Fantasy As Shifting Shadows; Worlds Merged

[Fenris]

Lowering his voice to avoid being overheard Markus replied, “Around a week ago I tracking one of them to the old church. I lost the trail in a network of underground tunnels, from what I can tell its pretty vast. There's probably a number of them down there, its a convenient place to hide during the day and a good place to start asking questions.” From the look of things Victoria was calling it a night and to be honest there was no merit in trying to force any answers tonight. With a sigh the hunter settled into the comfort of his chair and decided a few more drinks wouldn't hurt.


---


Markus glanced around uncomfortably. His weathered leather jacket and jeans did a fair job of blending with the casual crowd but an experienced eye would be able to pick out the odd bulge or rattle of his gear. Night was better suited to this business, the blond concluded for the hundredth time. It kept most people off the streets and those you did encounter usually had their own secrets to hide.


While his steps slowly took him down the road, toward the towns edge and the old church he'd mentioned to Victoria yesterday, a pair of young women caught his attention. At a glance they seemed to get along despite the rather diverse appearance as the taller woman was helped back to her feet. Too far off to take note of the telltale canines Mark smiled at the scene and felt rebuffed in his determination to seek answers. Witnessing more than calculated distrust, ravenous hunger and boiling hate on others faces was pleasant, it made him wonder just when it had become a rarity...

 

[Guilded Clover]

"I wouldn't call you a monster, per say," the witch's head tilted to one side slightly. "You worked for me, then you didn't. It's unfortunate that you don't remember me, Damian; you were such a good boy."


At this point, her face showed no emotion and she kept a calm demeanor. On the inside, a twinge of sadness tugged lightly at her heartstrings. It must be sad not knowing where you come from or what you've done in the past. Things are different now and she blamed Cade for that.


"You have done a lot of things in this world, Damien. I could tell you about your past, but even I know so much."

 

[Dominaiscna]

The huntress remained silent, her body seemingly relaxed yet tensed under the skin and her expression remained calm while giving nothing away. After all, in such a situation, even a sliver of information can turn the tables. There was the strange girl who she had thought might be a werewolf, she didn't seem to be a threat... Not at that moment. The man on the otherhand, there was something unsettling about him. She couldn't sense very strong power coming from him...and that made her even more wary. Now, the female pureblood, she put Diana on edge. The way she talked, the way she moved, the power radiating from her. Her hands itched to move, to tear, to fight, because that women radiated trouble. If anything, she trusted the strange canine girl most... But she could've also been the biggest threat, just hiding her power.


Flexing her hand casually, her narrowed gaze left the man and followed the female pureblood who slowly circled them, studying her every move with her brown orbs. "You speak as if you truly regard his words as correct, yet I highly doubt you have any intention of scurrying back to whatever place you came from," she murmured in a voice of utter calmness, pulling at the gloves on her hands, "Do you now?"

 

[Baconhands]

There had been a moment, as Fia was about to reply to the vampire before another scent came to Fia's attention. She didn't recognize it at first, and because of that she thought it was human and she took a glance around, expecting a bystander to come into view. When she looked back, he was standing there. It was as if he had always been there, watching there, observing their every move and listening in on their conversation. The werewolf took a step back, feeling a little bit of shock entering her system, but she recomposed herself quickly.


"I understand that it is currently curfew for night dwellers," he said. His voice was monotonous, but Fia was sure he got some kind of sick pleasure from speaking to them like that.


"Yet here you all are," he tsked, "breaking the rules."


Fia felt a lance of anger shoot through her mind. It was only for a moment and Fia knew being around them was causing her other self to stir.


With the original's eyes locked onto the pureblood, who was now on the street, and with the turned vampire speaking to the pureblood Fia slowly started to back away. She knew they'd notice; they always did. They knew everything. She sighed internally and looked between the three of them, and her eyes settled calmly on the pureblood when she said "Rules were made to be broken."


Fia didn't like these kinds of people: rules were made to protect people. By breaking them, she wanted to be a danger. Fia didn't like that. But she couldn't do anything in the day, at least not in this form, she wasn't going to transform in the middle of the street either. She continued to back away, her eyes watching the original and the pureblood carefully as she did.

 

[JustCallMeAimee]

"Going back now...would be boring." She concluded glancing at the hunter Rin grinned slightly although she was dead and emotionless behind the eyes. It didn't take her long to turn her attention to the wolf, "don't look so nervous," Rin rolled her eyes and folded her arms, "if the wind changes your face will be stuck like that." The pureblood joked light heartedly. Rin obviously knew of the power she had around these, well the two females was a definite...but the male. He was different and slowly her eyes returned to rest in him, tilting her head Rin raised an eyebrow and sniffed, "who are you?"

