Bright Lights, Bloody Nights, Big City: Vampire Game Thread

[Charon]

Marcus looked at Cassie. "Not at the moment no." He watched her for a moment. "Perhaps in a few nights however." Marcus smiled at the woman, he had to remember that Rosemary was in there somewhere, and she was clever, couldn't afford to let his guard down, especially now.

[The Silence and I]

Colors surrounding the triplets shift and are mottled. A brillant overlay of light blue and silver. Underneath, shifting in and out, ebbing and flowing, gold intertwines orange, pink, and white. Underneath still is a darker feel, a swirling black, deep red, and a lighter firey red. The two layers underneath seem brilliant and beautiful of their own regard, but oppressed by the surface. That which shines the most brilliant is the middle - flickering gold surrounding and protecting orange, pink and white. It is enough to give one a headache.

"Absolutely marvelous. Very pleased to meet you again, Cassie. Very pleased.

Don't pay Marcus any attention, by the way. You may not be needed, but you are certainly appreciated."

He had a lot to think on now, she was just about perfect, ripe as it were.

[Bratty]

Closer to the Lovely One, she whispers for his ears only, "Are you an angel?" Her eyes blink a few times in childish regard.

Suddenly, her body gets rigid, and the voice becomes more monotone. The eyes lower and even though the monster remains the same, it seems different. "My apologies." She says to Nathanial.

To Marcus. "If you need anything, let us know. We will be around. It is good to see you made it through safely."

With that, Rosemary turns to leave, stepping down.

No, NO ! Not yet! Just another moment! Please!

The bellows fall on deaf ears. Cassie is a fool. Rosemary walks away slipping into the shadows.

[The Silence and I]

Closer to the Lovely One, she whispers for his ears only, "Are you an angel?" Her eyes blink a few times in childish regard.

Suddenly, her body gets rigid, and the voice becomes more monotone. The eyes lower and even though the monster remains the same, it seems different. "My apologies." She says to Nathanial.

To Marcus. "If you need anything, let us know. We will be around. It is good to see you made it through safely."

With that, Rosemary turns to leave, stepping down.

Merry whispers to himself as she--they--leave. "An Angel. Fancy that."

He turns to Marcus, his face radiant, beaming the ecstatic joy of a child who has found a new toy.

"This is a grand night indeed!" He starts chuckling in amusement. Suddenly his face darkens, he locks eyes with Marcus. "You had best watch those shadows. You never know what they might do behind your back."

[Charon]

Marcus smiled at the Malkavian. "I'm always watching. Now if you'll excuse me it is nearing morning and I have much I still need to do."

Marcus looked over at the mask that had been discarded, a single tenticle pushed itself out of the surrounding shadows and carried it to the Malkavian.

"You may want to keep that, the less these elders know about you the better."

[The Silence and I]

It occurs to him Marcus had never answered when he asked for rope. He will find out in good time, I have no doubt.

"I'm always watching. Now if you'll excuse me it is nearing morning and I have much I still need to do."

"Day approaches and yet I stand here."

He accepts the Mask offered.

"If you want my services the next night you will need to do something for me."

[Charon]

Marcus smiled, so he was smart.

"And what would that be?"

[The Silence and I]

"And what would that be?"

His face is tight, he looks to be straining. Each word is forced. "Nathaniel wakes before I do, you need to hold on to this" he indicates the mask "and hope he can't get here before I wake up. I cannot dicard it. Answer quickly! He cannot hear me now, but I can't fight him long!"

[Charon]

Marcus looked at the man and nodded. "Very well, I shall hold the mask here for the day."

[The Silence and I]

Merry nods and drops the mask as if it suddenly became electrified.

"Seriously though, watch those strings. Who makes who dance, neh?"

He leaves the house, and bee-lines to the rail yards. He had no time for games tonight, he had to beat the sun and hole up. He would try to rise early, if Nathaniel got that mask, all his fun would be ruined!

