NationStates Jolt Archive

6:00 a.m. Feb. 14, 2010, Wild Bend Enclave, Bunker Hill Village, Houston, Texas, .

Gray, barely giving way to the first hues of dawn, the palest of pinks and coral, hints of aqua streaking among the broad sweeps of the other hues. Dew, heavy enough to drip from ancient oak’s leaves, and shine the resilient blacktop surface of the jogging path. Silence, save for the hesitant calls of a few early rising birds, a cardinal and then a robin, questioning the hour. Rhythm, soft slap of running shoes against that slick blacktop now becoming audible to a devoted listener.

Sian ran steadily, Para shadowing her, his paws- despite his nearly hundred and twenty pounds- as silent as his breathing. His dark coat with its ruff collar and under coat of ghost silver made him little more than a wraith in the shadows of the heavily tree lined path.

The winding trail was not empty of other early risers. A massive were-wolf trotted past the pair, going in the opposite direction. Sian called a soft “Good Morning” as Para turned to run a few strides beside Flash-of-Fang-in-Starlight – Mr. Victor Starr when in human form. Well over eighty, the retired law professor, was amazingly fit- his dark muzzle showed little gray, though in human form his hair was a magnificent silver mane that he wore nearly to his shoulders.

Most of the gracious homes on their lavishly landscaped sites were still dark as the wealthy Night Lifers who dwelt in them slept on. The Wild Bend enclave was a gated, guarded community of nearly five hundred heavily forested acres stretched out along Buffalo Bayou.

Sian brought a hand up to brush away a few errant locks of glossy obsidian hair from her eyes. Her hazel green eyes gleamed for a moment as light from one of the decoratative Art Nouveau lamps that lined the trail limed her with a soft amber gold glow. She ran three mornings a week, rain or shine, but not snow. It seldom snowed in Houston though, so she substituted hurricanes in place of the mostly absent cold. Born and bred in Houston, where subtropical warmth was the norm, she didn't do well in the cold. However, Februarys in Houston were the real winter most years and 2010 was proving to be no exception. Her breath plumed in the nearly freezing air.

An old, well-worn pain flashed through her as she dropped a glance at the loving Valentines Day message on the front of her thick crimson sweatshirt. John had been killed just hours after he had watched her unwrap his gift and she wore it every year. Resolutely she turned her thoughts to the joy they had shared for so short a time, rather than the sorrow of her loss, and her strides never faltered.

One could not pause the study in motion, too few ever saw Sian Rhys at rest. She was too private a person for that. Long dancers muscles flowed smoothly as she ran, displaying a sleek but definitely feminine form. Hair tumbled in a thick gleaming mass nearly to her waist, currently restrained by a broad sweatband. Later it would be tamed into an efficient and elegant French twist.

In minutes she would be home, soon she would be steaming herself in a devilishly hot shower. After devouring an hearty breakfast Sian would fall in to her king-size bed, sleeping soundly till just after noon. Her life began in the late afternoon and ran through the night till nearly dawn. It had felt odd at first to do her running at the end of her ‘day’ but she loved to watch the dawn as much as she loved sunsets. And so refused to change her familiar routine.

"One last sprint" Sian caroled in her warm alto voice, as they began the last stretch of their run. Paragon's Vice bounced once, and then tore out, easily out distancing her, despite her best efforts. He was waiting for her with a doggy smile as she made it to the back gate, her breathing still light.

"Keeping up with you is just not possible, Para me lad!" She used the remote clipped to her sweatpants to open the gate and watched with an easy smile as the big Shilo Shepherd dashed across the backyard and into the house through his dog door. The electronic collar Para wore unlocked it, and kept the house's other four legged residents safely inside. Sian followed more sedately up the four broad steps to the rear entry.

Dilana stretched her arms above her head as she stood still after her long walk through out the city. Sighing, the young woman made it down the dark street that was becoming lighter with every moment that past. Seeing a running form ahead of her, Dilana silently began to follow the feminine looking person. Dilana was a sharp observer, her eyes quickly picking up on where this woman was headed. As she watched her open the gate to what looked to Dilana to be her home, she watched as the dog ran inside. Smiling at the animal, her eyes gazed on as the woman made it up the steps to her house. That was when Dilana stepped out of the shadows and called out, “Excuse me, miss?”
The young woman stood with her hands at her sides, her hair blowing in the wind behind her, and a calm expression upon her face. She did not want to seem a threat to the first person she encountered in this town.

Sian did not recognize the voice behind her, and that meant a stranger had some how gotten past the Enclaves wall and security personell. She didn't tense as she tuned on the top step, but an unsee ball of potentially lethal energy began to build up around her left hand. Sian practised her throwing skills regularly, and was generally dead accurate. Even at the current distance of nearly sixty feet. Her back yard was smaller than most of the other estates.

"Yes? Are you lost, or have you come seeking medical assisstance?" Sian asked calmly as she looked over the young woman.

Dawn was lightening the sky, the winter leafless oaks and elms not shadowing the first pearlescent rays. Dew turned hoarfrost spangled the lawn and slowly morning's soft bird song filled the silence as she waited for a reply

Dilana relaxed her shoulders as she glanced around at her surroundings. Taking a step forward the woman answered her question, "You see miss, I have just arrived in this town and I'm lost. I am unsure of where to go; I do not know anyone here."
Dilana rubbed her hands together, trying to keep them warm on the damp cold morning.

Sian shivered slightly as the cold started to chill the sweat her five mile run had brought out. She could see that the young woman was cold, and she could see no sign of a weapon. Though a pistol could well be in a back of the pants holster and many knives were slender or small enough to make little change in the way clothes hung on a person. Coming to a decission Sian let the ball of energy die and nodded. She keyed the remote again and the magnetic lock clunked open.

"Come on in, I was about to make breakfast. I bet you haven't eaten. Houston sprawls out so it's easy to get lost. Made your way through the Night long? The Night is full of life."

That last two lines were standard call and counter call- identifying phrases- one of the ways the Strange Folk, the Night Life had of identifying themselves to one another. On the backdoor's lintel was a bronze Darwin Fish, one of the currently favored Hex Sigils of the Night Life as well. If the girl was one of theirs she would respond with one of the return mottos. If she was not of the Night Life, well there was nothing in the house to give Sian away. She could feed the stranger, give her a map and maybe a lift to a more central location if she proved to be mundane.

"I'm Sian" She added with a smile, as she opened the kitchen door and the warm air of the house curled out.

She though she had a few warmer clothes that might fit the young woman, She saw no travelling pack or duffel. Sian habitually kept a variety of various sized clothes available. One never knew when an blood stained, tattered clothed Night Lifer might turn up.

Feb 14, 2010, 2:00am, Houston Port

These were different night lifers. A large group, at least a hundred strong, stood around a mile long stretch of open concrette. They had no worries about the police, a bag with fifteen thousand dollars in unmarked and nonconsecutive bills and a bottle of Dom had wound up on the area's patrolling officer door step, securing the groups privacy. However, there was nothing special with the vast majority of the spectators, they were all mundanes.

It was the anuall Mustang Owners of America Grey vs. Blue shoot out. Every year, a massive group of Mustang owners from all across the United States rolled into a designated city, and have a shoot out to see who would reign victorous. Last year it had been held in Boston, this year, the North verse South Battle was taking place in Houston. The majority of the cars were Mustangs of all years, from classic fast backs to the 2006 year model GT500s, with a few import lovers showing up with Supras and RX7s to compete, and a few Skylines dotted the port. The air reaked of the oddly plesent smell of burnt rubber and scorched clutches, and the mundanes went about, thinking nothing of the mist that surrounded one of the few entrances to the small section of the port.

It was just as a 2004 Cobra rocketed away down the marked off strip that the mist cleared away, and a black 2001 Camaro SS rolled down a ramp way and around the crowd, the deep rumble of the V8 ending many conversations, garnering the attention of a number of on lookers. The black Chevy rolled on a set of black wheels with polished lips, and seemed to hover on purple underglow neons. The windows were tinted one way black, and, holding with the dark theme of the car, the badges were all black chrome. The only white on the car was the number 402 printed on either side of the ram air hood.

The car came to a stop, and the door seemed to float open as a man stepped out. The stereo system, loud enough just to be heard over the dim murmer of the crowd and reving superchraged and nitroused V8s played a crystal clear copy of Rob Dougan's "Furious Angels". The man walked silently towards the crowd, clicking a small button on the key chain, allowing an electric servo to pull the door closed.

Ryan Hammond didn't walk over in the way a normal human would walk. His stride had purpose, a pace and move that said he had a reason to be here. Any Strang Folk in the group would quickly pick from his walk that it had the signature characteristics of the undead, a vampire. It was the slow yet well paced walk that said the walker had plenty of time on this planet to get done what he needed to. A walk that two hundred years of living, two centuries of memories, twenty decades of expiereince were left with each step. His features were soft yet still appearent, his movments quick yet liquid smooth. And if that didn't give him away to any of those truely expierienced with Vampires beyond novels and movies, any that could look at an aura would be able to tell.

"So, who wants to run?" He asked, his voice soft, but commanding attention. Some of the owners looked at him with awe, having the courage to walk literaly into the lion's den. Others looked at him with a strange discomfort, felling that something just wasn't right. Females stared at his strange beauty, a handsomeness that bordred on rugged. He wore a white Tshirt with the words "I am the Stig" written in black over a black long sleaved tshirt. His jeans weren't quite tight, but nor were they loose. His feet were covered by a set of well worn red Puma sneakers.

Eventually one man stepped forward, and looked Ryan over. Ryan's featured didn't lend well to the stereotypical muscle car driver, his build more athletic than muscular. The man snuffed, and nodded. He was from Dallas, and had a deep Texan accent, and unbeknowst to Ryan, was close to winning the 'gold' so to speak for the South with his Cobra. "I'll run ya," he grunted out, not adding a "pretty boy" that many of the Mustang owners would believe be tossed in.

Ryan nodded, and walked back over to the Camaro, the door poping open for him as he reached it, sliding into the cockpit of the Chevrolet pony car, and piloting it over to the starting line. In the cabin of the car, he flicked a remote, and Rob Dougan's "Speed me Towards Death" began to play. He looked over as the built 2004 'Terminator' Cobra rolled up next to him, throwing a few revs. He reached down beside his seat, and fliped a small switch, activating the Camaro's nitrous system. A quick press of a small red button, mounted on the back side of the steering wheel sent a jet of white presurized nitrous oxide from the right wheel well.

A flagger walked up between the cars, and held her arms up. She pointed to each car, hearing the two V8s reving. She pulled her arms up again, and dropped, signaling the start. Ryan was left behind quickly as the Cobra flew out of the hole shot, the supercharged V8 roaring as the rear tires smoked up from the launch. However, Ryan was far from beat. He feathered the clutch, letting out slowly to keep the wheels from spinning to much. He gripped, and the Camaro rocketed forward, quickly closing the distance between he and the Mustang. Before the half mile mark, he had already paced the Mustang. A shift into fourth activated the computerized nitrous system, and he scremed away from the Mustang.

Those watching the race with real intent noticed two things about the Camaro driver: His shifts were perfect, and his launch was amazing. There was no drop with each shift up, no sound of the revs lowering. It was as if he was moving through one long gear. There was no scratch of the tires, no sound of the rear trying to escape with the power it was putting down. As they rocketed past the mile mark, the Mustang driver, a good seven lengths back, hung is head in his car. He had been not just beat, but destroyed.

The trend continued through the rest of the night. Mustang after Mustang fell to the strange Camaro. By 3:30 in the morning, Ryan had fully cleaned shop, and piloted his Camaro away from the port, leaving the other racers dumb founded. He slid into his apartment at 4:00am, ducking into the building quickly to avoid the rising sun. By 6:00am Valentine's day morning, he was asleep, hiden well in his dark apartment, waiting for the next night to come.

Iced Earth’s Dragon’s Child thumped through the speakers of the small stereo in the bathroom. Steam rose from the glass shower, through the fogged class one could make out a shape that seemed human, right until a tail flickered. The whole of the bathroom was covered in steam and mostly everything was damp. The figure inside the shower shut off the water when the track ended, there was a slight pause as there was moaning that went from animal to human quickly and through the fog the shape quivered and seemed to change.

A few moments passed before the door opened and as a slim, yet had slight muscle, woman exited from the shower and whistled softly to herself. She retrieved a towel from a cabinet underneath the sink and began to dry herself off. The woman paused for a second, getting some paper towels from the cabinet, went back into the shower, and came out with a clump of white and black fur which she tossed into the trashcan.

“Hate it when I shed.” She muttered to herself in a slight Italian accent as she wiped the mirror free of condensation. Her family had migrated to the United States back in the late 1800s-early 1900s and had to change the last name from Fulci to Pickett in order to fit in with the rest of America.

Jessica Pickett stared at herself in the mirror, beneath the slight tanned skin was something only humans could dream up for fantasy novels and movies. Jessica was a weretiger, though she did not transform into a tiger as one might think. She also did not turn into the two legged steroid taking look that many werewolves had. Instead, she kept the slim and muscled human appearance she had, though that didn’t mean she stayed exactly the same.

When she changed, her body would itself would change slightly, she would grow only about a quarter inch, her face transformed the most, the bones readjusted to create the extended muzzle, and her teeth would also extend and sharpen. Growing a full length tail was a surprise to Jessica after her first conscious turning. Her fur was a bright white and a deep black. Jessica could start changing at her will after about a decade. She remembered the first time she woke up after her first transformation it had been a full moon the night before; though to this day she had yet to figure out if all werecreatures had an attachment to the moon.

Here senses and strength were heightened greatly while she was in tiger form, but even in human form everything was heightened. Jessica had also learned how to transform part of her body into tiger. Guessing from what she knew about werewolves, she guessed she was also immortal, not a bad deal. There were many young guys in hundreds of bars and clubs across the city, so there was defiantly a pool to play in.

After Jessica brushed her teeth, she headed into her small apartment. The walls were a light mint color and the floor in the kitchen was linoleum while the rest of the apartment was white carpet. There was a single TV, two couches, and a lazy boy in the family room and a pair of blue plastic lawn chairs on the balcony. She walked into her bed room and put on a pair of tight blue jeans and a black t-shirt. She checked the time, 6:30 Valentine’s Day, earlier in the morning she remembered hearing car engines off in the distance, bunch of damn teens racing and clubbing.

Jessica grabbed a brown leather jacket from a coat rack and left her apartment. She climbed down from the fourth story and headed out onto the street. She owned a car, a blue Jeep Wrangler, but rarely drove it due to gas prices and that she worked at a convenience store called Rick’s only two miles from where she lived. Jessica walked most of the time and enjoyed the time just before dawn, the morning was damp and as she neared the store, she could see at least a half dozen guys waiting outside. The husbands who forgot about Valentines Day till the last moment.

Jessica unlocked the shop, flicked on the lights and let them in. She scanned across the store, Rick’s sold things from milk and some food to DVDs, magazines, car oil and parts, some clothing, and various work tools and paint. Everything seemed to be in order, the refrigerators and freezers were still running and Jessica started the coffee maker.

Stationing herself behind the counter, she barely kept in the giggles as the husbands came forward with flowers and chocolates. It was going to be an amusing day.

Oh there had indeed been those of the Night Life among the group of pony car enthusiasts. How could there not be? The street racers lived for night fall, for some semblance of privacy around their illegal but not criminal activities. And around any thing that went on at night, there you found the Strange Folk, useing the dark for their own privacy and protection.

A crew of not much more than just turned adult Oni and Tengu, Japanese trolls and goblins, were there 'passing' as a Mundane outlawfilm crew. The high quality videos and interviews they'd managed to get would provide them more than a few dollars from those who eagerly awaited such action videos.

And they knew a Vampire when they saw one. And it wasn't as if Ryan Hammond was exactly an unknown. He hadn't been in Houston that long but the Conclave had brought him in once or twice already.

The tropical airs of Houston seemed to bring out the worst in some Vamps, and that meant Mess. No one in the Night Life wanted a Mess. Most Mundanes running scared, and more... troublesome... humans running toward the Mess. And that was a danger that had to be removed quickly and resolutely.

Ryan was know to be nothing if not resolute.

The film crew broke out the very special equipment when the Vampire showed and made sure they caught every race from the bezt vantage point. Their profits for the night work had most likely trippled. They'd party hearty Valentines night they promised themselves. And one of them reminded himsself to make a call when he woke up that afternoon. Ther was some one special who'd be interested in the Vampires activities of the night.

The dark young Fae at the coffee-stop was worrying Lillian.

It wasn't just the fact that she could see him, though that was worrying enough. She could see members of the Fae almost always these days, for all she was Mundane. It was something she'd have to give a bit more thought to, later.

But this boy had been around for three nights now, and the other Mundanes were still seeing him too. Look at the way that waitress was reacting, thrown for a loop by those unbelievably blue eyes -- "Gotta be contacts!" the girl was whispering to her workmate. Her hearer giggled as she checked out the black curling hair, the unfairly long eyelashes, the unmarked skin; then the masculine counterpoint of slim hips, wide shoulders and big steady hands.

Lillian snorted. Silly biddies, making her wait so long for her coffee! Still, she couldn't really blame them. She might be old, but she knew a woman'd have to be dead not to notice someone like that.

The trouble was, others who lived the Night Life would have noticed as well. Dangerous others. Why hadn't the Fae come to claim this one of their own? Under-Hill politics, probably, she answered herself. That was all very well, and she didn't want to get mixed up in that sort of nonsense, but if they kept up their aloofness this lad could get killed. Captured. Worse.

Rescuing him would take a couple of hours, though, and she didn't have a couple of hours. The building supervisor would be up in forty-five minutes. She knew his routine to the second; she had to, if she was going to keep Seklh safe. If she left now, she'd just have time to empty the litter-box and feed her friend, the two noisiest tasks in her life as a clandestine cat-keeper.

She stood up as briskly as she could. The waitresses who hadn't registered her presence didn't react to her impending absence, either. Nor did the young Fae, of course. Well, there was light in the sky, he'd be safe enough for most of the day.

If he hasn't blended by this evening, I'll do something about it, she promised, armouring herself with her plastic carrier-bags and scuttling out into the street.

But the promise didn't quiet her conscience. She feared she was going to have trouble getting to sleep today.

At Ricks

The last of the last minute present buyers waddled out of the store humming tunelessly. They had all been workers at the port, from the International Terminals where work went on round the clock. The next group to pull up in an over size cargo van were far different than the bulky muscled Mundane stevedors.

The Oni and Tengu piled noisily into the shop, wanting a pre bed time jolt of fizzy caffine. To a one they were all but a ddicted to the national soda of Texas Dr. Pepper. The females wore stereotypical 'Japanese school girl ultra short mini skirts in plaid, white thigh high stockings, white button down shirts with floppy ladies bowties. Their hair was done in paired poney tails or braids, in shades no Munday could achieve with out dye. Lavender, Pink, and brilliant orange clashed with the decidedly green hue of their complections.

The males has adopted more local get up, if some what dated. Whit tees with a pack of cigs rolled into one sleeve, black leather biker jackets, and faded blue jeans - at least the waists rode a the 'normal' level rather than down around their skinny butts.

"Hey pussy cat, pussy cat meow for me!" The tallest sing sang the moment he realised that they were the only ones in the store. "Have we got some good shit today! Vampire D was out to night taking no names!"

He leaned over the counter towards Jessica, his voice a conspiratorial whisper. "Hey I got a DVD burned already. I'll trade it for a pair of six packs." He thought she looked hesitant and hurried on. "You can sell it tonight at Cain's for six times the cost of the brew! We aren't releasing for a week...and man I am dieing for some brew!"

The outlaw crew were regulars at [i]Ricks[/b], the proximity to the port, a favorite venue for the street racers, bringing them by every few days. Some of them also even had day jobs, mostly as cleaning crew for the numerous strip joints that made good money from sailors randy from months at sea.

The brew that Left Ear was so anxious to have wasn't alcoholic, not by a long shot. He was desperate for a dose of Arizona Green Tea with Honey and Ginsing. Gensing acted on Tengu like Viagra on a Mundane. And his current squeeze had big appetites. He was getting a little desperate trying to keep her happy.

"Please Jessica" His voice a almost pathetic whimper.

Cabrettas Coffee Shop, Valentines Day morning

Cabrettas had once been a very fashionable coffe shop, but that was nearly fifty years ago during the heyday of the Rice Hotel. Now the Rice hotel had vanished to make way for the Downtown campus of the University of Houston and Cabrettas was all but forgotten save by perpetually all but broke students, the double hand full of elderly retirees that spent their days in the sun in the small part close to the Harris County Courthouse and other official building that made up most of that past of down town.

But Cyrian didn't care about any of that. The small, worn coffee shop was merely the closeest place to get endless refiles for the most addictive substance his race knew of. Caffee. And the mindlessness of that life waster was what he wanted and craved. His body would only tolerate a couple of more cups and then it would force him to leave and find a dark spot to collapse insensetate for several hours.

But it would be several hours of oblivion and then he could resume killing himself with the limited funding available to him. Only a hand full of bills rode in the right hip pocket of his grubby jeans. He just hoped it would be enough. The caffee poisoning has already affected his ability to Ken more bills.

He took another sip and nearly vomited as his abused body finally rebelled. He all but doubled over but managed to slowly gain his feet. The waitresses hurried over willing to do nearly anything to gain as little as a smile from those incredibly kissable lips.

What a Sidhe of the Courts could do to a human woman's desires was both a blessing and a curse. Cyrian didn't have the strength to keep his preternatural desireability under a glamor. And minutes later bolder of the two waitresses was leading him by the hand from the dimness of the coffee shop and up to the tiny apartment she called home.

"My name is Dilana Monceed, I've been traveling since 11 the night before," Dilana replied as she stepped into the house, "I do most of my traveling at night. However when I arrived here I had no idea where to go."
She felt the warmness of the house surround her as she raised her head and took a deep breath and then letting it out slowly.
"For such a big city," she began, "Everything is so close together, nothing like where I am originally from. By the way, I thank you for inviting me into your home, and for offering me breakfast wich I have to take you up on that offer."
Dilana quickly yawned and looked down at her clothes, wishing she had something with her to repay this woman for her kindness. It was then and there that she made up her mind that she would thank the woman called Sian somehow.

Jessica finished checking the shelves when she noticed the van pull up outside. She smiled a bit and moved back behind the counter as the first of the Oni and Tengu came in. They were okay, they didn't make a mess of the place and never stole. She leaned on the counter as the tallest came up singing while the rest browsed through the store.

Jessica stared at him as he offered a burned DVD of some streetrace they had filmed. She didn't pay much attention to this kind of thing and she was hesitant about it. The mention of 'Vampire' meant there was a bloodsucker around, though she had been in dozens of clubs, she had yet to meet one. The weretiger couldn't help but chuckle at Left Ear and his sheer desperation for the trade.

Jessica held out her hand and a black case was thrust into her hands. She talked as she removed a portable DVD player from behind the counter and put it on top and studied the DVD. "If the quality is suitable, we shall have an agreement. If not...you don't get your six pack."

Jessica didn't see any scratches or marks on the DVD and popped it in. After several minutes of studying the images and making sure it didn't have any breaks or heavy fragmenation, she stopped it and placed it back in the case carefully. She stowed the DVD and the player below.

She stared at Left Ear as he awaited her verdict. Jessica's boss paid her very well and she could put a few dollars in the register for the case of tea.

"Okay, you get your drinks. I want to know, who is this vampire guy you were talking about?"

Rivan padded down the street in full wolven form. He knew generally he was breaking tradition, yet he'd never learned all the traditional forms of the larger nighter community. The large wolf travelling down the Houston street was an odd sight as his front legs, head and neck were pure white, the white of freshly fallen snow, while the rest of his shaggy pelt was pitch black.

Lifting his muzzel, he caught the scent of a large forest and loped off to enjoy the woodlands that reminded him however faintly of the home he'd been exiled from by curse of birth. Finding a bush that was alongside a path in which it smelt like a human, that wasn't quite human in scent, ran along fairly often.

"Dilana, thats a pretty name" Sian ushered her guest through the mud room and into the houses spacious kitchen. "Grab a chair," She gestured towards the round table that rested in the bow of the breakfast nook as she moved into the kitchen headed towards the massive built in sub zero fridge. "Hot chocolate, tea or coffee? And do you like Belgain waffles? I have some batter ready to go and fresh strawberries too up."

She set the griddle to preheating while she waited for Dilana to make her choice of drink.

"I have some spare clothes that should fit you, and if you'd like a shower, just go up the stairs there' She waved a hand at the staris just visable though a door "and the guest bathroom is the second door to the right. You can shower while the waffles cook"

She was hopeing the young woman would like a shower. She hadn't responded to the code phrases and Sian was very concerned how a Mundane had gotten into the private enclave. Usually the sublininal , subtle strangeness of the Night Life put Mundanes off, made them veer away with out quite knowing why. Sian wanted a little privacy to make a quick call to the security center, and see if there was some problem

Left Ear's eyes went round. "Jessica, don't tell me you don't know about Vampire D?! Don't you watch any anime? You know, Vampire Hunter D, the Vampire that cleans up Messes?" The Tengu acted shocked but he knew that she didn't keep up with much of his sort of street sceen.

"Don't you hear anything in the clubs? He's the undead the Conclave goes to to clean up a Mess. I though his rep was all over the place...though I don't know how much he hits the clubs you do." He just shook his head as his crew showed her the two six packs of Arizona Green Tea as they began to filter out of the store. They might rob a Mundane store blind, but no place one of the Strange Folk worked.

"Look, go to Cain's tonight, supposed to have a live band tonight" He and his wouldn't be there, they were far more into classical japanese music. "He might show. You know some one made a Mess two nights ago and if the Conclave has decided to clean it up thats where 'employeement ad' will be placed. So Vampire D might well be there- if you are wanting an eyeful."

With that tidbit of info and a bucktoothed grin he was heading out to the van where his crew waited impatiently.

