Kathy lay on her bed, the short white silk kimono she wore barely covering her thighs.

"little one running away is not the answer, by all means come and visit, but you cant run away every time you get frightened, you know what you did was wrong and I cant change that for you can I ?" connor's voice drifted down the phone tryng to calm her down.

"yes I know,I lost my temper, but Trinan was my childe for god's sake and he was running wild,if he had backed down from me I wouldn't have killed him and I wouldn't be in the mess I am in now would I ?" kathy's raised voice, brought her ghoul, Tobias into the room. kathy glared at him and waved him away.

"if your going to shout at me im going to put the phone down Im trying to help you,now listen to me, only Issacc knew about Trinan and hes dead now, you saw that for yourself."
Kathy nodded and rolled over onto her stomach.
"im sorry, but shin, he scared me, the way he looked at me, I thought he might have been sent by someone...and im sorry for shouting" she said softly, biting her lip trying not to cry .

"I think you should stay where you are, have you told Gabriel all this?" connor asked as he leaned back in his chair, his hands running up the slender back of his newest plaything.

"he knows Im frightened of shin, I told him that, he said everything will be fine" kathy closed her eyes as she leaned her head on the soft downy pillow.

"how is Gabriel , he still treating you well?"
Kathy smiled at the mention of his voice and she turned and looked at the soft plush bear that he had given her earlier that night, the diamond necklace still around its neck.

"he's fine,and yes he's treating me very well to the extent that im feeling spoilt, I love the gifts , dont get me wrong,but just been with him is enough"

Connor smiled as her tone of voice changed from been worried and scared to contentment.
"you should stay where you are little one, Im sure this shin means no harm to you at all, your just panicking" he said trying to reassure her " but sleep on it ok and if you still dont feel safe when you wake,by all means come and visit,in the meantime I will see what I can find out about this shin"

Kathy nodded reassured a bit by connor's words.
"yes ok,I will call you tonight then, I'll let you go to enjoy your new toy, I heard her giggling earlier" kathy smiled.

Kathy walked around her haven, she had instructed Tobias to check all the locks and to reprogramme the alarm.
"Tobias, Im in the living room,im going to work on the decorations for the elysium,I cant sleep , if anyone calls let me know" Tobias nodded at his mistress as she shut the heavy door behind her.

The shadows were easy enough to slip through as Gabriel made his way deftly over the cast iron fence that lined Kathy's haven. With the grace of a jungle predator he slipped across the dewy night lawn, his Kindred powers blocking all sounds that might emenate from his swift steps.

He had risen early tonight, his mind occupied with the troubles that Elysium had brought. The capture of Isis du Mare, the arrival of the Tremere Shin. Gabriel had never liked Tremere in the first place, but one that threatened one of the few good things he had retained in this unlife...

The thoughts of violence and pain slipped away as the Ventrue slipped through a gap in the bushes that hugged close to the lavish house's outside wall.

The moon was somewhat dull tonight, but it provided a simple type of calm that Gabriel cherished. Kathy was undoubtably upset, and that infuriated him. No expenses would be spared in her protection, he would bring an undead army of Ventrue upon this Shin, if he so much as touched her. A flash, like that of lightning, appeared in his mind, Shin's slender face crumbling under Gabriel's thick hands.

He shook it off and slid the window open, lofty curtains within dancing melodically on the night's spring breeze. With ease that only centuries of life could provide, he slipped into the study. Several books and paintings lined the yet finished room, the teal walls offering gentle comfort to the eye.

In the doorway stood a figure, masculine and tall. In the unlit room Gabriel undoubtably was a suspicious intruder. The Ventrue sensed the explosion of anger as the figure bolted forward, the glint of a blade shrieking in the moonlight. A ghoul is hardly a match for a vampire however, and Gabriel reacted with simple, fluid movements.

He spun counter clockwise as the ghoul's arm thrust forward, the knife whizzing past his torso with speed that would outmatch any mortal. Gabriel completed the turn and caught the arm in one firm hand, he glanced up at the ghoul.

"Tobias is it?" Gabriel smiled slightly, he wouldn't dream of hurting any of Kathy's ghouls, or really manipulating them. But the situation did call for a bit of control. Half heartedly he allowed his mind to expand, not enough to envelope Tobias's thoughts, but just enough to influence them.