[Josh]

He padded along the trail, keeping to the shadows as much as he could, another stray hound, following where it led, until it approached Marcus' haven. Then he pulled back, observing.

A haven, or simply a hiding place? Either way, it wouldn't serve to simply approach unannounced. But whoever resided within was in conflict, and would be in search of weapons and allies.

It was a need he could exploit, given the opportunity. He retreated into the shadows.

He was a patient hunter.

[The Silence and I]

The nightmares! Someone stop the screaming, please stop the screaming! Blood, everywhere. Bus? No, a train, coming towards him screaming its whistle. The light, the roaring engine, the screaming whistle, no where to run, why is there so much blood---

"Gah!" Nathaniel sits ups suddenly, the echoes of his daymare still loud. He didn't remember much of the last night after returning to Marcus' place with the two men in tow. <How did I get here?> Pondering that he realized something wasn't right--his Mask! Where was it!? Nathaniel's hand flew to his face, found only skin. He groaned in horror and loss. Now what? Where did he leave it--Marcus's place is his last memory, he would go there first.

He grabbed his coat and rushed out the door of the shack heading for Marcus' place at a jog. <Did I even get the job?>

[Bratty]

Cassie woke from her slumber. Holden had commissioned the workers to begin work on their haven. So the tap tap tapping of the hammers still echoed in her head, even though the workers had long since gone. Cassie shook her head from her dream. What a horrible dream! How long had she been out? She only recalled the Lovely One, the Angel. She throws her coverings on, and heads out. She doesn't know exactly where to find him. But he is working for Marcus. She will look there. She has to know...why does he feel so familiar?

[The Silence and I]

As Nathaniel raced towards the distant house he racked his mind for the missing memories. He was full, so at some point he fed, but was it on those men he tricked? Or something else? Had Marcus taken the Mask, had it fallen off? No, he would have never left it somewhere. Something happened that night, things didn't add up.

Of course they don't add up, you deny ME. Even now you hear me and yet you won't remember me. I'd love to go on, dearest Nathaniel, but I've no time for you to reach that house. Sleep, Nathaniel

A few minutes later Merry was walking slowly through the neighborhood where he would find Marcus' house. It was good to be in control, it was so frustrating to hear the voices and be powerless to respond. Now he was whole.

[Bratty]

Cassie does not see the problem of slinking in shadows for the sake that Rosemary does. Somehow, she does not see herself as a monster; she is still lovely and everyone's trick to be had. She covers her face because of her fame. She would hate for others to spot her heading to Marcus' house, bringing exposure down on such a private man.

Turning the corner, her leg limps behind, she considers it to be an injury from dancing the night before.

The pretty picture painted in one's mind, another way to deal with the madness. The lights of the city glimmer to Cassie. There are only stars.

She turns the corner and heads up the driveway that leads to Marcus' place.

It has been too long since her last confession. She is not sure exactly why an Angel would appear to her, of all people.

[Charon]

Marcus had saved himself the effort and had simply broken the neck of the one mortal that was still alive before he'd slept in the basement. A nice snack for when he next woke.

Marcus came to screaming. He quickly got control of himself and relaxed. With some effort he slipped out of bed and crawled over to the cold corpse. Blood from the last corpse was spent in healing his back as he drove his fangs into body and drank. After a minute the body was empty. With slow steady movements he slowly got to his feet. He staggered about until he caught something to hold his weight. He'd have to grab a cane from upstairs. It was funny, he never thought he'd have to actually use it for that, but oh well. The corpses would have to be disposed of tonight, but that could be dealt with later. He made his way upstairs, holding onto any purchase he could find.

[The Silence and I]

Shrouding himself in the power of other's ignorance Merry takes a small detour, Marcus would simpy have to wait. Finding some Kine wandering the area was a simple task this early in the night, but finding the right one, that was harder. No good wasting his efforts on someone likely to change his ways on his own, the higher they are the harder they fall.