​

 

[4scorelightnings]

Abigail walked down the grand mahogany staircase of her new home, casually feeling the bumps and grooves of décor along the railing, familiarizing herself with the new estate. Her lady in waiting was at her tail, asking her about breakfast.


"The usual Bertha," she replied bluntly as her parents emerged from the dining hall, looking as stern as ever.


Abigail knew very well that they were busy preparing for a large ball, where she would have to meet vampires of the Council. However, she was less content about the second goal of the night. Her parents had spoken to her about her future husband to be. It didn't surprise her--the fact that her parents were arranging her marriage. She only knew that he was the only son of one of the higher Council members, and it was her duty to do what her parents forced upon her.


For a second, her mind wandered off to the night before, and she shivered, excited by the memory. The cold wind on her face, the darkness and adventure she had experienced was thrilling, and to be frank, addicting. She wanted to feel those emotions again, and she touched her shoulder as she remembered she needed to give Damian his coat back. She would have to do it secretly of course, now that she belonged to another for the rest of her life. She was going to find away to get out of the marriage, and she was going to find a way to make a living with her skills in mathematics and physics. She'd try to find a way.


She shook her head; of course, these were all impossible dreams. All parts of her life were dictated by her parents, and unless she wanted to be stranded, elope, or go off and bring misfortune to the Thornstone name, she was a prisoner. There was always some part that hoped for a future she chose, but she knew she would always be shackled to the chains of her own name. She loathed it, but her logical side always took over when her thoughts reached darker points, and she thanked Bertha as they ate their eggs, toast, ham, and roasted tomatos together at the dining table. Like the last flicker of the light, or a flower still in bloom, she kept her book on Homotopy and K-theory on her lap, open to her favorite chapter.

 

[poppet]

As Vanessa pulled herself up, Ellie wondered if the woman might be sick. She made a mental note to wash her hands before touching her face. It was just after that that Eleanor saw a strange clip in her mind of the woman. The pale girl frowned lightly, unsure of why that kept happening to her. When she was questioned, she looked up at Vanessa, wondering what she might say to avoid looking crazy. As she reached up to tug at the hair that hid the holes in her neck, she tried to respond, "Well, it's just that," but she stopped short as Vanessa grimaced. The sun had come out just enough over the last few minutes that Vanessa would be obviously pained by it. And now, the sun glistened off her fangs. Soon it would disappear behind the thick grey clouds again and cause her only a bit of relief.


