long wooden inlaid chopsticks she had used to secure her hair and stepped cautiously after him.
Sorrow pushed the door open and moved quickly into the corridor. The sight of two vamps with machine pistols and a demon greeted him. Jade raced after Sorrow as he made his way towards the stairs, her heart pounding as the fiends appeared.
In the alleyway, Victor turned to the wall, and climbed the brownstone surface like a lizard. He jumped over onto the fire escape and dashed up. He raced to the second floor to find Tash already inside.
Tash had moved into the main bedroom and pulled out the box from under her bed. Victor ran up behind her, and she handed him a water pistol. At his quizzical look she said, "Holy water."
Victor handled the gun with care. Holy water wasn't pleasant for demons, but at least it wasn't fatal. She collected the crossbow for herself, and handed Victor a couple of stakes. Victor moved to the door, and placed his hand on the lock ready to toss it open when she was ready. Tash raced to the front door. It seemed quiet on this floor so far.
*American Gun laws!! * Sorrow thought, diving to the ground *Please be dumb! * Jade threw herself sideways behind a metal trashcan as they opened fire, wrenching her ankle in the process. *Ow! Goddamn it! * "Tristan!" Jade peeped out from behind her "shield", her eyes desperately searching the corridor for Sorrow to see if he was hurt.
Victor nodded. One...two...then threw the doorway open. Tash bowled out of the doorway, presenting as little target opportunity as possible, just in case.
Tash decided that this floor was empty, but there were sounds of automatic gunfire drifting up the stairs. Victor glanced into the hallway, and could see a vampire in his room across the hall. He wasn't sure how far the pistol would shoot, but he aimed and pulled the trigger. The stream of water propelled by compressed air sailed 40 feet across and splattered the vamp. As the stream of water passed in front of Tash, she heard the scream of a vampire in Victor's flat. Quickly checking that it was the only one in the room, Tash dashed in and staked it while it was still clawing at its eyes.
Downstairs, Matthias stepped from the shadow he had been wearing and staked a vampire hiding by the cellar. As the dust settled, he melted back into the inky spot and slid along the corridor, towards the stairs.
*Nice wide corridors.* Sorrow's blade cleaved through the first vamp. The machine gun clattered to the floor. *Thank God, he's ok. * Jade winced inwardly as she watched Sorrow slice up the vamp. The second vamp was still turning towards Jade when Sorrow whipped Hizashi through its chest.
Tash was feeling the calm come over her. She always got this way fighting vampires. Cool, detached. She advanced carefully towards the stairs; she could feel Victor close behind her. A vampire was charging up the stairs towards them. Tash fired her water pistol at him, but the creature ducked and rolled, avoiding the stream. *Damn! *
Watch out! Behind you!" Jade pointed at the Carnthoss demon charging towards Sorrow. Sorrow barely had time to think, *Two down,* before the demon caught Sorrow with a body check. He almost dropped Hizashi.
Victor passed his room and turned just in time to see the demon slam him from a vacant apartment. Victor was driven into the wall, and all he could think of was to pull the trigger on his pistol. Tash heard sounds of struggle behind her, but had problems of her own, now. *Victor can take care of himself... I hope. *
Another vamp was coming down the stairs. Seeing that Sorrow was still grappling with the demon, Jade decided that this fiend was hers. Ignoring the pain in her ankle, she launched herself at the vampire, catching him across the face with a slap that snapped his head sideways.
Sorrow let go of his sword, and elbowed the demon in the stomach to no avail. Hearing a gasp behind her, Jade turned around to see Sorrow being choked by the Carnthoss. Sorrow's blows became more frantic and he was starting to lose consciousness. As the vamp she was facing stumbled around disoriented, Jade stabbed it in the chest with the inlaid chopstick, grimacing as it exploded in a cloud of dust.
Upstairs, the demon reacted to Victor's water pistol by jumping back, "What'd you do? Piss on me?" Then the Holy water began to sting. Victor's damp leg was stinging as well, but at least he was ready for it. He slashed across the fiend's chest, and felt flesh rip beneath his talons. The demon gathered itself into a defensive crouch and Victor faced it.
The vampire in front of Tash was on its feet, now, and closing fast. She delivered a powerful sidekick to its chest, which knocked it back a few feet. Tash had a stake out, ready, but this vampire was fast and strong. It was already advancing on her again. Tash backed up, her small crossbow ready at her hip. Tash fired, catching the vampire in the chest. It charged at her, and then dissolved into dust just as Tash started to panic, thinking she'd missed.
