kathy watched the news report on the television intently, her face showing the shock of the destruction that the war was causing and horror at the rising number of casualties and deaths.

She had spoke at length with Gabriel and he had assured her he was safe and well, and although he was a bit reluctant to actually tell her what he was doing, she knew it was something to do with Julius darrant, and she also knew his whereabouts, hence the keen interest on the progress of the war.

The gentle breeze of the night made the curtains billow inwards and kathy looked towards the window.
The moon was high and bright against the ebony sky, stars dotted around looked like tiny diamonds twinkling down on those that cared to look to the heavens.

Kathy smiled and stood up, wrapping the silk dressing gown she wore around her delicate body. Her feet padded softly on the thick carpet as she walked to the wardrobe.
Tonight she was going to discover her surroundings and familarise herself with the city of york. It had been 7 days since she had been left in the care of porter, with instructions to get her safely back to cascadia, after a quick talk with her sire, she had effectively borrowed his haven that he had in York, and announced to porter that she would not be returning to Cascadia just yet and he could either leave or remain with her.

Although he had growled for hours, he had eventually agreed to stay with her, he had promised Gabriel that he would escort the intolerable torrie back home, so he could hardly just up and leave her.

Kathy had barely seen porter, she had offered use of one of the two bedrooms in the apartment, but she knew he wouldn't use it. As he thanked her for the kind offer his eyes did not leave the large park that stood just across the river from them.
He had assured her that he would be around if she needed him and then had left, promising to stop by.

She smiled as she checked her appearance in the mirror, her hands smoothing down the long suede coat that she wore, one of many presents that Gabriel lavished on her.

The soft kid boots she wore matched the coats rich camel colour exactly and after checking her apperance from every view imaginable she opened the door and left the apartment to aclimatise herself with her temporary surroundings.

Kathy walked around the quaint now near empty streets of the city, marvelling at the medieval and roman archictecture that was mixed in with the modern look of glass and steel.

Turning into goodramgate she wandered along stopping occasionally to look into the shop windows and stare at the trinkets that they sold, small replicas of the york minster which dominated the skyline as if a centrepiece of the city sat with ornaments of cats and small porcelain dolls.

Kathy nearly passed the alley as she continued down the cobbled street, her boots clicking on the old stones. what made her pause and turn back she didn't know, but she did to find a small unlit alley. With no lighting it looked to lead to know where but at the end kathy could make out a building and confident that there wouldn't be much that could harm her, she walked down it, her face turning to a look of marvel as in front of her stood a small church.

It wa surrounded by the backs of buildings and could quite easily be overlooked if you didnt see the alley that led you to it.

In places she could make out where the old stone had been replaced with brick, obviously some kind of restoration work was taking place. Kathy touched the cold stone with her hand and felt something deep inside her sigh gently, as if relieving an old but happy memory.

Kathy pushed the heavy door tentively and was slightly suprised to find the door unlocked, its hinges moaning softly as she pushed it open and stepped inside.

Her eyes adjusted to the darkness that shrouded the inner sanctum of the church and she walked down the aisle, her fingers trailing over the soft worn wood of the box pews that sat either side.

As she neared the altar she automatically crossed herself and her lips moved silently as her eyes gazed on the statue of the virgin Mary, the once finely sculptured marble was chipped in places with age and perhaps some neglect but still it seemed to demand some sort of reverance from whoever looked at it.

Sitting down on a rough bench placed near the altar she quickly scanned the leaflet.

The holy trinity church had been there since the late 11th century apparently and kathy smiled to herself as she looked at the Great east window depicting the holy trinity as well as john the baptist and st christopher carrying the infant jesus on his shoulders.

The colours of the stained glass window were faded in the dim light but kathy shut her eyes and could see them , their colour casting a myriad of light around the church.

"Beautiful is it not?"
Kathy opened her eyes and looked around her, she had heard no footsteps approaching her but the voice had been directly behind her.

"I said it is beautiful is it not......surely you wouldn't be so rude as to rebuff my observation?" the voice was low and hushed but once again it sounded like it was there, right behind her.

Standing up kathy walked around the church.

"perhaps if you introduced yourself to me, Im afraid I dont talk to strangers, so it is you that I find rude and not me "

Her eyes caught something moving in the shadows but as she moved swiftly to the far end of the church, it vanished.

"Ah now where would the fun in that be ? surely you arent scared are you? maybe you should be, a young lady here all alone, not the ideal situation to be in I think"

Kathy tried to use her senses, but something blocked them, she could read nothing, yet someone was in here with her, either that or she was losing her mind.

"Im quite able to look after myself and now if you will excuse me, I will bid you good night, whoever you are, you maybe need to go see a shrink, hanging around churches scaring women, not what I would call normal behaviour" she said confidently as she walked to the door.

The voice laughed lightly " normal behaviour? let me think...what is normal? is there an equation for it...I think not ....you for example, its not normal behaviour to wander around a strange city on your own is it ? if it is its very foolish and unwise"

"whatever" kathy's hand reached for the handle on the door and pulled it open.

"drinking blood? Is that normal behaviour....would you say....its merely a statement...nothing more...no accusation...but looking at your face, I'd say that you are taking it as that"

Kathy whirled around her face set with anger.

" My face shows nothing but frustration at been disturbed and annoyance at your childish ways and stupid comments"

"believe me I am no child as for foolish comments, well thats my perogative is it not....I thought you were leaving?"

Kathy paused, her anger abating and now her curiosity seeping in, although on the edge there was a tinge of fear, what if he was a hunter, surely if he was it would be best to find out and dispose of him, but then how could she not detect his presence.

Sighing and half kicking herself mentally for not been able to walk away she turned around to face the apparently empty church.

"That I believe is my perogative, you remind me of a family I know with your childish ways, but enough is enough, show yourself or I am leaving"

She stood still as she watched and waited , her senses still trying to pick something, anything up.

"Your perfume? what is it ?"

Kathy visibly jumped as she felt a breath on her neck. Turning her head slowly she sought out the voice.

"its delightful, very...very you I'd say, it suits you extremely well...ahh you was too slow, you missed me again"

The soft low voice was now coming from behind the statue of the virgin mary and kathy stamped her foot in frustration.


"your infuriating and I no longer wish to know who you are, goodbye"

Kathy stamped on the curiousity that had built inside her and opened the door again.

"oh now that I dont believe, perhaps you will come back, or perhaps I will seek you out, who knows what will happen"

"go to hell" kathy said as she walked out