Eleanor just stared, wide-eyed and blinking owlishly with her words stuck in her throat. After a long moment, "Uh...," was all that came out. She took one half step backwards before she smiled nervously and said, "My," with a chuckle, "What big fangs you have." Her voice was barely over a whisper and she was still chuckling. It might look like the girl was one thread away from losing her mind as she laughed, something she often did when she was nervous or scared, and she hated it. A glance to the side reassured Eleanor that they weren't alone out here, and that she more than likely had little to worry over. She wouldn't know that Markus was a hunter, but that there was someone around helped rope her sanity in.


~~~*~~~


Another being stirred nearby. Not a human, and not a vampire. Obviously, not a werewolf either. Cade himself had hunted them to near extinction, and to find two in one place in under a day would be almost surprising even to him. He glanced at the females as they bantered and Rin circled, but remained quiet. His rules were not made to be broken. And this curfew had been one of his rules afterall. Of course, it was all a part of the facade, so it really mattered little to him in the end. His werewolf was backing away and his eyes cut to her. She could run all she wanted. Now that he knew of her existence and her scent, there would be nowhere she could hide. He wondered if she could ever imagine the plans he had in store for her, or that it was him who had hunted her kind to near extinction. He mulled over that there must be an original werewolf alive and well. Otherwise, Fia would not exist. This thought did bother him slightly. That original could have very well been spending his or her years repopulating the werewolf race. But that was okay. Cade would one-up him, with Fia.


It was when the pureblood questioned Cade that he turned his attention directly to her. He remained impossible to read and quiet for another moment. "I am the owner of the property you are loitering about," he said lazily, looking towards the others before returning his attention to her. "Though I fail to see what it matters, unless you plan to do something with that information. Perhaps trying to see who holds the most power, to judge who may have the upper hand?" Of course she was. What creature didn't? It was unwise to appear in a group of strangers without counting your cards. Everything was about survival, and for a vampire it was also about the game.


He turned his gaze upwards towards the sky when the clouds parted over the town. He was not a fan of the sun, merely because he preferred the darkness, and the gloom and for no other reason. Here in his presence he had a pureblood, a werewolf and a vampire who reeked of death in ways that would scream foul play to any lesser vampire. But Cade knew better, and for a brief moment the corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly towards Diana. "I do hope you can play nice, long enough to attend the soiree at the Thornstone's this evening." The statement was somewhat of a question, but also an invitation to all three women. The gathering was one that the Thornstones held annually for the upper class vampires, aristocrats, purebloods, originals, etc. Cade glanced to Fia, "I'll be looking forward to seeing you there, too, wolf."


As always, Cade's voice remained low, and while monotone, it always held some strange aspect of appeal. Men and women alike were always drawn to his words. They stopped and listened, intrigued if not allured. His voice made people want to obey, even if they weren't sure why. And if they didn't, he had the ability to make them, though he found that when his power rolled through the air almost tangibly, he didn't need to use that ability.

 

[Baconhands]

"Don't look so nervous," the pureblood said, a jokey tone about her voice. Fia cast her eyes over the vampire, a narrow glare dancing across her expression for a fleeting moment before she stopped moving backwards. She was unsure as to what to say: would she threaten her? She doubted that the pureblood would care and the werewolf was certain that it would only serve to make the situation worse. Would a warning even resonate within the vampires mind? Would she take it seriously? Fia didn't know, she didn't even dare to speak. She kept her silence close to her, but inevitably, she had stopped walking, and was now standing still.


The original's eyes were settled on her, but Fia didn't take notice.


"I do hope you can play nice," he spoke to the pureblood, "long enough to attend the swaray at the Thornstone's this evening."


Fia's eyes rolled: another aristocratic meeting by the vampires. They were incredibly vain, proud, greedy. It was aggravating how many their seemed to be.


"I'll be looking forward to seeing you there, too, wolf."


Fia was surprised by this statement and she looked the original in the eye, "It's a full moon tonight, vampire. I seriously doubt any of your kind would like me to be there. 'Less you would all like to be killed by an aggressive canine that only wants to hunt other creatures of the night." There was a pause, only for a moment, as Fia suddenly felt compelled to say the contrary, to say that she would go along. She felt... drawn to him, for only a short time and she took a step towards him, "Of course, I'm sure that would only make the party more exciting. I assume you wouldn't invite me unless you had some sort of plan."


What was she saying? Was she even talking at this point?


"I can hardly return to my own home, 'less I get caught by the human authorities. Perhaps you would be willing to give me accommodation until that 'swaray' you mentioned."


Fia's eyes were wide: she hadn't intended to say that at all. Something had forced her to. She didn't know what. The moment passed and she blinked, taking a step back.

 