The demon launched at Victor even as Victor launched at it, but Victor didn't appear as big as he really was...the attacking demon hit Victor's horns and was bowled backwards.
Jade flung her chopstick straight at the demon, piercing its shoulder. Sorrow's eyes glowed with emerald fire as he drove both elbows into the demon. The sickening crunch of a collapsing ribcage announced Sorrow's release.
Tash risked a look backwards - Victor seemed to be fighting a large demon. Victor leaped onto its chest, driving the wind from its lungs. Victor dropped to his knees, and fumbled in his pocket for a weapon. The demon recovered and knocked Victor to one side and rolled to its feet.
Sorrow dove for his sword, gasping for breath. The Carnthoss yanked Jade's chopstick out and throwing it behind him, too focused on Sorrow to realise that he'd inadvertedly returned Jade her weapon. "Not exactly bright, is he?" Jade thought.
Tash drew her gun, as the demon seemed to be getting the upper hand over Victor. Victor rolled to where he could push up, but the Demon was faster. It landed a powerful kick that broke plaster behind Victor as he slammed into the wall. It stood over Victor's prone body, and she pulled the trigger, shooting it in the torso. It wheeled and looked at Tash as its eyes blazed.
Tash pulled the trigger again, this time aiming for those blazing eyes. She continued firing as the demon stood there. Each shot seemed to stun it, but the bastard wasn't going down! Victor spun in place knocking the legs from beneath the demon. It landed hard in the hallway floor.
Hearing the gunshots on the floor above, Jade grabbed the decorative "stake" and ran up the stairs to see if Tash and Victor needed help. * Ewww, the damn thing's covered in demon gore! * Sorrow spun back toward the demon, "Jade look out!"
Tash was counting her shots. She knew she only had one left when the demon finally went down. Victor rose stiffly holding his abdomen. "That really hurt." Then he gasped in pain as a vampire bit him from behind. A shadow formed into a shape that resembled Matthias and jabbed a stake through the vamp on Victor's shoulder. As the dust settled he winked and faded into the shadows again.
Tash shook her head, * I wish he'd felt able to do that when I knew him... would've been handy. * Tash reached Victor. "Are there any more up here?"
"No, but we aren't alone," said Victor.
From the 3rd floor, a voice said, "No you aren't."
Sorrow feinted at the demon then cut it at the shoulder. Jade looked up to see a vampire looming above her. Before she could react however, it swung at her, catching her on her shoulder and sending her spiraling back down the steps. The demon forced Sorrow back with a sudden flurry of blows then turned a ran for the exit.
Jade grabbed the bannister; narrowly managing to prevent herself from tumbling headfirst and breaking her neck. Sorrow moved cautiously up the stairwell, the light from Hizashi unnerving the vamp. Jade's ankle, however, had suffered another twist in her stumble and she bit her lip to stifle the whimper of pain as she tried to place her weight on it.
Michaels, the vampire gladiator from the Beazor walked slowly down from the loft door. He had his sword poised, ready for combat. Victor unconsciously moved to step in front of Tash. Tash whirled to see a vampire descending the stairs from the third floor. She took a mental tally. One bullet left, she'd fired the crossbow. Nothing else but stakes and holy water. *Shit.... *
Victor reached into his pocket for the stake he had put there. Tash checked the water pistol. Enough for a short blast, but the vamp would have to get closer to be sure of a hit. Michaels reached the second floor, and stood where he could see the stairs out and the two heroes in the hallway. The sword-wielding vampire was being very careful. Victor wondered if he could grab the sword.
* This thing's too dumb to live.* As sorrow reached the first floor landing he thrust Hizashi through the vamp. Sorrow headed for Jade and grabbed her arm. " Are you all right?" His voice was practically toneless. "I can't run... You go! Tash and Victor... They might need help!" The look in Sorrow's eyes chilled her. *He looked... dead...* Sorrow turned took the stairs two at a time.
Tash moved out slightly from behind Victor, to see the newcomer clearly. *This one's no ordinary dumb-arse vamp. *
"Victor," he said, "We are even, right?"
"No debts," said Victor without blinking.
