The Nosferatu neonate slammed the door behind him and whirled around only to be stopped by the solid chest of an undead Ventrue. The suit towered several feet over the withering, gnarled Nosferatu, and his face was covered with the shadows of the sewer.

"Clyde, grab him." a voice called out from the far corner. Joseph hissed and tried to obfuscate himself. For a moment his body shimmered, slightly blending to his surroundings, but his blood was young and weak, and his powers unused. Clyde's meaty fist grasped him hard by the arm and held him fast.

The owner of the voice stepped forward slowly, the sound of his tapping shoes echoing through the stone hallways of the sewers.

There in a Nosferatu anti-chamber, amid the fecal matter and trash of the city, in the very midst of rats and cockroaches, Gabriel O'Brien glared at the Nosferatu Joseph, hate billowing from his body at full force. His power suit cut a stunning figure against the meloncholy backdrop of mold covered sewer walls.

"You had men come to MY clubs?" he hissed, taking several steps forward. Joseph cast one wretched yellow eye over Gabriel, still straining against the Ventrue's grasp. He secreted pus and grime from his wracked and undead pores, but the Ventrue held him with medical gloves.

"To MY clubs Joseph? The only reason I do not have you killed is out of respect for DRAIN!" Gabriel took another stride forward, his anger rising at Joseph's imputent silence. The Nosferatu would express his sorrow one way or another. Joseph finally opening his decayed, boney jaw.

"How did you get in here?!" he snarled. Small drops of green, brown spit flew from his crackled and drying tongue. His wrinkled, dried flesh crackled around his skeletal features, the look of age obviously wearing it away to almost nothing.

"I'll ask the questions Joseph!" he motioned towards the door behind him. "Clyde, put him in there."

Joseph jerked back and forth underneath Clyde's massive grip.

"NO! STAY OUT STAY OUT!!!" his decomposing body spasmed back and forth, flakes of dead flesh rubbing off his arm. Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

"Stay out? Why? Open the door Clyde." Clyde threw open the door, the long groan of protest heralding it's age. The Seneschal stepped in front of the captor and captee and squinted his eyes into the moist, candle lit room beyond.

The candle light flickered off the mildewed walls of the small circular room. Gabriel and the two forms behind him entered through the only visible passage, into the chamber. In the center of the room, laying on a small patch of brown dirty, was a small body. As Gabriel approached, he picked up a small wax candle from the floor and held it to her lifeless face.

"Adrianna...." he whispered, the word barely passing over his thin lips, he whirled around, pointing a accusatory finger at the Nosferatu, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER??!!" The Nosferatu swore and spat.

"I've done nothing!! Leave my domain NOW!" Gabriel stormed forward, the stench of his wretched innards wafting through the air.

"This is Drain's domain....do not forget. Clyde, throw him in the sewage." As Clyde dragged the Nosferatu out, Gabriel picked up Adrianna's limp cold body and carried her carefully towards the door.

They emerged just in time for Gabriel to see Joseph's thin wiry body flailing in the air and land into the raw sewage the lined the walls.



Within an hour's time, Gabriel and his new guest were in the warmth of his countryside estate. Adrianna's soft face was framed by cushy satin pillows, and the reddest wooly blanket was pulled to her chin. The large bed sat in the corner of a modest guest bedroom, the very one the Lasombra Reannag had stayed in only months before. Gabriel ran a cautious finger down her cheek.

"Rest now...you are a captive no more..." With that he stood and quietly made his way out of the room, closing the door gently behind him.

she opened her eyes from a nightmare and looked around at her surrounding as if she had met final death and awoke in haven. She perfectly still beneath the soft satin blankets, looking at a room bathed in soft candle light. this was not the last thing she remembered and she was certain she had never been in this room before.

She stretched and yawned, the warmth of a fire in the fireplace had made her remember what it was like to be alive and feel true warmth. she wondered if maybe her life as a vampire had been nothing more then a dream.
she sat up and looked at the antique furniture, the canapee bed, and the nice vanity. it was a beautiful room, taking her breath away, but as she sat up and looked in the vanity mirror she saw only an empty mirror looking back. so where was she?

she pushed back the covers and found that she was still dressed in her long black dress. she walked toward the door, half expecting to find it guarded.
she opened the door and walked out into the hall, she was alone.

she made her way down the stairs into the main room. and saw a tall figure standing near the window looking out at the city lights. she paused.