The man who called himself Arthur Corsic had been traveling for a long, long time. He had seen more of the galaxy than he had ever wished to-which was not saying much, considering he had never wished to travel at all. After centuries of flitting from system to system seeking something he could not quite define, he had at last come to a quaint little planet which the locals called Earth. Despite the marked differences between the planet and his home, which he remembered vividly despite having been gone for almost four hundred years, there was something about this planet that intrigued Arthur. He had stayed longer here than any other place he had visited in his travels-nearly ten years now. It was only recently that he had relocated from California to Texas, but he was already seeing signs of things that his admittedly limited knowledge of humans did nothing to explain. Things that might even be referred to as supernatural by the natives. Perhaps this was a place where he could finally find acceptance? He would have to see.

(OOC:Not sure how to introduce him into any of the storylines I see so far, so if someone would interact with him I'd appreciate it, and we can take it from there.)

Ryan sat up in his bed, watching the images flicker across the TV screen. As far as a vampire could be, he suffered from an acute case of insomnia. He never quite adapted to the vampiric way of sleeping durring the day, and in his pre-siring life, he had always been a good sleeper. He shrugged his shoulders, letting the tension build, then droped him, and stretched out his neck. He tried keeping his eyes closed, but they would force themselves open. He was finaly on the verge of going under when a shrill ring pierced the dark room. He reached over, and grabbed the Motosliver cell phone.

"What?" he answered gruffly, hoping that it wasn't one of the superiors on the other end.

"Ryan? Its 'Busa. You going to Caine tonight? Supposed to be a good live band, it'll be tight." The man on the other end was an Oni that Ryan had met through racing. Ryan was in the process of cleaning up a serious Mess when he had run into the Japanese deamon who went by a street name, Hayabusa, and used his asistance to remove a particular threat to the Night Lifers in general, but the Conclave first and formost.

Ryan sighed. The Caine was a mixed blood club, one that, despite being run by Night Lifers and Strange Folk, was open to mundanes as well. The vast majority of the patrons were Strang Folk, and the mundanes that attended were the social outcasts: punks, goths, and other types who, if saw and spoke about anything they saw at the club, would be quickly, and easily discredited. It often featured underground punk, goth, and emo bands, where as Ryan leaned more towards the neo classical touch of Rob Dougan, or the flowing trance of the European DJs.

"Naw, I was thinking we could take out your car, go make some money off the Mustang boys still in town. I ran 'em all last night, nothing to be afraid of if the fastest ran me." Ryan spoke while digging through a drawer next to his bed.

"C'mon man, I know you weren't a huge fan of the last group that hit it up, but its new tonight. Its Japanese neo punk. I know the lead singer, its like, Strung Out, with a bit of BT in it. Plus you know there's gonna be some sexy little Asian pieces."

Ryan sighed again finally finding what he was looking for. "Yeah fine. But your driving. I got to many people who'll see the 'Maro and wanna run, and the Audi is giving me shit again."

"Sweet man. I'll be over around sun set, we, we'll, I, can get an early dinner, do some highway pulls, and then hit up the club. Lata man!"

"Later," Ryan said, clicking the phone off. He looked at the small red vial in his hand, and smiled. He had gotten it at a Strange Folk specific hospital there were small amounts of a sleeping solution diluted into mundane blood. He had enjoyed the company of the doctor who had supplied it, and had often visited to get extras even though she had told him how to make his own. It wasn't anything like a crush or attraction, he just enjoyed talking to someone who wasn't, well, to put in kindly, nuts.

He jabbed the neddle into his arm, and felt the blood and sleeping solution rush into his system, and with seconds to spare, he programed the alarm on his cell phone to go off at 6:30. While sunset was a touch earlier, the Oni's idea of sunset was always a quarter past nine. He placed the cell phone down, and sleep quickly over took him as his cat, a black tabby named Cassie he had adopted off a mundane curled at the foot of his bed, purring soundly in its sleep.

(OOC: To be honest, I wasn't sure what Dilana should respond to..I was a bit confused on the, "code," phraises..i'm not blaming you, it may have just been how i interpreted it. I'll try again, I apologize.)



IC:


Dilana greatfully sat down in the chair that Sian had indocated, "It certainly was a long night, the nightlifers don't bother me at all. The night is long, however the days seem much longer to me."

Rivan found that the scent markings of his kind ran deeper into the mostly untouched fastness of the expansive memorial park and the adjoining Arboretum. Houston's Were community had long ao declared that the park and Arboretum were, like the bayous, neutral ground.

As he moved deeper into the park youngsters from the pack resided closest to the the park closed in about him, though they were understandably wary of the new commer. With a stretch-legged bow, wave of tail and a cheerful yip the biggest invited Rivan to accompany them to the local meeting spot.

(OOC: No need to apologise! :) )

Sian put her concerns aside as Dilana identified herself. Para had also as much as told her he felt comfortable with Sian inviting the young woman in. The massive Shilo Shepard was Schutzhund trained and never really off duty so to speak. He'd watched Dilana briefly then laid his head on his paws and seemingly dozed off.

"Where are you from Dilana? I hear a bit of an accent I don't recognise." Sian asked as she set a mug of Dilana's chosen drink down in front of her. She pulled the bowl of waffle battrer out of the fridge as well as the strawberries. While the batter warmed a bit she began slicing the strawberries.

Rivan looked at the pups from what appeared to be the local pack. His ears flattened in a gesture of suspicion that was quite natural given his somewhat larger than average size and unique colouration pattern, both of which were responsible for him leaving his pack and his lone wolf condition. He'd never met any wolves of any pack that did not view him as a 'renegade' because of the conditions of his birth. With a cautious bark, he indicated for them to lead the way.

Jessica stared at him completely clueless with the mention of anime, she never kept up with some of this stuff. She listened to what Left Ear had to say, she had never gone to Cain's before but there was a first time for everything. She had yet to meet a vampire and she didn't know what to expect if she accidently bumped into one, an 'oops' and 'excuse me' or fangs trying to rip her throat out. Of course she wanted the first. She watched as the Oni and Tengu departed and slid some money in the register to account for the tea.

There was a ring at the door a few minutes later and the stream of white collar workers began. All were regulars, coming in and buying a few extra cups of coffee and some breakfast. More than one flirted with her, all but two or three were Mundane. If the Mundane found out Jessica was a weretiger, they would probably find the highest tree and stay up there.

Warding off the flirts, Jessica's day offically began, hopefully she could get off early and get to Cain's shortly after sunset.

"Thank you for the tea," Dilana said as Sian placed the cup in front of her. Blowing a soft breath upon the steam, Dilana answered Sian's question, "I'm from the nation of Tarayshia, however I have traveled to many nations."
Dilana watched as the other woman got the bowl out of the fridge and began to cut the strawberries, "May I help you with those?"
Dilana asked as she stood from her chair and walked over towards the woman;

"Sure" Sian handed over the strawberry slicing to Dilana and turned to check if the griddle on the massive Wolfe commercial gas range was ready. "I've not heard much about Tarayshia, but most of my few jaunts have only been short trips to Europe. I'm a doctor, and never seem to have much time off."

Soon the house was filled with the mouthwatering smells of bacon and waffles as Sian piled plates high with both and set them at the table.

"Thanks for finishing the strawberries" She piled some atop her waffles and dug in. After a few minutes of companionable silence as both took the edges off their hunger, she sat back and offered Para a strip of bacon.

"He's an absolute fiend for bacon" She laughed, and then rose and began cleaning up, as she turned the conversation back to Dilana

"I notice you're travelling light. And some how I don't think you have a job lined up." She tried tp hide a huge yawn. "Oh, sorry, tireder than I thought!. And if you've been up all night travelling, You're probably as tired as I am. You are welcome to stay here for a few days, get yourself oriented."

Once the dishes were done she led Dilana upstairs. "Here's the guest bedroom , the baths next door. Theres clothing in the closet, just take what you need. Nancia, my house keeper will be here at 8:30, if you need anything she can help you." She'd left her house keeper a note in the kitchen advising her of the household's guest.

Yawning once again Sian excused herself, wished Dilana a sound sleep and headed off to the master suite. A quick shower and she'd be ready for sleep.

Rivan found himself being led deeper into the depths of the Arboretum, where the sounds of civilization did not intrude. Where the slough of the bayou and wind rustling winter bare tree brances against one another held sway. The seniors of the pack were sitting around a well cept wooden picnik table.

The city's packs took turns holding down the 'Welcome Wagon' duties, and this month it was in the paws of the Green Water Clan.

"Be Welcome Wanderer." The packs Alpha spoke. "Slake your thirst and dine with us" She spoke the old traditional greeting. This early morn the trio of thermoses held hot chocolate, beef broth, and coffee. Links of home made vennison sausage and a thick spicy chillie stayed warm over cans of sterno. A stacks of disposeable cups and plates were ready near by.

Green Water was an unusual clan. When the Alpha pair had been broken by the untimely death of the male hafe of the pair they had been content to leave Windra, his mate as sole Alpha. Especially since Windra had amply demonstrated her ability to take on and defeat every male Alpha in the city.

"Feel free to change behind the bushes" The grey haired Alpha indicated a largeish stand of undrgrowth with a couple of heavy fleece robes hung from near by branches. Green Water was a very civilized clan, they didn't believe that dominance games were a 'must have' part of every first meeting.

Of course there was no mention made of the pack member high in a tree mounted blind with a .308 loaded with custom silver rounds and targeted in on the small clearing. No need to mention that the pack member was a highly decorated retired marine sniper. At nearly half a mile and up wind he was too far away to be scented Green Water was civilized, they hid their threats until when and if the time came.

The pack's cubs moved off their escort duties done. Sone they were busy trying to find the complex scent trail one of their tracking instructors had laid down for them. The cubs enjoyed these lessons more than they did 'school' but the the pack elders were adamant. Mundane style school came first then you got the fun stuff.

"Corsic, hey Corsic-san. Wait up a mo! " [i]Hayabusa called after the man whod just rounded a corner. 'Well, he at least looks human' 'Busa thought as he reved is sleek Japanese crotch rocekt and wheeled around the corner after the tall human.'But he sure doesn't smell human..but then again what Night Life really does?' he added inwardly as the bike took the corner.

'Busa had been sure his relatively new aquaintence was of the Night Life with in a few minutes of being introduced by some Mundane merc's he occassionally partied with. Even though Arthur Corsic hadn't responded to any of the subtle code phrases Night Life used to identify themselves, there were enough 'Lost Ones' out there.

'Busa could look very very Mundane when he chose to. Greater Oni could shape shift easily. And 'Busa had had enough years under his well worn blakc leathers to know Mundanes. And 'Arthur Corsic didn't act quite like a Mundane. Just little things, but off enough...

It didn't really matter to Hayabusa, to him people were people no matter where you came from or what you really looked like.

What did matter is that he had learned that Corsic-san liked music. And there was a really hot band going to be at Cain's tonight. They were opening all three levels of the club up in expectation of a high turn out.

Corsic was still in sight and the Oni called out again "Hey Corsic- san theres going to be Music, serious Sound ta' nite. Interested?"

Arthur tensed slightly when he heard his name shouted, but relaxed when he realized it was the eccentric Japanese biker he'd met when he first came to Houston. He stopped and turned. "If there's good music, I'm always interested."

It wasn't just the music that drew him in this case, though. He found Hayabusa intriguing. It could have been that he was simply an odd specimen of his species, but there was a definite alertness about him. Arthur had picked up on the slight signs that told him Hayabusa knew he was more than he appeared. So far, he had not encountered any humans who had seen past his disuise, either physically or behaviorally.Logic told him that an earth native was far more likely to assume that another person was not what they seemed when they themself were not quite who they pretended to be. Also, the fact that Hayabusa did not cause any kind of disturbance over Arthur showed that either he had his own reasons for not wanting to draw attention or that he was accustomed to those not quite human. Or both.

Arthur smiled. "Just tell me where, Hayabusa-san, and I'll be there."

'Busa whooped as Arthur agreed to show up. "It's at Cains! Spo's to be opening all three levels. I'm picking up a friend, grabbing a bite and then we'll be there 'fore 'change-o'. Should be rippin by then." Midnight at Cains was always greeted in a special way. "Ya need a ride? I'm leaving the bike at home, gon' bring out the Hummer"

Hayabusa was a biker first and foremost- he took his streename from his favorite bike, the Suzuki Hayabusa (http://www.atddm.com/hyab.jpg) reputedly the worlds fastest motorcycle. But the souped up, customised to a 't' Hummer he'd won off a too drunk to count his card's ex special forces type was a special case. The sound system that he'd had put in was nearly twenty k of pure concert hall quality sound. It was also less obviously a rolling armory.

'Busa believe in peace through superior firepower, and wasn't shy about availing himself of any Mundane weapon he could get ahold of. The armory was well concealed though, and that had cost him a pretty penny as well. But 'Busa had many ways of making a living.

(OOC: Can I have a post like this in the rp? Seeing as how Sian has gone to bed...? I hate being such a newbie..lol)


IC:

"This food is delicious," Dilana said as she began to eat the food that her and Sian had prepared.
"I don't have anything in this place," Dilana replied to Sian's question, "I'd like to get a job as soon as possible, I used what little money I had for a ticket here."
Dilana smiled as she watched Sian give the dog a piece of bacon, "What is your dog's name? I really like dogs, they're such wonderful companions."
After finishing the breakfast, Dilana covered her mouth as she yawned while Sian took her upstairs.
"Thank you so much Sian," she began as she gazed around the guest room, "I honestly appriciate all that you're doing. If I can ever repay you; you just let me know and I'll do it."
After Sian left, Dilana pulled out a nightgown, took off her clothing and slipped the brown night gown over her head and climbed into bed and welcomed the sleep that her body so needed.

Arthur thought it over for a moment. "Sure, I'd be grateful for the ride."

Cain's, huh? Arthur thought to himself. Should be fun. If the small hints he had been picking up were any indication, Cain's would contain just the sort of people he wanted to find. It also confirmed his suspicions about Hayabusa.

"I hear that the...erm...night life at Cain's is something special. Should be a lot of fun."

(OOC- Posts like that are very acceptable.)

Sian showered and fell into bed still damp. She could barely keep her eyes open long enough to give Pip and Frito their morning strokings. The night before had actually been the twodays before. She's had no sleep in over forty eight hours. She'd spent over eight hours waiting on Cains awakening and then nearly as long laying out the report of the latest Mess. She respected Cain, but didn't much like him, and she knew the feelings were returned. He wanted her to be his good little lackey, and she was damn well not about to let that come about.

However as the apex politico and predator in the region Cain was not a force to be dismissed lightly. He kept as much control as possible over the Vampires, but something- and Sian was damn sure it wasn't anything in the water- made Vampires ( and others of the Night Life as well) in this area go rogue far more than was the statistical norm. It was getting to the point that Cain was about to close the region to visiting, or even passing though Vampires. He was also urging the other governing bodies - such as any such existed in the Night Life - to do the same as well. And that was causeing it's own set of problems.

There was a newly made Animalistic Vampire on the loose, and two nights ago it had torn a pair of predawn joggers into its bitsy pieces. And the pieces had been found. The police were calling it a mugging gone awry. But there were other witnesses. A Were-cougar cub had slipped out of her parents town house on the sly, wanting to play along the nearby White Oak Bayou's banks. It had taken all of Sian's skill to bring the child out of her near catatonia.

Brining down a terrified child's mental shields, even inadvertant, untrained ones was exhausting. The images she had recovered from the child were exceptionally vivid and gruesome, particularly as the monster had chased the cub for some distance. She worked with the father trying to track the Animalistic Vampire but they had lost it when it has apparently entered the bayou. The winter had been wet and the bayous were all well filled.

The alert had gone out to the Night Life resideing in the vicinity- one of the things the hospital did was act as a message fub for Houston's Night Life.

However she had been unable to get ahold of any one to start a hunting party, and in a way she was glad. It took special training and heavy fire power to take on one of the rare Animalistic Vampires. They in many ways were harder to kill than the 'normal' variety. She didn't want to risk any one untrained trying to deal with one on a rampage. Fortunately it had not struck again the next night, and now the Conclave had been informed. They were the proper ones to deal with such a danger.

One of Sian's last thoughts before Morpheus claimed her was that she needed to find out Dilana's skills were. Night Life were generally far more comfortable working with their own.

"Where to pick you up? Not meaning to be nosey Corsic-san, but I got no 'dea where you doss down. Want to go to dinner too?"

'Busa was pretty sure now that he'd found a 'Lost One'. He'd need to let the proper people know. Arthur needed to get a full education quick, before he inadvertantly outed himself. A phone call before he got some zzz'z for the day and introduction to the right people tonight and he'd have done what was needed.

Arthur knew that his eating habits might arouse suspicion, but he could simply say he had eaten a large lunch. Might as well, I suppose.

"Sure, I'll join you for dinner. I live on the corner of Lubbock and Sabine. It's right across the freeway from Bayou Place. Just honk the horn and I'll meet you outside."

The cell phone's vibration against the ornate wood was enough to pry the dark kiss of sleep from Ryan, his eyes blinking open slowly. He reached over, and pressed the first button he could feel on the phone deactivating the alarm. He rose from the bed, a soft mattress that he prefered to the hard varients that hurt his back, and walked to the window. The east facing portal to the outside world would prevent any light from comming in if it wasn't quite past sunset. As he pulled back the blinds, he prepared to move aside, should any reminants of the burning star that provided warmth and light for earth still be seen. He slid the curtain back, and was pleased that no light seeped through.

He smiled a toothy grin, running his tounge over his fangs, and looked down at Cassie. "Wake up hun," he said as the cat stretched out and mewd. He walked to the kitchen, and pulled out a bag of cat food, pouring it into a dish that was quickly attacked by the feline. He grabbed a remote off the counter, and pressed a button that activated the apartments speaker system. Carl Orff's O Fortuna began playing over the speakers as Ryan walked to the small bathroom, stripping on the way over. He turned on the shower, and slid in, the water waking him further.

His shower was quick, yet revitalizing, and he stepped out, wrapping a towel around his waist, allowing himself to air dry. As the opera came to a close, he clicked off the radio, and turned on the TV. The seven o'clock news was telling more stories of the massacre that had happened days earlier. Ryan sighed, listening to the reporter coment on the attack, and the rise of crime in the city. Mundanes, I swear, they can't see the truth hovering inches from their face Ryan thought, letting his foot stroke the black cat at his feat. The oddity of the situation that dog's feared him, yet this cat, and most felines in general, had no negative reaction to his presence had never once struck him.

But that is of course the way we want it. To stay in the shaddows, out of sight of the mundanes. The less they know the better we are. You know it, they fear us, and what they fear, they kill. Ryan shook his head in dismay, letting the thoughts subside. The news did mean one thing. He was going to be getting a call shortly from one of Caine's underlings. He snuffed at this thought.

As he dressed, he thought about the glory of being a free rider, so to speak. He had been one of the last few allowed into Houston before Caine began requiring those of the undead comming in and out to register. But then, Ryan had never truely been into the politics of the Conclave, nor Vampire society as a whole. Many thought human politics were cut throat, but they had no idea. Instead, he had made his contact with the Coven, the Conclave, and the Clan as minimal as possible. However, his skill was undeniable. He had a tallent for cleaning up Messes and problems in the city. And that made him the go to guy for making those that broke the unspoken code of the Night Lifers and Strange Folk go away.

He chuckled at the thought of the underlings pinning for his cell phone number, fighting to get the first call in. He had blocked all numbers but three from the clans, and non cared to much to speak with him, less their own hide was being hunted. No. He would not be the tool that some lap dog used to catipult his own status up in the Conclave. If Caine wanted him, then he was welcome to contact Ryan.

The dressing had taken just under an hour, and now he waited for 'Busa's call. Ryan wondered if the Oni simply took the name from his vehicle of choice, a Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle, or understood the name was Japanese for Falcon. He probably did, and there was most likely some reason for it. Ryan simply clicked through the channels as he waited, stopping on AMC to watch Bullit, his hand stroking the black cat now laying next to him on the couch.

Jessica munched on a piece of bacon as she read the paper. The only depressing thing she learned about being a weretiger was that she could really only eat meat. She could have maybe a tiny piece of lettuce or a bit of chocolate, but more than that she would throw up and get sick. Drinking, anything from water to vodka was game. She took a sip of orange juice as the bell rang and a customer walked in. Jessica looked up and saw it was a Mundane teenager regular named Tony and she smiled before turned back to the paper.

The police comment on the slaughter of the pair of joggers was still a mugging. She finished the bacon, somehow she didn't believe it. Jessica kept herself out of the mainstream politics of the Night Life as much as possible, knowing things always got complicated when politics came into the light. But, though she didn't belong to any pack, gang, or whatever terms the Night Life used, she felt it might be best to nail the pyscho, if he was Night Life and if he came into her territory.

"Hey Jessica." Tony said. Jessica looked up as the teen placed a twelve pack of soda, some frozen pizzas, a copy of Soldier of Fortune and Playboy on the counter.

"Hey Tony, how is college going?" She said as she started to ring up the items.

"Good, not as hard as I thought." He paused as he saw Jessica looking at him as she held the copy of Playboy. "I only read the articles."

"I bet." Jessica chuckled. She gave him the total and the teen slide a few bills over the counter. He left after a few minutes of conversation and Jessica was left alone again. She turned her eyes to the clock she got off just after one o'clock, plenty of time to relax before heading to check out Cain's and hopefully get some cash for the DVD.

Sighing, Jessica went back to the paper and turned on the radio for some Rock and Roll.

'Busa gave Arthur a slightly wide eyed look. Lubbock and Sabine was less than two blocks west of the headquarters of the Houston Police department. Thatwas far closer than most any Night Life felt comfortable living to the cops. Though Houston, all unawares, did a a couple of Night Life on the force. But then again only two blocks seperated Arthur from the virtual 'freeway' of Buffalo Bayou.

"Is it that rooming house on the northwest corner?"

The other three corners were taken up by houses converted to offices for shyster lawyers and bailbond offices. The main city court house was right next to HPD. Most of the houses between the that complex and the Glenwood and Washington Cemetaries had been converted to offices. Houston had no zoning laws, just variously unenforced deed restrictions and it was not uncommon to find homes converted boutiques, small restraunts, and offices in the middle of a comfortably settled neighborhood.

Arthur supressed a smile, correctly interpreting Hayabusa's surprise. Now he'll be forced to wonder why I feel so comfortable with the local authorities. Am I that confident, or that stupid? That'll keep him on his toes.

"That's the one. When should I expect you?"

Rid o' the Gate frowned, the facial movement creasing his pale skin with lines of irritation. He glanced at the Doorway again - an insignificant alcove and something Humes would give millions of their dollars to merely know of its location.

Even the Elfin did not know its exact location - the Ya'Odar opened in different places at different times, and its heart was a secret jealously guarded by the Highest of the Night Life's aristocracy, them and the Aelfen of House Dwin'ghymn. The Wardings were starting to fail, as he had known they would...the Alignment was incorrect as well, with the celestial bodies on each side of the Ya'Odar not yet in their proper place.

He sighed, turned and strode from the Gate's heart, tension always crept into Ridothi's mind when one of his "Little Tasks" crept up.

As he walked through the alleys of Houston there were a few who looked strangely at the immaculately dressed man with the silver hair - his Glamour working without thought now, and those few Humes who reached for weapons and thought of the wealth he must carry...why, they turned back to their friends and lives at a thought from Rid o' the Gate.

Humans unaware of the Night Life, and the Otherfolk, were easy to Turn Away. Those who knew, truly knew were a very different story.


A short time later, Rid o' the Gate walked confidently into a shop called Ricks. The Gatekeeper always walked confidently - to do otherwise would shame the tradition of the Ya'Odar.

His slender hands collected a few newspapers - one from Houston, one national line, and one from the United Kingdom, and a bottle that claimed to be "Mineral Water", although it appeared depressingly sterile to Ridothi.

A moment or so later and he had also selected a couple of ballpoint pens - a powerful mage and skilled warrior he may be, as was his line before him, but pens still managed to escape his keeping - and an architectural magazine called "Walls, Windows and Gates" that looked truly dull, although the Aelfen knew perfectly well that to those of their kind it was a useful resource indeed.

Jessica looked up as the silver haired customer walked in. She scanned his body up and down as he walked away from the door and into the aisles. She purred softly to herself, a handsome devil. She could smell him as the fan in the back of the store blew his scent gently to her. She composed herself as he walked up to the counter and placed the articels on the counter.

Jessica looked up at him, she could tell he was not Mundane in the least, and in the slightest of chanes he wasn't he was a hardcore fantasy geek.

"New in town?" She asked as she started to ring the stuff up.

Dilana stretched as she heard the knock on the door. Opening her eyes, she yawned before throwing back the covers.
When she heard that Sian's maid had made brownies she smiled as she said, "Thank you, I'll grab a quick shower and I'll be down."
After bathing, combing her ebony hair back and slipping on a blue dress that went to her knees she joined Sian downstairs.
Sitting down at the table she took a brownie off the plate, "Thank you, these look wonderful."
She swallowed the bite she had made and answered Sian's question about her job skills, "I worked as a nurse in a hospital in Tarayshia, I can sense when things are about to happen; although I do not know if it was because of the attack."
Although Dilana looked human, her inner abilities came from when she had been attacked and bitten by a lioness trying to protect her cubs. All of her senses were extremely heightened after the attack.

Rivan padded over to the bushes, more out of respect for the local pack's appearent sense of modesty, rather than out of any sense of personal shame. The pack he'd been born into was one that believed in the purity of form, and seldom went about clothed in human form, save when they were hosting visitors or visiting. Shrugging into the robe, he brushed back the shock of white hair, he moved from behind the bushes to the table.

"Greetings to you and may your path always be clear," He replied in a traditional response, but not the common response to the greeting of the Alpha.

"I am Wind-At- My-Back, Windra Rivers in Mundane parlance, Alpha of Green Water clan, sept of Rolling Water" Windra proceeded to inttoduce the rest of the pack to Rivan and offered him both food and drink. The old ways ensured protected both guest and host. His response would let her guage how traditionally he had been raised.

