[i:68933178e5]My name is Porter.

And I am a slave.

For 800 years I have walked this world. Always on the fringes of [b:68933178e5]Society[/b:68933178e5]. Forever in Twilight. Existing somewhere between life and death.

I have killed hundreds. And I will kill hundreds more. As soon as I get rid of these damn chains![/i:68933178e5]

Porter’s eyes opened weakly. He’d lost count of the hours, possibly days, since his capture. He winced briefly as his eyes were stung by a combination of vicious heat and malicious light. As his eyes adjusted the entirety of his situation came to light.

He could just about make out the layout of the chamber surrounding him. Roughly twenty feet to his left a chasm of fire wreathed the chamber with heat and an amber glow. He felt the chains bite into his neck and wrists as he twisted to scan the rest of the chamber.

It was easily a hundred feet in diameter. Cut from rough hewn rock, bedrock judging by the striata that decorated the walls. He grunted animalistically before settling his eyes on a large iron wheel. It was positioned among others smaller than itself, creating a mechanism not unlike the cogs in a huge clock. The straps on the main wheel implied that it was pushed. But by what? He felt his head loll to the side as thirst struck him.

[i:68933178e5]“Thirsty boy?”[/i:68933178e5]

Gideon stepped out of the silhouette the infernal chasm created for him. Another figure stood to his right. The imposing nature of Gideon’s companion made Porter believe that he was one of his captors. Perhaps Gideon’s handler.

[i:68933178e5]“Cat got your tongue, cub? You know you really ought to show your elders more respect!”[/i:68933178e5]

Gideon stepped forward in mock anger. He struck Porter sharply, splitting the Gangrel’s top lip. Though no blood was spilled. Porter’s body daren’t spare none.

He looked up, gritting his teeth against the tightness of his shackles.

[i:68933178e5]“Elders? The heat must be getting to you Gideon. You’re the only cub I can see.”

“Ah. But Porter. You have to have better eyes than that. But don’t worry my Childe....”[/i:68933178e5]

Porter wondered why Gideon had elected that particular word. Childe? Another of the Gallic madman’s taunts no doubt.

[i:68933178e5]“...we’ll soon have your vision up to scratch.”[/i:68933178e5] He finished his sentence assuredly. His tongue seeming to linger on the closing words.

[i:68933178e5]“Let me out of these chains and I’ll give you some scratches, if that’s what gets you off!”[/i:68933178e5]

Gideon shook his head.

[i:68933178e5]“Now really son. Is that any way to speak to your father?”[/i:68933178e5] He tutted.

Porter looked at the second, silent figure.

[i:68933178e5]“Your pet has gone quite mad. I’ll put him down if he’s grown tiresome? Free of charge.”[/i:68933178e5]

The second blow caught him under the chin, breaking a tooth.

[i:68933178e5]“When you speak, it will be to me. [b:68933178e5]Not[/b:68933178e5] him!”[/i:68933178e5] Gideon looked irritable.

Good, Porter thought.

[i:68933178e5]“Now where were we...?”[/i:68933178e5]

Porter reminded him.

[i:68933178e5]“Should I call you pops, then?”

“Heh. Pops? I rather like that. But no. Father will suffice.”[/i:68933178e5]

Porter spat dryly. [i:68933178e5]“Gideon, you mad bastard. You are not my father. Though keep up this pretence and you might meet him.”[/i:68933178e5]

At that Gideon stepped aside. The silhouette that had revealed him, now recoiled to bathe his companion in firelight. Gideon’s dark smirk chilled Porter to the marrow. Though it’s chill was nothing compared to the deadly serious face the anonymous figure wore.

[i:68933178e5]“Oh my dear, dear boy. Oh but he is.”[/i:68933178e5]

Erinathe's soft lilting voice followed her as she slipped deeper and deeper into the black chasm that seemed to envelope her, its black tendrils wrapping about her body to prevent her from fighting its descent.