[Vampunk]

Eleanor's reaction was enough to kill off any hope Vanessa had of it all just being some crazy hangover experience, the smaller girl taking a step backwards while chuckling awkwardly.


Was she afraid? The situation was at least uncomfortable for the pale girl, judging from the look on her face and the embarrassed chuckle, matched with her fairy-tale remark it made for a dangerous mix.


Vanessa adjusted her sunglasses, pulling them down unto the tip of her nose, flashing her crimson eyes at Eleanor.


This just had to be a nightmare, a fucked up fairy tale with her being the big bad wolf of this story.


A mix of denial and panic masked as amusement wreaked havoc on Vanessa's senses as her lips curled into a crooked grin, showing off her fangs in all their glory.


"All the better to eat you with, my dear!" It was just too surreal, her body not feeling like her own at all, the young girl's discomfort and hints of fear aimed at HER. She had always hated the bloodsuckers for terrorizing people like Eleanor, and now SHE was the one scaring her. The sheer irony of it making her clench her fists, her knuckles turning white as the freshly turned vampire took a step closer to Eleanor, her hand roughly grabbing her by the shoulders, holding her in place as she looked deep into her eyes.


"Look at me! I AM human! I'm no freak, no monster that hides under your bed. I'm just like you, you hear me?! I'm human..." But she wasn't anymore, it was a bitter pill she had to swallow, her arms shaking as her smile widened, a weak chuckle escaping her throat as her grip on Eleanor's shoulders loosened, the vampire stumbling backwards and meeting the cold brick wall, her hand coming to brush through her messy black hair.


"Fuck..." No words could truly convey what she was feeling, her entire live being upside down, her having become the very things that bump in the night, it just couldn't be happening, not to her, no....

 

[4scorelightnings]

"Abigail! Get yourself decent looking, the guests arrive tonight!" Abigail nodded obediently, though she grumbled to her thoughts-- there were still hours before the moon rose into a darkening sky. Not wating to be pressed by her parents further, she retired to her room, looking out of the window and staring down at the rather bleak looking town she had to call home.


Bertha, her maid came in to help her get ready, making small talk about the gloomy weather and the beautiful shade of red her new dress was. Even Abigail had to admit, the dress was beautiful. It was modest, with a lace collar and a ruby entrusted in the center. The dress was satin, and the sleeves were elegant enough to be fit for a queen. Abigail doubted she could pull it off.


Bertha tightened her corset, putting the dress into her as if she was still just a little girl. Admiring her, she smiled and winked in the mirror, making Abigail laugh lightly as she herself put on ruby earrings and a black choker. Bertha got to work on yer hair, and Abigail wondered if she always had to live in the strict confines of her home and corset. While Bertha curled her hair into a beautiful up-do, she daydreamed of becoming a professor, and even a waitress like Danian. Anything seemed better than her circumstances now.

 

[Dominaiscna]

If Diana had been on edge before, she didn't know what she was now. Her gaze had long since left the pureblood and was now settled on the man, focused with deadly concentration hidden behind her gold brown orbs. The way he spoke was almost like a master to a group of puppets, stringing and playing them to his hearts content. What was this man thinking?


When he spoke, her eyes zoned in on how his lips seemed to twitch slightly in a smile and she involuntarily stepped back. Something about him, was it his aura or the air around him that seemed to draw her in very subtly. Was it really him or...what?


The confusion in her mind only put her more on edge, more suspicious of the strange man. His invitation was no where near inviting to her ears and she wanted, more than anything, to turn it down. "As lovely as going to a soiree at some stranger, whom I do not trust,'s house sounds, I think I will pass." She spoke, her words soft yet had a slight sharpness to them as she watched the original, unaware of exactly what he was.

 

[poppet]

The brunette may have continued chuckling after Vanessa's response, but the other was grabbing her by the shoulders and suddenly she was silent. For a brief moment, Eleanor thought Vanessa might be attacking her. But as she tried to convince Eleanor that she was human, the girl realized that Vanessa was more than likely trying to convince herself. As the woman leaned against the wall and cursed, Ellie wondered if this was something that had just happened to her. She wasn't aware of how one became a vampire, exactly, but she could only assume from the folklore. Vanessa didn't seem like a threat, though any normal person would probably see any being who feasted on human blood a threat. Eleanor's life had been saved by one though, and she knew that she couldn't judge an entire group by the actions of some.


"Hey," she said taking a step forward. "It's okay." She was trying to be reassuring, but honestly, Eleanor didn't know anything about what was happening to Vanessa. She was also unaware that under Cade's treaty, many vampires were drinking synthetic blood, that it was an option. "I'm sure... it will be fine," she added, gently placing her own hand on Vanessa's shoulder. Instantly, she frowned. Her expression was one of a person zoned out. When she blinked back to reality, she removed her hand and just stared almost blankly at the woman. Somehow, Eleanor got the impression that there was a solution. Had it been a cure? She finally frowned. These little clips of random things were really starting to become confusing, and annoying.