"gabriel?" she felt a gasp escape her throat.

he turned and smiled at her, "ah i see your awake, good. would you like something to drink?"

she felt her hand quivering at her throat, this was it, he was gonna kill her she thought. "yes, that would be nice." she forced herself to smile and walked slowly forward while he poured her a glass of blood.

"I don't know why you were in drains lair, but i don't think you mind me bringing you someplace more suited to your statis."

"statis?" she really didn't know what he meant, after all prisoners don't have statis.

"yes, it's the ruling of the heirarcy that you are to be the primogen for your clan." he smiled at her affectionatly as he handed her a drink. "congradulations."

"me? primo?" she blinked, "i'm... i don't know what to say."

"of course you'll have to do something about your own security now, but i'm sure you can find some helpful suggestions from the other kindred in cascadia."

"i'm free?" it seemed to good to be true.

"of course," he gave her a reasuring smile.

"i..." she couldn't conseal the smile even if she wanted to. "thank you gabe." she leaned forward and gave him a big hug. it may have been that jules was right, and that being lasombra in cascadia would end with her death, but right then, in that surrounding, and feeling both warm and loved, it didn't seem to matter what the future held.

((thanks gabe 8) hope this post is ok)

Gabriel's chilly green eyes widened slightly with a mixture of shock and embarrassement as the slender figure wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Thank you Gabriel...oh thank you.." she whimpered, the sound of blood tears gurgling into her throat. He had known that Drain's haven was not the most pleasant of places, but he had not expected this reaction from her.

Gently he placed a reassuring fatherly hand on her head, running her matted hair beneath his palm. He took her cheek gently in his hand and stood back to look at her. Her face shone in the moonlight, like the glassy reflection of the sea of a calm night.

Outside the large bay windows, a cloudless night expanded across the blanket of sky, speckled by thousands upon thousands of stars. The twinkling city lights below were at a distance enough so that they did not shroud the twilights glow, but instead cast a soothing opposite.

The Ventrue slid his arm over her shoulder, feeling the silk of her newly acquirred night gown ruffle smoothly under his fingers. Together they stared over the city, like the kings of old, smiling.

"Adrianna," he said quietly, keeping his eyes squarely on the city, "I know you've been through much in the passing months." He paused slightly to gauge her reaction. To his surprise, her face registered no bit of remorse or painful memories, but only relief.

"But," he continued slowly, "I want you to know you're safe now. No one will harm you further...I won't allow it. Cascadia is your home...and now your responsability." He placed a firm open hand on the window and gave it a slight push.

The window glided open with ease, the cool winter's air rushing into the room and quickly extinguishing several of the delicate candles which lit the room. Adrianna closed her eyes, and inhaled the breeze, the scent of pine filling her nostrils. They stood in silence for some time, listening to the sounds of the forests and gentle flapping of the cotton white drapes which floated on the wind from the opened window.

Intricate patterns danced across the hardwood floor, making their way across the room. As the night progressed, the two chatted quietly, neither thinking to relight the candle, but rather enjoying the serenity the cool light of the moon had to offer.

As time drifted by, Gabriel had various delicacies brought in from his personal stocks. Thick dark blood from across the world over, each in it's own bottle or flask. Adrianna giggled and sampled them as a child might sample chocolates.

As the night settled slowly into dawn and the first signs of the purple hue that heralded the coming day appeared over the treeline, Gabriel stood from his chair.

"Adrianna, it is nearly day," he said, a gentle smile over his face, "you shall spend one more day under my care, and then I shall arrange for you to be transported back to Cascadia." Adrianna opened her mouth, but Gabriel held a quick finger to it. "I won't hear otherwise my dear."

With that, he led her back to her guest bed and bid her goodnight, kissing her hand gently before disappearing down the hall...

((just some pleasantries :smile:

_________________
Some of us are destined for higher purposes. Things not of this plane, missions you cannot fathom. My purpose is clear, and no one will stand in my way.

[ This Message was edited by: Gabriel on 2002-02-25 01:33 ]

(( aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh
YOu got away again LOL.. and this time i got beat up by a Vent..... this is the last time i don't pay my internet bill.. You ppl just run amuck when im not around LOL..


(( in the immortal words of the wicked witch of the east ( or west i forget)

"Ill get you my pretty."