"Might I know the pack of your littering?" The gray haired Alpha asked politely. Her own pack was was a old clan, as she named them a branch of Rolling Water, one of the three High Clans in North America. Rolling Water held sway over the central part of the US and Canada - from the Mississippi River as a eastern edge to the Rockie Mountains in the west.

Dilana's job skills pleased Sian. She wouldn't have to ask around to find her a job. The hospital was perpetually understaffed. She named a salary that was over what other nurses in the city made unless they were specialized.

"And you can stay hear for a month or so , get a couple of paychecks under your belt." Sian offered as she put the rest of the brownies away. "Are you up to a little celebration tonight? I've got an invitation to Cains, they are supposed to have a good band tonight. I'd rather not go alone." Sian didn't normally go to clubs but Cains would be the best place to introduce Dilana to the Night Life. "I know there's nothing in my spares closet in the way of club wear, but I hope you'll let me treat you to something nice, a sign on bonus if you will. I know just the boutique, we can both find glitzy outfits there. I don't have anything to wear clubbing myself." Sian admitted. She hoped Dilana would agree. Part of her realized that she had been too deep in grief over John for too long. He wouldn't have wanted her to bury herself with him, and that in a way was just what she had been doing. She needed to bring more people into her life, rejoin the world, live again.

"Corsic-san,I'll be at the corner just 'fore sundown, 'bout 9 pm" The Oni added. For him sundown was always 9:30, no matter what time the sun set in actuality. With a booming laugh and a wave he gunned the Hayabusa and rolled away with a causal wave. 'Now what will Hammond-sana think of Corsic-san. They both move like the hunters they are, but I still can't get a grasp on Corsic-san' he thought in Japanese as he headed off for his daytime retreat high in the mountains of Iga province. He almost always returned to the land of his origin. His mother got cranky if he didn't and no Oni, even a greater one, wanted his Okaa-sama upset. It simply wasn't ...healthy. And for a Greater Oni such a travelling was no trouble at all. He'd be back in Houston by the evening.

Arthur nodded his agreement to the time, then watched as Hayabusa drove away. Once the Japanese man was out of sight, he turned and began walking home. It was about a half hour walk, and it gave Arthur time to think. Finally he was sure he had found what he was looking for. He would have to be careful at the club, though. There would be all sorts of dangerous characters there. He knew he had not let his skills slip, but spending so much time without a serious threat around would naturally have made him a bit less alert. He would have to be on guard tonight.

When Arthur got back to his room, he did a quick survey to make sure nothing had been disturbed in his absence-a reflex ingrained by his training-and checked to make sure the windows were shut and locked. He then locked the door from the inside and took a deep breath. As he exhaled, his features began to change. His skin, which previously had been a tan caucasian tone, began to exhibit a greenish-blue undertone. His ears became more sloped, with a sharp point at the top. Most noticeably, he began to grow and his eyes started glowing a bright green color. When the transformation was complete he stood at his full height of seven and a half feet, with a body type that humans would call athletic.

Always feels good to return to my natural form. Arthur sighed. The human shape begins to wear on me after a while.

He looked at the clock. He had time for a short Withdrawal-his people did not sleep, precisely-before Hayabusa came to pick him up. Mentally instructing his body to wake at 8, Arthur crawled into bed.

Time Jump

8:30 pm Feb 14, 2010 Houston Texas,

The late winter sun had set and the nights cold had started to strongly set in, but it was raining, a intermittent drizzle and the wind was cutting. Despite the weather downtown was still lively, but a much different sort of lively than the business hurry that held sway during the sunlight hours – even though many companies had twenty four hour shifts, at night such employees took their breaks safely indoors..

The Theater District where Bayou Place (http://www.atddm.com/ahs3.jpg) anchored the western edge was the hub of the nighttime activity. The sidewalks of the Theater District (http://www.atddm.com/ahs1.jpg) of downtown, were filled with couples making their way to the Wortham, the Hobby Center, The Alley Theatre, The Houston Grand Opera, The Houston International Ballet, the Houston Aquarium, Bayou Place, the dozens of fine restraunts, and nearly fifty bars, scattered amid the various entertainment venues. Many had bought umbrellas from enterprising street venders, and this years fad had the canopies clear and the struts accented with tiny tubes filled with various brightly glowing colors of luminous liquid.

Cains had opened it’s doors as was its tradition the exact moment the sun had slipped below the horizon. The cover charge was twenty-five dollars a person, or forty for couples, no gender lines drawn. The crowd that had been waiting, some for more than a few hours flowed in quickly, making no complaint about the cover charge. The Mundanes and the Night Life could almost be untold from one another by sheer visual inspection. Many Mundanes, and no few Night Life, were in full or modified Kabuki make up, that being one of the hippest current fad. Others were in tattered silk rags and strategically placed glitter or paste on ‘jewels’ that left little to the imagination. The Butterfly and Fairy Ladies, a current college craze were well represented, some wearing more (http://www.atddm.com/abg1.jpg) than others (http://www.atddm.com/fg1.jpg) and a few brave ones wearing nothing but their wings and thong, once they were warmly inside of course. Cloaks of various material, hues, and lengths were the most popular outer attire.
The usual number of valets had been doubled, but they were still having to move at a near dead run, and the lines for such was longer than most wanted to bother with.

Please see post in OOT thread before posting!!!

Jessica had been stuck on what to wear that night. She had two sets of clothes, those for work and otherwise fairly normal days and her second set was for the clubbing. She had gotten off work at two thirty; she had forgiven her co-worker as his car had a history of not starting due to some electrical problem in his engine.

The weretiger had showered, turned into her tiger form to clean herself further before reverting back to her old self. Then, she had spent nearly two hours sitting on her bed, looking into her closet wondering what to wear. Jessica was never for the outlandish and she was not one who followed the fads. Finally choosing her clothes, she dressed and driven off in her Wrangler, deciding to get to Cain's before it opened its doors.

As she drove through down town Houston, she thought of the last memorable customer in the store. The silver haired man didn't seem to talk much and Jessica never got if he was a Night Lifer or not and she did not tell him anything about herself either. She weaved through traffic and spotted an underground parking garage, not passing up; she pulled up, got her ticket and drove down to park.

Jessica had gone a bit to the extreme, deciding to go with a fairly tight latex cat suit that was patterned like a white tiger, her leather boots had the same pattern and flowed seamlessly with her suit, she had painted her face in the same pattern also and she also wore a latex jacket and gloves with the same design; everything together gave a fairly seemless apperance.

She walked calmly to the elevator and rode it up to the ground floor. The DVD was hidden in the little room she had in her jacket, she had put it in a regular CD case in order to get it to fit. Jessica waited patiently in line and just shy of twenty minutes in line, she paid the twenty-five dollars and walked into Cain’s.

The place was larger than she could expect, she smiled at this and walked to one end of the main bar and ordered a martini. Jessica looked out into the crowd of bodies as the music pumped her right foot bouncing with the beat. Once her martini arrived, Jessica took a sip and looked around the club; it was nice, better than some places she had gone to.

Jessica looked around Cain’s, deciding to get the DVD sold before anything else.

It was like clock work. At exactly nine thirty, not a second sooner nor later, Ryan's phone chirped. He picked it up, and saw the text message that 'Busa was on his way. He sighed, and looked down at Cassie. "I got a bad feeling about this hun," he said, talking to the cat as if it were a girlfriend or female roomate. He half expected the black cat to respond with something along the lines of "well, if its that bad, then don't go". However, all he got was a quiet mew as the cat stretched out.

He stood from the couch, killing the TV, and went to grab a jacket. His look was subdued, but allowed for movement. It wasn't as simple as the usual Tshirt and jeans combo worn when racing, a set up designed for ease of movement and comfort. He pulled on a black suit style jacket over a dark purple button down shirt, the three top buttons left open to show a black undershirt, and a pair of dark blue jeans. He grabbed a pair of New Ballance sneakers, and lastly a black Astro's fitted baseball cap. He flipped it backwards, and tucked a wallet clip with a mix of fives, twentys and hundreds into his back pocket.

He patted Cassie on the head, garnering a short pur in repsonse, and walked out of the apartment, locking the door behind him. He really didn't need the jacket, the cold night air not bothering him at all, but it helped his cover. He tossed a few fives into the hat of a college student sitting on the steps of the apartment playing a guitar, and walked towards the entrance where he would meet Hayabussa.

"Rivan Otaku, Moon-Shadow of no clan." He replied "My pack of littering was the Rolling Hills clan." He greeted those he introduced, but was still cautious. Experiance had taught him that rarely were other clans welcoming to outsiders, especially those who were drastically different from the norm. He joined Windra for food and drink, another oddity he was finding prevailed in the Green Waters pack.

The bottle fell to the floor as Michael reached up and knocked the alarm clock off the nightstand. The sound, however, persisted and he popped open one bloodshot eye to try to find the source. There, still on the nightstand, lay his tormentor. The cell phone continued it's persistant cutting into his skull until he finally picked it up and answered it.

"This better be fucking good", he croaked in a low, gravelly voice.

"Mister Gassington. I see that I have awoken you."

"Oh .. no shit. You think? It's 6 in the fucking morning. You have about 5 seconds to get my attention and your already down to four."

"Very well. This is Lauralin Silverlief, your boss? Do I have your undivided attention now Mister Gassington?"

'Oh nuts', Michael murmured. "Yes ... yes, absolutely. I'm sorry. I just.."

"I'm sending you an electronic missive with some directions and instructions. Would you see to them please?"

"An electronic .... what?"

"Missive."

"Missile."

Michael barely caught a voice in the background before the Lady came back on the phone. "An E - mail."

"OH. Alright, I'll see to it."

"Thank you", and with that she hung up.

He stumbled over his clothes that he had dropped by the side of the bed and into the bathroom to shower. He got the water hot and then reached into the medicine cabinet and took out a flask of whiskey, took a swallow and put it back before stepping into the stream of hot water. After washing he turned off the hot water and snapped awake as the ice cold water hit him.

He turned off the water, dried off and went into the den where he picked up a bottle of whiskey, took a drink and turned on the computer, reading the E-mail.

"So Doc", he muttered, "how did you piss the Lady off?" He read further, finding out that the Doctor hadn't done anything, but rather was someone he was supposed to visit in the hopes of having information on one Durham Red, whoever that was.

He printed out the E-mail and went back into his room to dress. He tucked the 7.62mm into his boot and the combat knife into the sheath at his back then put the .44 into his shoulder holster. Finally he picked up the army jacket and made his way to the garage.

The "Enterprise" had been his pet project for some time. The '79 Cadillac Calais had a huge engine, 472 cubic inch with 512 horsepower. It was solid metal, not like most these days. He had spent alot of time restoring her and she had become the only lady, lately, in his life. He slid in and hit the garage door opener then turned her over. It would take hours to get to where he was going, but at least he would get there in comfort.

The gunmetal grey, antique, 79 Cadillac Calais rolled down the twilight street like a ghost from the past. Inside Michael reached down and picked up the printout.

Dr. Sian Rhys

Bunker Hill

Village Area

Michael had hit tired sometime back and was now working on damn near dead, but he wanted to get to this woman's house and talk to her tonight. Then, hopefully, he could find this Durham Red, bring her in to the nearest Defenders location and finish this witch hunt. He activated the satellite mapping on the laptop and located the Bunker Hill Village Area, following the directions to the place as quickly as traffic would allow him.

********

Durham Red, The Scarlett Huntress to most mutants and non-humans, was irritated, tired, irritated, hurt and, well, irritated. The last run in with the Iconoclasts, a full squad, had been painful. She had finally reached a city, however, Houston and had found an isolated wanderer to feed from. His blood was helping her wounds heal and his money would help her find someplace to lay low. Not that she was looking for a place to be alone, but rather, someplace crowded. The Iconoclast soldiers were single minded but the government didn't want their existance known just yet, so the more crowded the better.

She was dressed in her usual black leather pants and corset with silk and lace shirt. Her six inch stilletto boots clacked loudly on the sidewalk, the bottom three inches of the heel being solid steel, sharpened to a point. They gave her a rather amazing height for a woman and rather seductive sway.

Her eye teeth were always prominent, since she was a mutant and not a real vampire, but she needed blood just the same. Though she could eat anything she would starve to death in a grocery store without it. Her twin .44 Magnum automatics hung at her sides and twin daggers rested in forearm sheaths in her leather arm guards that went from her hands to the middle of her upper arms. A long cloak 'borrowed' also from the man she had killed covered her face and head all the way down to her knees, hiding the weapons and most of her. Though arrogant, she wasn't stupid. She no longer had the backing of the government and many mutants and non-humans knew about the 'Scarlett Huntress', passed on by word of mouth.

She spotted the line at Cain's and decided to mingle in with the crowd, hoping that weapon checks weren't done and that she could keep the cloak on once inside.

Arhut woke from his Withdrawal at precisely eight o'clock. Rising, stood in the middle of his apartment and performed a few katas, just as he had done after every Withdrawal for almost as long as he could remember. Aside from the exercise and the obvious benefits of keeping his skills sharp, the katas sharpened his mind and had a meditative effect, helping him focus his mind and find the calm, alert center that would be with him throughout the day (He had little use for Human day/night cycles. A day for him was simply a period between Withdrawals, regardless of duration or time).

When he finished, it was about 8:35. He turned on the shower but did not actually get in. Guanyans had other methods for removing dead skin and dirt and the like, but he did not want to make his landlord suspicious by having a remarkably low water bill, so he turned the shower on at least once a day. Shifting somewhat reluctantly back into human form, he got dressed and turned on the TV. Earth television fascinated him, as his home planet had no such thing. After briefly considering whether to arm himself before the show and deciding to bring only the Guanyan throwing knives that he never went without, Arthur turned off the shower, checked his phone messages and email - acquaintances from California sometimes contacted him - and then sat down on the couch to await Hayabusa's arrival.

Hayabusa honked as the tricked out Hummer rolled to a stop at the Northeast corner occupied by the boarding house where Arthur had taken a tiny studio apartment. He hadn't called Ryan yet.

When Arthur came down and climbed in 'Busa pulled away from the corner. " So you ready for a fine time tonight? There's been a slight change of plans. I went to pay my respects to my okaa-sama, my mother, this morning after I dropped you off. And it seems that I have two relatives in the band thats playing at Cains tonight...and the band lost their security this morning." The Oni snorted disgustedly "Something wrong with their visas, so their security crew is holed up in the Japanese Consulate, trying to sort it out. Leaving the band with no one to watch their backs. And if I don't my mother will be very unhappy. And thats the last thing I want." The last was muttered under his breath.

"I got loaned a gold key, in through the private entrances, and private area priviledges, includeing meals and bar tabs for me and my guests. Once we pick up Ryan. I don't know if you've met him, but you two should get a long well. And dinner is being privided by Iron Chef Susuki, his cooking is awesome!"

The thought of one of the foremost chefs in the country brought a wide smile to the Oni's face as he navigated the damp Houston streets. The poor visibilty and the rain made little trouble for the Oni. The traffic made the going slow though, and they had to slide past several wrecks.

"You don't have to help with security or anything, Cain's will have some loaners, it's just Family...and you know how family are"

As the Hummer neared Ryan's apartment complex, 'Busa whipped out his cell phone, noted that it was exactly nine thirty. He smiled toothily as he dialed the number.

"Ah made it despite the Mundanes! Ryan should be right out."

Red finally reached the door, paid her admission, noting that she still had about 200 dollars left and made a mental note to try to access her private accounts. She would also have to see where she could buy some ammunition and backup weapons, just in case. For now, however, she was inside the club and still had her cloak, which they, thankfully, hadn't taken, as well as her weapons. At least she would be safe here for awhile. The Iconoclast wouldn't enter the place, not with it this crowded, that would tip the governments hand, so far so good.

She made her way to the bar and leaned forward, keeping her head down so her face couldn't be seen, and order something strong and wet. Whatever it was the bartender gave her it was just what she wanted and she leaned back, careful to keep her face hidden, still, and eyed the place, pretending to look over the dance floor, while taking note of everything and everyone.

She was careful to move away when someone came close, fully aware of the number of mutants and non-humans in the place, and making sure she noted anyplace that could be a way out in the even of trouble.

After finishing her first drink she ordered a second. Comfortable that no one could see under the hood and a bit emboldened by the powerful drink she began walking around to get a feel for the place. She wasn't worried about getting drunk, since her body metabolized the alcohol quickly. Not that she COULDN'T get drunk, just that it would have to be absolutely intentional and would cost more than she had on her at the moment.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but she's not seeing anyone right now."

Michael considered just shooting the man for a moment but changed his mind. This woman wasn't an enemy, just someone who might know things about the goings on. He nodded to the guard and left his cell phone number and his card, "If you could give those to her and ask her to please call me when she gets the chance I would appreciate it." Then, not waiting for a response he dropped the 'Enterprise' into reverse and backed out of the entryway. On the street he dropped it into drive and began considering other options.

Pulling up a list of known night life spots one caught his eye. 'Cain's', he muttered, 'sounds familiar.' It took him a moment to remember, then he had it. Rumors about a fighting arena. 'Well if anything will attract the Scarlett Huntress', he muttered. He made the drive to the night spot and found a parking garage, not wanting to entrust his antique car to a valet. Once he arrived he slid the laptop under the front seat, checked in weapons, grabbed the treo and his cell and made his way over to join the line at the door.

He was dressed in black jeans, grey button down shirt, black army boots and his army jacket. As he stood in line he looked around him. He knew that many if not all were either mutant or undead and pretended not to notice. He only hoped that humans actually came here, otherwise, things could get messy. He was just glad that he had the expolosive tipped rounds for his primary and backup weapon, which would explode a fraction of a second after impact, thereby exploding inside the body and could penetrate most body armor.

After a short meal, Rivan stood and stretched. He had a number of questions for the pack leader of this highly unusual pack, yet decided to postpone them till later.
"Would you be willing to show me of the locales in this territory?" He asked, in a tone and demenor of one talking to equal, rather the traditional forms a non-Alpha would speak to an Alpha. His reasoning was two fold, at least in his consious mind. The first was to see how she'd react to being spoken to in such a way by an 'unranked' wolf, and the second was to see if he could get at the real person under the shell of formality she was projecting.

Windra nodded, thought gave no indication of mood and they headed into the city.

Rid o' the Gate watched the dull grey buildings of Houstan slide past the car, through windows gently grimed by city life. The long, black car was not his usual method of transportation, but then he always found that it paid to make an entrance - people expect certain things of certain people, and Cain would not expect a guest to ignore or shun the hospitality offered - 'twould be terribly rude. Then again, one did not squander the resources offered either, a careful balance between opposite insults.

The car pulled up outside Cain's, and Ridothi thanked the chauffeur before stepping out. The Aelfen Gatekeeper was dressed in an immaculate dark silk suit, with an open-collared shirt and a longcoat that seemed to blur the boundaries between coat- and cloakhood. He walked past the queues of Night Lifers and Mundanes queuing to enter the establishment, many of the older Night Lifers recognising the fine-boned features of Ridothi, many just muttering angrily at his casual disregard for the line.

Rid o' the Gate nodded politely at the doorkeepers who had moved to block his path. Recognition flitted across their faces and they stepped aside without comment, allowing him to enter without difficulty.

Aelfen magicks in worlds other than Underhill depend greatly upon planetary bodies and the seasons, and with such not in correct alignment Rid o' the Gate had a while of time to spare, to use for his own enjoyment. So, he came to Cain's, heading to the bar.

Red watched the man in the longcoat as he entered and made his way to the bar. 'At least I'm not the only one in a cloak', she thought, 'that'll help keep me from sticking out.'

She looked around at the nearly to nude to may as well be nude denizens of the establishment, "At least too much", she muttered. She finished her drink and made her way back to the bar.

"Another", she told the bartender, setting down the glass, her black leather long gloves sliding out from the cloak. As she waited her eyes flitted the man in longcoat then locked on the doorway as Michael made his way through and began scanning the crowd.

Red didn't know who he was but he was human, that was for sure, and he was almost certainly looking for someone from the way he carried himself and looked about.

She nonchalantly slid closer to the man in the longcoat, not making it appear as though she was interested, just trying to find a better spot at the bar. Her action, however, put the man between her and the new arrival.

Michael reached the door and paid the fee to get in. As he entered his eyes swept the room. If Red was here, she should be fairly evident, considering the attire, or lack thereof, of most of those in the place.

He made his way in and over to a table, unaware of Durham Red's scrutiny and sat down.

"Water", he told the waitress, his steady gaze daring her to say anything. He was already tired and he couldn't afford to wind up passed out in this place by overdoing things. Once he got his glass he sipped it, mainly watching the door, though his eyes would occasionly flit accross the rest of the room.

The young man stared at the woman in front of him. His eyes flashed back to the CD case in his hands which he was assured held the race from last night. He licked his lips and looked back at the woman in white tiger pattern latex in front of him. He tapped the case with a finger. "How do I know its on here? You gonna stiff me?"

Jessica leaned forward and looked at the young man. The smell of excitment and anxiousness radiated off of him. He was a Mundane so there was no possiblity of him sensing the truth in her. Just a kid who loved watching street racing, talked about doing it, but never had the balls to do it. "I guess you just have to trust me. Its all there. From what I heard the crew isn't releasing more than a few DVDs at a time. A dozen at the most to drive prices up a bit. You can get it now for certainly cheaper than you would ever if you wait for release."

The young man sighed and tapped his fingers against the case. He fished out his wallet and placed eighty dollars on the table. Jessica smiled and picked up the assorted bills and tucked them into her jacket. Her last few sentences about release were false, she didn't know how Left Ear was releasing the race, she just did it to milk as much money as she could from the kid. The kid took the CD case and moved off.

Jessica smiled and the next time a waiteress came, she ordered another martini to celebrate. The waitress returned with her drink and a glass of water, Jessica's eyes followed her to a man in the table near her, his back to her. She could sense he was exhausted and in her mind this was no place to be exhausted. She picked up her drink and walked over, if all worked out she would have someone to play with when she got back to her apartment in the morning.

Jessica walked around him and slid into the chair across from him. "You alright mate? You seem a bit...off. Someone slip you a micky?"

"Would you be willing to show me of the locales in this territory?"

Windra didn't seem to take exception, her smile was more 'resigned, motherly, amused' as she shook her head. "The Welcome Wagon doesn't close for a few more hours, then I have to go to the Hospital for chemotherapy. Howevery my son would love to" The last was directed towards one of the ones currently in Wolf form, the one half asleep under the wooden picnik table.

With a resigned sigh the wolf crawled out from under and shook his fur out. Already shedding slightly the pink and green fur drifted on the freshening breeze. With a lolling tongued yawn the punked out Were made a mocking bow towards his mother, then shifted just enough to produce a human face and throat. That was impressive in a roughly twenty year old Were, most could not partially shift until later and most bitten never managed partial shifts at all.

"Yeah, I'll be glad to show ya the Night Life, and even the booring parts. Cains has a hot band out of Japan holdin' down the house ta'nite. Want to end up there?"

His mother broke in with a small growl and her son flashed her an apologetic look "It's going to take clothes, can't do natural with 'Danes 'bout." He looked back at Rivan

Michael sensed someone behind him and readied himself, only to see the lovely woman come around and take a seat. His eyes roamed from her feet to her face admiring the fine form in the tight outfit.

"You alright mate? You seem a bit...off. Someone slip you a micky?"

His eyes narrowed a bit, and locked on hers. 'Probably not human', he thought, though he couldn't be sure if she was mutant or other. Human eyes could get very dark, but not black 'and would she ask if I was alright, or even suspect I wasn't unless she sensed it somehow?'

He let his eyes linger a bit more, going over the fine angles of her face. 'Grecian beauty', he muttered, not loud, but loud enough if her hearing was good. He looked away, embarrassed by his own momentary weakness and flight of fancy, when he looked back he had his control again and he looked her with a cold, level gaze.

"I don't know who or what you are, but you'll find an easier meal elsewhere", he said, his voice cracking a bit with exhaustion. He actually didn't know if he was in any condition to fight anyone, especially a woman, as he hated the idea of hurting women in the first place. It had always been his weakness, part of the reason he hated this assignment, since he was relatively certain that the Scarlett Huntress wasn't just going waltz into the Defender's headquarters with him.

Durham Red saw the woman approach the man and sit down. 'Well, good for me', she thought. She accepted the fresh drink from the bartender, smiled and raised her glass to the man in long coat in thanks, not that he had a clue what he was being thanked for, and then made her way around the dance floor to a place near where the woman had been originally.

With him distracted at least Red could get behind him and she felt better about that. Seated now she, with the mans back to her, she watched the couple, waiting for the fun to begin. She couldn't decide what the woman was, she was freshly washed, which hid her scent, but she moved to gracefully to be human.

When the man looked away Red tensed, but relaxed again as he looked back up.

"I don't know who or what you are, but you'll find an easier meal elsewhere"

Red tsked and took a sip from her drink. 'Not a way to make friends and influence people you know', she muttered and continued eavesdropping. She wanted to know who he was. He certainly wasn't a regular and she was sure he was some sort of hired hand. All she wanted to know is if he was looking for her or not.

"Might I then borrow some clothes then?" Rivan asked, as he plucked at the robe, and figured it would be deemed insufficiant for mundanes around here. "Thought what is Cains, and what is your name?" He found the wolf exceptionally odd for intentionally choosing such abomidable colours to dye his fur.

thud

Hilard dropped off the edge of the wall and landed a good five meters down. He quickly glanced around to make sure no one had seen the sudden appearing of a 6'7" man wearing tattered black jeans, a ragged gray wife beater, and a long black leather trenchcoat.

He straightened up, ensured that none of his possesions had fallen out of his pockets, holster, or scabbards, and set off at a brisk walk. He made his way down Capital Avenue and stopped outside of Jones Pizza to use the ATM. He typed in his password and the machine spat out twenty hundred dollar bills. He had recently reprogrammed it to dispense money at the input of the correct password, Ivory. His worn leather wallet now filled with crisp bills, he set off down the street once more. He wasn't really looking for anything in particular, just something out of the ordinary.