((I'll reply with Cade when we hear from Rin. ))

 

[Vampunk]

It was going to be okay, like hell it was! She was condemned to forever prowl the night as some bloodsucking freak, to hell with reassuring words, the cold bitter truth crept up on Vanessa as she lowered her head, her raven black hair hanging messily into her face as she exhaled sharply, a soft chuckle following her sigh.


"Sure, what's next, prancing around in a field full of blooming flowers?" The freshly turned vampire having booked a ticket on one hell of an emotional rollercoaster.


Next stop after Denial?


"Why don't you invite some unicorns and fairies as well? Bet they'd like meeting a bloody vampire, Sunshine." As if on Queue the sun reared its ugly head, its rays meeting Vanessa's crimson eyes and making her exclaim in discomfort, adjusting her goggles with a few profanities rolling from her lips.


"Fuck, what am I supposed to do? Fucking find some coffin and a black cape? Oh god..."


Her eyes wandered back to Eleanor, her hand extending to rest on her shoulder, the vampire towering over the smaller girl, trying to be as unthreatening as inhumanly possible.


"Listen. I'm sorry for dragging you into this. You can't help me, hell, nobody can. I just have to figure this out for myself. I can fend for myself, I don't need your sympathy, nor your help. Really..."


Once again back at trying to convince her that she could figure out being a vampire on her own. With no real connection to the other blood suckers and no way to go. Sometimes her pride was really getting in her way...

 

[poppet]

Eleanor had sighed, and she wasn't gripping her books quite so tight anymore. Though she did consider the existence of unicorns and fairies as she watched Vanessa skeptically. Did she know something? Vampires and werewolves were a thing afterall. Eleanor wasn't just about to deny the existence of, well, anything else. Still, Vanessa seemed really beat up about being a vampire. She didn't want to be one, and that was obvious.


Eleanor was reading Vanessa pretty well about now, so finally she put one hand on her hip and pursed her lips. "Fine," she said. "I can see that you're a handle-it-yourselfer." She took a step back and turned as if to start walking away. "I guess it wouldn't matter if I said there was a solution, maybe a cure. Because," she smiled at Vanessa, "You're going to figure it out for yourself, right?" Eleanor was more or less talking crap. Sort of. She was pretty sure there was a good solution, but she really wasn't sure what it was. Still, if she could help, she would. So long as she could trick Vanessa into accepting it. The woman was obviously too hard headed for her own good.


Besides, it wasn't like Eleanor could just turn her back to all that she knew now. And she never turned her back on someone in need. It just wasn't who she was. She couldn't sleep at night if she did something like that. She waited just a moment to see if Vanessa would bite. Well, not literally bite. But Eleanor had put the bait out there. No, that wasn't right either. Eleanor didn't like the idea of being bait... She scrapped those thoughts and watched Vanessa curiously. If she truly didn't want the help, Eleanor would continue on her way home, averting her eyes from the gory scene in the alley across the street.

 

[JustCallMeAimee]

Rin felt suddenly more skeptically of the man as he mentioned that he


specifically wanted the wolf to turn up. She watched him silently for a very long moment her eyes then began to dart between the two, it was that moment she moved nearer to the strange male and smelt the air around him. It was a foul smell that she'd often get from those with bad intentions, she grimaced, "you smell of rot." Rin tilted her head eyes narrowing, "I think it's a bad idea for the wolf to stay around you much longer." Her canines flashed for a moment as she moved back towards Fia, "you should really leave sweet heart, he's lying to you."


It was obvious to her that Cade had other intends and she didn't like the idea of this. However it was unlikely she wouldn't show to his event, it would be interesting after all. Not that Rin was keen on the idea of fancy parties and expensive clothing, she much preferred to stay away from that thing. However it did intrest her to watch these things.
​

 

[Kleopatris]

Raven had had enough of the barbaric behavior exhibited by the citizens. He wanted to get in that manor.


"Theodore, what do you suppose is inside?" He scratched the head of the inanimate toy bear. He hadn't said a word since entering the city.


Raven stepped from the shadows, adjusting the straps holding Theodore up and walked toward the crowd. The mob-mentality was making him sick. He could never deal with large amounts of negative emotion. It was tantamount to smelling rancid meat. He just had to leave where he was standing and some how get inside. And, as much as Raven loved being subtle, this just didn't seem to be the correct approach. He casually waved his hand in front of his face. To a passerby he would seem to be adjusting his hair. His right fore-finger slightly pulsated with a dull gold light and he began his spell.


"By, fire, you shall be cleansed. By, water, you shall be washed away. By earth, You shall be moved and by air, your soul shall be soothed." The general populace of the crowed suddenly began to quiet themselves. A sense of calm had overcome them and the started to disperse casually until there were naught but 2 or 3 left. And they had no idea why they were even there any longer. Once the rioters were gone. he made his way confidently to the lavishly designed gate. It looked old and expensive. He rose his hand to knock but decided that anyone living here would appreciate a bit of flair.


