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" she rebuffed as she 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.

The room was lit with just a solitary pillar candle, the acrid smell of candle wax filled the air as she stood and watched intently.

"You have failed yet again to abide by the rules, I have begged and pleaded on your behalf many times, but that is to be no more, I will not have you bringing down my reputation, you are to leave as of now and never again show your face around here, go where you wish, see who you wish but you dare let me cast my eyes upon your pitiful face you will fell the full force of my anger and disappointment that I have for you.
You wanted for nothing, indeed you were given everything you desired, and all you have done is show no respect or thought for what effect your actions on others.

Your thoughts are purely selfish ones, as long as you are fine nothing else matters, no go and never let your shadow cross my door again, if it does you will pay severely for the shame you have brought down on me!"

Kathy could not see who spoke but she could see the one who was receiving the stern rebukal.
The black cloaked figure stood with their head bowed, listening to the tyriad of words.

"Go!" came the stern voice yet again and the hooded figure turned towards the door .

Thats when kathy saw their face and woke up screaming, her body bathed in sweat and the silk sheets tangled around her as if she had been fighting an invisible force.
Was it a glimpse into things that are yet to happen....or a warning?

Her mind reeled as she tried to remember all the details, but they had faded fast, as she tried to grasp onto them they went.

Pushing the sheets of herself she sat up and was just about to get up and shower when she saw the cream piece of paper that sat on the bedside cabinet.

Beware of what you see, take heed from what you hear.

Her eyes read over the fine copperplate handwriting again.

"what the hell"

kathy replaced the phone onto its cradle and ran her hands through her hair.
Connor, her Sire had urged her to go back to Cascadia after hearing the worry in her voice over what had happened the night before. She was , as he said, effectively alone in a strange country, which kathy had neglected to tell him when she asked to borrow his penthouse for a while.

"yes I'll go back, yes I promise I will, no there's no need for you to make arrangements, Im not a child Connor, I can look after myself I only rung you to see what you thought was going on" her voice was strained and somewhat distant.

"I worry about you Little one, I spoke to Tobias a few weeks ago and he told me what you have been doing, the days and nights with no sleep, the endless fruitile searching for the impossible"

"he told you...how dare he, he had no right" kathy was annoyed and perturbed that he would have gone running to tell her Sire.

"Little One he was worried and rightly so, do you understand what could happen if something goes wrong? Cascadia is full of Justicars and the like at the moment, do you think we want to stand back and watch you risk yourself?"

"Yes I know, very well I will return, soon, just not now, maybe in a few days"

Connor sighed he could tell by the tone of her voice that he had upset her, but it had to be done.


............................................................

Kathy looked at the note again and then screwed it up and put it into her leather jacket pocket.
The streets of York were quiet, once again and she wandered along aimlessly, not knowing where she was heading or what the reason was for going there.
she needed to think and to do it fast, things were starting to crumble on her and her Sire showing that he was displeased with her was the final straw and she refused to have him think that she was going to fail.

"had any insights lately?"

Kathy stopped walking and looked shocked at where she had arrived at, the church stood in the gloom of the night towering above her .

"cat got your tongue tonight has it?"

He stood with his back leaning against a worn headstone, a sly smile on his face as he looked at her intently.

"I know what you search for, your ultimate goal , perhaps I can help you, but forgive my manners, I am Nerov Vassilly, I live the same life as you do....so you have no reason to fear me, so tell me Miss Katherine Belvadere of the clan Toreador, what brings you here?"

"how...."

"how do I know your name? boredom mostly, I have little to do with my nights so I turned detective, used my feelers so to speak...found out a little about you"

Kathy watched him as he stepped into the church and looked at her, his eyes beseeching her to follow him.

"are you coming ...or not?"

Kathy nodded out of sheer curiosity and follwed him watching as the thick candles that adorned the walls flickered to life.

" as you can see I have many talents, it is the way I live my unlife, but please come and listen to my tale and see if I can quell the thirst you have "

He sat on the altar and kathy looked at him in the flicker of the candlelight. He looked about 20 and wore black leather trousers matched with a white ruffled shirt and a black leather trenchcoat, but it was his face that so entranced kathy, his fine chiselled features reminded her of the face of Adonis that she had seen on a trip to Greece.

" Have you finished staring...if so I will begin"

Kathy blinked herself back to the present and sat down on the roughly hewn wooden pew and listened to his tale.

"My parents were Slovenian nobles by the name of Casimir and Catrina, they were cousins, but then again many of the nobility were. I only had to ask and I received, to most people having everything your heart desired would be bliss, and for most of my mortal life...it was.

However familarity breeds contempt and gradually my tastes grew even more corrupt and ever more decadent, my parents ensured that my unique tastes remained secret...it's amazing what trouble money can buy you out of....do you think not ?"

" Your aura....its like nothing...its black.....nothing there....your..."