Walking along, he noticed an old brick building with a fairly large que of people to get in. Huh...Don't see that everyday. Looks like a club...They arn't usualy in old brick buildings though...Hell, I'm not doing anything better...He glanced back and forth and jogged across the street, joining the large que at the back of the line.

After about ten minutes of waiting, he had reached the front, and the bouncer at the door.

He looked down at the bouncer and said, "Hey, how much is it t' get in here?"

"Easier what?"

Jessica stared at the man in front of him. He obviously was no fool, he somehow had a rough knowledge of Night Folk to guess that she was not really human. His comment about an easier meal offended her greatly, she had eaten humans first few transformations, but after she got her human mind in control during her tiger form, that had stopped, deer had become her target after that. Nowadays, she would seduce and play with a human, male or female, Jessica was not picky. She relaxed back in her seat and sipped more of her martini, not noticing the woman behind the man in front of her.

"You're no idiot I can see that." Jessica stared at the man. She pointed to herself. She spoke low enough for him to hear. "White tiger latex catsuit, gloves, jacket, and bit of makeup...picture all that as fur and me with a tail and a few face alterations. I can gather by your inital reaction to me that you know a bit more about...the non-human side of things. So, I figure there is no need to act like you don't know anything or that you are crazy...which you probably are not.

"What I should say is that I have no intention to ever hurt you, unless you attack me first...which in your current condition I find it unlikely. I was a bit offended by your statement...if you made that to any other were or a vampire...if they were bad tempered...you could be dinner. But, with me you are safe." Jessica smiled. "I am just a big kitty cat."

Michael's face fell somewhat at her statement that she had been offended. He hadn't meant to. Most would have either attacked him or made some bold statement, but this one was different, and he was sorry now for his comment.

"I ahh," he stopped for moment, raising his eyes back up to meet hers. "I know you probably won't believe me, but I am sorry." He dropped his eyes, to sip some water from the glass then looked back at her again. "And uhh, yeah, I couldn't help but notice the suit. As for not being crazy, well, there's a few vet headshrinkers that might argue with you, but we both know they turn a blind eye to the night lifers. My employer is a vampiress, and I've been rather well educated in things."

Michael reached down, slowly, and pulled out his wallet, the butt of the .44 showing briefly as he pulled the wallet out. He removed a card from the wallet and layed on the table in front of her.



DEFENDER'S INCORPORATED

Home and personal security. Investigations.

Michael Benjamin Gassington, Inv. 1st class



"My boss owns the company", he said. He put the wallet back and looked back up at her. "I really am sorry. Maybe your wrong. Maybe I am an idiot."

Red was a bit taken aback that the woman hadn't attacked him. She would have ripped his head off for that comment. She couldn't make out what the woman said, but the man she heard clearly, even through the din of the place, as he had a low, rumbling baritone.

My employer is a vampiress, and I've been rather well educated in things.

She took a sip of her drink and tapped the glass idly. 'So who is your employer, dipshit?' she wondered. 'And why are you here?'

To be on the safe side, Red moved her leg over and dropped her hand to the butt of the gun on her thigh. The muzzle flash would burn like hell but if he came looking for her, better to take him out now and then get out rather than wait.

My boss owns the company.

'Company', Red muttered, 'what fucking company? Christ, who's after me now?' She was tempted to get up and walk past the table to try to glimpse the card, but she didn't want to lose her advantageous position.

Jessica smiled slightly as the man apoligized. "It is okay, I figure any human would have the same reaction to a were sitting in front of them."

She was suprised by the news of the man's boss being a vampire. From what she understood of human-vampire relationships most ended with the human either running for the hills or trying to kill the vampire. As the man fished for something, Jessica stiffed as she saw an object that was an obvious pistol butt. She was no expert with firearms, she couldn't shoot a person through the skull even if the barrel was up against their skull. Still, she knew it was a gun and her teeth changed in her closed mouth to her sharper tiger canines.

It was then he placed a business card on the table, Jessica felt her jaws shift as her teeth retretracted and some dulled back to the human form. She looked at the card and picked it up and looked back at him.

"Well...pleasure to meet you Michael." Jessica said with a smile, letting his name roll gently off her tongue, tasting it like it was a fine wine. She slid the card into her jacket. "Since you have introduced yourself, let me do the same. I am Jessica Pickett and I work in a small convience store called Rick's."

She took a sip from her martini. "I don't think you are crazy...well, working for a vampire might be a bit off, but you seem a bit level headed. So, have you just moved here or just passing through?"

Michael was rather fond of the way his name sounded when coming from her and actually gave a genuine smile. He watched, almost as if entranced, as she took a sip from her drink. He snapped out of his reverie as she began to speak.

"Well, Defender's Incorporated is a worldwide firm. She also has some government contracts and some subsidiery companies. She's always worked at protecting people, from what I understand. Her mother had been a high priestess and her father had been a paladin, whatever the hell that is, but apparently a holy fighter of some kind. Anyway, point being, she has alot of people in her employ, mundane and otherwise.

As for me, I'm here looking for someone that the Lady is interested in. I was sent here on the possibility that someone here might have some knowledge about it. One Doctor Sian Rhys, but apparently I missed her tonight, so I figured I would come here and hope I got lucky."

'Michael', Red muttered, 'how fucking quant'.

Well, Defender's Incorporated is a worldwide firm. She also has some government contracts and some subsidiery companies.

Red leaned forward having suddenly gained interest in their conversation and took another sip from her drink.

She's always worked at protecting people, from what I understand. Her mother had been a high priestess and her father had been a paladin, whatever the hell that is, but apparently a holy fighter of some kind. Anyway, point being, she has alot of people in her employ, mundane and otherwise.

As Michael continued she began to relax. It wasn't likely that someone in the protection business was looking for her. Unless she had killed someone the woman was supposed to have been protecting, which could be possible.

As for me, I'm here looking for someone that the Lady is interested in. I was sent here on the possibility that someone here might have some knowledge about it. One Doctor Sian Rhys, but apparently I missed her tonight, so I figured I would come here and hope I got lucky.

He had regained her interest. 'Maybe I did kill someone she was supposed to be protecting', Red muttered. She had long ago gotten into the habit of talking to herself, since most people wanted nothing to do with her. 'And it looks to me like you are getting lucky you smacked ass. Take the hint, will ya?'

Jessica smiled at Michael stared back at her, an almost dreamy look was in his stare. Things were going well with this man. He would be a nice thing to bring home, bit of fun never hurt anyone. Seems fairly intelligent, good sign for a man. He also smells divine. She listened to his description of his boss and his company. Vastly different than her boss, who was a six foot one curly headed man and the store was not even statewide.

"Sounds like your boss has good head on her shoulders, I like that."

She listened to the name of the woman Michael was looking for. "I'm sorry, never heard of her. Last time I was at the doctor's office, I didn't notice any 'Doctor Rhys' on the door, then again it has been since the seventies since I was at one. I also stay out of the Night Life politics, so if she has any involment with Night Life, I am not the person to ask."

Jessica studied the man, he reminded her a bit of her father, strong, intelligent, and apparently capable of handling himself. She shook the thought of her deceased parent out of her head.

"So how long have you been in the business of protecting people?"

Michael smiled and signaled the waitress, ordering a double scotch neat and a refill for Jessica. He was actually enjoying himself at the moment and couldn't remember the last time he could have said that.

"Well", he said, after the drinks arrived and he took a sip of the scotch, "I guess you could say about fifteen years. Ten years in a special operations team in the service and five years serving the Lady. Though even in high school I had a habit of protecting the girls from idiotic guys who never understood that no actually meant no, but I don't count that", he chuckled. "It's just something that ingrained in me."

His eyes took in her hair and face, resting on her eyes again, not allowing them to wander anywhere else through sheer force of will. She really was a beautiful woman, he thought and took another sip of scotch.

"And you don't strike me as the convenience store type. Necessity job?"

Red sat back, relaxing now that the conversation had turned mundane. She still didn't know if he was looking for her but at least he seemed distracted at the moment and if her luck held the woman might get him out of her hair.

She looked around the place, seeing if there were any other potential hunters. She doubted it, that there might even be one would be one hell of a feat. If he was, then she had to find out who his boss was, because she sure as hell had connections.

Jessica finished the rest of her martini as the waitress came and brought her a fresh one. Hitting the dance floor was forgotten, she had someone far better in front of her than anything she could pick up on the floor. She smiled as he mentioned his old high school days. She never had a problem in grade school, she had been one of the most popular girls in school and so her word was almost law.

She grinned as his eyes studied her face and eyes, though a bit to her disapointment they didn't go anywhere else. Still, he was hers. The question of her employment came up and Jessica nodded.

"When one is a weretiger and they do not change looks after being turned, one must keep moving and since I need a place to sleep and have meat in my belly when I not wish to hunt...I need money. Convience store work is easy and I get paid enough to live comfortably."

Jessica looked at Michael in the eyes and smiled seductivly at him. She closed her eyes and sucked up some of his wonderful scent. Jessica opened her eyes slowly and purred softly. "Though, I do crave the company of someone strong and...kind hearted."

Michael was bringing the scotch up for another drink as she locked her eyes on his and he froze like a deer in headlights. When she spoke he dropped the glass, thinking that he couldn't possibly have heard her right. The glass, however, never touched the floor as, quicker than a man his size would typically manage, he snatched the glass in midair. The scotch, however, wasn't so lucky as it spilled all over him.

He sat for a moment, not looking at Jessica and then finally just laughed. A rich, infectious, booming laughter. After a moment he looked up at her, this time letting his eyes run over her slowly, appreciating her fine curves until they met her own. "I hope that subtle isn't a quility you were looking for because obviously, I don't possess it", he said smiling.

He set the glass on the table and picked up a napkin, dabbing at the alcohol. "But", he said, looking back up, "if you can deal with that failing then, I would love to accompany you."

Again he let his eyes drift over her. To say that he was hers was understatement. He was utterly lost to her was more like it.

"As for your other problem", he said, lifting his eyes again, "as I said, they Lady employs mundane and non-humans alike. What did you do before?"

Red's mind had been drifting, now that she was feeling a bit more comfortable until the man in front of her moved suddenly. Her automatic was half out of it's holster before she realized what he was doing and she quickly slipped it back in and covered it up, pulling her hood down again, hoping that no one noticed.

Eavesdropping again on thier conversation she picked up how the two were getting along and was glad. Not that he was getting close to her, but that maybe he would be distracted enough for tonight that she would be safe, at least for now.

Comfortable that he would be occupied the rest of the night she let her eyes and mind wander again, paying close attention to the rest of the place.

Sian looked at herself one last time in the cheval mirror and smiled faintly. She noticed the tight smile, acknowledged that she was nervous, and took a deep breath. A dress this short was not something she was used to wearing, and the amount of bare skin visible from behind...Well any one would know that she wore no bra, not that she needed one in any case, but the deep dip of the back....

The dress was of deepest crimson silk, bias cut and it fit her like a glove, or a cascade of water (http://www.atddm.com/dcsn1.jpg) It fell to just below where the lace tops of her sheer black thigh high stockings all but touched intimate places. Tiny Austrian crystals glimmered here and there on the hose, and again on the straps of the barely there three inch spike heels.

Between the heels, the hose and the side thigh slits on the frock, her legs looked as if they went on forever. 'I'll have to be careful how she moved or I'll flash the club more than a bit of that lace' she thought wryly.

She'd done her hair up into a soft french curl, the better to show off the long line of her back, and more crystals glimmered in her hair. She spritzed a dash of her favorite perfume, Loves' Fire Scent, over her and touched a little to her pulse points.

Sliding on a black coat of supple leather, in the style worn by Trinity from The Matrix, she slid the ling gold chain of the tiny black purse che carried over one shoulder and grabbed the key to 'Daddys Girl', the candy apple red TVR Sagaris (http://www.atddm.com/siantvr.jpg) she'd inherited from her father.

"Dilana, you ready to roll?" Sian tapped on the door to Dilana's room. It was nearly eleven, they'd spent longer than had been planned over shopping and dinner.

Hilard payed the $25.00 entry fee and walked into the club. It was a suprisingly open area; it had a good feel to it with plenty of room to it but still maintained the good small feel of a club. He walked over to the bar and ordered a Smirnoff and settled down on a bar stool.

He surveyed the crowd inside and noticed quite a few strange looking people. Of course, half of them were dressed in absurd makeup and costumes. Hilard didn't care much for the fads or trends. Whatever was comfortable was what he wore. After scanning the crowd, he turned around to the bar to just enjoy the music and his drink.

Durham Red stood up and made her way around the dance floor to the bar, sliding in next to Hilard. She down her empty glass and ordered another, waiting for the bartender to get it.

Her red hair, black bangs and tips and her sharp teeth were evident to Hilard as the Scarlett Huntress stood waiting for the drink. Once it arrived she paid for it and turned around, leaning back against the bar and pulling the cloak back down to hide her face.

She was sure the man at the table wouldn't notice her, since he seemed lost to the woman at the table and was feeling pretty comfortable that no one else was noticing her either.

As Hilard calmy sipped at his drink, a woman came over to the stool next to him and refilled her drink. He caught a glimpse of red hair, black bangs, and some rather sharp looking teeth. Scarlett Huntress...Huh, didn't think I'd meet her here, or ever...Looks like she doesn't want to be recognized...Might as well give it a shot anyways, I could always use help...

He leaned over to her close enough so that he could talk without being overheard and wispered into her ear, "Greetings fellow hunter...What might you be doing here on this evening?"

The rather potent drink shot from Reds nostrils and mouth and she turned quickly set down the glass. 'SHIT', she thought, 'just when I was getting comfortable.'

She looked at the man, her eyes taking him in quickly, then glanced around the room. She grabbed his arm, her rather sharp nails digging into his flesh and half hailed him to a shadowy corner.

She leaned in close to his ear, even though no one was around, "Who the fuck are you?", she asked him, "and how do you know who I am?"

Hilard was quite suprised she was actually willing to try and force him into something physical. He walked over to a corner with her, her nails digging through his trenchcoat and into his arm all the way.

He bent down to her and wispered back to her, "My name is Hilard Jaerin. I know who you are simply because of rumors and stories. I've heard quite a bit about you. Word travels fast through certain channels around here."

"shit", she said and looked around, "that figures."

"Alright, so what do you want? You wouldn't have addressed me like that unless you wanted something, so spit it out."

You don't have to help with security or anything, Cain's will have some loaners, it's just Family...and you know how family are

Arthur smiled at this. He did indeed know how family were...more than Hayabusa could imagine, as his 'family' numbered in the billions. His smile withered. He hadn't seen anyone from his home planet in longer than he cared to think about.

Ah made it despite the Mundanes! Ryan should be right out.

Arthur watched curiously for Ryan's emergence from the house. 'Busa's comment that he and Ryan should get along well had sparked his considerable curiosity. He would have to see what manner of sentient this man was.

Jessica chuckled as Michael accidentally spilt his scotch on himself. She liked his laugh a lot and he seemed to have a sense of humor, the good things just kept piling up about this man. The hard smell of alcohol covered up a bit of his sweet scent, but much of it was still there thankfully. She smiled as he agreed to accompany her, it was then she decided to bring him home with her, a fantastic speicmen like him didn't come along very often.

She took a sip of her martini as he made what sounded like a job offer. "If your lady needs a secetary or an assistant, I was an intern to a Congressman before I was bit."

Jessica slid off of her chair and into another right next to Michael, took a napkin and helped gently dab the alcohol on his shirt. Her eyes traveled up and down his marvelous body now that she had a completely clear view. She was very pleased with what she saw and purred in delight as her eyes greeted his.

"How would you like to come to my apartment later?" She moved in closer, letting Michael smell her, her lips only a few milimeters away from his own. She purred into his ear. "Where we can have a bit more...privacy."

She took a sip of her martini as he made what sounded like a job offer. "If your lady needs a secetary or an assistant, I was an intern to a Congressman before I was bit."

"She does need an assisstant and has been looking for one. You sound perfect for the job. I'll be seeing her tomorrow if you would care to come with...."

Jessica slid off of her chair and into another right next to Michael, took a napkin and helped gently dab the alcohol on his shirt. Her eyes traveled up and down his marvelous body now that she had a completely clear view. She was very pleased with what she saw and purred in delight as her eyes greeted his.

"How would you like to come to my apartment later?" She moved in closer, letting Michael smell her, her lips only a few milimeters away from his own. She purred into his ear. "Where we can have a bit more...privacy."

He nuzzled her hair, a low throaty growl escaping him as he felt the soft locks against his cheek. Then he reached down, locking his eyes to hers and raised her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. "Whenever and whereever you wish. Just lead and I'll follow."

For the moment he did something that he hadn't done in fifteen years, completely forgot about what he was doing. In fact for him, nothing existed but the depth of her eyes and he leaned closer, his lips brushing hers softly.

Alright, so what do you want? You wouldn't have addressed me like that unless you wanted something, so spit it out.

He was glad she brought up the "wanting something" before him; saved a bit of an akward moment.

"Well, you're a hunter. I'm a hunter. There arn't to many of us around here. On our own, we can slowly kill off these "nightlifers," but together, we could do it much faster. Think of it, a duo of hunters, roaming the streets, ridding the world of their kind. We could probably even get the government to support us."

He said all of this with great enthusiasm. He really was interested in a partner, it would make life much easier, not having to worry about someone coming up behind him constantly, or someone attacking him in his sleep. He hoped she was willing to put aside her loner past.

Red wasn't opposed to partners, though she liked working on her own. She preferred it because then she didn't have to worry about anyone else. If she screwed things up then only she would pay for it. But lately, she was beginning to question things. Things about herself, things she had done, the view of things in general. Her eyes roamed around the room again and then looked back at him.

"Let me tell you something. I had worked for the government until just recently, and you know what? They don't give a fuck about you, me or anyone else. Mundane, mutant or otherwise. I've been slated for 'retirement'. You know what that means kid? That means they want me dead. So after years of service, I'm hated or feard by own kind, by non-humans and now I'm hunted by the government as well. And the up and coming hunters the government has are new and improved. Damned improved. So I'm not exactly someone you want to be around. I'm just trying to survive. If I have to kill mutants or non-humans to do it then fine. If I have to kill humans to do it then thats just as good with me. Because You know what I found out? Humans ain't NO better than anyone else. The faster you learn that kid, the better off you'll be. You wanna be for hire? Hire out to anyone, not just humans. Otherwise you'll wind up like me, hunted on all sides. I don't just hunt mutants and non-humans any more bucko, I kill anyone I need to and I just try to survive."

Hilard was a little taken aback at the sudden onslaught pouring forth from the Huntress. After she was done ranting, he took a small step back from her. It felt pretty obvious to him that she wasn't interested in his offer. She didn't want help, fine, he'd work by himself.

He looked down at her and hissed, "I understand your dislike of the government, but there is no reason to turn down someone trying to make life easier for you and them. You dont want help? Fine. But I'm telling you, it's your loss. People offering assistance are few and far between these days."

Finished saying that, he turned around and walked back to the bar, settling down again, feeling a little angry at the Huntress. People don't have a sense of gratitude anymore...I offer my help to someone and they blatantly refuse it...Oh well, I guess I've never been much of a "partner person" anyways... He sipped at his drink. There's got to be other Hunters here anyways...One of them must be looking for help...Should probably start asking around...

Red watched him move away. 'Fine' she thought, 'be an idiot.' But she found herself moving over to him anyway. She quickly leaned in again.

"Look, it ain't that I don't appreciate the offer. What your not understanding is that I don't hunt just mutants anymore. I'm also trying to do you a favor. The ones hunting me don't care who gets in thier way. They'll kill you to get to me. And they're humans, get it? Not mutants."

She turned and began to walk away but stopped and turned back, leaning in again, "And one more thing HUNTER. I'm one of those kind that you would hunt down. But I warn you, DON'T cross my path."

Then she grabbed her drink from the bar and headed back toward her table, forgetting to take the long route and walking right toward the table with Jessica and Michael in her anger.

"Clothes? Sure no problemo, We keep stashes of them all over the city. And...oh, I'm Heyoka" With that punk Were grined shifted fully back into wolf form and with a jaunty wave of his tail lead the way back out of the Arboretum.

He gave Rivan a whirlwind tour of the city, taking the time to tell the out of towner the safe and unsafe places to change, be noticed and the like. He had no interest in being leader of the pack one day, in more ways than just one, but he was a naturally affable person, who made friends easily. Unlike many lycanthropes he had more friends outside the pack as in, and he wasn't at all speciest.

They finished up well after dark near downtown, at a closed for the night charity resale shop. Behind the building Heyoka shifted and pulled out the hidden keys. "Here we go Rivan. The Night Life runs this charity, and all the shifters keep clothes stored here. We can also use the car, otherwise we'll be soaked by the time we got to Cains."

He opened the back door as the rain went momentarily to a downpour, and turned on the lights. He waved a hand a several garmet racks filled with an array of clothes, and several dozen boxes of shoes. "Find what you like."

Cyrian managed to note through the haze of caffine withdrawl that it was night, it was cold and raining. He didn't remember the name of the human girl tucked under his ram, sharing the small warmth of the long cloak wrapped about them. He certainly didn't know where they were going.

He did know he wanted more caffine. If he had Kaffee he'd be fine soon. and he wouldn't care why he couldn't remember.

"Soon lover boy. Cains does great Irish Coffee, you'll see" Jenna repled as they made their wqy to the club. The body stocking that she wore was almost hidden behind a glittering array of beaded and crystaled designs. Her new lover and she would be the talk of her small cricle of friends she just knew it.

She was glad she'd stollen over a hundred dollars from the cashe register of the coffee shop. And the drunk that had tipped his four dollar meal with two twenties made it even better. This was going to be a Valentines Day she wouldn't soon forget.

The wind strengthened and the rain came down much harder all of a sudden, and she nearily cried. She didn't want her make up ruined. However they were near the First Corp Bank Tower and their foyer was open twentyfour hours. And the foyer hqd escalators down to the tunnels. In a flash she was pulling Cyrian into the warmth and dry of the foyer, and then down through to the tunnels.

This was going to be a special night.

"Thank you." Rivan said as he morphed and followed Heyoka thought the city. He smelled any number of 'nightlifers'. He scowled, which on a wolf was something to see, as the rain began. Arriving at the charity store, he shook himself relatively dry and shifted back into human.

Going through the racks and boxes of clothes before finding a pair of black slacks and a white shirt that opened in the front. Getting dressed, he searched through the shoes and found them all either far to large or small and returned to see Heyoka bare-footed. "So what do you think?"

"Plain Jayne, but they fit you well. Want a coat ? I have a all but unworn Neo Matrix coat, in black leather. A Mundane with more money than card skill. I won it off a him two weeks ago, but it's too short for me." Heyoka in human shape was tall, nearly six foot three and thin as a rail. His pink and green hair was buzzed short on the sides but rose into a spectaular Mohawk in the center which ran down the back of his head.

He took it off the hanger and handed it to Rivan "Mom would have a fit if she found out about it. The gambling with Mundanes, I mean." He did a spot on accurate imitation of Windra's voice "We shouldn't take advantage of them, it's not fair." His voice dropped down to a growl "The hell with unfair. Some day we aren't going to have to hide!"

He sighed heavily, shrugged and smilled hesitantly "Sorry I get carried away some times."

"Sure, thanks." He replied taking the coat. He slid it on and found it fit fairly well, all things considered. "Why would you gamble for it if you couldn't wear it?" He asked

"Thought I also don't understand why Windra would object to gambling with humans, as I've seen some of purely human ones fleece any number of 'nightlifers'.

At hearing Heyoka comment about not having to hide, he wondered if he was a member of the growing minority that were in favour of another 'nightlifer'-human war.

Jessica grinned as she looked up at Michael. Working as a secetary for an immortal would be a lot easier than working dozens of different jobs for dozens of different mortals. A lot of hassel, stress, and danger would be gone.

"I would love to meet your boss next time you see her."

She purred as Michael's lips brushed against her own and she pressed closer to him, bringing on a full kiss. Jessica pulled back, licking her lips slowly. "Oh yes, you are indeed a fine man."

Michael was at her heels, she had her toy and then again, maybe it would be more than just a one-night stand. A lover...haven't had one of those in years. She moved closer, pressing her body against his and smelled him, wanting to take him now. Jessica remembered he was here for a different reason then why she came.

She kissed him again on the lips and looked him in the eyes. "Lets wait for that Rhys character. I do not wish to interupt your job function my friend."

Jessica looked up as she sensed a great anger from somewhere in the room. She saw a woman storming through the crowd, her anger was not directed at her so Jessica knew it was not over her advances to Michael. She could not smell the woman due to Michael's scent and the smells of the many other patrons. The weretiger could tell the woman was pissed about something and Jessica took heart in knowing that if the woman caused any trouble, the bouncers in the club could easily handle her.

Jessica turned her attention back to Michael and slid slowly onto his lap. She stroked his hair and spoke softly. "If Rhys doesn't show or when you are done...we can enjoy each others company at my place."

Michael was lost in the moment. Part of him sang out of the danger while another part of him just wanted to be with Jessica.

One hand slipped behind her back, the other running through her hair, enjoying the satiny softness. His tongue flicked out, running over her lips lightly.

"I was given her address", he said, "she wasn't taking visitors. I don't know if she'll show here or not and don't know what she looks like anyway."

Part of him knew he shouldn't be saying that. The Lady had hired him when no one else would. He had never failed her. But there was always tomorrow. Why couldn't have some time? Maybe more than tonight, but at least that much. He wanted to go now, but he wouldn't ask. He was to chivalrous a man for that. But his entire body told what he wanted, even if his lips didn't say the words.