Tash waited patiently. You didn't survive 13 years of hunting vampires by being too hasty. The vamp would get close enough soon. Victor had freed the stake and held it behind his back, wiggling it slightly for Tash to see.
The vampire took another step towards them, Tash let fly with the water pistol, catching him on the side of the face. Sorrow stepped onto the second floor. Looked at the vamp with the sword and paused. "Mine, I think," he said as he raised Hizashi.
Michaels whipped his sword towards the charging swordsman even as the skin of his flesh smoked and blistered. Tash had her second stake out, ready for an opening.
As Sorrow ran off, Jade bent down and massaged her ankle. *Need to give it some form of support...* Mentally apologising to Donna Karen, she ripped the long sleeve off her thin, cotton top and bound it around her ankle, tying it into a tight knot.
Victor, seeing the vampire turn his back to him and Tash, gripped the stake and prepared to launch himself.
The distraction hadn't been enough as two swords met with sufficient force to strike sparks from lesser blades. Bereavor looked into the eyes of his attacker. * The fight is in the eyes, * he thought.
Standing up, Jade tested her ankle gingerly. Once she was certain she was able to walk, she made her way quickly upstairs. Tash felt rather less than inclined to get too close to the two slashing swords, and was out of juice for her water pistol. The real bullet would be not good in melee - she might hit the wrong guy.
* Damn. Fast...Strong...Skilled...this is going to be a problem, * thought Sorrow. He could see the vamp's moves now but it was so damn fast. Sorrow gritted his teeth, opened his shields and let the battle flow. Tash felt a sudden surge of power from Sorrow. *What the...* His aura flared dark, darker than before. The black was starting to consume the colours.
Michaels saw a flash of emerald fire inside the swordsman's eyes as he gathered strength. He knew he had lost. He stepped back and bowed. * Death with honor is all I have left, * he thought. Hizashi took him at the neck in single perfect stoke.
Victor walked over and picked up the sword. "Yours?" he asked Sorrow.
"No, his. Always his."
Sorrow staggered. His lips had turned blue and he could barely stand. Tash moved to Sorrow's side. *He may be part vampire, but he's just saved our butts. *
Victor slipped an arm under Sorrow's before he collapsed. Jade looked bewilderedly from Victor to Sorrow, not understanding what exactly was being said but knowing that it wasn't important now. Sorrow was in a bad way. Tash and Victor both helped Sorrow to Victor's apartment, where they deposited him on the couch. Matthias strolled into Victor's apartment. "I am here for what I am best at," he said.
Jade followed them in and hovered next to Matthias as he worked his magic. The gnawing fear she felt for Tristan eased... *He'll be ok now with Matthias looking after him. *
She glanced over to Victor and Tash, silently standing next to each other, and noticed that Victor was bleeding from two puncture wounds at the shoulder. "That needs looking to as well... I might not have Matthias' finesse but I can treat it, if you want?" It was the first sign she'd ever given that showed a softening in her attitude towards Vrithetek.
Tash looked at Victor's bite, then at Jade. "Umm, treating Victor's wounds is a little.... tricky. Normal methods don't really do much."
Jade saw the look that passed between Tash and Victor and nodded in understanding. "Maybe you'd like to play nurse then?" She threw Tash a wink that turned into a grimace of sorts as she hobbled to a chair and sat down.
Tash blushed. That wasn't what she'd meant at all. Well, OK, maybe she felt a bit proprietarily towards Victor, but really without her ability to see through his glamour, fixing him up would be that much more difficult. Victor grinned. "Its okay, Jade, I have all the care I need right here," and he reached an arm around Tash and gave her an affectionate squeeze.
Tash looked at Sorrow recovering on Victor's couch, and turned to Jade, "Though there's someone who could probably use a little attention right there. He'll need food at least, right?"
*Was there a hint of teasing in Tash's tone? * Jade shrugged and smiled at her. "I've got some leftover pasta in the fridge from last night..." She looked ruefully down at her swollen ankle. "Don't think I'm up to cooking tonight..."
Matthias looked up from his ministrations on Sorrow. His eyes were unreadable as he looked at Jade, "I can help you with that ankle in a moment. Shouldn't take too much effort."
Matthias looked more drawn than she would have thought. He said, "He is D'Nethk'Quan, there is little more I can do for him. He needs rest and food. It is twisted somehow, though." Matthias looked puzzled.