Tobias smiled slowly as his pulse slowed and he stood, slipping the knife into the pocket's of his blue jeans.

"Mr. O'Brien, you scared me half to death." he said with a smile, "Why didn't you just come to the front door?"

"I wanted to surprise Kathy." Gabriel said, feeling somewhat foolish explaining this to a ghoul. Mortals and ghouls rarely think of vampires as the type of creatures who leave little gifts or play little games with each other. "Is she in?"

Tobias looked at Gabriel and nodded.
"yes my mistress is in and I'm sure she'd be pleased to see you, she's not herself tonight " he said walking to the door and opening it for Gabriel,standing aside to let him pass.

"Aye she left the Elysium in a hurry tonight, is she alright?" Gabriel asked standing in the corridor,the highly polished floor acted as a mirror, casting their reflections.

"my mistress hasn't spoke to me much since she came home, she spent ages on the phone to her Sire,then had me check all the windows and security system , she's clearly on edge though" Tobias looked at Gabriel,his mistress had been so much happy since she had met him.

"if you will follow me I will take you to her" Tobias led the way down the ornate corridor, the many mirrors that adorned the walls casting the shadows of the candles that stood in front of them, their flames flickering in the breeze .

"she's in here" Tobias knocked lightly on a heavy oak door.
"come in " kathy said quietly.
Tobias went to open the door but Gabriel touched the handle first and looking at Tobias put his finger to his own pale lips.
Tobias smiled and stepped away from the door and watched as Gabriel slipped into the room slilently.

Kathy was on the floor with her back to the door. The logs on the fire in front of her crackled as they burned, the sweet smell of apple wood permeating the room.
All around her on the floor lay samples of Tapestries that she had ordered and many colour charts for paints.
She wasn't even looking at them she sat crossed legged, the silk kimono riding high up her legs, her eyes staring into the fire.

Gabriel crossed over to her, his footsteps light on the thick plush piled ivory carpet.
"kathy " he said softly in his thick irish accent.
Kathy visibly jumped as she heard a voice breaking her dreamlike state.
"are you ok , you left so suddenly, if you had waited I would have had some one bring you back to your haven"
Kathy turned to him, the flames from the fire reflecting in her green eyes causing them to sparkle like emeralds.

"sit down Gabriel I have something to tell you" she said to him, her eyes not leaving his face.
Gabriel moved to sit on one of the chairs scattered around the room and started to pull it closer to the fire.
"no here on the floor, here I will move some of these things out of the way" kathy gathered some of the samples up and pushed them to aside.

Gabriel took his coat off and hung it on the back of a chair and sat down on the floor next to her.
Kathy touched his cheek lightly and then looked back to the fire and began to speak.

"about 4 years ago now I met someone,his name was Trinan, he was a student at los angeles art school, his work was exquisite and I bought many of his pieces and sold them on for him, and some I kept for myself.
Then he disappeared, I asked around and after a bit of searching I found him. He had got hooked on heroin and he was a mess, I got him into rehab clinic and all was well for awhile, but then he would slip back into his old ways. His work suffered and he was desperate for money.

Kathy glanced around the room and her eyes rested on a portrait of herself, looking at gabriel she smiled weakly then looked back to the fire, her arms wrapped around her knees.
I was desperate and If im truthful I did it for my own gain, I was losing customers because he was no longer working to his usual standard.I thought the only way I could help him was to make him one of us...a vampire.

I was so wrong, he hated me for it, the heroin addiction didn't go, I like a fool, feeling guilty gave into his every whim, just so he would keep painting.
But then he started stealing from my friends and he just wouldn't stop. He was fool mouthed and I just didn't know what to do with him. one night, while I was working at the Inner circle, he came to see me demanded money, I'd had enough and told him that he had to stop, he was my childe and it was me that was getting into trouble for his misdoings."

Kathy paused and looked down at the carpet,her small fingers running through the pile on it.
Gabriel shifted his legs and put his large hand on hers.
"please go on Kathy"

"I lost my temper and I pushed him hard and he fell against a marble pillar, he was so angry, he got up and walked towards me , his face looking at me with contempt, he said I should have left him as he was, and that I hadn't helped him at all, only prolonged his pain. I started to walk away from him,hoping he would calm down but he followed me and as I walked up the stairs he grabbed my wrist and held it tightly, demanding money. I was so angry all the trouble that he had caused me, I pushed him with such force onto the handrail of the stairs that they broke, one of the spindles snapped free and I saw my chance, as he stood up I pushed him again, back towards the broken spindle, as it pierced his body I pushed down harder,my hands on his shoulders as the spindle acted as a stake"

Kathy sighed and looked over at Gabriel, she had wanted to tell him all this earlier but he had been busy in the Elysium and it didn't seem the right place to be doing it.

