"Pressa acima nos nao temos o tempo para desperdicor,o plano sae ein 10 minutos e a carga deve!"

santanos leaned against his car as he watched the forklift truck load the wooden crate into the belly of the plane. Deep down in his heart he did not want to see it go, but he had his orders to follow and was not about to bring the wrath of his boss down on him, again.
"gently!" he shouted as the forklift truck pulled away too quickly and then crate rocked as if it was going to tip over then settled onto the floor of the hold.

Flicking his cigarrette onto the tarmac he walked over to the plane and hoisted himself up into it.

kneeling down he put his ear to the crate and listened carefully , holding his hand against his other ear to block out the noise of the plane.
smiling he stood up, the drug he had administered earlier had worked well .

Her eyes opened widely as she heard footsteps approaching. Her senses reaching out beyond the confines of the wooden crate trying to see who it was. A thin smile spread across her lips as she sensed Santanos, his tall muscular body came into her vision as she shut her eyes once again and a snarl replaced the smile.
For all he cared about her, to her he was the one that carried out his bosses orders, sending her wherever she was needed.

The Tremere clan owned her, she was theirs to send where they wanted when they wanted. It was the price she had to pay to return to some semblance of normality.

The heavy doors of the plane shut and the engines hummed louder and it began to move down the runway.

Unable to move her drugged body she let her mind drift to the meeting she had with Kavos, who was effectively her keeper.

“You are to go to Cascadia, once there you will be contacted and be told what we require you to do there, you are to go alone though, satanos will not be accompanying you, this time you are on your own, but don’t even think of trying to escape us, you belong to the tremere’s and you will do exactly as we tell you to” kavos’s raspy voice said as she stood facing him.

“I hate you with all my heart you do know that don’t you, you tricked me ,you made me hand my unlife to your clan, and like a fool I let you” she said her voice low and calm.

Kavos arose from behind his desk and moved towards her, his white eyes dancing with sparks of purple.

“you knew what we asked off you it was explained to you before we spent three nights making the blood contract, that is the bond between you and I,if you were to break that contract, you would meet the end of your unlife, such price you conceded to pay” he seemed to float over to a tall wooden cabinet and held out his hand. A drawer opened and a cream piece of parchment gently landed in his hand.

“Is that not your signature? in your own blood?” he held it out and she looked away nodding.
“answer me! is that your signature?” sparks flew from his fingers as his anger grew.
“yes....yes its my signature, the price I paid for normality once again”
His fingers traced the side of her face that was not covered by the soft cowl she wore all the time.
“its the price you paid for vanity, not normality” he said as he pulled the cowl off her head, her long hair falling down her back as his fingers ran over the scars.
“go now santanos is waiting for you, the plane leaves in one hour and once you are safely in cascadia you will receive your orders”

She nodded and turned to walk to the door, pulling the cowl back up, making sure it covered the deep scars that pitted one side of her face.

Estrella awoke as she felt the crate been moved and the noise of an engine whirring into life.
Listening carefully she could hear the voices of the airport staff, american voices, how good it was to hear a language that she undrestood easily again.

Her once numb limbs tingled into life and she stretched as best as she could in the confines of the crate. Just after her transformation she had been shipped by plane to Puerto Rico, her former master could not bear to look at her no more and had sold her to the highest bidder. The journey had been horrendous and ever since then she insisted on been drugged to calm her down.

((nicely done, should i join in at some point?

((yup by all means join in :)

"you know its like she could almost get up and walk isnt it hank?" said ralph as he went to touch her skin.
"no please its very fragile....please dont touch it!" the driver had said hurriedly as he pushed them out of the way and replaced the lid of the crate.
customs had demanded that the crate be opened for inspection and she had lain there totally immobile her eyes shut as they marvelled at the figurine.


As the van pulled out of the airport she breathed a sigh of relief, and pushed the lid up and climbed out of the crate her muscles protesting as she stretched her legs.
Moving to the front of the van she looked at the driver and smiled her fangs shining in the moonlight as they travelled to the lights of the city.
"I dont suppose I could convince you to let me out right here could you? you could say you lost me couldnt you ?"

He snarled at her and she sat back on the crate.
"I guess thats a no then" her eyes watched as they approached the city boundary, familar places flashing past her vision.

Estrella walked around what was to be her haven for a while.
It was once an old chapel which had now been converted and she walked up the bell tower, her footsteps echoing against the confined space. The stone steps worn away with thousands of footfalls that must have stepped on them.