(OOC: Have had trouble with my computer and couldn't get online for the last few days so I did a lot of reading to catch up. Sorry for the gap in my posts Tanara)


IC:

"I'm coming," Dilana said through the door as she tucked a piece of her raven like hair behind an ear, dabbed on a little more blush, looked at herself in the mirror and after smiling aprovingly, opened the door and walked out.
She smiled at Sian as she looked at her, "You look nice, how do I look?"
She laughed as she spun around in the red dress that she wore. The skirts of the gown swirled around her long legs as she spun around, diamonds lined the low neckline of her gown, the dress pushing up her breasts to form cleavage. The back of the gown was open, ending at the small of her back. The thin decorated silk of the top of the dress was so sheer however not see through although from afar it may look that way. Beads and other ornaments made intricate patterns on the evening dress. The black three inch shoes that Sian had helped her pick out were on her feet making her stand taller than normal and also allowing for a definite sway of her hips when she walked. The skirts slightly billowed out from her legs, making her thin waste look more thin.
Dilana liked how the tight fitting garment moved with her, conforming to every shift in movement no matter how slight. Her ebony hair was situated on top of her head, diamond hair pins kept it in place and a few pieces swept along her slender neck.
Dilana sighed as she began to follow Sian towards her car, "To be honest Sian, I'm a bit nervous. I just hope I fit in to this club."
Dilana smiled as she reached the car, greatful to Sian for the clothing and accessories that she had bought for her. Dilana was also glad for the job offer, and the salary that would come along with it.
Dilana had never in her life been shown such kindness, and she was hellbent on repaying Sian for all that she had done. Also the fancy stores overwhelmed her and to be honest, so did going to this club called Cains.

Red caught the woman's look but gave no indication that she was aware of it. She also suddenly realised that she was going to go right past the man who was looking for someone. She would have preferred to have given him a wide berth, but if she changed directions now it would be all to obvious. He seemed rather preoccupied with the woman and she doubted he'd notice the building falling down around his ears.

Striding by Red took a quick sniff to try to identify what the woman was, but only got a nose full of scotch. She blinked away the tears that sprang up and moved back to her seat behind the man, clomping her boots up on the chair on the far side and starting sipping at her drink again.

'Humans', she muttered to herself. 'Never listen. Well it's on his head now, I tried.' What she didn't know was why she tried or why she was so angry that he didn't listen. She pulled the cloak tighter and the hood down, continuing to sip her drink and planning what to do next.

"You are going to knock them dead" Sian assured Dilana with a laugh and an appreciative look over. Dilana would do just fine she knew.

"There are cloaks and coats in the entryway closet if you think you are going to need one." The sounds of the near storm rattled the tree limbs and made the window panes vibrate.

Sian trotted lightly down the stairs, and moved to the main intercom. While Dilana looked over the selection of outerwear, she let the Enclaves security that she and her guest would be out for most of the night.

The porch-cochere protected them from the rain as they crossed it to the four car garage, but not the cold and wind. However that was a distance of only twenty feet and in second they were in the light and warmth of the 'stables'.

"This was my father's greatest extravagance" Sian commented as she pulled the cover off a TVR Sagaris done in deep gleaming candy apple red (http://www.atddm.com/siantvr.jpg) "Mom made him stick with stodgy, safe sedans, but after she passed away she relented and told him to get what ever he wanted. He went up to Canada and they let him wander around the factory watching them put her together. He and mom went for some wild rifes in her."

She slid into the white leather interior, letting the seat embrace her "She's built for endurance racing so she's very comfortable to ride in" Sian commented as she turned the motor over. The growl ws nearly subsonic, felt more than heard. A touch of the remote and the garage door for the TVR's slip slid up soundlessly. A feather light touch on the gas and the two seater was rolling.

Scant minutes later Sian was turning on to the Sam Houston Toll road and heading north towards I-10. Traffic was light and moments later they were doing over eighty. Sian kept a light skillful touch on the wheel.

Looking over at Dilana Sian grinned wickedly, as they made the elevated curve that would merge them on to 10. She could see a long distance down the five broad lanes of east bound I-10. It was even more empty of traffic than the toll way had been. "How do you feel about speed?"

"Why did I let him toss it in the pot rather than cash? Oh man look at it! It's custom made, and even if I can wear it, I knew I'd find some one it looked fantastic in it. and I love the smell of leather" Heyoka looked a little sheepish. "It's real old fashioned oak tanned leather and humans just don't have the noses to even begin to appreciate the complexities of the scent."

He shrugged "I feel so sorry for them. They don't have much going for them do they?" He shook offf the mood and his smile returned, as he clipped Rivan lightly on the shoulder.

"So lets go find some hot chicks to dance the night away with. Or if you'd prefer to play pool, they have some table down on the second level. Though I gotta warn ya it's mostly the duffers and old school that hang down there. Got to be a lot polite. My mom's less hung up about rank and such than most." he didn't bother to say that he'd take some hard looks for his hair. The black leather pants, bright abstract print shirt, and black vest decorated with silver chains were far drabber than he usually wore.

He looked at Rivan's bare feet and turned to another set of shelves. "Here, I think these boots will fit" He handed Rivan a pair of well broken in but still wearable pair of biker boots. "Got to have something on the feet, the health code." He slipped on a pair of mens green ballet slippers and waited.

"That's nice." He said by way of appreciation about the jacket. "No, they don't thought some have a better sense of smell than others, and there is always the wide varities you can find in humans."

"How about we just head there and wing it from there." He suggested, "And those that are concerned about rank, if they are truely 'old worlders', than I should likely avoid them. 'Old worlders' tend to dislike me."

He frowned as he put the boots on. "Man this feels wierd. The last time I wore anything on my feet was over three years ago."

Heyoka laughed. "I go to the clubs too much to say that. But it's why I hunted down a pair of these things." He waved a hand at his ballet slippers. "They weigh almost nothing but cover the legalities. Mom's been talking about how once she gets past the chemo, we might move the pack out to the back of beyond. But untill the Doc says she's cancer free no one's going to even plan it."

His worry was clearly visable to Rivan. A Were's inate vitality and enhanced immune system made them invulnerable to most all diseases, but certain forms of cancer were the exception.

"Chemo? She didn't look ill, thought I've never heard of any disease, cancers included, that could effect a wolf." He commented, "Poisons and occasionally chemicals yes, diseases no. I hope she gets better then. Are you sure she's not being poisoned and it being called cancer?"

"Nope, it's a cancer, and the Doc could even explain why cancers can affect us. Our vitea, our life force is what gives us our immunity, right. It allows us to heal nearly as fast as a Vamp, protects us on the whole even from things like Ebola - they just can't get a toe hold on us. But cancer, cancer is cellular reproduction gone wild, unchecked by natural defenses." His teeth, already lengthing into fangs with his anger flashed in the store's dim lighting. "A cur of a Bitten fanged her with no warning and no provocation- between the virus in his saliva and her own healing capacity, it just got out of wack." His bared fangs made the curl of his lips into nothing resembling a smile. "We delt with him, permanantly. The Doc says prognosis is very favorable and she's the best. I don't know if she'll be at Cains tonight, but if she is I'll introduce ya."

His face returned to human and he opened the back door. "Come on we don't want to waste the night!" He grabbed up the car keys hanging from a nail by the door and headed out. The door would lock automatically behind them.

It was less than a mile, even by car, but the rain made Heyoka glad that they were going to arrive at Cains dry. He slid the older model sedan down on to the thrid level of the underground garage and led Rivan to the tunnel that would take them to the club.

"Mind if we're a 'couple' - that will save on the cover charge and we'll get a couple of complimentary drinks as well - and I won't tell if you won't"

The Talbot called thanks after Ryan, and took the five out of the hat before a fresh gust of rain could soak it. He moved back under more cover and continued playing. He enjoyed the current weather. If it stayed until morning he and his family might do a little impromptu fox hunting. They lived close enough to the wilder end of the bayou to give them some rough ground to course over.

The small complex which housed Ryan's apartment was completely rented out to Night Life. The privacy that the security fence and high shubery made it safe for Ryan to move far faster than any Mundan could and he was out the side gate and at Hayabus's Hummer before he could get little more than barely damp. The rear passenger door was already cracked waiting for him. His movements were silent...

He paused a second- his hearing picked up the heart beat of a male passenger, and the tendrils of warm air curling from the cracked door carried scents of some one he was not familiar with. However Hayabus'a scent held no fear, so the Vampire doubted he had been coerced. He could not place the scent of the stranger, he wasn't human, but he wasn't Were, Oni, Tengu, or other Night Life he had previously come across. Nor was there the odors of a fire arms mingled with the body scent.

With hidden caution Ryan opened the door and slid quickly in. He never let himself become unbalanced, or unable to react instantaneously.

"Want to introduce us 'Busa?" Ryans voice was cool, as his eyes took in as much as he could from the back seat.

"So essentially an infection, thought I'm not sure if what you call a Bitten the same thing you do. Also from personal and clan experiance we heal faster than the blood boys."

Rivan followed Heyoka into the car and got out when it arrived. "I wouldn't have liked walking throught the storm in clothes." He commented, "A couple of what?" He asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"A Bitten is one made a Were by the bite of another Bitten- it a virus, not a hard core one, or Doc says there'd be a lot more of them. If it takes, the Bitten turns into a Were, tied to the moon for many, many years, and a Mundane killer. Most seem to have a real taste for human flesh." Heyoka flashed Rivan a startled glance. "You do know that we Born Were's can't make another Were by biting them don't ya?"

"A couple of what?"

That stopped Heyoka in his tracks and started him laughing so hard he all but couldn't stand.

"Boy you are from the back of Never Never aren't you. You know, a 'Couple' as in boyfriend and boyfriend?"

"Ah, then we use different terms. What you call a Bitten, we'd call a rogue. And yes I do, as I've bitten a few humans in all three forms, and haven't left a trail of Weres in my wake." He commented

His look of puzzlement deepened as Heyoka began laughing, before he began explaining. In a tone that was lightly tinged with unease, he replied, "A couple, in the sense I think you're meaning, is boyfriend-girlfriend, not boyfriend-boyfriend." The concept of same-sex relationships was one that just didn't come out properly in Rivan's mind. It was like saying 1+1 = 5, it just didn't add up.

"Allow me," Arthur said as he turned to face the new arrival, extending his hand slowly so as to make it clear there were no weapons in it.

"My name - at least, the name I choose to be called by - is Arthur Corsic. Call me Arthur. Just moved here from California." He shook Ryan's hand quickly and firmly, without letting it become some sort of infantile strength contest, as he had seen some humans do. "You would be Ryan. Pleasure to meet you, and all that."

While his words were light, it was obvious that he instantly recognized in Ryan a hunter's manner akin to his own. His eyes conveyed that recognition, as well as a healthy dose of respect.

"Thank you for telling me about the cloaks," Dilana said as she chose a red cloak and placed it around her shoulders and tied it at the front.
After Sian had described her car Dilana breathed, "Wow, she is a beauty."
The young woman ran her hand along the leather inside of the car, "It reminds me of my uncle's old car, it looks like this however you can tell it's old and that it has lack of care."
Dilana pursed her lips, "It's ashame to because that car was very nice."
Dilana smiled when Sian mentioned speed, "I haven't had this much fun in a long time, go for it."

"I haven't had this much fun in a long time, go for it."

Sian's grin never wavered as she put the Sagaris into fifth then just seconds later into sixth. The interstate wound down beneath the tires as the speedometer topped one twenty and kept on going. The spagetti bowl of where the 610 loop and I-10 met flashed above them. Ten miles plus in the blink of an eye.

Memorial Park, stretching dark on the south side was there an instant then gone Another five miles and Sian was sighing reluctantly as she brought the car down to speeds less liekly to give HPD instant heartattacks. The turn off to down town was too nearly a 90 degree angle and she slowed even more.

Traffic lights were in their favor and they rolled into Bayou Places underground parking with no stops. Down to the thrid level they went, and found a far corner. Sian didn't want to take risks with the Sagaris's finish. After locking up the pair headed for the club.

In the tunnel ahead of them a pair of young men were stopped, one tailing laughter as he began to answer his companion.

"Yes, like that. It's just pretend, but it will save us some money, Rivan... " Heyoka broke off as he heard the foot falls approaching. The tunnel was carpeted, but like all Were's he had most acute hearing. He turned to see who approached and he smiled widely. "Hi Doc! Wasn't sure if you'd be herre tonight!" He looked at Rivan.

"Rivan, this is Dr. Sian Rhys...and I have to apologise, I don't know the equally lovely young lady with her" He put on his most gallant manner and bowed deeply to Sian and Dilana as the pair approached.

Sian smiled at Heyoka's attempt to be courtly. The pink and green hair and ...interesting outfit... rather altered the intended manner. "Good evening Heyoka. This is the Hospitals newest nurse, Dilana. Dialan this is Heyoka, he took the name to make his contrary nature more openly known, though I don't know how he could have hidden it any way."

"Pleased to meet you Dilana" Heyoka blushed slightly at Sian's gentle teasing and in turn introduced the newest Lycanthrope in town. "This is Rivan, he made my mother's aquaintence this morning and I've been showing him the town."

As Heyoka broke off, Rivan looked around. He'd heard the noises as well and in the situation, was almost enought for him him to begin to change, but as his host didn't act worried, he relaxed somewhat. He was still confused about what Heyoka was talking about as it just refused to add up to logic.

"Hello Dr. Rhys." Rivan said as he was introduce, "And hello," Here he paused as the mystery woman smelt somewhat odd, an undefinable offness that didn't match a known group, "Delina of the strange scent."

As the doctor baited Heyoka, Rivan sneezed. "Excuse me." He apologised

The young woman slightly gasped as Sian reved up the car's engine and thrusted forward down the road. Dilana laughed as the car spun down the road, never having felt so free in a long time. When she and Sian had reached the club, Dilana was glad for the tunnel so that she wouldn't get wet from the rain that had begun to pour outside. Dilana raised her head as she heard voices from down the hall, and she inched closer to Sian as the two continued walking. However when Sian had seemed comfortable with the two men, Dilana had slightly relaxed.
When she had been introduced Dilana's lips parted in a friendly smile as she extended her right hand, "It's a plesure to meet you Heyoka."
The young woman laughed as the other man greeted her, "Dilana of the strange scent, I've never been called that before, that's a new one."
Dilana breathed in the air around her, and her eyes gazed around the carpetted tunnel. She eyed the man with the pink hair and smiled as she much appreciated people that weren't afraid to stand out.

Jessica was suprised a bit that Michael had only the address but no photo of Rhys, she thought giving a picture was standard. She relaxed as she felt Michael's hands on her and his tongue moving across her lips. She knew what he wanted, she had known for a while but had decided to hold off, letting the anticipation and hunger for her grow. Jessica could feel and smell the tension in his body. She leaned close to his ear and purred softly.

"Don't worry...I will exceed all of your wildest dreams."

It was then she noted with some curiousness that the angry woman was sitting with her back to Michael. Jessica did not feel any threat from the woman and didn't see any reason to do anything. She would keep an eye on her, in case the woman suddenly exploded out of whatever rage had taken over her.

Jessica turned back to Michael, looking him in the eyes. "So, what is your boss like? I got to know before I think about working for her."

Rivan smiled slightly at causing her to laught. In the last twenty four hours, he'd spoken to more people than he had in any six months of the last three years. He wasn't use to social interaction on anything like the scale that appeared to be opening up in front of him, and truth be told, he was somewhat scared.

Looking down the hall he wondered if they were headed to the same place he and Heyoka were. "Are you going to Cain's as well?" He asked the doctor and Dilana of the strange scent as he'd named her.

"Yes we are going to Cains," Dilana answered the young man's question, "What is your name?"

"My name is Rivan Lupus Otaku." He replied, "Or Moon-Shadow depending. Are you also new here?"

"My name is Rivan Lupus Otaku." He replied, "Or Moon-Shadow depending. Are you also new here?"
"It is nice to meet you Rivan," Dilana extended her hand in order for Rivan to shake hands with her, "I have just arrived from the nation of Tarayshia last evening. I found Sian and she has wonderfully helped me out."
She gave a greatful smile towards Sian, "She is a very nice and wonderful person, I am looking forward to working with her at the hospital."

Rivan took Dilana's hand, thought rather than shaking it, planted a light kiss upon the back of it. This was done for two reasons, he liked her as the first, and a chance to try and figure out what she was for the second. "It appears we arrived at similar times then." He said as he released her hand and straightened up.

Dilana slightly blushed as Rivan kissed her hand; she cleared her throat as she stepped back and studdied his face more closely; noting the confused look in his eyes, "You seem confused about something."
She knew what he was wondering about, however kept quiet about it; she did not like revealing herself to people that she didn't know.

Jessica turned back to Michael, looking him in the eyes. "So, what is your boss like? I got to know before I think about working for her."
Michael just looked into her eyes for a moment, the words just not making sense.

"OH... Yes. The Lady. Umm...". He reached for his glass, only remembering it was empty after he picked it up.

"Don't worry...I will exceed all of your wildest dreams."

The words were still ringing in his head and it took a moment to clear before he could answer.

"Very old. She speaks of kingdoms that have never been found, gone before the rise of Sumer. Powerful. More than just by the measure of vampires. She a sorceress as well. She doesn't look old though, well, obviously. She's kind hearted, unusually..."

He looked around and lowered his voice, "Unusually so for one of her kind. She works both sides of the fence, taking contracts from human and non-human, mutant as well. She protects people, it's what she does. I'm not sure about her military contracts, it's not my cup of tea. She has great wisdom. You can sense her power. I .. can sense her power."

His eyes dropped to the empty glass, "She took me in when no else would. She had more faith in me than I have in myself. You see ... I had a drinking problem after I left the service." Then he sighed, still not looking up her, "I still do, but, " and now he looked up, fierce determination in his eyes, a loyalty bought not by money, but by trust, "I refuse to fail her. I'll be meeting her tomorrow, for the briefing. I actually arrived sooner than she expected. You can meet her then if you like."

"Yes I am, and it's you. I can identify most of the Were species, a number of vampire clans, have about a seventy percent hit rate for mutants, and can reliably tell a half-dozen other groups, byt you have me baffled." He replied

His quite frequent solitary journeying had forced him to be able to be able to readily identify a wide selection of the most, and less common of the 'night-lifers'. The rarity of the truely rares meant that he wouldn't know them simply because he'd never had an oppertunity to encounter one.

"Yes I am, and it's you. I can identify most of the Were species, a number of vampire clans, have about a seventy percent hit rate for mutants, and can reliably tell a half-dozen other groups, byt you have me baffled." He replied


"Well," Dilana searched for words until she could think of the words to say, "I honestly do not know the name for myself. I just know my story, my senses have become much more kean than your average person or night lifer ever since my, "story," happened."
She made finger quotations in the air;

"Would you care to put that to the test?" He asked, subtly challenging her to his favorite childhood game, and one he was generally considered unbeatable at.

"Would you care to put that to the test?" He asked, subtly challenging her to his favorite childhood game, and one he was generally considered unbeatable at.

"Excuse me?"
Dilana took a step back, raising her head to look in to Rivan's eyes, "I do not like guessing games. I do not know just what you are getting at."

"You said your senses were keener than that of an average person, it is a game that put them to the test." He replied with a grin.

Dilana sighed as she looked over at Sian, "I'm really not in the mood," she replied her voice not as harsh sounding as before, "Perhaps some other time."
Smiling and then chuckling in a lighter tone of voice she said, "I'm feeling a bit nervous tonight so I may not be at my best performance."

"As you wish, thought the offer still stands." He replied, "And I hope nothing happens." With the end of the possiblility of the game at present, Rivan's nervousness return to a lesser extent than it was earlier.

"Yes," Dilana said as she patted her hair to make sure it was in place, "Perhaps some other time."

While the three young folk got to know one another Sina stepped past to the elevator. 'Lady bright, when did just barely forty become old' Sian scolded herself, as she stepped into the elevator and slid a small gold key into an unmarked slot.

After Heyoka, Dilana and Rivan joined her, the door slid shut and Sian turned the key. Instead of moving up or down, the car slid side ways.

"This is the private way in to a more private part of Cains holdings. It would be very wise not to talk about this area to any one but others you meet down here. Boasting or careless mention will be taken badly, not the least by me."
Her tone was light but her words and face made certain that all three understood how serious she was. 'Yes it's in part a test, but better to find out if you are not trustworthy sooner than later' She thought as she watched their faces. She was certain that Heyoka had heard all the rumors, and he did know many who knew of this level. 'But he has little interest in fighting beyond the required skills, and far more pleasure in a hunt than in dueling.'

It was not usual for any of the key holders to introduce new comers so quickly but Sian's flashes of precognative ability had her pushing the envelope. Nothing specific, just a low level discomfort that said something bad was coming. Precognative ability was the least reliable of psionic abilities. Dilana's comment that she some times knew when 'things were going to happen' had Sian wondering if she was picking anything up.

The travel along the side-ways elevator was causing Rivan to become edgy. The shape, motion and general size was general bother, and the faint oders that were increasing somewhat as they travelled further horizontally raised his hackles somewhat. Sian's comments about the area they were headed into just served to heightened his apprehension. "So where are we headed?" He asked, his voice slightly rougher than before.

Jessica stared into Michael's eyes as he talked. She felt sorry for the man, if he had a drinking problem after he got out of the service, something tragic probably happened to him. Her father didn't have a drinking problem after he got out of the service, then again he left the military in a bodybag after being killed at some placed called R-Point in Vietnam.

She stroked his cheek gently, she wanted to leave with him then and there but knew that the several martinis she had would make her driving clumsly. She wasn't sure about Michael and his scotch, but if alcohol effected a weretiger, it also had the same effect on a human.

Jessica took the empty glass from his hand and placed it on the table behind her. She gently slid off him and gave him a kiss.

"I'll be right back, need to hit the bathroom, then I'll sober up a bit." She leaned in close and smiled. "Then we can have fun."

Jessica patted him on the shoulder and moved away, accidently bumping into the shoulder of the woman sitting behind Michael.

"Sorry." She muttered and walked to the bathroom.

Dilana could feel Rivan's tention in the air as the elevator began to move, the young woman sencing that something seemed wrong.
"You have my word Sian," Dilana began, "I will not say a word to anyone. I understand your mistrust."

Ryan nodded curtly but politely, shaking Arthur's hand. "Ryan Hammond," he said quickly, buckling his seat belt. He nodded at Busa, and the Oni pulled away.

The drive to Cain's was quick, but not quiet. Ryan and Aurthur chatted about California, Ryan having left the state only a few years earlier, and whenever a nice car would pass, Ryan would point it out, and he and 'Busa would toss around specs. Ryan retold stories of his "hunting" the previous night, working a few grand out of the Ford owner's, continuing to claim that sooner or later, he would have something real hot. "Something from Europe," he continued saying.

The arrival at Cain's was less dramatic then most, moving past the door men becuase of the Oni's security pass. Ryan looked around, spotting a few girls he would remeber for later, and then handed his coat over to the coat girl. "I'll see you guys in a few, I'm gonna grab a drink!" he shouted over the music.

He walked over to the bar, pushing his way past a few toppless Mundanes dressed as cats, and waved over the bartender. "Bloody Mary!" he again shouted loud enough for the Night Lifer drink master to hear, giving a quick flash of his fangs. The man returned a moment later with a tall glass filled with red liquid, with a celery stalk sticking out. In reality, the tommato juice had been replaced with real blood, with just a quick spray of vodka for flavoring. Ryan, like most middle aged vampires could tolorate small amounts of actual food, but anything beyond a few bites or a few sips would put him in a bad way.

"It is not mistrust Dilana but caution..." Sian began in a reasureing voice, but before she could continue Heyoka broke in excitedly

"The ultimate Court of Last Resort, the place of trial by com..."

A sharp and very dangerous growl from Sian shut him up in mid word "It's a private level, fighting arenas and such. Most 'know' it's here, but it isn't discussed openly even among us. There are other more 'public' dueleing arenas and training grounds, but even those generally require an invitation."

Heyoka was nodding vigorously and added "The packs put together a gym and fighting arena, but nothing like Cains I have a feeling " He hadn't been seriously rattled by Sian's growl, but then again he was very irrepressable. "I'm not really into it Rivan If you are interested I'll get mom to issue you an invite."

"A fight club, what is the point of that?" He asked with a sceptical glance. Since official adulthood, the only fights he participated in ended up with only him leaving the circle.

Michael smiled and nodded, then turned to the table and scanned the room. 'So much for that', he thought, fully expecting the woman to not return. As for sobering up, he was fine. He could drink far more than that and still get around, the price of the alcoholic, you needed more and more to forget.

Red looked up as the woman bumped into her and then let it pass when she apologized, simply noding in acceptance. She picked up her drink again and took another sip, wondering what she was going to do now. Mutants and non-humans didn't accept her even before her job and now it was worse. The government wanted her dead and no human would take her in. She had till daybreak, then she could move about in the light of day and figure out where she would go.

As Jessica made her way through the crowd, she noted a familiar face barging through several mundanes who also went for a cat look, though their outfits were more revealing of flesh. Jessica passed close enough to the man to recognize the face as one of the racers from the DVD she had sold earlier. Jessica moved to the bar, a few people down and ordered another martini. She drained it quickly and eyed the man as he scanned the room, she could faintly smell blood coming from his drink.

"Vampire." She muttered quietly to herself. This must be the racer Left Ear was telling her about ealier.

Jessica then left the bar, she would remember the face and the man's smell for later. She went into the restroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She quickly touched up on the tiger makeup on her face and checked her hair before heading back out into the club. Jessica walked back to the table, moving behind Michael. She looked at the woman she bumped into and found it to be the very same who was made earlier. She smiled at her and moved past her to Michael.

A finger gently stroked his cheek. She smiled as he looked up at her. "I hope you didn't think I'd leave you. Lets go..." She leaned close to him and whispered in his ear. "...and get to know each other. Are you good enough to drive or shall I?"

"I agree with you," Dilana said, "I don't like fighting unless I absolutely have to. I have never been one for watching it as a sport ither."

Michael was bit surprised by the light touch, though he didn't reveal it and looked up. He smiled as he saw that she had indeed returned, and it was pleasant surprise.

"Yes", he replied and stood up, "I mean, yes I can drive." He actually meant yes to both. Usually he was too old, to out of fashion or too open. 'Hello, nice to meet you, goodbye.' That's how things normally went and this woman was for more than he could have dared to hope for. The pragmatic side of him figured she just wanted to kill him, but he didn't really care at this point.