D'Nethk'Quan. The word hung in the room like a bad odor. Questions and mystery clung to it. All eyes were on Matthias and Sorrow, waiting for answers. Jade felt a spectrum of emotions, as she looked first at Matthias, then at Sorrow. Confusion... Worry... Guilt.... *Why do I feel as if Matthias has shut me out? Is it because he senses the bond between Tristan and me? *
Victor spoke softly, "Are you sure, Matthias? I have not heard of anyone who lived long after completing the ritual. What is keeping him alive?" Victor narrowed his eyes. * That would explain his aura. * "And why are we trusting him?" he added with grim finality.
" Because he brought us the Shard of Lethe! And because he just saved our lives!" Jade snapped. The day's events were finally beginning to wear her down... "I trust him the way Tash trusts a demon like you, the way she trusts a half-vampire like me, the way you trust a fae like Matthias! We might come from different backgrounds, we might have checkered pasts, but what counts is that we're here now, working for the same damn purpose!"
Restless
Catherine Wiccham
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2002 12:06 am
Post subject: Restless
Kate rolled around restlessly in the big bed. She tried to sleep but she just couldn’t relax. Not with Luc so near – yet so far at the same time. He had fixed the front door and together they had strengthened the protection spell on the house – there was no way a vampire was getting in there now. Plus they had created a warning perimeter of about 50 feet; any big bads in the area would trigger an alarm loud enough to wake the dead.
Luc had taken up in one of the many guestrooms in the house. He too couldn’t sleep with Kate so close. He still felt frustrated from their, albeit short lived, encounter that afternoon, now he couldn’t stop thinking about her…the warm glow of her eyes, the silky gleam of her hair, the sweet taste of her lips…
Exasperated, he got out of bed, walking down the corridor; he paused outside Kate’s room. He could hear her sighing and moving restlessly in her bed. He walked downstairs and into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water from the tap. Wandering into the living room he sensed an unfamiliar heave of energy. He put the glass down and began to search for the source. He and Kate had tidied the room up a bit that afternoon but he hadn’t noticed the force he felt now. He did a quick search around the room, it was stronger…a feeling of immense power. It was coming from the pile of Kate’s belongings that still lay in the corner of the room. He frowned and began to rummage through the bags…
He pulled out a small silk bag, untied it, to reveal the sparkling Shard. He heard a noise behind him and turned to see Kate watching him. She was dressed in a long, black silk night-dress, her arms were folded petulantly. Luc held the Shard in his hands, walking over to her.
“Were you going to tell me about this? Kate? Well??” His voice was angry, he grabbed her by the arms, “Do you know what this is??”
Kate shook free of his hold; “Of course I know what it is!” She cried out in annoyance. Walking away from him, Luc followed her.
“Don’t walk away from me Kate! Kate!!”
She stopped and turned back to him “What do you want from me?”
“If this is what I think it is, it HAS to be destroyed!”
Kate pushes the crystal into his chest “Then do it! If you THINK you can destroy that thing then do it!” she sat down in an armchair, resting her head in her arms. “It cannot be destroyed, it’s impossible”
Luc knelt down at her side. “The Coven have been disposing of these things for centuries, every time one comes into their possession…you have done it yourself!”
“Disposing is not the same as destroying, the crystal’s molecular configuration is supernatural, physically it’s cannot be altered. The Ritual of Disposition allows the structure to be transported in space and time but because of the Shard’s unusual and erratic powers we were never sure how far or where they had been moved to. But none of this will work now – The Gathering has begun.”
Luc frowned – the Disposition Rites were not familiar to him, but The Gathering was. “Are you sure, you must be positive”
Kate looked into his face “It has begun, I believe all nine of them are here, in LA. You said it yourself…those demons who were here were looking for the crystal…”
“Yes, their leader said something about a man – Kain, he was looking for the other crystals.”
Kate nods “Kain owns The Beazor Complex downtown, it’s a sort of fighting arena for demons – but I do not feel…I mean, from what I have heard of him, he doesn’t seem to have the kind of power… I don’t know, he is a dangerous man, but I can’t help but feel that something much more evil, much… older is at work here.”
Luc sat down on the sofa, “I can’t believe this is all happening now – don’t we have enough problems to deal with…?”
“Serapis” Kate sighs “I can’t help wondering if this whole mess is related to the Cloch in someway” she sighs again and holds her head, Luc looks worried.