The once magnificient stone balcony that had surrounded the bell tower was crumbling in places, the weather had taken its toll on the brickwork, but even so she ran her hands along the rough gargoyles that could still be seen.

Pushing the cowl back off her face she looked out to the city. so many memories both good and bad , she had managed to push away many of the bad memories but since she had known she would be returning her, they had begun to invade her dreams once again.

Her fingers touched her heavily scarred righthand side of her face, her eyes narrowing as she remembered what price her vanity had cause her.

((gr cant write ....too wound up grrrr.....ugghhhhh

She looked around as she sensed someone walking up the stone steps, their stride determined yet wary.
"yes?" her soft voice said as she stood unmoving on the balcony facing the city, the memories flooding back to her, her finger idly touching the finger that once held something precious to her, a sign of clans been joined albeit in friendship.

"your contact will not be here till tomorrow eve....so if you are quite settled i will bid you fair well for the time been"

She nodded at the driver not believing his words and fully understanding that he would be around somewhere, even if he appeared unseen.

"thankyou....i wait for his appearance with baited breath" she said sarcastically wondering what the tremere clan had planned for her now.

The drive from Vauntmere to his destination was laboured. Not by the distance, for it was but a few short miles. Nor was it laboured because he was weary, although the killing of his sword-master had tired him somewhat. No, the journey was laboured because for the first time since his embrace, since his life of killing and thieving had begun he felt nervous. It had begun to affect him before he’d even chosen a suit to wear. His blood-sated guts were in a tizz. Tizz....he’d wondered what Alouette had meant when she’d used that word, was it even a word? No matter, because now his guts were in it, and grammatical error would have to be corrected later. He swallowed hard as he’d walked out to the car, it sat, a pregnant silence filling the driveway as its scarab body crouched patiently for its master. Not that the car was aware of any of this, but tonight Alekz’ mind was alarmingly clouded. He knew she was waiting for him, out there in the shadows, and he also knew he had to meet her.

She paced the enclosed space of the study her masters had provided her. Dressing in a shimmering, cerulean dress she looked ghostly, beautiful in an ethereal, almost faerie-like way. The only blemish on her appearance being the scar on her left cheek, it stretched from the base of her cheek, arcing up into her temple. The pale flesh of her body seemed only to accentuate the damage she’d suffered.

She knew he was coming. Sighing she sipped from her glass. Pomino Chardonnay. Her masters had given her a reasonable allowance, and her hosts at least had taste. She returned to the cushioned surface of her resting couch and closed her eyes savouring the spicy, sharp taste of the wine. The bouquet cutting through the layers she’d created in her mind to try and hide the most painful memories.

[i:5bf1748cd9]She had little mind of her own. What little her tormentors had left her was animalistic and instinctual at best. Her mind fractured by the pain of transformation, her memories fractured further still, she remembered his face. The image made her growl and thrash in her pit, he’d looked so innocent, even sorrowful. But then upon his master’s order he too had turned on her. She rolled over, kicking up dust as the memory struck hard. Then for a blissful moment all memory faded as her new master, the Brujah madman, Ruben, threw her her ration for the night.

At her clawed, hoofed feet an adolescent dog yelped. Its leg broken by the fall into the pit, it whined louder as the vast ape-crab-thing scuttled forward.

She made eye contact with the animal. The red rim of her still human right eye seeming to show sorrow and unwillingness before an order from her master Ruben drove her to feed.

The dogs death was gratefully short. The siphon-like tube that drove into its neck choking its brain of oxygen before it could suffer the worst of the pain.

She drained the animal, before shredding it with her mandibles, her clawed arms pulling it apart as Ruben applauded from above.

She’d slept then as Ruben covered her pit with a tarpaulin, shielding his new guard from the coming dawn.

As dusk took hold she awoke with a start.

Alien sounds filling the air.

The brack-bracka of machine-gun fire. Screams, concussive explosions. Her master summoned her to enter the fray and lovingly she crawled from her slumber. The temple-like, bone white stone of Ruben’s jungle home peppered and charred with heavy weapons fire. She lurched forward at Ruben’s command, covering him as the unknown attackers flooded through the stronghold. As the second building collapsed in another explosion of air and fire, she locked one eye on the running figure. Recognition making her bellow her rage as the lone figure killed Ruben’s men like cattle. His weapons spewing invisible fire into the night.

Ruben roared as the figure, now alone among the dead and dying, stepped forward. Backlit by fire, his hair billowing around his head as the heat tossed and caressed it. His eyes seeming to reflect the flames, even though he faced away from the devastation.