He placed a hand on her back gently and gestured. Once outside, assuming that's where she went, he would take her to 'Enterprise'. Then she could give directions. His car was safe where it was, but he might need the equipement in her and would much prefer to have access to her should the need arise.

****

Red turned her head as the man got up and saw the butt of the .44 for a brief second. Though he carried it under the jacket it wasn't fully conceiled and that meant he had a permit to carry. THAT meant he had connections. But from where? His company? The government? She turned back, looking down at her drink, still at loss as to her next move.

Jessica smiled and took Michael's hand, leading him in the club off to a corner of the main bar. Since he was knowledgeable about Night Life and could still be hesitant about going with a were, she decided to show good will. Another female were stared at her and growled, obviously trying to shake Jessica off her male. Jessica gave a harder growl and gave some fang, the other female hesitanted for a bit before moving off. Jessica looked at Michael.

"Some little girls just can't play with the big cats."

She then scanned the rows of people and spotted the male vampire she saw earlier. Jessica leaned against the bar and pointed with her thumb at him. She talked quietly enough for Michael to hear

"That man down there with the Bloody Mary...just so you know the face if you see him. He is a vampire just so you know. I recongized him from a DVD of a street race I sold ealier this evening. From what I hear he is a big racer. I don't know about how is he in standing with the covens or anything. I am not that into the Night Life politics." She lowered her eyes. "Lost faith in anything political after my father was killed in the 1967 Tet Offensive."

Michael shifted his eyes to look at the man, but didn't look directly at him, then smiled and put is arms around Jessica, nuzzling her hair lightly. "Is he a problem?" he whispered in her ear, trying to seem casual. He could have asked just as easily at a distance, he knew, but preferred to be close, holding her.

His eyes shifted again to the man she indicated as he held her, already calculating distance and potential routes and line of fire innocents, his military background already taking hold as he anticipated trouble.

Jessica turned and wrapped her arms around Michael. She brought him close and nuzzled his neck, enjoying the warmth and feeling of his flesh. The tiger couldn't help but chuckle when he asked if he was a problem, but she quickly stopped it. She looked into his eyes.

"No problem, I can handle myself against any vampire. I thought a man like you would like to know these things. Bump into the wrong person on the street, you could be dinner."

She gently licked him and smiled. She spoke with some sarcasm in her voice. "I hate sharing my conquests with others."

Jessica placed her head on the man's shoulder and purred, Michael's arms brought comfort and security she had not felt in so long. She stared back at the woman she had encountered several times. Something about her wasn't right at all. She wasn't a vampire or a were, unless she covered up her origins better than any she knew of. Jessica thought about telling Michael, but if this woman was dangerous and if a battle started, the tiger would lose her chance to be with the man.

Jessica purred in Michael's ear. "Take me, I'm yours...master."

Red turned, feeling scrutinized. Not a mental ability really, just years of hunting and being hunted. Her eyes locked with Jessica's and in them there was a dangerous fire and a strange saddness. Her bright head hair and black locks were evident. After a moment she turned away, hoping that she hadn't been recognized.

****

Michael smiled and took Jessica by the hand, guiding her toward the front door, his eyes shifting to follow the man she had pointed out. He seemed content with his drink and Michael didn't feel the need to do anything more. He steered Jessica near Red's table as he made his way out, unaware or unconcerned with the woman who sat there.

"A fight club, what is the point of that?"

Sian shrugged slightly "Some like to fight, some see it as not much more than a contest of powers in a safe place, others use it to train themselves to keep from hunrting others inadvertantly..." she turned back to something Rivanhad mentioned earlier. "You said that you could identify Vampire clan lines, blood lines, by scent? That is very exceptional." She looked at him intently

Heyoka nodded in agreement. "No one I know can tell a Vamp line by scent."

The concealed door that comprised the back 'wall' of the cab slid open, and Sian stepped out in to a well lit area floored with plush forest green carpet. Several doors, a hall way and another elevator let out of the room.

"You all can take the elevator up to any of the levels of the club, if you'd like, or look around here. I need to take a moment to see who is filling in as the medic tonight."Sian pointed to the other elevator in the wall they had come out of

She indicated the wide hallway in the wall opposite. "The hall leads to the arenas, this door" She waved a hand at a door of dark carved oak inlaid with a center pannel of stained glass in a morning glory and hummingbird pattern. It was in the center of the right hand wall as one stood looking down the corridor "Leads to the club room and viewing area. Bar, grille, and dart board." She turned to the other three doors. "Gymnasium and dressing rooms, Armoury and other equipment rooms, Offices and medical."

'Busa looked at Arthur "You don't have to hang with me, I have to take a sec to check in." He waved a handed at a discrete door way already under guard by an equally discretely placed hard body.

The stage was currently empty, the Dj hidden in his booth high above getting the crowd readyfor the main act

However he couldn't resist doing a bit of something that had just come to his attention.... The lights dimmed and the mellow, disemobdied voice advised the assembled that the next offering would be something classic and hot... "And the visuals, hottest of all, last night hot! One of our own, doing it right."

The lyrics were all but lost under the heavey metal roar of engines ...

Revvin' up your engine
Listen to her howlin' roar
Metal under tension
Beggin' you to touch and go

Highway to the Danger Zone...

Thirty feet tall came the projection of... The black Chevy rolled up to the impromptu starting line on a set of black wheels with polished lips, and seemed to hover on purple underglow neons. The windows were tinted one way black, and, holding with the dark theme of the car, the badges were all black chrome. The only white on the car was the number 402 printed on either side of the ram air hood.

A 2004 'Terminator' Cobra, it's V8 a basso profundo growl a challenge, eased to a halt on the other side of the sweet young thing with a red silk scarf in her hands. It's colors were royal blue, burnished silver accents.

The flagger pointed to each car, hearing the two V8s reving. She pulled her arms up, and dropped, signaling the start. Ryan was left behind quickly as the Cobra flew out of the hole shot, the supercharged V8 roaring as the rear tires smoked up from the launch. However, Ryan was far from beat. He feathered the clutch, letting out slowly to keep the wheels from spinning to much. He gripped, and the Camaro rocketed forward, quickly closing the distance between he and the Mustang. Before the half mile mark, he had already paced the Mustang. A shift into fourth activated the computerized nitrous system, and he screamed away from the Terminator.

By the time the black Camaro crossed the finish line, the 'Stang was fully seven lengths behind, not just beaten, but 'destroyed' in street racer parlance.

Out along the edges
Always where I burn to be
The further on the edge
The hotter the intensity

Highway to the Danger Zone
Gonna take you
Right into the Danger Zone

Highway to the Danger Zone

The time in the club passed quickly, and Ryan watched as a Weretiger pulled a mundane out of the club. He chuckled to himself quietly, remembering how he was once told that men needed to work for sex, a woman just needed a man. He sighed, and went back to his drink, listening to the opening band play a rather dark cover of Paint it Black. After a few more songs, they left the stage, and the DJ took over, promising that the main show was just about to start.

At this point, Ryan had a nice young Asian girl wearing the cat suit on his lap, a third Bloody Mary working its way into his system, and three men around him, two trying to steal away the mundane "cat girl" and one trying to set up a race. He was representing the Mustangers that he had cleaned house with the night before, and wanted to run for serious cash: somwhere in the five-digit range.

"C'mon man, its twenty five grande for best two outa three. All rolls. You think your shit can run with the best."

Ryan just stared the man down, his arms resting around the waste of the girl playing with an olive, running it around her lips as she pushed the martini glass away. "I don't care who the fuck you are or what you run, I will stomp your shit twice before even really trying to run."

"Boy, I don't think you know who your talking too," the man said, trailing off as a large screen rose. He turned to watch the clips of the previous night, the boosted 402 Camaro running down every single Mustang on the strip. Classics, moderns, nitroused and boosted, many running drag radials, all falling to the Camaro.

The man turned, and looke Ryan in the eyes. "Like I said," he spoke softly but with purpose, "you do not want to fuck with me and my ride."

The man looked at him hard. "So what, you wanna puss out now? Big and bad for all the low rungers, can't run with the real big dogs?" His hand was balled into a fist now, the mundane ready to teach Ryan a lesson, be it on the street, or right here in the club.

Ryan stood, pushing the the girl off his lap, comming eye to eye with the other man. He grinned, all but flashing fang, his eyes peering into the man's own. "I will fuck you up. Here. The street. The strip. Anywhere. Back the hell off."

The man had no idea what came over him, but slowly, he backed away. Ryan turned back to bar to grab his drink, and saw a small black buisness card with red lettering sitting on the bar. He grabbed it, flipped it over, and read the back. He nodded, tossed a fifty dollar bill on the bar, and walked away towards a staircase. The girl chased after, but a vampire with different tastes stepped in, using his powers to seduce the girl.

Ryan descended the stair case, past the multiple open levels of the club, and into a secure service entrance. He walked down a long, somewhat lit hallway, past a few more doors, and up to a pair of gaurds. The two men, both vampires, watched him as he pressed his thumb print against a door, the door opening into the wall with a hiss.

Ryan stepped through the door, which dropped him off in the back locker room of the arena area. He moved through, two lycans joking about a recent fight. One offered up a challange for Ryan, but a flash of the business card silenced the jeering were. He moved through the locker room, and past a few more doors till entering the main arena. He followed a coridor, and stepped through an open door, behind Sian and her group.

He decided Cain could wait. The primogen of the city needed Ryan alive, and Ryan, knowing this, could do just about whatever he wanted. Instead, he moved up behind Sian, Rivan, and the others, and cleared his throat. "So, Sian, gonna introduce me to your new friends?"

Sian had felt Ryan enter her range, a strong, solid presence that she had always felt comfortable around. Unlike most Vampires he had retained all of 'himself' and, again unlike most of his age range and older, had stayed current with the times. That was something very hard for the older vampires to do, they tended to cling to what they knew when they were alive.

And she liked him immensely. He seemed to understand that despite her calling as a healer, she was almost as much a hunter as he was. And held neither against her.

Then he was entering the foyer behind her, his breath cool against the back of her neck."So, Sian, gonna introduce me to your new friends?"

She looked over her shoulder, eyes alight. Turning slightly she slipped an arm though his, drawing him up beside her with a warm smile. "Of course I am! Dilana, Rivan, Heyoka, this is Ryan Hammond. Man of many talents, not the least of which is his skill behind the wheel of a hot car." She inclinded her head towards Dilana "This is Dilana Monceed, new in town and the Hospital's newest nurse. Rivan Otaku is also newly arrived in town and Heyoka here is showing him all the best places to have fun." She introduced the two Weres "I think you know his mother slightly, Windra, Alpha of GreenWaters Clan."

Jessica let Michael led her out of Cain's and into the cool night. She looked around, her senses rushing back to normal with the noise and the smells of the inside leaving her system. As they walked away, she paused and looked at him.

"Mind if we pay a visit to your boss? I am anxious to meet her."

Michael hesitated a moment, 'boss' not quite registering at first.

"OH!", he nodded, "yeah, of course." He pulled his coat aside, revealing the long barrel of the .44 Magnum and took out a small bluetooth earpiece and put it on his ear as his eyes drifted around, never staying in one place. He pressed the button on the earpiece, "Lady", he said and the phone in his pocket dialed the number.

"Good night, Lady, are you in Houston yet?"

"Motor coach? ahh, what's a motor coach?"

"Oh, a car, well I could pick you up at the airport if you'd like. I have company too and she's interested in the assistant job."

"Yes, I'm in Houston."

"Well it was about a 14 or 15 hour drive, I figured I may as well go straight through and get started."

"Why did you take a plane? Why not just pop in..."

"Ahhh, yeah, I guess it's a good cover."

"Yeah I'll be there in...", and he looked at Jessica to see how long it would take to get to the airport.

Jessica looked around as Michael talked on his phone. A few people walking past gave her odd looks as they continued on their evening walks while a few young drivers nearly caused a few rear bumps by staring at the tight latex. She looked in the night, making sure no one would come up and take Michael.

The airport took Jessica a bit of time. She had never needed to go there and most of the time she spent between her home, work, and a few clubs.

"Depending on how fast you go and traffic...fifteen at least...maybe at tops forty-five. Though I doubt it is that high. I haven't been to the airport in a while."

"Half an hour, give or take", he said, entering the parking garage and giving the man his parking ticket, paying for the time. The man grinned at Jessica as he handed over the key and Michael quickly flipped the ring around the man's finger twisting it.

"Sorry" he said, staring at the man as removed the keys and headed in.

"No, not you Lady, slight accident with the parking attendant."

Michael looked sheepishly at Jessica, "Yes Lady, of course, my apologies."

"Pan Am International, yeah, got it. Be there soon."

"And you, Lady", he said, reaching up to press the button to end the call.

The car he moved over too was a mint condition 79 cadillac Calais, or land yacht as most referred to them. The bullit proofing didn't take much from the power of the engine since she was heavy to start with but that and the puncture proof tires had cost him a small fortune. She was gunmetal grey with bench seats, air, tilt and telescopic steering, power windows and a few additions of his own.

He unlocked the passenger side door and held it open while Jessica got in, unable to resist running his eyes over her and wishing he could go anywhere but where he was going. Once inside he closed the door, moved around, looked around the area then got in. When he turned the key she started right up and seemed to purr with power. He reached over between Jessica's knees then looked up at her, "Ehh, sorry", and pulled out a laptop from under her side of the seat, though very slowly as he admired the fine curves of her legs.

He plugged to laptop into a slot off the dash, turned it on and typed in the airport name then routed it through the nav he had had built in and adjusted the wheel then backed out and headed toward the airport.

Jessica smiled as Michael gave the attendent a twist. A bit protective are we? She thought as she followed him. She kissed Michael as he opened the door for her and the tiger relaxed in the seat. Jessica looked down at the human's arm between her legs and followed it up to his face.

"It is alright..." she placed her hand on his leg and moved it up a few inches before bringing her hand back. "I don't mind."

It was the first time in a while a man took such time with looking at her. Mostly it was just gawk for a bit before trying to push her into bed as soon as possible.

They were on the road for a bit before Jessica noticed two pictures on the dashboard. One was of him with a dog and the other was a little girl and a puppy. Jessica looked at Michael.

"Who is the little girl?"

Before Ryan had come through the door, Dilana had been looking at the door that lead her to Cains. As the door behind them had opened, Dilana jumped slightly before she had heard the voice of Ryan. The young woman relaxed her shoulders as he had called out Sian's name in a friendly tone.
After Sian had introduced everyone Dilana smiled and said, "It is very nice to meet you Mr. Hammond," Dilana said as she stuck out her hand for Ryan to shake.
"Sian has helped me very much," Dilana gave a friendly smile towards Sian, "If it wasn't for her I don't know where I'd be."

His face fell a bit, suddenly as he looked over at the picture.

"She was my little sister...", he said. After a short time he continued as he accelerated down the road, handling the heavy vehicle like a professional race car driver.

"She gave me the puppy when I went into the service. He went through training with me and grew big. She told me he would protect me and help me fight", he said, smiling at the memory of the little girls ernestness.

"We hit a long ridge one sunup ...", and he shook his head, "death held all the cards that day. We paid and paid with lives of men for every inch of ground. We finally hit the top and there was nothing but death behind, but we dug and thanked god, though there were only nine of us left out of almost five hundred."

For a long moment he said nothing and then shook his head, "There's no glory in a battle once you've seen it's awful cost. There's only glory in knowing that your flag hasn't fallen." His eyes seemed to be looking far away though some part of him seemed to be paying attention to the road as he weaved through traffic. "But in the stillness of the nighttime, when your all alone holding a post ... You start crying like a baby, sitting there with all the ghosts. I thought my dead buddies were patting my back, though they were silent and still. But it was that dog, trying to let me know he was still there", he said with a slight smile.

"Well then the snipers switched positions and tried picking us off. He my sole companion through that night. Finally though, I wrote a note to the colonel and bound his shattered leg. I said, boy, we're sure in trouble. He never whimpred, never begged. I could tell he hated to leave me I was the only god he ever knew."

He chuckled at that, "How fucking sad is that?"

He shook his head again and continued, "But he took off through the night, quick as any one of us. We kept firing till help finally came. It was him, though, that saved that hill. A dying dog that got through the lines. But as the good book says, at the end of time the bugles will blow and we'll stand our last reviews. And men who've died form men on earth will get thier heavenly dues."

He reached over to the glove box, opening it, "But if all BRAVE hearts are there then I'll be honored to hang these around his neck", he said, pulling out two boxes, one with a purple heart and one a medal of valor.

"I was dreading heading home", he said as he switched lanes and made a turn, weaving the huge car expertly between two others and around a third. "I figured she would be angry at me", he said, nodding his head toward the picture of the little girl. "But when I got there she had been torn apart along with my parents by a vampire. The Lady took me in a few months later and has been working at trying to find the one responsible. Then", he said, his eyes growing truley fierce for the first time, "he'll pay."

Michael's first sentence hit Jessica like a frieght train. Her gut sank immediatly, whatever Michael had to say probably wasn't good. Now it was she who was captivated by words, her mind trembling as he talked. Tears welled up in her eyes as he continued. His story hit a special cord with her, she wondered if Michael's thoughts were the same kind of thoughts her father was thinking before being killed.

She stared at the medals, only metal and ribbon in her eyes. Jessica's gut gave the final rip when she learned the fate of his family. It now made sense why he was being protective of her, he probably didn't want her being taken away by some vampire or something else. Jessica had only been protective so that he would remain her trophy for the evening. She pushed back the tears and stared at him. She gently pulled off one of her latex gloves and touched his skin, feeling the softness of it.

"I'm sorry about your family."

She stroked him for a bit before looking forward. Jessica moved her hand away long enough to put the glove back on and her hand returned to him, resting on his leg. She spoke in a softer tone, Michael's story still ringing in her mind.

"Exit for the airport is coming up.

Michael looked down for a moment as her hand touched his arm and then smiled at her, genuinely. When she returned it he took it, brining it to his lips and kissing it softly, not saying anything, not asking or demanding, only a gentle touch. At her announcement of the exit he watched the road carefully and took the turn off then followed the signs to the appropriate area. He would meet her in the terminal and therefore pulled into the parking garage, took a ticket, and found a spot.

He opened his door after putting the laptop back under the seat but stopped, and on an impulse that he would normally not give into, turned and kissed Jessica passionitly, then quickly got out and came around to her side, opening the door for her and reaching out his hand.

"True but as yet, save for the rough and tumble 'matches' of childhood, only one person has ever left a circle. As for the bloodlines, for some it's far easier than others, and some are bloody difficult to pick-out."

Rivan looked at and tried to memorize the locations of each room she pointed out when someone interrupted. "You drive?" He asked of the man.

Jessica was surprised when Michael kissed her just after they parked. It seemed to send sparks of electricity through her body and it ended just far too soon for her tastes. She unbuckled herself and as her fingers reached the doorhandle, Michael opened it for her and offered his hand. Jessica smiled and took it. Once she was out, she still held onto him as the pair headed off.

Michael kept a gentle hold on her hand as he made his way across the overwalk, his eyes occasionally moving from their vigilante watch to admire Jessica’s fine form, the play of her muscles as she moved and the look of her exquisite form. “Gotta watch those walls every second”, he said after colliding with one while paying more attention to her than to where he was going.

In a few moments they arrived at the terminal. Even he could feel her presence before seeing her, her power a mixture of the ancient vampires and her own natural sorcery. When she came into view he was a bit taken aback, not by the natural charm she exuded, he had met her several times and had become accustomed to it, but by the fact that she seemed out of place here. Typically he met her in an office except for the one time in New Orleans, and it just seemed odd to see her in public.

Lauralin stood about five and half feet and looked somewhat malnourished. But she had an hourglass figure the drew the eyes of almost every man that saw her and many women as well. She was well endowed and well toned, but her real strength lay in her vampiric nature. She wore a powdered blue dress that ended about mid thigh and her flame red hair cascaded down her back, ending only about an inch above the ground. Her eyes were a bright emerald green, piercing, bright and filled with a wisdom that seemed out of place for a woman who looked to be only in her late teens or early twenties. There was an arch to her eyebrows and her ears small and pointed, making many think that she was a mutant. In fact she was half-elven, from a time before recorded history. She had seen the rise of sumer, Egypt and Rome and their decline and fall as well.

She watched the two approach, Lauralin’s own eyes roaming over Jessica, admiring her fine body.

“Lady”, Michael said, bowing. “I’m sorry but…”

“You came as quickly as you could. I know. You really should not speed Michael, especially with such a fine companion at your side.”

Michael’s cheeks flushed a bit but he continued, “Lady this is..”

“Jessica, yes”, she said and extended her hand to Jessica, her grip far, far stronger than most would believe, even as she tried to keep it light, “a pleasure to meet you.”

Ryan took Dilana's hand, but instead of shaking it turned it up as he slid away from Sian. He held it to his face and bowed, placing a gentle kiss on her hand. "Le plaisir est toute moi," he said, with a flawless French accent. He then turned to Riven.

You drive?

Resuming his position at Sian's side, he nodded at the lycan. Winking at Sian, he turned and examined the man. "Well, I guess you could say I've been known to move on the street a bit. Wait, thats not right, let me try again." Ryan looked up, as if searching for a word, then looked back at Riven. "Ah yes, that what I meant to say. I don't just drive, I can out drive this entire city, and just about every city between here and Barstow."

Ryan was cocky, but then again, he could afford it. While he shyd away from internet sites, most of the Houston street racing scene had heard of him, or come to blows with him and his Camaro. A good percentage of the smugglers and drug runners, both Mundane and Strange Folk, had come to him to utilize his services. He had only been beat three times, tiwce by the Oni Hyabussa on his turbocharged Suzuki, and once by another vampire from Dallas who piloted a black Audi RS4 wagon.

"So, while I do hate to keep Cain waiting," He said, with a definate air of sarcasam in his words, "how are you all doing tonight?"

Sian grinned as Ryan's cockiness held true and he declared himself the best on the streets. She had seen him race, and more, and knew that every word was true.

"So, while I do hate to keep Cain waiting, how are you all doing tonight?"

'Oh no you don't mind keeping Cain waiting one bit' Sian thought as she answered. She learned of his aviodance of any appearance of affiliation with any of the Clans, Covens and Councils when they had first met. "Doing excellently knowing you're on the job"

Sian knew that Ryan had no need to 'prove' himself in the arena, and he mentioned Cain...'So Cain's going to have him take care of the latest Mess'. She sighed inwardly, some what worried- Houston had the largest Vampire population in the south, and the second hightest Mess percentage. Only New Orleans had worse and there were plenty of very valid reasons for that. Cain was taking action swiftly and that did ease her worries.

"Dilana, Rivan, Heyoka the elevator will take you up to the main floor of the club" Sian nodded at the other elevator rather than though the door that Ryan came out of. "I'll join you all up there shortly."

Mentally she 'knocked, knocked' on Ryan's thoughts.

Jessica opened her mouth to warn Michael of the wall, but her warning never got out as the human greeted the concrete. She supressed a smile and continued with him, not sure of whom to look for. She got her answer when she felt something different in the air and she followed Michael's gaze to the stunning woman walking towards them, her eyes looking her up and down several times. Jessica smiled in greeting to the vampire.

Jessica was taken by surprise the vampire knew her name and the strength in her handshake.

"Yes...I'm Jessica." The tiger said, slightly nervous. "I do not wish to sound stupid, but do you read minds?"

“Yes”, Lauralin replied to Jessica’s question. “I do. But I do not read the minds of those who do not work for me, except in dangerous situations. It is not proper. It was Michael’s mind from which I had attained your name, not to mention some rather ah … erotic .. imagery.”

“YEAH”, Michael cut in quickly, “I think we should grab your bags and head out? I’m sure your tired after your long flight.”

“Not in the least”, Laura replied teasingly, “I had thought, perhaps, you could take me on a tour of the city.”

“A tour”, Michael said, glancing at Jessica as Lauralin suppressed a grin, though her eye’s twinkled with amusement, “now. Right now?”

“Perhaps not, I should see about meeting with Cain as my presence was unannounced”, she said, letting him off the hook and getting an almost audible sigh of relief from him in response.

“But ahh, yeah, what was the rush in your getting here? I mean, I know you need a new assistant in Houston, but…”

“Yes, Taniear died, sadly. Sudden heart failure.”

“Oh”, Michael replied, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yes”, Lauralin said and looked at Jessica, “you are interested in the position I understand. We shall have to speak soon then. Now, however, Michael seems in a hurry for some privacy.”

Michael sputtered, trying to form some kind of response but Laura placed a finger to his lips, “She is lovely. Use the Defender’s credit card, the unlimited and enjoy yourselves for this night, I shall be tied up for a bit seeking a council with Cain, I am sure. Just take me to the hotel, you know which one, and let me brief you there, then you will be free for the rest of the night.” She looked over at Jessica, “And do not let him work, he has a habit of doing so even when told not to.”

Ryan listened as Sian told the group how to get around the club. However, his looks didn't betray what was really going on his head. He had opened his mind, allowing Sian to reach inside. A minor parlor trick for most vampires, Ryan took the ability to communicate mentaly very seriously, along with all the little tricks and abilities of vamps.

Whats on your mind Ryan asked, not speaking, ignoring the obvious pun. On the outside, he simply nodded and watched as Sian explained the club to the two lycans and the mutant. It was then he got a good look at her dress.

Sian oftened dressed in a far demure, conservative, "nursey" way, a style of dress that was all buisness, and little pleasure. However, her dress this evening was, well, to put it quite simply, sexy. Ryan had never seen Sian as more than a friend, but if it weren't for that, and he had seen her upstairs, she would have become his test for the night, pushing away the svelte teeny boppers and half naked college girls. He admired her as she spoke with the others. And what gives with the outfit? Me-ow!

'Whats on your mind'

'If you are going to see Cain about the current mess, mind if I come with you? He's going to send you to me for more information, as I brought him all the shredded details, and laid the mess at his feet... Or he should, if he wants you to clean up properly.' Sian advised Ryan. Cain was mostly honorable, at least by his lights, but he hadn't been human in a long time. But there was always a not so small knowing that Cain had, in the past, disposed of those he might consider rivals in the Vampire community.