Ah, that one looks promising. Bull headed, sure of himself, grounded in his little world.

Merry bent his mind toward changing his face, looking more and more like a disrespectful drunkard. Unshaven, rough. He left the clothes alone, they would be crumpled enough from his dusty 'haven.'

So disguised Merry appproached the man from the shadows with an energetic purpose, although perhaps a slightly drunk one.

"Sir, sir! Sir may I hrave a word with you?" He breathed heavily and noisily. The man looked at him and managed to look down despite parity of height. "What'd you want?"

Merry gave a mock bow, and sneering he continued: "Sir I hrave had a hrather long bought of bad luhck. Folks like you hrave money I need for my, my shurvival. What d'you say to a few dozen bucks for someone lower than you?"

The man looked at him, unbelieving. This was incredible, the man was drunk, some kind of drop out loser no doubt, and had the galls to mock him and then ask for no small amount of money!
"You want money? Get a job." He tried to keep walking, but Merry blocked his path with a spry motion. Perfect! Bringing to bear his powers Merry focused on worsening the man's mood, increase his irritation.
Merry, knitting his eyebrows together and blinking fiercely looking as confused and stupid as he can, opens his mouth to speak again, but the man, his face darkening, cuts him off.
"Get out of my face you worthless creep!" Merry staggers forward during this and grabs on the man's jacket to balance himself. This infuriates the man even more. "Fuck off and die!" He screams, don't ever touch me again with those grubby hands!" He shoves Merry none to gently aside, fuming. His face plainly says he wants Merry to touch him again, give him a reason.

Merry gets his balance again and, throwing off any semblance of being drunk, he winds up and drives his fist in the mans face, hard. He goes down, but there is plenty of fight left in him. Focussing his powers of the mind again Merry robs the man of his anger, waits for it to take effect, and reaches over and offers a hand.
Confused, bleeding at the lip, the man looks at the offered hand a few moments and accepts it. He looks at Merry with an expression hard to read, something involving disbelief. Perhaps he is trying to feel angry but coming short. Merry tips a non-existant hat and walks off into the night, leaving the guy with his thoughts.

Once well out of sight he shrouds himself again and stalks his prey. He wasn't done, oh no. The man continues walking after a pause, he has business after all. Merry waits for his power to wear off, for the man to remember his anger. Once this happens he concentrates on increasing it, driving the man into a towering rage. After a good while of this he once again drives the anger from his mind. By now some time has passed and he leaves his project to simmer for now. Time to go back to Marcus'.

[Bratty]

Cassie looks about the place, suddenly recalling Marcus' reaction when she came here before. What is she doing here? Maybe Rosemary was right. Maybe she is a fool. But Wright. Where is Wright? For that matter, where is Rosemary?

Cassie just looks down the driveway for a moment, a gravel road leading to Marcus' abode. She is on the side, away from the eyes of any main roads, but not hidden.

She looks from left to right, and suddenly she hears a sharp voice inside her mind, Look you little fool, you may have this body, but you will get us killed if you don't get down and stay quiet. It is not our way to be so flamboyant

Not their way? But she is Cassie, and it is her way. She sings up to the sky in defiance, "Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning..." She is tired of being told what to do. Tired of being in the backdrop. It is her scene goddamn it. It is her time. She is the one who will make it big. Not Rosemary. She hums softly as she begins to "dance" again in defiance.

Rosemary fumed. "Incredible! She will get us all killed. FINE! I will not be there to bail her out this time.

[The Silence and I]

The sound of a sweet voice carries a long way, even longer for those with enhanced hearing. Cassie's voice reached Merry's ears, distant as he was, and he stopped to listen. He knew that voice--the ugly one. A shame, really, she had such a lovely voice. He dropped his false face, but stayed hidden, and hurried forward to hear and see better. There was something, powerful, about that voice. It demanded to be heard, and who was he to refuse?