She lurched forward in a charge, her bulk, though slow, making her into a fleshy juggernaut. The figure leapt away, easily avoiding her attacks. As she thrashed around, trying to snare him, he ducked and spun away as though refusing to strike back. Ruben thought to take advantage of the distraction, trying to attack his invader from behind. He lunged forward, both hands hidden under daggers as he aimed at the figures back. He had however underestimated the reflexes and cunning of his blind-sided enemy. Foolish considering he’d killed and incapacitated all of his men.

Rubens shouted in shock as the figure side stepped. Tripping the Brujah as he passed. He swung his pistol at the Brujah drug-dealer’s head sending him spinning into the frenzying tusks of his war ghoul as she turned in anger.

As her jaws gripped him, the sudden gush of blood sent a catastrophic wave of bloodlust through her warped mind. Her siphon-feeding tube shot out, thudding into his chest, draining him as her programmed loyalty screamed with the mental conflict.

Dry, he hung limply as she tried to scrape him off her tusks. The figure stood now, at a safe distance he rose what she remembered as a rifle, aiming it at her “chest”. His eyes suddenly full of concern as he took aim.

“Don’t worry Miss. It’s Alekz. I’m here to help.”

The rifle “phutted” its attack. The dart striking her with impunity. Mercifully the effects were near instant as the drug flooded through her undead hulking frame. Seconds later she lay unconscious.

When she awoke it was in the company of her new masters. The contract was ready for her to sign. But her memory of Alekz had just been that, he was nowhere to be seen. Was he a figment? Some lost hope she still clung to?[/i:5bf1748cd9]

She opened her eyes as the sound of a car engine rose to her window. Her heart thundered in her chest as she heard it stop near the doors.

The car kicked up gravel as it entered the grounds of her estate. Alekz signalled to the doorman before wheeling up to the base of the stone steps.

“Miss Estrella is expecting me.”

“Your name sir?”

“Thain, Alekzandre Thain.”

((marvelous Frank, the words....where do you find the WORDS???!!!!

((I don't. They seem to find me :? Plus I had a sudden writing boost today and I dunno, Alekz has sparked something dormant in me :)

((well mad props to ya homez....i can't post tonight, Affie has gained complete control :/ but tomorrow you KNOW i'll be a postin :D

The driver looked at Mr. Thain and nodded beckoning alekz to follow him.
"Miss Estrella is in the study. please wait while I inform here that you are here" he said gruffly as he walked down the corridor leaving Alekz standing , his face looking apprehensive.

"Estrella, there's an Alekzandre Thain to see you, he says you are expecting him, you have only been in the city a few hours and yet you are arranging meetings with other kindred, your masters will be informed of his arrival " he said as he looked at her suspiciously.

She turned from the window where she had watched his arrival, her eyes carefully watching him as he walked towards her haven. He looked the same yet his manner seemed less confident , not as brash and as sure as himself as he had once been.Even his walk had been hesitant as if he feared something or maybe someone.

"dont go on please....he must have found out I was here , I never arranged any meeting with him so tell them what you want, you do know who he is dont you ? he's the one that delivered me to the tremere clan, perhaps he thought they would ease my pain and suffering, well he maybe should have left me where I was...let him in its about time he explained why he did what he did to me , I have many questions for him the first one been why he betrayed me in the first place" her eyes flashed briefly as he nodded and walked back to get Alekz.

Memories of what he had done to her came flooding back and she brushed them to the back of her mind, wanting to be clear headed for what might very well be their final meeting.


((okies Alekz explain away ...im waiting ...::taps her foot impatiently:: lol you better make it good man lololololol

The driver turned away from the entrance to the study. He nodded once at the waiting Ventrue and chuckled as he faded from sight.

“She’s gunning for you.”

Alekz felt his hands ball into fists, suppressing the urge to strike the impudent Kine, he instead released his anger through a deep prolonged sigh and tapped the doorframe.

“Hello....Estrella. Been a long time.”

She replied as expected.

The blow spun his face sharply to the left. Her hand lashing out, splitting his bottom lip with the severity of her slap. He winced at the suddenness and stepped back, grabbing her hand as she readied another attack. Had he considered her determination he might have had foresight enough to hold both hands. This lesson was learned just as rapidly as her left hand reddened his cheek with the impact.

“Enough! You don’t have time for this!”

Estrella hissed, kicking him in the shin. He yelped, his hands loosening enough to free hers.

“How dare you Alekz! I should have you killed right now for what you did to me!” She growled as he straightened his creased coat.

“Perhaps, but you won’t.”

“Oh and what makes you so sure?”