Sian had managed to keep him at bay for years, but he never gave up trying to make her into a follower. No Elder Vampire liked anyone that could be real competetion, and Cain wwas no exception. And given Sian's abilities, making her into his Servant would not only bolster his standing condiserably, but add to his power base. He'd tried his wiles on Sian's mother as well, but failed in her case as well. Sian, however, was more vulnerable, and Cain seldom let the matter rest.

And what gives with the outfit? Me-ow!


Sian's blush was mentally visable as well as physically, her mind voice warm with pleasure at Ryan's compliment. 'It's time to live, have some fun, ' She admitted her 'voice' gone wry as she shrugged mentally. 'and I haven't danced in ages, I'm not sure if I remember how.'

Ryan chukled out loud. Its like riding a bike Sian. Hell, after three hundred years, even I can still do it. And its about time you had some fun, staying locked up in that hospital all day.


He knew a few reasons why Sian would want to go with him to see Cain. She had already seen the Mess up close, as well as the details when clearing the mind of the young were that had seen the attack. It would kill two birds to have them both explain the situation to him, and give him better insight. Sian, much like Cain, had reasons why she would want to keep Messes to a minimum. That, and he knew about Cain trying to turn Sian.

Cain was, as far as vampires go, a fairly simple, straigh forward undead. Not the kind who would attack when one's back was turned. However, he had been turned down a number of times by the females of Sian's family. Whilst Ryan quite didn't understand why Sian, or any of the others, would resist a turn, he also accepted that he, like numerous vampires, was a very Machiavellian thinker, and many humans strayed away from thoughts of how to acheive more power. He trusted, insofar as one could trust a vampire, Cain enough not to attack Sian at any of the meetings, but in case the cities Primogen tried, he knew where his loyalties stood. He just wondered how much he could hold off Cain to let Sian get away, seeing as the fight would be the equivalent of an angry teenager, and a martial arts master.

However, he kept those thoughts locked away, and nodded Sure he thought, letting Sian know she was more than welcome to come with him.

'Its like riding a bike Sian. Hell, after three hundred years, even I can still do it. And its about time you had some fun, staying locked up in that hospital all day.'

'Good, then I can step on Your toes in a little bit.' Despite a mischievious grin to answer Ryans' rich chuckle, Sian sounded a little uncertain as she aded 'If you wouldn't mind?'

Sian slid her invitation into Dilana's hand as the elevator door opened to take the three up to the main floor several stories above "Here, with this all ya'lls drinks on the house."

As the elevator door slid shut Sian gave Ryan a nod as he replied to her last question. "He's in his private viewing box" She said aloud. She had located his presence earlier and a quick check showed he hadn't moved. To reach it they'd go through the club room, and up a short flight of stairs.

Sian found herself reluctant to remove her arm from Ryan's as they headed through the dimly club room. She nodded to several people she knew, exchanging greetings but not stopping for conversation. Noting that her heels almost made her taller than Ryan she resolved to remember to kick off her shoes before heading out on the dance floor.

"Who's Cain?" Rivan asked Heyoka. He'd thought it was just a name of club, but it appeared to be the name of someone of import. He figured he might be a vampire lord, and wondered if his was of a clan or blood-line that he could identify.

Dilana smiled at Ryan as he kissed her hand, "For a vamp you certainly are a gentleman."
Dilana said as she chuckled;
When Sian had given Dilana her envitation for the club, she smiled at at the other woman and said, "Thanks so much, I was going to head there before Ryan came along."
She grinned at Ryan, "Not that's wrong or anything, just unexpected."
She turned and went into the elevator, watching as the doors shut and the feeling the rise of it as it went up to the club.

The man who entered the place was a bit of an enigma. He wasn't a non-human, that was for sure, but he didn't seem to be human, nor was he mutant. He paid at the door, however, and strode inside, his thick, heavy boots clomping on the floor as he did. He stood seven feet tall and was obviously a big man, though heavyset or musclar was hard to tell under the cloak he wore. All that could be seen were his legs, which were covered with steel-mesh material, a more recent innovation in the clothing industry. After taking several steps he stopped, scanning the room. His mind was calm, focused only on 'locating the blasphemy'.

The former Iconoclast shocktrooper moved slowly through the place until he found who he was looking for and moved up beside Red.

"Blasphemy", he said in a deep rumbling voice.

Red looked up and sighed. "I wish you wouldn't call me that", she told him.

"What would you have me call you?" he asked her.

"Umm, how about .... Red? You know ... my name?"

He crossed his arms, the warding tatoos showing, though most wouldn't recognize them yet, massive muscles rippling beneath the skin, to massive for a normal human, though he didn't have the taint of a mutant to him.

"Durham?" she asked.

"Monster?" he asked her in return.

"Well at least it's more of a descriptive insult", she replied grinning.

He stood, stoically silent for a long moment.

"Fine", Red replied, "what's up?"

"Judas Harrow and I have aquired shelter", he told her.

"Jesus, Godalkin, why can't you just say that you found a room?"

"I just did", he replied.

"Fuck me", she mumbled, "only two people talk to me. One hates me and one worships me like the second coming or something."

"Yes", he said simply. Though Red had told him that she had no control over him after feeding from him, he didn't believe her. The Iconoclasts were both psychologically and drug enduced in thier training with set values concerning mutants and non-humans and were very paranoid in thier dealings with them. That fact alone was enough to make him cringe in this place and he knew that even if he did return to his own then he would be retired for having had dealings with the mutant. He reached inside his cloak, drawing out a key in a piece of paper. "The location", he said simply.

"Thanks", muttered Red, wondering why she didn't just blow her brains out. It would certainly make alot of people happy. "Anything else?"

"Yes. We're working on aquiring a means of transportation and I've done a scan just before entereing. There are no Iconoclast signals in 100 kilometers."

"Well", she replied, "thank god for small favors."

"Yes", replied and then simply stood.

"What?" she asked finally.

"By your leave", he replied.

"Fine, go", she told him and he turned without a word, striding back out of the club.

As he strode away she picked up her glass again and downed the rest of it, fighting back tears of frustration as she fought against the feeling of being alone again, as she had been as a child. The government had at least given her a place and a purpose and now she didn't even have that anymore.

"Who's Cain?"

Heyoka gave Rivan a wide eyed look for a second as they entered the elevator. Then he laughed at himself. "Sorry, I forgot to mention...Cain is the Master of the City, and is ruler the Conclave that governs the Vampires in Texas... I've never been introduced though. He's very old, and very powerful."

The elevator came to a stop and Dilana and Rivan could hear the DJ announcing the Japanese band Ronbun Tora.

"Lets hurry and grab a table" Heyoka said excitedly.

Stepping out of the alcove the trio could see that the house lights were being lowered, leaving only the stage awash in light for the moment. Then came a wall of sound as the opening notes of Watashi Hanasimasu the current hit of the band thundered over them.

Dilana leaned against the wall as the elevator came to a stop and she followed the two men out in to the club area. The young woman had jumped slightly as the music blaired over the speakers, then relaxed as she became used to it.
"I'll just walk around for a bit," she shouted above the music and turned away from the others, wanting a chance to look around. Dilana spotted the bar and walked over to it; asking in a loud voice, "I'd like a screwdriver please," she said as the bartender mixed her drink and she walked around the loud huge club, drink in hand.

Red sat down, picked up her drink and realized that it was empty. She reached into the pocket inside the cloak, dropped in the key and paper and fished out what money she had left. 'Enough' for now, she thought, and stood back up, picking up the glass and moving back to the bar.

"Same", she shouted over the music, and once she had the fresh drink in hand, moved back to her table and sat down again, sipping it and listening to the music while trying to forget the past and concern herself with the future.

Rivan ordered a glass of plain water from the bartender, before taking his seat. He got a dirty look, but shrugged it off.

Sian half stumbled on the first step as her extended 'senses' picked up the danger entering the building. "Shit!" The barest whisper, even to Ryan's Vampireclly acute hearing "Don't let me fall!" With that as the only warning Sian threw herself from her body and surged upward to seek the threat.

The Iconoclast shocktrooper was easy for her to find. While that particular enemy hadn't hit Houston's Night Life yet, other cities had been targeted, and the survivors had spread the details as widely as they could.

Her unseen, unsensed astral self watched and listened the exchange with fury filled eyes. This was a danger that would take precedence over a mere Animalistic Vampire. She would need to confront Durham Red as soon as possible. Part of her followed the shocktrooper as he left the building. There was no where it could range across the face of the planet, now that she had marked him, that she could not follow. She'd probe it's mind later. And Durham Red might not survive the confrontation to come. Given the mutant hunter's past, and Sian's abilities that was a very real possibility.

She returned to her body with haste. Not only did Cain need to be made aware of this new threat, but the leaders of various parts of Houston's Night Life, or their representatives on the Council, as well. 'I was looking forward to a dance or two...it's been so long since any one held me...just one night...' Sian mourned inwardly.

"We have greater trouble" She kept her voice a whisper as she let Ryan's strong arms support her for a moment longer.

As Rivan sipped his water, he listened to the not unpleasent music. It wasn't what he liked, but not the metal-techno that he could not stand.

He turned to Heyoka with a question. "Is this Cain the ruler of all the 'night-lifers' in the city or just those vampires that reside here?" He was wondering as he'd been in cities where the 'Master of the City' was literal and where it was just a title.

As he waited for the answer, he wondered why the Weres were behaving so unwolfish. The only other Wolves he'd meet in his travels that had behaved in the manner this clan appearently did were other outcasts. As it was, he was just waiting for the shoe to fall and another wolf challenge him in an attempt to drive him away.

Jessica looked over and smiled broadly at Michael as Lauralin mentioned finding erotic imagery in the man’s head. She guessed what they could be and knew his eagerness to be alone with her was growing. Jessica picked up with slight hint of humor in the vampire’s eyes as she requested a tour of Huston. The tiger suppressed a few giggles but couldn’t get the grin off her face.

“Yes I am interested in the assistant position.” Jessica commented as Lauralin turned to her. As Lauralin told Michael what to do, Jessica smiled and gently shifted herself, allowing Michael to get a better look at her curves, as well as nearly everyone in the terminal. She nodded at Lauralin turned and spoke to her, she simply nodded. The tiger smiled and walked up to Michael, pressing up against his body and giving him a light kiss. “I’m sure we can get a room in the hotel if you are too anxious. I can go for that…then everything that you have been hoping for will be fulfilled beyond your wildest…or erotic dreams.”

She let Michael stew for several seconds before pulling back. “Let’s get going.”

GM's time stamp- Posts 166, 173,174 & 178 are all taking place simultaneously- at roughly 11:45 pm Feb 14th.

"Is this Cain the ruler of all the 'night-lifers' in the city or just those vampires that reside here?"

"He's the Master of the Vampires, and he was head of the Night Life Council untill two years ago. Thats due to rotation though. My mom and dad were co-heads of the Council ten years ago, just before my dad was killed." Heyoka replied to Rivan'squestion. "I know from stuff I've over heard that he'd tried real hard to get the Concord changed and make him permanent head of the Council, but that was foiled. One of the few times all the Were's united to get something done."

Heyoka shook his head and shrugged. "I'm not big into politics either. My mom dispares of me." His smile returned as one of the butterfly ladies drifted up and smiled winningly at him. Standing he took her hand and headed for the dance floor, calling over his shoulder. "I'll be back, but the music is calling my name!"

Rivan waved for Heyoka to go dance as he contemplated the oddities of the situation. This city was totally unlike any he'd ever been. He'd been to cities where there was only one ruler for all, and where each group managed it's own affairs for the most part, but never one where there was a rotating leadership. Heyoka's explaination also seemed to explain some of the behaviour he'd seen. He tipped back his glass and went to get another glass.

Lauralin's own eyes admired Jessica's fine curves as did Michael's. At her words Laura stepped forward and a placed a hand on each of thier shoulders. "There is something to be said for anticipation", she told them and then began to stride away, having seen the path they followed in Michael's mind.

She drew the attention of many in the terminal as her short dress allowing her fine legs to flash with each step and her lowe cut dress allowed her ample cleavage to shiver excitingly. But what first catches the eye is the way her hair floats about her like a halo of flame.

"Yeah there is", Michael mumbled.

"That is what washboards are for Mr. Gassington", Laura quipped as Michael took Jessica's hand and moved forward to keep up, "and no, I do not, I simply conjure what I need. It is much easier than going out shopping."

"Washing machines", Michael said, "you really need to move forward a bit Lady."

"That is what I have experts for Mr. Gassington", she told him.

Once he got closer he moved his hand to Jessica's back, urging her up beside Laura and dropped back a step or two so he could see them clearly as well as head and to either side and left a buffer between himself and them, all in case of trouble, though occasionally his eyes wandered to Jessica's behind, admiring the way it moved.

Laura leaned close, lowering her voice to a point she knew Jessica would hear, "He is rather fond your body. But give it some time. He loses interest in women who give in too easily. You have a mind, I am sure, else he would have lost interest already. The body attracts him, the mind holds him, and no, there is nothing between him and I, in case you were wondering. I find it bad policy to have relationships with the men and women who work for me." Her eyes went over Jessica's body again, "Saddely enough."

Upon reaching the car Michael opened the back door and then the front, waiting for Laura to slide into the back seat and Jessica to get up front with him. His actions weren't forced, they seemed natural, a normal action to him rather than just trying to impress either of them.

Dilana glanced around the club, her eyes flickering over to the dance floor where couples were dancing to the band's music. The young woman felt a little jealous, wishing she had someone to be with; however she had moved around so much that she never stayed in the same place for long. Dilana sighed and walked over to a table, where a lone woman sat; Dilana was not in to women, however it was someone to talk to that she didn't know and the more people that she got to speak to she thought, the more she'd be known in the night life.

Red sensed Dilana near her and looked up. Her cloak had opened slightly, revealing the supple, tight, black leather corset that served to push up her chest enticingly. The had, however, had remained in place, hiding her face.

"Yeah? You need something?"

Her eyes swept the woman in a lightning fast evaluation as a potential threat and she waited for the woman to speak.

Ryan moved quick, with a reflex speed that one would expect from a street racer. With a quick dip he scooped up Sian, pulling her straight up, as to appear dancing. He held her right arm out with one hand, his other at the small of her back, pulling her gracefully with him along the dance floor. This isn't what I had in mind for dancing, but it works, he joked as Sian left her body to serach the club.

Ryan, too, had felt the presence, and was visually searching the club. However, between the croweded dance floor and the lack of knowing what exactly he was looking for, it was difficult. Especially with the "crowd" at Caine's. His search yeilded no results, but he knew it would be different with Sian.

We have greater trouble

"Yeah, I know. Whats up?" He let her hold herself up, and then "helped" her to her feet, righting her out and letting her gain ballance. He slid is arm under hers again, still scanning. "Let's go see Cain," he offered.

Dilana raised her head and looked at the woman startled a bit by her harsh tone, "I do not need anything; I'm just new in town."

Red felt sorry for her harsh tone, but didn't know how to apologize. It was never something she had done.

"Yeah", she said, "so am I. I don't think I'll around long either. Nice place, here though. Good for a few minutes respite."

"I agree," Dilana said, "Although it wasn't my choice to come here. I'm staying with someone and she suggested that we come here, however she left to deal with some stuff, something like that."
Dilana sipped her drink as she surveyed the people, "So many half naked people, what the hell is the point of it all really?"

"I don't know what it's all about", Red replied as she watched a particularly handsome man walk past, "but I sure as hell ain't complaing." She took a sip from her own drink and looked back up at the woman, "So your just here with someone else then. That's cool. Hope you have your own rooms though, in case you both get lucky."

Jessica listened to Lauralin and Michael's brief talk about conjuring. She knew little about magic and guessed that Lauralin had a lot more than just vampire coursing through her veins. The tiger tuned into the vampire as she talked about Michael and his habits with women. Overall, she wasn't that suprised. With most of the men and women she had slept with throughout the years, quickly hopping into bed was a great rush but after a while the interest wanes and they go their seperate ways. Jessica wanted to make love to Michael, but if it meant losing him in a few days she would have to hold. Sadly for the tiger being in heat wasn't helping her cause.

She looked over Lauralin's body with a bit of hunger in her eyes. She spoke in the same low tone. "Well, I don't really work for you right now...so if you just need some company, I can oblige."

Jessica slid into the front seat as Michael opened the door. She relaxed in the seat as they headed back to Cain's.

Michael closed the doors and moved around to the driver side. He got in and reached for the laptop again, his eyes slowly sliding over Jessica in the process.

"Forgive me Mr. Gassington, I know that I told you to drive slower, but unfortunetly, Tempus Fugit."

Michael grabbed the laptop and plugged it in then started the car. "What's the rush, Lady?" he asked, backing out.

"I am a vampiress, entering the domain of another vampire. I should have made arrangements first but I did not have time. He could consider this action an act of war."

Michael didn't need to hear anything else. He gunned the big car and shot forward as he tapped the earpiece.

"This is Michael Gassington, I'd like to get a room for Lady Lauralin Silverlief."

He looked back at Laura a second then back to the road, his face filled with concern, "And how made the reservations?"

"Cain", was Lauralin's answer, given at the same time as the man on the phone.

"Hold on", he said put the call on mute. "You want me to book you somewhere other than Armands?"

"No, Mr. Gassington. There are certain protocols that I shall have to follow and I am not here to cause trouble, only to replace my assistant here in Houston. If I deviate, it will be trouble and I do not wish trouble."

Michael unmuted the phone, "Alright, I'm confirming. She's on her way there now, I assume the suite is ready?"

"I see", he replied with somewhat of a growl, "thank you", then he hung up.

"There's an 'escort' to take you to Cain. I'll go with you, of course."

"No, you will not. I will not give show of strength. I am not here for conflict or negotiations, therefore I will be expected to arrive alone."

"I don't like it", Michael replied.

"I did not expect you would, but it is the way it shall be", she told him in a firm voice.

He was quite the rest of the trip to the hotel, obviously unhappy with the situation.

"If you are willing later, yes, I would love your company", Lauralin told Jessica in her mind. "If you wish, just think your response, I shall get it."

"Oh no, I'm not complaining," Dilana said as her eyes followed the other woman's gaze towards the man, "I guess I have no room to talk, seeing as how my gown looks."
Dilana placed down her glass and spoke again, "She may get lucky, I don't think I will. By the way, what's your name? I'm Dilana, a new person in town."
She laughed as she knew she had mentioned that before;

Red looked at her, and sighed then took another drink.

"Look, I'll do you a favor", she said. "I ain't someone you want to know, and I ain't someone you want to be seen with, just to let ya know."

She looked over Dilana and nodded, "Looks good", she said, "I couldn't imagine myself in something like that." She opened the cloak to reveal the tight leather pants, corset and lace shirt, her breasts being pushed up, enhancing they're already over moderate size. "Just don't think something like that is me."

She took another sip and looked up, "but ahh. My name is Red. Better for you if you dont' know the whole thing." Then she reached up to check and make sure the cloak was covering her face.

Jessica jerked as Lauarlin said Cain could take her prescense as an act of war. Jeez, now I know why I stayed out of Night Life politics. Makes me glad to be a tiger too. She listened and stayed quiet during Michael's and Lauarlin's conversation, knowing that she could only confuse the situation if she stepped in. She could sense the uneasiness Michael had about Lauralin meeting Cain without him being around, he obviously cared about her.

Jessica was a bit suprised to hear Lauralin in her head, it was the first time it had ever happened and there was no side effect like she thought previously.

Tell me when and were and I will be there waiting. Jessica thought.

She then spoke out loud and turned to look at Lauralin in the backseat. "Why would Cain consider you coming here unannounced an act of war? Hyperparanoid or is that something in laws of vampires?"

(OOC: A description of her dress is somewhere in this thread..i actually forget what it looks like myself)

IC:
Dilana was taken aback by Red's words, however didn't show it as she calmly said, "I don't know anyone here, no one knows me that I'm awhere of, and if you want me to leave I will."
When Red had revealed her outfit to Dilana, the other woman smiled at her and said, "I wouldn't mind trying something like that one day. I just wonder if I could pull it off."

"I do not know", Laura sent to her mind, "come to the Armand later if you would."

Lauralin looked at Jessica, "Political boundries. Have no fear. He is aware that I run the Defenders in Houston. He has my people at his disposal should it be required, that was part of our arrangement."

Michael had fished out a cigarette and was looking for his lighter but couldn't find it. Lauralin reached forward, her hand flickering with flames. He lit the cigarette and looked back at her as the flames flickered and went out.

"That really freaks me out", he said.

She grinned at him, "Perhaps, but you would not have your cigarette lit, though they are bad for you." Her voice had a musical and enchanting quility to it with an accent that had not been known in the world in recorded history, making it more intriuging.

(OOC - Oh I remember. The description was rather vivid.)

Red looked down at her rather tight and revealing outfit, not really having thought much about it, as it was her normal clothing. "Yeah? Huh."

She looked up at the woman, "Honestly? You have no idea how much I would love the company. But I'm not well liked by most. I just wanted to let you know."

She finished her drink, pulled out her money and nodded, standing up. "Grab a seat if you like, I need another. You?"

I will drop by later. Jessica thought.

She jumped slightly when a flame came out of Lauralin's hand and it confirmed she was not one hundred percent vampire. Political boundries made some sense to Jessica, but it didn't make enough sense for a vampire war to start. She wasn't bothered by Michael's smoking, she had been around hundreds of people who smoked throughout the decades, yet she was still fit as ever.

"How much longer to Cain's?"

"I know what you mean," Dilana said, "As for people not liking you; you seem alright to me, I don't much care what others think, I've never really needed people until last night."
Dilana said, "If it wasn't for this other woman I don't know where I'd be."
When Red had offered a drink she said, "I can get them for us, the person I'm staying with gave me this envitation where drinks are free."
Dilana stood up and stepped forward making her way to the bar.

Rivan wandered back to his table as he sipped his water. It wasn't that he couldn't handle alcohol, but that it turned his stomach. As he took his seat, he watched Sian and Heyoka dance, and Dilana talking with a red-head that smelt of blood and who had the scent he'd come to associate with mutancy. As it was he began making a game of identifying and tracking the various peoples who seemed most active or the focus of attention, however subtle.

"We are going to the Armand actually", Lauralin replied. "Cain's people will take me from there." She stopped a moment then focused on Jessica. "You realize that being my assistant would mean that you would be responsible for the Defender's division here in Houston. You would have to answer to me for whatever happens and you would be responsible for running things."

Lauralin held up a hand, "That sounds like alot and it sounds bad if things go wrong, but have no fear. What I mean by held responsible is that it will be up to you to bring things to my attention, I am not a violent person, nor do I get upset easily."

"I can vouch for that", Michael spoke up, "I've made a mistake or two."

Lauralin smiled and nodded, "But that is past and forgotten, at least by me. My investigators", she continued, "answer only to me. As for running everything else, you will have a panel of experts, also picked by me, so sliding into your position will not be as difficult as you might think. But you may wish to take a day", she said and then her eyes slid over Jessica's hair and face, all that she could see because of the deep back seat and high front seat of the big car, "or two ... to think about it."

(OOC - Theao - She has a hood on the cloak. I've mentioned it a few times. She's trying to hide her hair and face, it's why I haven't mentioned her eyeteeth or the the teeth to either side that are also longer than the rest but not so long as her eyeteeth.)

She watched Dilana return to the bar and considered moving away at that point. But she so desperately wanted company, yet she didn't want the woman hurt because of her. She continued just standing there, trying to decide whether to run now and save the woman trouble or spend just a few more mintutes with her, just to have someone to talk to and spend some time with, if only for a few more minutes.

"Here you are," Dilana returned with the drink and sat back down at the bar. She could greatly sence that this woman needed someone to talk to, and she could feel her aprehention that surrounded her.

Red was still trying to decide what to do when Dilana came back with her drink from the bar.

Here you are

She took the drink and watched the woman sit down again, then slowly followed suit, careful to keep her guns and daggers hidden in the cloak. She sat for a moment just looking at the woman before finally asking in a very confused tone of voice, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Jessica listened as Lauralin described the job offer. It was different than what she had expected, she had thought of being more or less Lauralin's secetary, but this sounded much better. It certainly would be the most work that she had done up till now as she could never afford to work at a job more than a year before moving on least someone get supsicous of why she never seemed to age. But, now an offer was up to work in an organization that was headed by an immortal, she didn't have to move and could keep the job.

Jessica nodded. It would take her a few days to think about working for Lauarlin over as well as a chance to enjoy the vampire's private company.

"Thank you very much. I'll think about it."

A lady in her mid twenties, clad in a dress that fit perfectly, but was far more modest than what seemed to be the norm walked up to the table where Rivan sat. Her golden brown hair flowed in deep waves to nearly her waist and anber eyes all but glowed in the shifting, swirling lights.

"Hi I'm Merry, Sam's...ah...Heyoka's cousin." She introduced herselfslightly shy smile "I saw you sitting with him earlier, so you must be Rivan. I wasn't at the 'Welcome Wagon' this morning, but Aunt Windra gave a good description of you."

Dilana didn't know what to say to Red's question, it wasn't something she had expected to answer. Clearing her throat she said, "Perhaps it's because I'm new and don't know any better, maybe it is because you seem like a nice person to me, or it could be something else, I don't know. I don't judge a book by it's cover Red, I read it if you know what I mean. I try and get to know the person; since you haven't tried to kill me you're alright in my book thus far."
Dilana chuckled as she sipped at her drink, her body starting to feel the slight buz affect of the alcohol, something she hadn't enjoyed in a while.

Lauralin smiled and nodded, “I have a few days, take your time”, she replied and sat back, looking about her.

Michael arrived at the Armand and got out, coming around to open the door for Laura who had already opened it and gotten out.

“Take Jessica, have some fun”, she said, already sensing the men waiting for her inside. “I shall have to contact you later concerning your briefing, my apologies.”

“They’re here, aren’t they Lady?” he asked.

“They are”, she replied.

“I would prefer to accompany you”, he told her.