[i:d41e6f1f2d]" Katherine......please let me help you ...let me show you why I seeked you out ....."[/i:d41e6f1f2d]

Kathy's eyes snapped open as she found herself walking through a corridor, its walls of stone dripping in places due to damp.
[i:d41e6f1f2d]" where am I?"[/i:d41e6f1f2d] her voice fell on deaf ears all but Erinathe's urging her to walk forward.

The soft mule shoes she wore made no sound on the stone floor as she advanced down the spiral stairs that ascended in front of her. She breathed in quick shallow succession and her nerves tingled with fear and foreboding.

A Portrait hung on the wall drew her eyes, then as she walked on she was pulled back to it.

[i:d41e6f1f2d]" Do you see the likeness?"[/i:d41e6f1f2d]

Kathy shook her head as she stared transfixed by the portrait.The face was similar but had a cruel hard edge to it, the eyes had a glint of malice and the lips that she knew to smile were a hard thin line.

[i:d41e6f1f2d]" let me show you more"[/i:d41e6f1f2d]

Kathy couldn't fight, but simply let her leaden body be led down the stone staircase.

Lay below her was a large room, in the centre of it was a magnificent highly polished table, surrounded by chairs. Each chair had a man sitting on it, all of their faces were stern and intent on shuffling papers in their hands, neither one of them daring to glance at each other.

Kathy hesistated,unsure of why she was here, but curious nonetheless, what was there here that she was meant to be seeing?
As she stepped off the final tread of the stairs a noise made her turn around and she stared as he approached her. Immaculately dressed as always, he swaggered down the last few steps and seemed to look straight through her to the men that were gathered around the table.

As he passed her she instinctively put her hand out to touch him, it had been a long time....too long and although she had her doubts before, she now knew deep down who this person was.

[i:e33ec1ff4c]" gentlemen my apologises for my late arrival, perhaps now we can get down to business"[/i:e33ec1ff4c]

Kathy's eyes opened in shock as her hand had no impact on him, as if she wasn't there, as if she was in another dimension to him.

Feeling oddly safe she wandered around the table, looking over shoulders at the files and papers that each man had in front of them. They were all of her kind, she was sure of that, Ventrues mostly, and not very happy ones at that by the looks on their faces. The heated conversation they were having was in german and alas it was a language that she had never embraced.

[i:e33ec1ff4c]" listen carefully Katherine"[/i:e33ec1ff4c] Erinathe's soft voice came from nowhere and suddenly the german was easily translated in her head.

Kathy sat on the edge of the room and listened intently as a tangled web of lies, backstabbing and deceit uncoiled before her.

He was a pawn, nothing more and what came as more of a shock was his name....Ritter.

The heady scent of Jasmine assailed her nostrils and she opened her eyes slowly. She was back among the ruins, laid on a stone wall overlooking the aegean sea, back to where all this had started. The stars still twinkled down on her and the moon was still high in the dark sky, it felt like she had been gone for hours but obviously she hadn't.

[i:6721fcf7ae]" katherine, what I have shown you, you must protect with your life, never divulge anything till you have to, you will know when the time is and will understand why you are the one"[/i:6721fcf7ae]

kathy sat up and watched Erinathe approach her, the thin gossamer dress she wore seemed to shimmer in the moonlight.

[i:6721fcf7ae]" I don't understand at all, nothing you have shown me makes sense to me "[/i:6721fcf7ae]

[i:6721fcf7ae]"It will, when the time is right, it is better to be forewarned than have things thrust upon you, you owe me a trade for my services"[/i:6721fcf7ae]

A trade for what Kathy thought, all this had done was confuse her and bring doubts into her mind.
[i:6721fcf7ae]" you came to me seeking reassurance and peace from your dreams, I brought you here to protect those that you hold dear in your heart, that to me deserves a reward, and you did promise it to me"[/i:6721fcf7ae]

Kathy reluctantly put her hand in her bag and pulled out the soft velvet pouch and handed it to Erianthe.