Mentally he imagined a large oak door and a giant metal hand knocking on it. Imagine-magic he called it. The sound of knocking would reverberate through that manor, announcing him, until someone answered the door. Hopefully he could talk to someone with a bit more intelligence than what the rioters seemed to display.

 

[poppet]

Watching the women lazily, Cade remained silent for the most part, as he usually did. His demeanor was one of disinterest, and if any of the women felt untrusting of him, it was not by his own doing - as his appearance and voice always did the opposite. If he was one to show any emotion, he may have shrugged at Diana's refusal to attend the soiree. But it mattered little to him if she was the one who missed this event. He was certain they would cross paths again.


When his gaze flicked to Rin, he might have shaken his head, though he did not. Fia could and would likely make her own decision without listening to someone so negative. Cade had not been threatening in any way, and despite what random smell a stranger might concoct out of his shower gel, he was sure Fia would come to realize that as well. "Being that I have not been asked a question to which I could lie, I'd advise you to hold your tongue young one," Cade said simply. It was only then that his true power would begin seeping from his being, lacing his words with warning.


But, Cade had cards to play in much higher standing than these three. Blood red eyes glanced to Diana and then to Fia. "My home," he gestured to the manor, "Is open to many beings such as yourself without a place return to." And that was true. There were rooms designated specifically for guests on the move. "A temporary place of sanctuary, if you so wish it," he said, leaving Fia to make her own choice. Of course, it would be made quite clear once she entered the home, should that be her choice, that there were rules and that his sanctuary would come at a price.


For fun he added, "The invitation is open for all of you." Cade's lips twitched upwards in an amused smile. He did not expect the other two women to accept his generous invitation, but it would hold if they did so choose to. "Yuri will help you get settled when you arrive," he said with the faintest hint of smugness, forced, to somewhat poke at Rin and Diana as if to say that he knew they would choose to come. And with another instigating smile, Cade was gone. It was as if he had never been standing there at all.


---


Inside the manor, a reverberating knock echoed through the main hall. A service maid jumped, and ran to the front door, opening it to see that no one stood outside. Down the long pathway to the iron gate, she could see that a man with something over her shoulder stood just beyond it. If she let him in without consulting Cade, she could be punished greatly. She shook gently, unsure of what to do. Behind her, Yuri stood silently, unnoticed by the maid until she reached to push a button beside the door.


Instantly, the gate would begin to open, inviting Raven inside. Once he was on this side of the gate, it would close again. Yuri's eyes looked down at the maid when she turned around. "I will handle it," she said simply, before turning on her heel to inform Cade that he had a visitor. The maid simply nodded, standing aside to let Raven enter when he arrived at the door. She would be the one to speak with Raven while they waited for Cade's appearance, if he decided to make one.

 

[Dominaiscna]

Diana's gaze remained watching the space he had taken long after he left. Where he stood now remained a trail, black as the night yet twisting and spiraling as if it were alive. A trail usually told a lot about the individual it belonged to... It just sometimes took an experienced eye to decipher the meaning behind the trails.


She replayed the conversation in her head, her gaze narrowed as she remembered him speaking about individuals who had no where to return to. What were they, lost puppies? The very thought almost made her scoff. If he thought that they would run to him like scared little girls, he had another thing coming. She was no one's little play thing.


Turning away from the darkened building, casting one last glance at the canine girl, Diana walked away not once looking back at the supposed "sanctuary" the man spoke of. Her sharp gaze fixed on Rin, narrowing as if daring the pureblood to stop her as she walked past. Pushing out other unwanted thoughts that lingered at the edges of her mind, she focused on the sound of her heels clicking on the ground and her motorbike drawing closer with each step.


It was only when she reached her vehicle, did she stop with a hand rested on the cold metal. For some reason, she knew she would be back. She knew somewhere deep down that she would see the house and the man again. It was inevitable, but she was not going to give him the satisfaction of luring them in like flies.


Not yet anyway.

 

[Vampunk]

"Tchh..." Vanessa's lips curling into an annoyed sneer, her mind trying to piece together the best choice of action.


On one hand she could try to get by on her own, like she always did.


The cons of that option were quite a few, Sunlight, thirst for blood and general cluelessness about anything vampire related not exactly helping her cause and coupled with her not exactly being able to go home it made for a bitter mix that wasn't very appealing nor pleasant... Not even in the slightest.


And yet her ego wouldn't simply allow her to play the oblivious lost lamb. Even if it meant she was to be the big bad wolf of this tale.


Decisions, decisions.


Her hand coming to rub her temples the newly turned vampire turned to look at Eleanor, her words echoing through that thick skull of hers and making the vampire raise an eyebrow.