"I think you know the rest,isaacc, the assamite, had watched me kill my childe, he had stood hidden in the shadows, after I promised to get him information,he disposed of Trinan's body for me, and that is why Im scared of Shin"

Kathy stood up and went to pour them a glass of wine,waiting to her what Gabriel would say to her revelations.

The gentle fragrances tickled his nose as he drew in an unnecessary breath. The words sank into his mind as he cast his gaze about the amber room. Only the gentle glow of the fireplace and the soft flicker of candles lit the room, bathing it with a warm, ginger impression.

Kathy's soft feet padded quietly across the marble floor to the bar, where the crystal glasses and bottles sparkled brilliantly in the firelight. Her dress clung to her curves, each one sloping naturally into the next. The ripples coursed like tiny waves on a ivory sea.

Gabriel smiled and ran a hand over his cropped blonde hair. In nights of late he had kept his hair cut close to his jaw, merely half it's natural length. It's thick, lustrious body gave him the impression of a mythic Greek hero, while it's sun-bleached color flung a certain Nordic air about him.

As his petty coat, rich and blue, hung from the chair, Gabriel's bache turtle neck clung tight to his body, it's thickness hiding away the sinewy definition that death had bestowed upon him. He had been muscular in his days as a sailor, but his embrace had somehow stripped him of much of his bulk.

Kathy sat down quietly on the floor in front of him, a crystal goblet of full, crimson wine in each hand. As they sit there, sipping wine in silence, but not at all uncomfortable, Gabriel listened to the sounds of night and reflected.

His life had been a strange one, a series of tragedies and mishaps, splashed against a wall of fortune. Travelling from his home in Ireland, trying to escape abuse from his father and poverty, he had made his fortune in America after his embrace. For years he attempted to drown his sorrows of a lost love in wealth.

He ended his own father's life but could not of forseen how it would wretch his beloved mother's soul from her body. Desperate for escape, he embarked on a binge that no mortal would ever be able to comprehend. He buried himself in business, making a fast fortune. His rise to power came at the expense of many lives, and he killed freely. It was of no consequence to him, he was already dead on the outside and inside, all that remained was a walking corpse.

He brushed with humanity vaguely over the next centuries, occasionally finding one sex slave more appealing than the previous, or perhaps growing closer to one of his many vice presidents, but all in all he lived in a whirlpool of death and wealth.

Then he had found Cascadia.

The past year of his life had been among the strangest he had yet to experience. He would renew himself, by connecting with his Sire, only to lose him. He would find love several times, only to have them ripped away. Friendships stronger than any mortal ties he had ever had, would be ended as with each coming night the death toll rose. It almost seemed that his whole life had replayed once he reached the city...he grew human again, only to grow cold and empty once more.

Now, sitting cross legged on the flawless marble floor, staring through the translucent veil of curtains and into the night beyond, he knew exactly what he was. He was clinging to his humanity, he was empty within. He had no more soul left in him than did the crickets who sang out amid the damp forest around Kathy's home.

And she was the life rock he clung to, the one thing that kept him from slipping away. Despite what most mortals thought, as scary as the prospect of death was, the prospect of eternal boredom was worse. It shredded a soul.

"Kathy," he said at last, his voice smooth with the moisture the wine provided, "you're all that I have." He watched as a spark of confusion formed across her face and he moved quickly to continue, setting the glass down and leaning across on his knees to her, "All the money, the power, it's all nothing Kathy. An eternity as an empty shell? You're all I have Kathy."

"Gabriel..." a single red line streaked down her cheek and plummeted to the floor below. He raised a hand and slid it over her cheek.

"No one will ever take you from me..." he whispered.

Kathy looked at Gabriel as he spoke to her, her eyes drinking in his face, his hair, his whole being.
Kathy sidled across the floor and sat next to him, her slim body leaning against him. Gabriel lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders,pulling her close to him.