"shhh is it not rude to interupt? where was i ? ah yes...I grew even more twisted, stalking the daughter's of powerful merchants and politicians, using them to satisfy my carnal and sociopathic lusts, and how I enjoyed them"

Kathy kept her face blank, as he licked his lips and moaned as he closed his eyes.

His eyes were like deep dark pools as he opened them and kathy watched him as he continued.

"many of them returned home after one of my "soiree's" with bruises, internal injuries and Im not sorry to confess....tears to...how shall I put it....their more intimate parts, I was brutal in life....but who would have known I would be even worse in death."

He stood up and moved to sit next to kathy, his eyes as dark as night one minute then glowing orange the next, instinctly kathy got up, but he touched her arm.
"I have no reason to harm you ...please listen to me then I will tell you what I offer and what I need in return"

Kathy bit her lip....she knew...how she did she did not know...but he was the one that had left the note and if she had to hear the rest of his story.

"In 1996 my father was holding a special gathering in celebration of my 21st birthday. Anyone who was anyone was invited and believe me it was a grand affair, the drink flowed and the music played, but in our midst crept a far darker, more terrible thing.

Her name was Raisa, she had been drawn to the circles we moved in with talk of a young monster in the making...thats me if your confused....yet"

Kathy smirked " continue ...please"

" she manipulated the other guests and led me, charming and arrogant Nerov into her snare, she told me she was a widow, and god she was beautiful, I wanted her the moment I saw her . She was staying the night at my parent's and she didn't have to try too hard to get me to go to her room. I was shocked when even my cruellest ministrations brought an ecstatic moan and a satisfied pout from her.

I was even more shocked when her submissiveness ended with her mouth on my neck draining my life away, when I awoke I felt a terrible burning within me, hotter than any fire my veins felt like they were been scorched as the essence of my humanity, what little there was ...was leeched away and replaced with the blood of my hell born sire. I followed her as she travelled across Europe, she taught me the deepest and darkest of the arts and drew me into the folds of the Sabbat.....where I still remain.....my sire and I have parted company for a short while"

Kathy looked dismayed.....he was Sabbat.....but yet she felt drawn to him for some reason,....maybe he could give her what she wanted.

"the answer is yes...I can give you what you seek....and before you ask....yes I can read what you are thinking....it's a trait of the sabbat we soak up what we can from the other clans, why bargain when you can just drink their blood and gain what is theirs.....power and knowledge"

He had Kathy enthralled, she knew it was wrong but this could be her chance.

"what do you want in return?" she asked this hesistantly, knowing that even if he asked for something that she did not have she would try her hardest to obtain what he needed.

" a safe passage to where you live....and once there....your protection, Ive done some things that others find unacceptable, so I need to leave the country for a while, under your protection of course"

"that's all you desire....nothing more?"

"desire is another thing....need is another ....lets not get those two confused shall we ?" the look on his face was of pure lust and kathy felt herself blush.

Standing up she brushed her coat down.
"yes quite...this is a business venture....nothing more, I'll make arrangements for our departure"

Kathy had spent an hour on the phone with Connor, and he was pleased that her voice was now back to normal, the fear that had tinged it the last time they had spoke had now gone and was replaced by her normal sing song voice.

"So I was wondering...rather than have to book seats on a charter flight could I possibly borrow your plane, you know how I hate travelling with kine, the smell of them simply makes it near on impossible not to react after awhile"

Connor laughed loudly, he remembered the last time they had travelled to Mexico. she had grown gradually more tense and uptight as the journey had worn on, and had refused something to help her sleep and fight of the urge she felt to feed.

He had fallen asleep and woke to kathy slipping back into her seat beside him.
"cherie? you ok?"

Kathy had looked at him and smiled as she wiped away a tell tale drop of blood that embellished her already ruby red lips.

"Im fine now thankyou, and before you ask, I only quenched my thirst, her merely thought I was getting , how can I put it"

A wicked grin spread across her face and Connor just knew what she meant.

"I take it thats a yes then is it ?" kathy asked as he stopped laughing.
"Of course, just tell me the nearest ariport and it will be there waiting for you, tell me are you travelling alone or is porter returning with you?"

"Ive yet to ask him yet, but does it really matter?" Kathy didn't want to have to tell him that Nerov would be travelling with her, Connor had made it quite clear that he didn't approve of what she was trying to do.

"Of course not, I was merely wondering"

"good well all been well I will be travelling the thursday night"
"very well cherie, I'll call you later to finalise the plans"

Kathy watched him as he walked into the lounge, with just a towel wrapped around his waist and rivulets of water running down his muscular chest .

"I do wish you would get dressed after you've showered instead of parading around half naked" she said as she moved of the sofa to the desk.

Nerov looked at her " Do I make you nervous? or maybe its not me that makes you nervous.....maybe you dont trust yourself...is that it Kathy? come tell.....I'd love to know"

Kathy glared at him " The only and I mean only person who I would wish to look at right at this moment is none of your concern so please dont flatter yourself that I enjoy looking at you"

"your wearing that perfume again" he whispered in her ear as he appeared behind her " you know how I love that smell on your skin"

"Enough!!" kathy shouted as she stood up with such force she pushed the desk over scattering the papers on it onto the wooden flooring.