[i:6721fcf7ae]" Now go join the others and stand by their sides, and heed my words katherine, if you value the life you live"[/i:6721fcf7ae]

Erianthe walked away, in her hand she held Gabriel's cross and chain, and Kathy couldn't do anything about it.

Kathy's body slid under the water and she sighed softly as she leaned back against the bathpillow and let the lavender oil scented water wash over her skin and wash away the sand from the beach.

After leaving Erianthe Kathy had spent what was remaining of the night sat by the sea, needing answers,trying to solve problems but above all missing Gabriel,when she slept alone in the bed she could still smell his scent on the sheets and she would cling to the pillow, wishing she had gone with him, then at least she would know what was going on.The noise of the sea lapping against the small pebbles on the edge of the beach had been strangely calming to her tortured mind and as the waves ebbed slowly back into the crystal blue sea her mind seemed to clear and she knew what she had to do.

As the bath had filled with hot foamy water she had sat on the edge of it talking to Tyler, gleening every bit of information she could as to Gabriel's whereabouts, she was shocked to hear that Tyler was not with him but in France, but she smiled as he told her what exactly he had been up to.

[i:e08bbfd146]" I'm heading out to Turkey, your more than welcome to join me , and if as you say Elzbet left in a hurry, its maybe way over time that we joined them, who knows what may be happening"[/i:e08bbfd146]

[i:e08bbfd146]" I'd love to kay, but I'm short of funds at the moment unless of course...."[/i:e08bbfd146]

Kathy sighed, he never had any money and when it did it seemed to flow through his fingers like water, if only Gabriel could instill the value of money into him.

[i:e08bbfd146]" There's no time to get money to you,I'll contact Connor and get the loan of his plane, so if you make your way there tonight and he will get you onto the plane and over to Greece to pick me up, then we can refuel and travel onto Turkey"[/i:e08bbfd146]

[i:e08bbfd146]" Connor...the dude with the club in paris right? cool place, should be able to party for a few hours then"[/i:e08bbfd146]

Kathy sighed inwardly again, he had simply got to learn some manners and no doubt she would have words with Gabriel about his ghoul, but his total lack of respect sometimes made her smile as he did now..

[i:e08bbfd146]" yes the dude who happens to be my Sire Tyler, so please try your best to be good"[/i:e08bbfd146]

[i:e08bbfd146]" Kay honey ....I'm always good....I'm the best"[/i:e08bbfd146]

His voice was heavy with sexual implication and Kathygiggled at him before bidding him goodbye.

The journey to Turkey had started out as uneventful but as they had approached their destination an uneasy feeling had descended upon Kathy. The magazine that she had been reading lay untouched on her lap, and concern was etched on her face.
[i:c7809c5798]" Kay?"[/i:c7809c5798]

He slid out of his seat adjacent to her and touched her softly on her shoulder and shejumped as if she had been startled.

[i:c7809c5798]" I should never have left his side Tyler, neither of us should have, I'm getting the oddest feeling that something is wrong...very wrong and there's nothing we can do about it"[/i:c7809c5798]

Gabriel had confided in Tyler that he had thought that Kathy was maybe seeing someone else but as he looked on the fear etched on her face, he knew that no matter what she was up to she loved Gabriel like noone else, either that or she was very good at acting.

[i:c7809c5798]" Now listen to me Kay, Gabriel can look after himself and think of it this way, whatever they are doing, if you had been there it may well have distracted Gabriel, his love for you is strong and his overwhelming desire to protect you may well have hampered them all"[/i:c7809c5798]

Kay nodded absently knowing that he was right, but nevertheless feeling useless and unable to dispel the feeling that she had.

[i:c7809c5798]" All we can do it wait for their return in Antioch"[/i:c7809c5798] he said as he watched a blood tear run down her cheek and wiped it away with his finger.

[i:c7809c5798]" If anything happens to him...I wont be able to forgive myself , I wont be able to survive without him"[/i:c7809c5798]