"Hey! Wait a minute, will ya."


Swallowing her pride Vanessa stepped closer to her, rubbing the back of her head and averting her gaze, the tall girl's embarrassment evident as she looked down on the brunette.


"Forget what I said, I might need your... Help? I guess... Not like I'm an expert with freaks or anything but you seem to know more than I do, soo..."


Finding the right words was rough, especially with a vicious headache and one hell of a hangover.

 

[poppet]

Eleanor turned around with a triumphant smile. She wouldn't typically play a game on someone like that, but Vanessa seemed pretty hard headed. And sometimes you just had to fight fire with fire. Though Eleanor could never really have described herself as so outwardly firey as her company seemed to be. Her smile faded pretty quickly and her expression turned thoughtful. "I don't really," she said finally, almost like a slap in the face. "It's just that, you seem to have been drug into this rather suddenly. And well, I actually was, too, pretty recently. I just thought, maybe we could help each other. A little bit?" She was looking at Vanessa with puppy dog eyes, though she honestly wasn't intending to.


"I do know of a place to start looking for some answers, or guidance," she added. Eleanor could honestly use some answers herself, but, she really didn't want to go back there. Not at the moment. She frowned. It was a little bit of a predicament, but truly, Vanessa had all the time in the world now. At least until she started going crazy. But Eleanor didn't know either of those things. She sighed and raised her eyebrows at the woman. "Are you in pain?" It was a rounded question. Ellie didn't know that Vanessa was hungover, and she wasn't sure if turning vampire was painful though she did know that a bite at least could be. "Wait," she said suddenly with a deep frown. "How did you....." Eleanor couldn't finish her sentence. She wanted to know how Vanessa had become what she was, but was also afraid to hear what the answer might be.

 

[Shnuydude]

Damian crossed his arms, still wearing the pink sweater, "I worked for you?" He wondered what she meant by that. He sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "Please tell me what you know about me" His voice wavered, he was afraid he might hear something he wouldn't like. His eyes turned red as he used his telekinesis to lift himself off the ground, he sat cross legged in mid air while he waited for the witch to explain.

 

[Vampunk]

Damn, how could anyone say no to those puppy eyes Eleanor was making? The look she gave the vampire making her raise an eyebrow and examine her through her tinted goggles.


What was the deal with Eleanor anyways, she did not seem like the kind of person to get involved with the bloodsucking brood of the night, her somewhat innocent appearance making Vanessa question what she was doing in these parts of town anyways.


Perhaps saving lost puppies and kittens? Who knew.


Her question did bring her back into reality, making Vanessa shake her head and brush a strand of messy black hair out of her face.


"Pain? No... I feel like crap though, feels like this body isn't even my own, ugh..." Just thinking about it made her skin crawl as Vanessa tilted her head to the side, causing a rather dry crack to echo through the alley, finally being able to alleviate the stinging sensation in her tense muscles.


"Frankly, I don't remember how this could even happen to me. Hell, I was just working night shifts at the local Pub, nothing that would make me susceptible to attracting these overgrown mosquitos."


So that was what she was now, eh? Some annoying bloodsucking parasite?


Just now she realized that she didn't tell Eleanor her name, making the vampire scratch the back of her head awkwardly, her other hand extended as she averted her gaze.


"I'm Vanessa by the way, nice to meet you, even if these circumstances aren't really anything to be all jolly and giddy about."

 

[Kleopatris]

The manor gates soundlessly opened. Raven could only assume there was someone operating a panel for it. It wasnt untill he looked up the pathway that he noticed two in distinctive figures standing in the ornate doorway. As he crossed through the gate he felt movent on his back . Apparently Theodore was having bad Teddy-bear dreams but being that he hadn't woken up yet. He decided not to stir him. The relative peace and quiet was rare and he wanted as much of it as he could. Making his way to the door he took in the magnificent landscape of the manors property. But, much like a vampire smells blood, Raven could feel the distinct touch of death on the grounds. Either someone recently died here or there were an abundance of ,as Theodore would cal them, "Practitioners f Death" any creature of the night. About halfway up the walk way Raven shook Theodore awake.


"Say not a word Theo, but Im not sure what we're walking into but keep the Vervain and Wolfsbane on call. I doubt Ill have any need of it but,"


Mid-sentence Theodore cut him off.


"How about minding your manners." Then his small furry body relaxed a bit. Theodore always had a chip on his shoulder. Completely frumpy for a living childrens toy but, he would never ignore any request of Ravens.


Theodore had been the only the only thing to remind Raven that he once had a mother. She had given it to him on his fifth birthday.


Finally he reached the door, having seemed to take ages. He took note of the woman and put on his best "Im a scary witch" face .


"Blessed be , ma'am. First and foremost. I have no idea where I am. This just seemed like a nice place to stop. I took the liberty of ridding you of some unfortunate guest you had outside a bit further down the wall."