Before long Cassie has an unseen audience of one. Merry stands across the driveway from her, completely absorbed in the song, it flowed through his enhanced ears like magic, his mind danced to its tune, marvelled at nuances ordinary ears couldn't.

When she stopped for a break he simply appears, clapping loudly, he almost couldn't help it. His face is joyous, simple like a child's, unconcerned with anything else.

"Words fail me miss. Yours is a voice most rare."

[Bratty]

Cassie gasps as her claw goes to her chest in demure fashion. Merry scared her coming out of no where. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" She says with a bit of play when she notices who it is. Her face, as hideous as it is, shines through a child like expression of awe as she just...looks at him a moment. "It's...It's you!" She whispers.

[The Silence and I]

Something dies inside as the music ends and the memory fades. Something inside tells him Nate would have loved that.

"It's...It's you!"

What was he musing about again? Probably not important.
"Yes," he says kindly, "it is me. I have come here to find you. I want to check up on you, Cassie."

Now why did he go and say that? Oh yeah. Angel. One of them stands before me, the one with compassion, faith. The voice.

[Bratty]

"Who...Who are you?" She asks, her claw reaching for his face, much as she once reached for Nathanial's mask. "Why did you want to check up on me? Are you ..." She doesnt need to finish it, she asked the question yesterday. He is otherwordly. Something behind his eyes does not rest. Something about his face flickers like a flame. Is he real? She tries to touch him.

[The Silence and I]

"You know who I am, Cassie. I am here to try and answer the questions you have. You are a little confused, and that is understandable." He lets her touch his face, smiles slightly. He whispers "I am as real as you need me to be." He lets his arms glide to his sides, hang there, palms up.

"How can I help you help yourself?"

Heh, angel. About as angelic as the bastard who did that to her. You are confused, Cassie. That much I can see easily. But you are also not whole, and there can never be understanding if you are divided. I must help you.

[Cynical Cat]

Hans parried with the bearded axe in his left hand and struck low with the sword in his right. The weapons were blunted and his retainers were ghouls wearing full armour and padding, but even with only part of his strength behind the blows were bruising. The Ventrue connected with his target's shin and then spun around and stepped back to confront another attacker, moving himself out of the attack radius of his downed retainer.

A flurry of blows and he took a solid hit to the gut while rapping his retainer on the head. A gut wound was fatal to humans, inconvienent for vampires. As the other fell back, Hans confronted the third. A hit landed on his left, hard enough to numb his arm. The vampire kicked the man away, sending him sprawling across the floor as his first retainer rose.

He parried several blows with his sword before bringing the axe back into play. He struck the right arm, then chest, and then head. His retainer fell. "Enough," the vampire cried. "Well done." He began striping off his sparing clothes and heading for the shower.

[Bratty]

"You know who I am, Cassie. I am here to try and answer the questions you have. You are a little confused, and that is understandable." He lets her touch his face, smiles slightly. He whispers "I am as real as you need me to be." He lets his arms glide to his sides, hang there, palms up.

"How can I help you help yourself?"

Heh, angel. About as angelic as the bastard who did that to her. You are confused, Cassie. That much I can see easily. But you are also not whole, and there can never be understanding if you are divided. I must help you.

Her hand falls back. She just wanted to see if he was real, in truth. Now that she knows he is, she swears she feels her heart in her throat.

Rosemary says very calmly, having gained her composure. "Your heart does not beat, Cassie. You are not human.

Cassie's brow would furrow if were able to. She hesitates a moment, before she begins. "Why won't the voices leave me alone? Why do they keep me from ...being? I...I know they are not from God." Her eyes are wide, blinking.

Oh, she has a million questions, in truth, all three of them do. But that is the first and foremost. Why won't it stop? When will they go away?

A voice now foreign to her, as Rosemary removed the memory of Mary from Cassie's conscious growls in intimidating fashion, "Do yourself a favor and just get it over with. You are a waste of blood.

Her face washes with fear. She looks from side to side, and then to Merry. Very somber. "Do you think they are from demons?"