“I know. But it would not be appropriate. Take the lovely lady and enjoy yourselves for a bit. I might have to steal her from you later.”

“I understand”, he said, and opened Jessica’s door, smiling at her as he reached into the glove box and took out another cell phone, one of four in the box. He turned back to Laura, turning it on. “Here”, he said, handing it to her, “Just press and hold the one button, it’ll dial my phone.”

Lauralin smiled, “Thank you Mr. Gassington”, she replied, though she didn’t have a clue where to put it, since her dress left just enough to the imagination to make things interesting. She leaned down a bit, “Until later, Jessica”, and then entered the hotel to meet the four men waiting for her.

Michael watched her go then got back in the car. “So”, he said, looking at Jessica and then he hesitated, taken for a moment by her. “Where ahh, where would you like to go?”

"Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you." Rivan replied as he stood to greet Merry. Your cousin is over there dancing, but what brings you here?" He enquired

“Well”, Red replied to Dilana, “I can clear one thing up at least. I’m not a nice person, so don’t let me fool you.” She looked closely at the woman and then took a sip from her fresh drink, “And I don’t think your on anyone’s list to be killed, none I’ve seen anyway.”

She looked about the place again and then back to Dilana, “Look, I used to kill people for a living. The people I worked for turned against me. Now I’m just trying to survive. That’s the flat out short version. That’s who your chatting with. So like I said before, stay or go, your choice. But almost all the people who want me dead won’t care if you happen to get in the way.”

Red leaned forward, her face becoming visible. Her fangs, which never retract, evident along with her red hair with black bangs, “I’m telling because I like you. Your nice to me, and I’d rather not see you hurt. I mean that.”

Jessica smiled and waved goodbye as Lauralin left the car. She resisted a laugh when Lauarlin mentioned stealing her. She hoped the next time they were together, they could enjoy each other's company in more ways than one. Jessica slid out of the car and stood next to Michael as he said goodbye to Lauralin.

The tiger purred and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I know what you want Michael...what you are hungering for...but you will have to wait." Jessica purred and kissed him softly and moved her tongue slowly across his lips before pulling back, knowing her preformance would probably excite him. "Let's head back inside to the club...and I am curious on how you preform on the dance floor."

"I can asure you I know how to take care of myself," Dilana said as she sipped at her drink again, "I may look like a mundane Red, however I am not."
As Red leaned forward, the other woman got a good look at her fangs, "And I know you aren't ither."
Dilana picked up her drink and stood, "I can sence your discomfort around me, I know you are sincere about your words; I'll go."
Dilana pushed the stool that she had been sitting in, smiled at Red and said, "Good luck, I mean it."
Then turned and began to walk away;

Your cousin is over there dancing, but what brings you here?"

"I love to dance and this is just about the best place in town to do so. Care to hit the dance floor?" Merry looked eagerly at Rivan.

"Or if you don't want to dance, I bet he gave you a good tour, but maybe not the answers to the most 'frequently asked questions'. I could answer any you have, or at least try to."

"I would enjoy that." Rivan replied with a faint smile as he stood, "Both the dance and the 'frequently asked questions'. I must confess however that I do not know much about modern dance."

He was still somewhat leary of letting friendships, or other forms of attachment form as he still believe that they Weres here were no different than anywhere else he'd been, thought at some unconsious level he knew they were. "Do you think the DJ would take requests?" He asked as they headed onto the dance floor.

Red watched her go, saddly, but knew it was in the woman's best interest. She wanted desperatly to talk to her. To tell her about her own past and how things were now. But that could just endanger the woman. Still, Red stood, almost following her, then sighed and sat back down, nursing her drink.

Michael returned her kiss, and though he wanted her, and his eyes roamed over her again, he checked himself. He would let her set her pace. At her comment he smiled and dropped the car into gear, "Now THERE, I may pleasantly surprise you." He drove back to the parking garage, and then escorted her back into the club, occasionly glancing over at Jessica and smiling. He decided that Laura was right. It was well worth taking his time.

Lauralin strode into the hotel lobby and straight the men who awaited her. She curtseyed gracefully and carefully in the short dress and nodded to each as she was introduced to them.

"Cain awaits you, Lady Silverlief, if you would follow us."

"Of course", Lauralin replied. It had been some time since she had seen Cain. Only once since her negotiations for the Defender's branch in Houston. Sometime in the ninties as she recalled.

She followed them as they escorted her up to the third floor and over to Cains along a private corridor to a discretely hidden dedicated elevator. Her preternatural hearing allowed her to faintly hear the sound of the band, even with the first class sound dampening that Cain had installed. The elevator took her directly to Cains private viewing box on the third floor below ground.

As Dilana walked away, she could sence the saddness that Red felt. Her acute hearing picked up her standing up from her stool; although she was nearing the other side of the room she stopped and turned in Red's direction and mouthed, "Yes?"

Red caught the mouthed question with her keen vision and for a moment her lonliness warred with her wish to see Dilana safe. She left her hood back for enough for the woman to see as she mouthed 'Don't go' before covering her face again. She couldn't believe she wanted the woman to stay, but it had been months since anyone actually just talked to her.

She sat back down, having already made more of a reaching out gesture than she had made in her entire life and hoping that she wouldn't come to regret it. She, normally, had only Godolkin and Harrow. Godolkin hated her but believed she had a power over him that she didn't, mistaking her for a real vampire and Harrow practically worshipped her. Something about a mutant saint who 'knows thier ways' that will lead thier people against the mundanes. Well she was no saint, about as far from it as one could get in fact, and certainly not someone who would lead a revolt, not when every day was just a struggle to stay alive.

"Do you think the DJ would take requests?"

"Sure, once the band takes a break." Merry grinned as she followed him out to the dance floor.

"And don't worry about any sort of formal dance skills, just let the music move ya!" She had to half shout to be hear over the pulsing music, that was sweeping every one away with it's irristable beat.

Ryan had eased her into the nearest booth to the stairs up to Cains private box, and Sian was glad he had. Letting Cain see her vulnerable was the last thing she wanted.

She realised as Ryan held her that he had not fed this night. He may not have needed to feed every night but to go up against either problem he would need to be at full strength.

Ryan was the only vampire who had never made any sort of pass at her, and thusly he was the only one she trusted completely.

'Drink from me Ryan. You will need to be a your full strength.' She spoke softly in his mind, as she met his eyes full on, letting him see her willingness. Only a Vampire's or Were's blood would be more potent than hers, and it was not an offer she made lightly.

She could go face down Scarlett Huntress, vanguard for the Iconoclasts, with the full force of the Council behind her, but she doubted that he's let her join him on the hunt for the Animalistic Vampire. This way she could be of some small help to her friend.

Rivan smiled back at Merry, as they began dancing, thought his was absymal. He could dance formally somewhat, but club dancing lost him. As it was he tried gainfully but felt like a prat. "So what do you normally do?" He called back over the music.

Ryan paused. He took feeding very seriously, it wasn't exactly something vampires did casually, well, the younger ones at least. He could tell by the tone of her "voice", and the look in her eyes that Sian was serious. He was hungry, just simply drinking the blood mixed drink wasn't enough, feeding was much more. Beyond the simple act of taking blood, feeding took life force and energy from a victim. He looked back in Sian's eyes, and nodded.

Ryan closed his eyes, and lowered his mouth to Sian's neck. He pulled his upper lip back, exposing his fangs. They extended out, normally they were retracted to help keep the facade he was human. He let the two razor sharp cannines gently brush against her neck, just lightly enough so she could feel them. Feeding was a somewhat erotic affair, with intense feelings of lust and power. This might sting a little, he said mentally rembering his siring. Despite beng three hundred years long past, he still remebered the feeling as if it were yesterday.

He took a deep breath, and pushed his fangs into her neck, taking a long pull of blood. He sipped cleanly, most vampire feedings were messy, with blood spraying as an unwilling victim fought for life. Then again, most vampires were cruel, feeding violently, while Ryan remained calm and gentle. He sipped cleanly at the blood, noting that it always tasted better comming from a willing victim.

He finished, and pulled away from Sian, retracting his fangs. He kissed her gently on the neck, sealing the wound, sitting back into the booth. He leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face, his eyes closed as if he had found release from all the worlds problems.

Thanks, he thought, You have no idea how good that felt.

Dilana sighed as she relaxed her shoulders and began making her way back over to Red. As she sat down at the bar again she said, "I can sence your hesitation with me around. I know you do not want me to get hurt; however if it helps your security to know that I can sence when things are about to happen and the energy that anyone gives off."

Red looked at Dilana and chuckled. "Where were you when I used to hunt? I could have used that skill." She ran a finger around her glass for a moment before picking it up and taking another sip. "Well keep your .... whatever .... open, okay?"

Red took a moment more and another sip before she leaned in, "I'll tell you something", she said, "you've been kinder to me than anyone has been in my entire fucking life."

Sian's eyes too had drooped closed as she tilted her head to the side, stretching out her neck so that Ryan had a clearer opening to the big vein. She trembled slightly as his canines first danced lightly against her skin, then they were sliding into her.

A lightening bolt of desire swept through her as his lips sealed around the puncture wounds and he drank 'Sting?...ohhh, no I wouldn't call this....hurt...heat yes...' then she wasn't capable of thinking clearly.

She didn't know how long he fed, time didn't matter, and she came to understand why so many of the willing became addicted. His gentleness lacked nothing of passion and she would guess that he was a equally attentive lover. Not that she would mention such, she had already been too forward.

She let her eyes open as he kissed her neck and sat back. The smile on his face was a priceless gift to her. Gently she leaned over and dropped a kiss on his cheek, her breath warm against his skin as she whispered. "I know how wonderful it felt for me. Thank you"

"Forgive my stupidity," Dilana said as she sipped at her drink then placed it back on the bar, "What did you used to hunt?"
When Red had told her that Dilana had been the most kind to her in her whole fucking life, the other woman didn't know what to say to that.
"I know how you feel," Dilana whispered, "9 years ago, when I was 16 I got into a huge fight with my parents. They kicked me out, and after I had been attacked they didn't help me or anything; you'd think as parents they'd fucking care."
Dilana picked up her glass and downed it this time; then swayed a bit as the full blast of the alcohol hit her, "I've spent 9 years going from place to place, just to find where I belong. You and another woman that I've met here have been very kind to me. You're harsh, however I think I like that about you."
Dilana smiled at Red before saying, "Listen to me, I've been going on and on about me, what about you? I think someone is after you."

Ryan smiled a near signature smile, then pushed himself up from the leather bench of the booth. He held out his hand, pulling Sian up, into is arms. "Better keep this quiet, I'm sure you have a number of suitors who would like my head if they knew I just, well, sucked your blood."

He smiled, and turned towards the back of the room, adjusting his cloathing and smoothing out any wrinkles. Even though he disliked Caine, he still feared him. Ryan had cleaned a good number of messes up. While he wasn't an assasin or soldier in a previous life, he could more than handle himself. He had taken on Lycans, other vampires, mutants, and just about any other of the Night Life. But Caine was different. Caine was a good thousand years older, if not more.

He shook out any stress, popped his knuckles and neck, and began to walk forward. He walked towards the back of the room, towards the doors that lead to Caine's private box. "So, ladies first, or age before beauty?"

Red listened to the woman, feeling for her as she spoke, striking a deep chord in the huntress.

"Listen to me, I've been going on and on about me, what about you? I think someone is after you."

Red set down her glass, her hands dropping to the huge magnum automatics that were now visible to Dilana as she looked around the room grabbing the guns. They were as long as her thighs and held in specially designed holders that allowed her to pull them easily from thier places.

"Where", she asked just above a whisper.

Sian smiled inside, but it wasn't her usual smile, but something cold and dangerous. Yes Cain might well want Ryan's head for recieving what he had tried for years to pressure her into...or at least the least of what Cain wanted from her...'and never will get...and I am glad that Ryan does not know how powerful I am, or he might fear me as he fears Cain' And that was something she did not want. There was a very good reason that she was the current head of the Council.

"I won't tell if you won't" She said lightly as she found herself momentarily once again in his arms. 'Though any with 'eyes to see' will know...and I find myself not really careing.' She thought as she followed him to the door and started up the stairs before he could

"Better make it ladies first, and no it's not hiding behind what there is of my skirt." Her chuckle was light, but she wanted to be in front of him, just in case Cain forgot his manners. The shields she began to unobtrusively wrap about them would keep even Cain out, if for no longer than needed for her to 'port them away. It would reveal more of her power than she ever had before - but this night, with two very different troubles looming over the Night Life, she found she didn't care about that either.

The stairs ended in a landing with an ancient door of darkest iron wood bound with bands of black iron. Sensitized to the presence of two who were anticipated, and to be admitted, if not welcomed, the door slid silently aside. The two of Cains sireing that stood imobile guard on either side unbent enough to nod fractionally as Sian stepped on to a carpet that was ankle deep virgin wool in a hue of blood red. The entire wall to her right was a single pane of glass, nearly fifteen foot tall and over thirty feet long. The back wall was lined with built in display cases, nitches for sculpture and other art work. The far wall housed a wet bar and a massive nanotech screen tv that was well over 96".

Other than the two guards, only Cain and his current paramour waited with in. Cain in a massive recliner that was nothing so much as a throne, despite it's casual styling, and the Lady Nimue, as she styled herself, standing by the bar, having apparently just refreshed her cocktail.

Cain looked up from his inward contemplations as Sian entered and his face went cold as his gaze swept over her.

"So what do you normally do?"

Merry, with a Were's superb hearing, caught Rivan's question easily.

"I'm in sales with Cruises International. They are a brokerage. We sell for all the cruise lines." She replied. "It's all preset appointments to various corporations, and gives me all the time off I want. I sell companies blocks of cruise time to reward their employees with or use to hold a company cruise."

She explained further, still dancing to the beat, apparently not noticing any lack of skills on Rivan's part. "I travel through out Texas and Louisiana. All expenses paid, and I'm one of their top sales people and I've only been there three years."

"It sounds like you can charm the birds out of the trees." He commented as they danced. "Do you ever go on the cruises yourself?"

Before Cain could stand and perhaps start something no one truly wanted, one of his guards flashed a subtle hand sign. Cain's anger deepened for a second, then wiped from his face as if it had never been.

"Lady Sian, Ryan, please come in and make yourselves comfortable." His voice was a deep rich bass, that reminded one irresistably of the actor James Earl Jones, smooth and commanding on the ears. He gestured Sian and Ryantoward the assorted chairs and couches that formed a semi circle before his 'throne'. "If you will excuse me for a moment I must welcome a very fair visitor to our fair city. Then we can deal with our matters."

As he mentioned another arrival, the hidden door to a private elevator slid open, and Lady Silverleaf and her escorts stepped forth.

"Welcome to Houston Lady SilverLeaf, it's been too long since you have graced us with your presence." Cain strode to the lady and bowed in greeting.

Behind his back the look of hate on Lady Nimue's face was startling but vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Why thank you Rivan. It's not always that easy though." Merry blushed at the compliments.

And yes I do sometimes. Thats also part of why I was here. I won a cruise for four, on the SeaDreams Yatch Club's (http://www.seadreamyachtclub.com/) first cuise of the season. It includes round trip airfare to St. Thomas. I wanted to let Heyoka know."

SeaDreams was the most exclusive cuise lines open to the public, and one of their week long cruises cost six thosand dollars a patron. However it was worth every penny, for their super yatchs carried less than a hundred passengers in utter decedant luxury.

"You wouldn't happen to be interested in going?" Merry asked.

"I could be." He commented with a slight smile at causing Merry to blush. "Why?" He thought he knew, but didn't want to be presumptous or crass, especially as he kind of liked her.

Lauralin curtseyed carefully and gracefully and as she stood she raised her right hand to her heart, holding her left hand palm outward, "Heart to heart, I greet thee", she addressed him in her old formal way. Then in proper accord she continued, "Thy kindness be great for this bid of welcome upon thine domain, unexpected though it may be. I come before thee with empty hand and open heart and no matters that are binding upon thee."

The formal, if ancient, greeting completed she smiled and dropped her hands. "Greetings Cain, and thank you for seeing me." Not that there was any choice in the matter and both knew it. "I do beg forgiveness for this intrusion", she continued, her voice pattern still very much old style and her accent unfamiliar but melodious. "I fear that my assisstant, here in Houston, has died of heart failure. It was sudden. I have come to replace him and I wished to do so as quickly as possible, as part of our agreement is that the services or the Defenders are your upon request at no charge for the right to operate here in your city."

The two gaurds tried to make eye contact with Ryan, but he brushed it off. A tingling sensation had taken over his body. It wasn't unusal to feel strange after a feeding, but this was different. His whole body tingled, the feeling of millions of tiny, painless pricks over his skin, a tenseness rising up his back. He blinked a few times, then strode across the room towards Caine. He noted that Nimue was there, Caine's newest lap dog. She had a drink in hand, and brushed aside the lack of offer from Caine. Before any could talk, Caine spoke.

If you will excuse me for a moment I must welcome a very fair visitor to our fair city. Then we can deal with our matters.

Ryan snuffed, almost invisibly. He was no stranger to Caine's ways, he knew half the reason that he was making Sian and himself wait was there own laziness in arriving. He sighed, this time audibly, and leaned back into a plush leather couch. He watched as the Silverleaf character entered the room, and the two exchanged greetings.

I fear that my assisstant, here in Houston, has died of heart failure. It was sudden. I have come to replace him and I wished to do so as quickly as possible, as part of our agreement is that the services or the Defenders are your upon request at no charge for the right to operate here in your city

Defenders Ryan thought with disdain. He had to deal with them on more than one account. They often made more of a Mess then those whom Ryan had to go after. He also made quick note of the look on Nimue's face. He watched with a carefull eye, examining the situation.

Dilana saw the guns however it didn't bother her in the least. Reaching over across the bar she placed a firm hand onto Red's shoulder and leaned in close speaking in an even tone, "Please calm down Red. No one in this room, I meant that you seem to be running from something, or someone. Whatever that is it isn't in this room."
Dilana could feel the energy of the people around her, nothing andor no one was a threat to her. Dilana sat back, removing her hand from Red's shoulder, "I'm sorry about that, I just didn't want you to start blasting away at innocent people."

Red removed her hands and puled the cloak around her and her hood down again to cover her face.

"I'll have you know that I never killed anyone but my mark or marks", she said calmly. Not boasting or defensive but a simiple statement of fact. "And I'm running from alot of people in all honesty", she said, picking up her glass and taking another, drink from it. "And", she continued, looking up at Dilana, "I'm sorry to hear about what happened to you. Truley." She finished her drink and set the glass down, "But I'm not so sure you want to know what I hunted. If you do, though, I'll tell you. I ain't to sure that you'll want to talk to me afterward though."

Sian stiffened slightly at Cain's rudeness, but said nothing as she took the chair that cain had risen from. Her power stirred the air in the room with invisible hands, as she ignored the look of shock on the faces of the lesser Vampires. She pretended not to notice the look on Lady Nimue's face for the moment, but kept the young vampire under close surveilence.

She listened to Lady Silverleaf, whom she had heard much of but never met, give greeting in the old, ceremonial fasion. She had not heard that the Defenders liason had passed away, but she could understand the Defenders need to fill the post quickly.

She wondered how Cain would react to her taking his place, but at the moment her status as head of the Council was greater, particularly with the news she bore.

***********************************************

Cain listened quitely to Lady SilverLeaf's formal greeting and apology. His guards flashed him the mental image of Sian taking his throne, but he had not lived as long as he had by letting every thing show on his face. And Lauralin deserved the courtesy of at least appearing to have his complete attention. He bowed in return and welcomed her with equal formality before ushering her in courtly fashion over to one of the chairs.

"Please have a seat Lauralin. Would you care for a drink? It's preserved magically so there are no cheicals to alter the taste or temperature?" Cain offered and went on ignoring Sian and Ryan as he moved over to the bar and raised a golden flagon for Lauralins approval.

As he did so his mental voice sounded unheralded in Ryan's mind, cold and abrupt 'So you are feeling invincible tonight? And how dare you take what I had reserved for myself!'

Lauralin moved with the grace of courtly edict, half-elven nature and vampiric ability, stepping over to the proffered seat. Her eyes flickered to Sian briefly, feeling the power she wielded, keeping her own in check as was proper. The woman seemed vaguely familiar, though she had never met her before. She sat down with equal grace and nodded her head in acquisance, "You are most kind, and I would be foolhardy to forgo such wonderous fare."

"You hunted the humans? Or, was it everyone."
Dilana twirled a finger around her empty glass, "I know a lot of people are after you, however none are in this room that I can sence."

"Alright", Red replied, "you've asked me several times now." She downed the rest of her drink and then leaned closer. "Like you I was abandoned, but at a much younger age. I was ignored or feared by humans because I was mutant and I wasn't even accepted by mutants because of my particular mutation. The non-humans, of course, don't care much about us one way or the other. Finally, the government caught me. They trained me to be hunt and kill mutants and non-humans. I did they job they wanted, finally finding someplace where I was accepted. Then, a few months ago they ordered my retirement. That means they want me dead. So now I'm hunted by the government and hated or feared by mutants and non-humans. Ever hear of the Scarlet Huntress? Well, that's me."

Red leaned back, ordered two more drinks and paid for them, sliding one in front of Dilana and picking one up for herself. "So, still wanna have a drink with me?" She asked, holding her glass up as if to toast with the woman.

Ryan sighed again. Whilst many put into this position would reply with a simple "oh shit" or "I'm sorry, please forgive me dark lord," Ryan's reply was the same caustic ass hole style response. I didn't see your name on her neck, Caine. He smiled a smug grin, and watched as Caine and Lauralin carried on.

He knew Caine could kill, well, as far as one could kill someone who was dead, him with little effort. However, it was at this time, when there was at least one Mess that needed to be cleaned effectively. Then there was Sian sitting in Caine's seat. With this, he knew that Caine would all but back off of him, keeping any form of anger he had left for Sian. While he would rather take the blunt than the psionic, he knew Sian could handle herself enough for Ryan to make any moves. But then, he also knew that Caine would keep it civilized in the room. He had no worry of a fight, or any such disturbance here. It was later that bothered him.

Sian raised an eyebrow at Ryan's smug grin. She refused to eavesdrop and had only a guess at the exchange - but it was a good guess and she giggled inwardly. She knew Cain better than he though she did.

She nodded to Lady SilverLeaf as the ancient Vampiresss took a seat, and then introduced herself. "I am Sian Rhys, current head of the Council. Welcome to Houston, Lady SliverLeaf. I'm sorry to hear of your associates death. I think you knew my mother." Sian's mother had been head of the Council many years ago, but well before the Defenders had opened a branch in Houston. However her mother had been known world wide among the Night Life for her formidible Healing Gifts.

'Tell me Ryan, of three hundred years, does it have to wear a collar or a tattoo for you to realise that it is off limits?' Cain's mind voice was even colder. Especially as he came close to Ryan, as he brough Lauralin her drink and he could sense the changes occuring within Ryan. That was especially disconcerting to the elder Vampire.

Well, you know me Caine. I live by street code, not your bullshit Coven Conclave politics. You aint marked, you don't belong to anyone. Simple, I know? To bad its to simple for your massively complex powers. But whats the deal anyways? I was hungry, I ate. Shit happens. You snooze you loose. Whats the matter? Sounding a bit scared.

Ryan didn't adjust to Caine's advance. Instead, he acted as if nothing was wrong, save his smug grin, and crossing his right leg over his left knee, making himself fully comfortable. Caine would be playing this off as the standard walk around the room tactic while talking to Silverleaf, and Ryan just ignored the stare from Caine.

Oh, and you might want to tend to Nimue, she looks a bit, displeased.

Mental voice thick with rage Cain replied with heat enough to sear Ryan's insensible. 'She may not be marked as mine but how dare you wrong her by counting her as something disposable. You have no idea. I don't know how you convinced her, but you are certainly not worthy of her' With great dificulty Cain forced himself back to his normal disinterested tones. It helped that Ryan's last remark was an excellent distraction.

"Nimue was planning to assassinate me tonight, I fear your arrival has...discommoded her." Cain's voice was semiamused as he offered Lauralin the goblet, his back to Nimue.

Lauralin accepted the drink and held it up briefly to Cain in the older style salute, offering the host the first sip. She looked at Sian, "Ahhhh, that is why you look familiar and yet we have not met." She nodded her head politley, "Well met, Sian, Rhys daughter, it is an honor to make your acquantance." Lauralin could sense the tension in the room, even with her power banked and hoped that it was not her that was the cause of it. Reflexively she raised her own mental barriers, just in case.

Well then, if she isn't marked as yours, whats the deal? Can't handle the fact that I get all the good girls? What can I say, the chicks dig me.

With that comment, he looked up and winked at Sian, a near unoticable wink, one that you would have to look at his face to note. Then there was the comment about Nimue. This hit Ryan in an interesting way. It wasn't suprising, a number of the undead, and the rest of the Night Life, wanted to put Caine down. Ryan had ventured to Ft. Worth and Dallas a number of times to upset an uprising amongs the nocturnal knights that held sway over the norhtern Texas Metroplex. He had put .454 Casull Jacketed Hollowpoints, filled with silver nitrate, into the chests of many a lycan assasin. But Nimue was close. She was one of the top Coven leaders in the Bay Area, yet even then, she was able to get as close to Caine as she was.

At least you can tell she didn't hire me. Not adding "if she did, you'd be down by now."

Ryan left it out for two reasons. One, he knew how close he was treading on the edge with Caine. There was only so far one could push someone like Caine, and Ryan was sitting right on the knfe blade of that line. There was also the fact that Ryan probably wouldn't be able to put down Caine, no matter how much of a jump he got. In the street racing world, the phrase went "There's No Replacement for Displacement." It was the same way in the vampire underworld. When you were as old as Caine, you didn't waste time dodging bullets. You had others who would do it for you. And even then, Ryan didn't doubt the ability of Caine to just shrug off a bullet to the back.

Ryan grin changed to a slight smirk, and he put his hands behind his head, craoosing his fingers, and looking up at Caine.