He laughed loudly, " you are so easy to wind up kathy, and you know its a game that I love, now calm down what news of our travel plans?"

"who says you are still going with me? this behaviour has to stop if Gabe...."

Her eyes opened wide with shock....what was gabriel going to say when she turned up with Nerov...maybe she should not tell him, but then it would look like she was hiding something, but then she was.

"Gabe? ah yes your dashing vent...I cant wait to meet him"
she could hear the sarcasm dripping in his voice and sighed.

"Oh I dont think so , but perhaps ...maybe you will get the chance to"

"We travel on thursday night, direct to cascadia I should think, I was going to call in on my sire but we have things to be getting on with, and time is of the essence I think"

Kathy's eyes flashed as he spoke to her harshly as if she was a mere fledgling to be told what to do.

"How dare you....I will socialise with whom I like and I take offence at you telling me what to do"
She stood up from the sofa and turned her back on him as she muttered under her breath about dogs thinking above their station.

She didn't even hear him move across the wooden flooring but she gasped as he grabbed her by her shoulders and spun her around.

"how dare you!" she spat out at him as he held her tight.

His eyes narrowed and his lips curled back into a snarl as he spoke to her, each word laden with anger.

"I dare...believe me I dare.....Ive seen more than you will ever do , god knows why I told Gabriel I would protect you , your behaviour is intolerable, you insult me, an elder constantly, and now you go against my advice, he's sabbat for fucks sake! what the hell do you want with him? or maybe that is information you would rather not divulge....I should kill you now ....save yourself getting into trouble"

Kathy opened her mouth to answer but bit her lip as she saw his eyes flash at her.

"very wise...dont play with my patience Torrie I could snap you in half "

he released his hold on her and pushed her away from him.

"I ...I take it you wont be travelling back to Cascadia with us then?"

porter growled as he looked out of the window, the clothes that he wore restricting his body as the night called him.

"I wont....I have business here and I do not wish to be seen as been an accomplice to whatever you are up to, I take it Gabriel knows ?"

he looked at kathy as she nodded affirmatively.
"Yes of course he knows,now I really must be getting on with packing, so if you will excuse me please, I have a lot to do before we must leave"

Kathy practically pushed him out of the door as she bid him goodnight and good luck with his business plans.

Porter stood concerned and a little bemused as she slammed the door in his face.

"you lie torrie, I saw it in your eyes" as he walked away he wondered whether to contact Gabriel or not.


..............................................................

The flight to Cascadia was uneventful and terribly boring and not long into the journey kathy had curled up on her seat and lapsed into a deep sleep, the excitement of travelling back home and the fear of what she was doing had worn her out.

Nerov however stayed awake for the whole journey, he never seemed to need sleep, his body was constantly alert and his senses keen. He watched her as she slept and grinned slyly.

Unbeknown to her he had been through her personal files on her laptop and he was confident that in time she would give him anything that he wanted, she was financially secure and had the right connections in the correct places, he could maybe even turn her around to his way of life, convince her that the sabbat weren't that bad after all.

" My little torrie, my meal ticket to a better life" he whispered as jet started making its descent towards the airport.

The images flashed before her eyes in a miriad of colours, all scenes from her past, some brought a fleeting smile to her face but many brought a blood tear to the surface of her eye.

It was like watching herself on a big screen, she was there yet she wasn't, it was her life flashing in front of her, vague images of her way her life then, the lovers she took and dropped as soon a she had tired of them, the debauchery that once she had taken part in willing, now making her face scowl with slight distaste.

Then she saw him, she reached out a hand to caress his face, her love, her soulmate, her partner in the unlife that she led. Her hand touched thin air, he wasn't there, he was just there in her head, filling her whole being with love , the way he smiled, the way he tried to behave as if he was simply her escort for the night when they went out, but she knew different, she had seen the way he was really many times .

A soft moan escaped her lips as she thought of the nights they had spent together entwined in each others arms, he had taken her to the point where she thought she could take no more, only to take her even higher until she moaned loudly as the cresecendo washed over her.

Why was she hell bent on doing what he would abhore the most, why did she feel the need to do it ?
Kathy knew that what she was doing could well be her downfall, but still she carried on relentless.

A tear slid down her cheek and she felt a finger touch her to wipe it away. Instinctly she reached for the hand.

" Gabriel?"
" I'll be Gabriel if you want me to be " Nerov whispered as he stood over her.

Kathy sat bolt upright and opened her eyes.
" Never touch me again" she said as she released his hand.
"why do you weep? is it for him? I can be him in appearance, watch me"

"dont bother " kathy shouted " I well remember what your clan are capable of, and may I remind you that this is simply a business venture, you give me what I want, and you get my protection to a certain point"


Nerov almost snarled at her but backed down and sat in his seat, he could wait, he had all the time in the world.

ooc: Sublime writing, loved the story :)