Kathy smiled at him and looked into the flames,what he said made sense to her, what was the point on living forever if you had noone to share your life with.
"since we seem to be having a heart to heart,I'll tell you what else im frightened off.....me and you ...Ive always drifted from one person to another, that's the way I was taught by my sire,use people then move on,always trying to better yourself,and move up higher in the social circle, but then I met you and thngs have changed, I feel different,and some how I feel more alive,more happier than I have ever been and that in a way is frightening, what would happen if I lost you ? her soft voice, barely a whisper said to him as she looked at him and touched his cold pale cheek.

((its like Mills and Boon this is lol thats a romance story for those that dont know,oh gaybe ? got a cool idea,well it might be anyways, ill icq you:):)

Across the gentle sloping outskirts of town, where Kathy made her haven, crickets chirped and birds nestled in for a night's sleep. Inside the relative warmth of the home however, two ultimate nocturnal predators sat on an elaborate marble floor, chatting away and drinking rich wine.

"I know you're frightened Kathy, but you shouldn't be. I would never hurt you, you know that..." Gabriel stood up slowly stretching his weary muscles. Lately responsability had taken it's toll on him. He brushed a curling strand of blonde hair from his eyes. "After all, if I can break old habits so can you."

Kathy followed suit, standing up and stretching her own lithe body, which Gabriel eyed somewhat lustfully. With the keen motions of a stalker in the night, he almost seemed to glide across the floor to her. And while his feet moved, they were hard to notice, as Kathy's gaze was locked squarely on Gabriel's olive eyes.

"I know Gabriel...I just worry..." he set a finger gently on her red lips to silence her. She parted her lips slowly and rested a single curved fang on his finger. Gabriel smiled and she bit down lightly, drawing a single drop of blood from his finger.

Kathy licked the drop of blood off his finger and moaned softly.
"I'm not frightened of you,and I dont need protecting,I'm quite capable of looking after myself,although its very comforting to know you are around.come on Ive got something to show you"
Kathy linked her delicate fingers into Gabriel's and led him out of the room into the corridor.
"After I killed Trinan I was a mess,angry at myself and I felt like a failure,I went to stay with Connor,partly to get away from Issacc,but also to sort myself out. while I was staying with him I decided to learn something useful" she said softly as she led him down the corridor and pushed a door open.

Gabriel looked around the large room expecting to see a painting studio or something linked to art in a way.His eyes opened wide as he saw the the room was set up as a gym. In the corner was a large sauna, the heat from it hitting him as they walked into the room fully.

"I needed something to defend myself, its not always suitable to use our vampire abilities in public,and I hate to use precious blood if theres no need to" kathy watched Gabriel's face as his eyes drifted to the centre of the room,the large sparring ring take up the middle of it .

"wait right here"
kathy walked into a side door as Gabriel looked around,his hands trailing over the ropes of the ring, as he heard the door open he looked around.
Kathy stood with a small tight cropped top , a pair of shorts and smal white pumps on her feet, in her hand she held a pair of boxing gloves.

Gabriel stood and stared as she walked towards the ring,and gripping the top rope she swung her small body into it, her feet landing gently on the other side.
Kathy grinned at him as she leaned over the ropes.

"I may be small and delicate looking, but I can protect myself,you want to try,I wont hurt you I promise" she said playfully.

((gaybe see your icq :smile::)

Gabriel smiled slightly, extending an open hand towards Kathy. The Toreador grinned, obviously pleased with his decision, and tossed a pair of black boxing pads through the air to him. They were thin, the type used by kickboxers, just barely covering the knuckles.

"Alright then Kathy, no disciplines, is that the way you want it?" he said cooly, slipping the gloves over his hands and securing the velcro straps with ease.

"That's the idea Gabriel.." she chimed. He looked up and saw she already had her gloves secured and was even now bouncing from foot to foot, measuring her balance. Gabriel smiled and pulled the thick woolen sweater and dress shirt from his body in one motion, draping them carefully over the ropes of the ring.

He flexed his muscles under the bright lights of the gymnasium, every curve and sinew defined to the maximum by the shadows. Several dead bones cracked as air pockets were chased from his blood. He smiled and turned around.

"Alright Ka..." he grunted and felt himself twist sideways as Kathy's foot made contact with his jaw, her body in full rotation in the air. His feet staggered slightly and be braced himself against the ropes.