“Are you feeling alright, I didn’t want to say anything before but you look dreadfully pale and…”
“I’m always pale Luc…I’m fine really, I just have an headache.”
Luc rose and stood behind Kate, massaging her shoulders, Kate rolled her head around, “Hmm, that’s good…a little lower” Luc rubbed between her shoulder blades.
“You’re very…tense” he said.
“Are you surprised? You have no idea what the last six months have been like for me. I thought in LA I could start again, and then I get caught up in the search for the Cloch Cosan, and Serapis, and I keep having these visions…” her voice wonders off as she relaxes.
“Visions?”
“Hmm” said Kate sleepily “…Janus and mother…the crystals…near…very near…” she yawns tiredly, the events of the past few nights finally taking their toll.
“I suppose it’s only to be expected, after all you…Kate? Kate?” he looks down at her, she is fast asleep, slumped into the corner of the chair. Carefully he gathers her sleeping body up in his arms and carries her to her bedroom.
Season One: Feb 06, 2005 - Jul 06, 2005
Talhu
Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2002 7:35 am
Evening had come, and Talhu was approaching Bob's bar. Victor's information had been useful to him, and now all he need was to learn about Kain and Tempest. Along the way there he saw the body of a redheaded woman with pale skin. *Vampire? No, the life energy is wrong.* Normally he would pass by someone like this, but his intuition said that this person might be useful alive. Talhu kneeled down next to her, and muttered some of the little healing magic he knew, in the hopes of restoring her to consciousness.
Daye was wandering alone in a cold, dark place. She was fleeing from something, something vaguely evil. Suddenly, she heard a voice speaking softly from somewhere outside of the darkness. Daye moved towards the voice, and soon opened her eyes. She was laying on the ground in the alley where Paul had left her. By some stroke of luck, she had managed to survive the ordeal.
Although the burning pain in her back made her wonder if survival was the most appealing option at this point in her life.
Daye noticed almost immediately that a man was bent over her in the alley. He was not someone she had ever seen before, but appeared human to her. The man was dressed in a blue shirt and black tie. He had dark hair and eyes. There was an air of power about him that Daye could not quite place.
"Who are you?" Daye asked him, her voice was hoarse and shaky. *I hope he doesn't want a fight. I don't think I'm quite up to that right now.*
He smiled, trying to appear unmenacing and knowing that he would probably fail. "They call me Pravus Veneficus, though you can call me Pravus. This is not exactly the best spot to be catching a nap. Can you walk any?"
"I think so," Daye replied. She carefully pulled herself into a sitting position, causing waves of pain to roll through her body. Ignoring it as much as she could, Daye gritted her teeth and forced herself slowly to her feet. She could feel the night air stinging the raw welts on her back. Nausea climbed up her throat from the agony, but she clamped it down. "Just give me a minute, please, Pravus," Daye said, her voice was hoarse and filled with pain. *I hope by the Powers that I can trust this guy, because I really have no other choice.*
Talhu moved to better position himself to help her up. He could feel her anxiety as he put an arm around her to help. "Very well, but the sooner you get out of here the better. I don't know if whoever did this to you is still around. By the way, I never caught your name."
"Believe me, they're probably long gone. And my name is Amanda, but most everyone calls me Daye," Daye replied. She was on her feet now, and although she felt a bit wobbly, she was ready to get out of this alley. "Thank you very much for stopping to help. Without you, I am sure I would have ended up on the wrong side of one of this city's predators."
As the two of them started moving, Talhu glanced around. *Oh, don't worry. You could still end up on the wrong side of one of the city's predators.* "I have a motel room in the area, about 40 minutes away. You should be safe there." *Why do humans always buy the altruist act?* "Any idea who gets the blame for this?"
"Oh, yeah," Daye said in a wry tone. "I do. Only a fool would go into a place like the Beazor Complex alone and unprepared. I apparently am not ready to be off the council's apron strings. I should have done some more digging into Kain's background before I went spying on him."
*Congratulations. You may earn your survival yet.* Talhu let the rest of the walk pass in silence. If Kain was responsible, he did not want to risk him finding out about it. Letting Daye in to the motel room, he helped her to the bed then sat down in a chair. That was when something else suddenly fell in to place. "The Council? Please, tell me you're not the Slayer."