“Simple. You need me.”

“I need you? Where were you when I needed you when your precious Beowulf handed me over to that Tzimisce? Well? Shall I tell you? You were right there, handing me over. You betrayed me Alekz! You turned your back on me! Why the hell would I need someone I can’t trust?”

“It’s not a matter of trust Star. It’s simple survival. And to survive this, you’re going to need me.”

He stepped forward, grabbing her before she could slap him again.

“And I think I’ve had quite enough of that.”

She strained against him, spitting at him, the cool, wet air striking his face. He felt it cool on the red sting of his slapped cheek. He grunted and forced her onto the couch. Leaving her sitting there, trembling with rage as he slipped off his jacket, draping it over the bed she slept in before turning to face her.

He went down on one knee then, to face her at eye level. His steel-blue eyes strangely looking full of concern.

“I know you’re angry with me. And you have every right to be,” She moved to speak, stopping as he rose a single finger as though shushing her. “Please Star, let me finish.”

“Yes I betrayed you. You were the only one who stopped and thought to treat me like a person before I knew I was one. You took the time to talk to me, though I didn’t understand what that meant. I do now.”

“You left me alone! You left me to die!”

She glared at him, her face scarred by her anger more than the physical scarring.

“You think I’m proud of that? I didn’t know! Not really. You tried to understand me, but how could you? I was nothing Star. A machine with blood and bone instead of nuts and bolts. I didn’t know that I had a choice! You know how that feels? To be a slave and never know it?”

He looked away. His eyes becoming red around the edges as long dormant sensations rose up. He looked back at her then, tears pooling under his eyes.

“All I know is that you betrayed me. You made me trust you, then on [i:8479584870]his[/i:8479584870] command you threw me to the dogs!”

Alekz choked. “I stood in the haven we’d shared after he’d taken you. At the time I didn’t understand why I did that. But part of me hopes it was guilt. I stayed there all night. Then....”

“Then you carried on. You forgot about me!”

“Yes. For a blissful period of time I forgot. But then in the sewers of Rome I had an epiphany. I started to understand what I’d done. I was left for dead,” He smiled forcibly, no humour in his face. “But instead I found life.”

“That’s when I remembered. That’s why I had to come back. I had to find you.”

“I traced you through computer transactions. Saw that you’d been sold to a Columbian Brujah Drug-lord, Ruben. So I came for you. Killed Ruben and took you to what I thought was safety.”

“Safety? You took me from one madman and delivered me to a nest full!” She growled, standing and turning to look out of the window.

“Why do you think I left? I was told they’d fix you up. My contact, Castigere owed me. I made the mistake of trusting him. He paid for his facade.”

“Why should I care about any of this? You left me again! You left me to them! Look at me Alekz! Do I look fixed!?”

He looked up as she glared at him. Her pale skin shimmering in the moonlight and the glitter of her dress. Her face looked cool, misleadingly calm considering her anger.

“You look beautiful Reannag. You always have.” He smiled, trying to melt her icy barrier.

“Beautiful!? Look at me!” She turned, showing him her scars. Her constant reminder of her contract, and her vanity.

“I [i:8479584870]am[/i:8479584870] looking at you Reannag. And yes, you are still beautiful.”

He stood then, still looking at her face. His eyes reading hers as he stepped forward.

“Why do you think I came back Rea? To gloat? To revel in the pain [i:8479584870]I[/i:8479584870] caused? No, I came back because, and it took some beatings, because I found out about the Blood Contract. You might never trust me again Rea. And I won’t blame you for that. But you can trust them even less. I’ve already betrayed you once Reannag, what have I to gain from doing it again?”

“They’ll kill you as soon as you’ve done what they asked of you. Unless I protect you. You might not like it. But you do the maths. I’ve lost your trust already. But you can’t afford to trust anyone else now.”

He pulled her to face him, his finger gently grazing across her scar.

“I didn’t know Rea. I just didn’t know....”

She knocked his hand away from her face.
"dont you dare touch me ....you vents are all the damn same ....you think you can do what you want then retract whatever has been done, and expect everything to be ok, once I would have excepted that but I wont no more, ive suffered greatly by the ventrue clan, yes I know I deserved to be punished but you handed me over to him"

She turned away as she paused and then uttered his name. " sorenti"

"you were there to protect me then you betrayed me....all for your own gain no doubt, how dare you have the audacity to come in here and expect everything to be ok, Im not the pushover I once was believe me Im not Ive learnt many things and one thing is to rely on noone"

She picked a heavy candlestick up and hurled it at him in anger.