He looked the woman over once and for the second time, having forgotten he was there took note of the other individual behind her.


" I can only assume that you all, aren't the owners of this modest property." he adjusted his small round glasses,slightly tinted in the light and barely concealing his liquid silver eyes.


"But, as I stated before, I just stumbled across this humble abode. Never been here a day in my life.. Maybe someone here could explain what me what here is? And, I can meet who ever pays the bills here."

 

[poppet]

Tilting her head to the side as she thought about how Vanessa might not feel like her body was her own, she grimaced inwardly at the cracking sound Vanessa made. She glanced down at Vanessa's outstretched hand, and then took it. Eleanor didn't want the woman to feel any worse about being a vampire than she already did, so treating her like the parasite she felt like wouldn't be optimal in Ellie's eyes. "I'm Eleanor," she said. "You can call me anything but that," she added, glancing over towards the alley. The girl really wasn't fond of the name. For a large portion of her life she'd just called herself Elena, pretending it was her name all along. But as she matured, she felt silly renaming herself.


"I didn't know that there were humans they allowed to work past curfew," she said, though realizing that it probably couldn't have been avoided in some instances, like pubs, refineries, etc. Eleanor had never questioned it before. It also felt weird using the word 'humans' as if there was any other being to considering working. Also because Vanessa was no longer a human, though Eleanor was referring to her as having been one at some point. "I didn't realize that there was such an abundance of, them," she half whispered. "But, the good news is, I met a really nice one!" Eleanor said, pretty chipper. "Right after a really bad one," she mumbled. "But you get to choose, y'know?" She smiled that reassuring smile at Vanessa, overly trusting as always and sure that the other was going to choose the good vampire side. "Maybe you don't have to be a, mosquito," she said, using Vanessa's own wording. "Probably they, you, can eat whatever you want. I'm sure it's fiiiinee." She drug out that last word, waving her hand like it was no big deal.


"Come on," she said, walking away in the direction she'd come from. "I'll show you where you can go to ask questions. The woman there was called a witch. I overheard someone they called a 'pure - blood', say it last night. But, if you choose to go inside now, I think I'd like to wait outside," she said with a chuckle as she rubbed the back of her head. She side eyed Vanessa, hoping she might not have to explain herself. But if the wolf was still there, plus the witch, and the other guy who'd randomly appeared, Eleanor felt she was better off giving support from a distance. She clutched her books to her side and kept moving, never seeming to notice that this was a particularly bad part of the town or how odd of a couple they seemed to make as they walked down the cobblestone path.


--*--*--


Having departed from the front door to locate Cade, Yuri was no longer standing behind the maid as the male stopped at the door. The woman left standing there was a timid, mouse-like being. Her appearance was simple, and if he looked beyond her to the few other servants who scurried about, he'd note that they all wore the same style of clothing. Simple, uniform and plain in their dark colors, though obviously of nice quality. She was human, though could not imagine that the male before her was also human. Rarely did a human who was not of high social standing dare to 'drop by' this home, nor would Yuri have allowed them entry. There was something non-human about him, or he would not be here.


Finally she stepped aside and held the door open. "This is Lord Vilar's estate," she said, surprised that anyone would just randomly choose to knock on a door for the funs of it. "If the master knew you were coming, he would have a room prepared for you," she added in an accent with hints of English heritage. "I assume that if you're traveling, he will allow you to stay if you so wish." The woman wouldn't outwardly say that she knew this man wasn't your regular human, but she knew that he wouldn't be here if he wasn't, so she excused herself and scurried away to prepare a room, just in case.


Shortly after that, Cade appeared at the top of the left hand flight of stairs that led down to the foyer. He was still wearing his black dress pants and black untucked long sleeved button up shirt. He stopped only when he reached a comfortable distance in front of Raven. "Greetings," he said simply, leaving it at that. Obviously this man before him had a purpose here, and Cade would let him state that.

 

[poppet]

@Baconhands @Guilded Clover @Vampunk @Shnuydude @Fenris @Phayne @Artemistel @Dominaiscna @JustCallMeAimee @Kleopatris


A vampire servant of the Thornstones appears, knocking at your door or via other method of your choice. He hands you an official invitation to the Thornstone event where Lord Krimellian Vilar will be making a historical announcement. This invitation will absolutely be given to any original, pureblood and aristocrat. Also to Zamani. Our guests are allowed to bring their servants, slaves, regular vampire boy toy, etc. Our hunters can catch wind of this, or find themselves with invitations as well (though it will be of Cade's doing if you choose that route). Regular vampires, etc. might find themselves sneaking in. You can choose to have this happen now, or have it already happened days prior to tonight's event or in a few posts. Once we finish through our current conversations, we'll disperse and begin the event. ♥ If you have questions, ask them in the OOC.