Daye laughed ruefully. "Me, the Slayer? Did you happen to notice me sort of bleeding in that alley. I hope the Slayer would fare better in such a fight. Besides, I would probably be feeling less like I want to die if I had the Slayer's ability to heal. No, I'm not the Slayer. Although since you know the term, I guess you aren't the unassuming man you appear to be."
*Good. I don't fancy being ill for a month because I had to eat another Slayer.* "Let's just say that I'm older than I appear . . . and was able to see the sun rise this morning."
"That's good to know," Daye said. She was trying to find a position on the bed that did not create renewed agony. "I am a Guardian, trained by the council and sent here to keep an eye on some things. Would you happen to have a clean cloth and some warm water?" Daye asked. "If I don't get this mess cleaned up, I am afraid some of the cuts might get infected."
"It's possible," Talhu said, standing up again. He went on a quick hunt for a container to keep water in, then went in to the bathroom. A minute later, he returned with water and a washcloth. Handing them to Daye, he said, "This is unfortunately the best I can do. You aren’t willing to share the Council's interest in Kain, are you?"
Daye was silent for a moment, taking the cloth and water from him. She sat up and placed the water on the nightstand. *What should I tell him? What I've said already could be dangerous and I don't know anything about this man.* "I don't know what I can tell you, "Daye answered honestly. "I was actually trying to get some more information about Kain and his little endeavor when I was caught. I do know that even as menacing and dangerous as Kain himself appears to be, the council has reason to believe that there is someone far more powerful directing his actions. Who that might be, I honestly don't know."
Daye held the cloth in one hand and attempted to reach around to her back to clean some of the wounds she had there as she talked to him. She was not finding the task as easy as she had hoped it would be.
Talhu took the cloth, and started helping wash Daye's back. *What's the human expression? Win more flies with honey than with vinegar.* "I have a proposition you may be very interested in. Kain's plans in exchange for the council turning a blind eye to my presence here."
"Thanks," Daye said. "Am I to assume then that when I mention meeting you to my contacts, they will have some strong opinions, Pravus? Perhaps you have had run-ins with them in the past?"
*It's probably safest to kill her now. But she could still be useful.* "Well, it was 15 centuries ago. They've probably forgotten by now... but why take the chance?"
"Hmmm...I need to have some idea of why you are here before I agree to this," Daye replied. "I mean, I can't promise to leave you alone if you came to LA to bring about the apocalypse or anything. That would look real bad for a first assignment and all."
Talhu laughed. "Bringing about the apocalypse is too much work. You try to do that, you get all sorts of demon hunters coming after you. Besides, you humans will destroy yourselves in time anyway." He paused. "No, I just want to go home - and failing that, to live in peace."
"Fair enough," Daye laughed softly. ""So, I can probably to agree to forget to mention meeting you. If you want to share what you know about Kain in exchange for my silence. "By the way, does that look as bad as it feels?" she gestured over her shoulder at her back. *For my own personal knowledge, I will have to do a little research into this mysterious stranger, though,* Daye thought as she waited fir his reply.
"I've seen worse." *Inflicted worse as well.* "Kain is gathering shards to an item called the Cloch Cosan. There are nine in total, he has four." Talhu smiled. *Well, Victor. You wanted to send me up against Kain with obviously heavy security. Guess I should return the favor.* "Of course, there is another demon in the city you probably want to speak with."
"The Cloch Cosan," Daye expelled a deep sigh. *Nothing like starting out small.* "That is so not good. Who is this other demon?" she asked.
He finished with her back. "There. This should take care of everything." Talhu started to the door, then stopped before leaving. "An old hunting buddy of mine. Be sure to ask about the nuns when you see him. He goes by the name of Victor."
"Any idea where I should look for your friend Victor?" Daye called out to his retreating back.
He opened the door to leave and stopped for a moment. "There's an apartment building at Poplar Avenue. Check room 202." Then Talhu stepped out in to the night air, to find another new place to stay.
Daye slowly got up off the bed, not wanting to remain in the room any longer than necessary. Pravus was a very dangerous individual in his own right, from what she could tell. Still, unless she was forced into it, they didn't have to be enemies. *Maybe this will be beneficial to us both. Only time will tell.* Daye left the motel and headed for Bibliophile. She could get some healing, food, and info from Mrs. Wyldling and then set out to find Victor. The way things were shaping up, she had no time to waste.