A devilish smile emerged on his face as he felt a small trickle of blood drip from his lower lip. Standing at full measure, he brought his forearms in front of his pale frame, biceps and forearms rippling with energy.

"Alright, lets see what you can do when I'm actually looking." he hissed. Kathy giggled slightly, cracking her neck and straightening out her top.

"Gladly." she shot forward, firing a series of twist kicks that Gabriel managed to deflect with his forearm and quads. Already the dull pain of bruising was beginning to burn. She sent another kick arching through the air towards his left side, and Gabriel moved quickly to block it.

Her pumps bounced harmlessly enough off of his forearm and as she began to draw back for another he shot his hand out to seize her around the ankle. Just as his hand closed around her slender leg, a flash of pain and disorientation overwhelmed him.

Kathy's fist made hard contact with his face, striking his just beside his right eye. His hand slipped away from her leg and he stumbled into the ropes once more, taking brief repreive on their support.

The Toreador stood over the crouching figure, still bouncing from foot to foot, arms up in a readied position. Gabriel could see the tiny beads of scarlet forming on her brow and arms. He struggled to resist the burning desire to heal his inner wounds.

"Not bad Kath, not bad at all." he whispered, wiping the blood from his face with a sweaty forearm. The vitae, watered down by persperation, merely smeared across his face.

All at once he shot up, extending his hunched legs and firing a stunning uppercut towards Kathy's dainty chin. Kathy's nerves crackled with anticipation and leaned back, allowing the fist to whiz by in front of her face.

She wrapped two hands around the thick forearm of Gabriel and wrenched with all her might. She could hear the groan he exumed just before she jerked the shoulder bone from it's socket.

"UNG!" he grunted as he fell to the mat.

Kathy winced as she heard Gabriel's bone pop out of its socket and released her grip on him.
" I think Ive proved my point haven't I?" kathy smiled slightly,looking down at Gabriel as he leaned against the ropes,a slight tinge of pain showing on his face.

Kathy sat next to him on the canvas flooring of the ring,the bloodsweat smeared on her face and running in droplets down her chest.
She hadn't intended to hurt him, but once she had started she just couldn't seem to stop.
Both of there chests heaved with breathes that they didnt need to take,but instinctively did.

Kathy reached over to his face and touched the spot where she had hit him,her fingers touching it lightly.
"are you alright,im sorry if I hurt you,I didn't mean it you know"


((soz its notlong gabe, rog is waiting for me :smile:

Kathy's tender fingers shot fiery spasms of pain through Gabriel's broken skin. Wincing, he looked up at her through a quickly swelling eye.

"Are we finished my dear?" he asked, still breathing heavily, albeit having no need to fill his lungs.

"If you wish." she replied, her face quickly filling with remorse for his brutal beating.

Gabriel nodded slightly and allowed his body to heal at it's maximum ability. The swelling slowly formed back into shape as if it were puddy and the cuts closed themselves effectively. After a painful relocating of his shoulder the tendons and muscles were healed.

The pair stood up slowly, Gabriel stretching out his newly reformed muscles. In the far corner of the ring, a shadowed figure stood, though it was easy enough to identify it.

"Tobias, bring us some towels will you?" Kathy said, removing the gloves from her hand and tossing them onto the blue mats that lined the ring. Gabriel quickly removed his own and slipped out of the ring, pausing only to assist Kathy.

"Well, it would seem you're more than capable of defending yourself." Gabriel said, "However, fighting without the aid of disciplines is one thing, it would be quite another if a Tremere such as Shin were to exercise his powers."

((grah, sorry got cut short, time for a chron! woot!

Kathy shuddered as she thought of Shin and the way he had looked at her earlier that night.
"yes I know that Gabe,but as I said, its not always wise to use our powers"
Kathy took the soft towels from Tobias and passed one to Gabe, smiling as she did,not knowing whether she had maybe gone too far, and wondering if she had maybe shown him too much.

"im going for a shower....you may join me if you want its up to you "
Kathy pulled the rope down on the ring with her slender hand and climbed over it, trying to mask how she felt,thinking that she should never had done what she just had.

Her lithe body climbed over the rope and she walked towards the shower room,her stubborness not allowing her to turn back and look at Gabriel.

((topping till one of us posts lolololol