[i:b28cf8daa4]"That's enough. Leave me."[/i:b28cf8daa4]

Ringo was slightly taken aback. His past dealings with Mr. O'Brien had brought him into acquantance with his explosive temper. But as he finished delivering his report of infedelity and lies, his blonde haired employer appeared eerily calm.

[i:b28cf8daa4]"Sir...I just want to offer my apologies."[/i:b28cf8daa4] Ringo said softly. He watched as Gabriel stood and strode over to the wet bar, the marble glinting sweetly in the low lights of the study. As he poured himself an unidentified liqour, he glanced over at Ringo.

[i:b28cf8daa4]"Why...did you have something to do with it?"[/i:b28cf8daa4]

[i:b28cf8daa4]"Well...ah...no. I just meant..."[/i:b28cf8daa4] Ringo trailed off. Suddenly more uncomfortable than he should've been. He found he couldn't move, despite wanting with all of his being to do so. His eyes were locked with Gabriel's, and he felt as if his insides were exposed.

The previous night replayed in his head...with an audience now in attendance. Ringo made no attempt to fight as Gabriel perused his thoughts as casually as one may flip through a book. As the memory of William and himself slipping out the front door passed, Ringo was alone in his head once again.

He made his way towards the door, now covered in sweat. As he opened the door he heard Gabriel's call.

[i:b28cf8daa4]"Ringo..."[/i:b28cf8daa4] he turned to see the Ventrue standing no more than a foot from him, drink in hand. As their eyes locked, Ringo's mind flashed white. The mental attack was so viscious it caused his muscles to spasm, physically throwing the unsuspecting designer against the door before he slipped into darkness.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Even hours after they removed Ringo's unconcious body to replace him in his car, Gabriel stood silently. With Ringo's mind efficiency erased, he was free to deal with Kathy and this intruder as he wished.

Kathy sat on her bed , blood tears running down her face in sheer desperation as to what to do.

Nerov had followed her upstairs and barred the door to the cellar after her, and although she had tried to gain access, her attempts had been futile.

She had been going to call Gabriel, to ask his advice but she loathed to do it ...there would be a need for an explanation and for the life of her she could not bring herself to tell Gabriel what she had been striving to do.

"Mistress....." Tobias looked tentatively around the door to her bedroom.

"I was wondering if I should call someone...someone in authority perhaps....if you dont want him here no longer...maybe" he broke off as he saw her face.

"not a good idea....let me think...what exactly could I say in my defensive....oh yes ....well you see I met this tremere....that should do for starters!" she yelled as she curled up in her quilt.

"let noone in....and if there's any sign of the cellar door been open.....wake me"

He nodded and walked back into the corridor, his eyes surveyor the mess and wondering when the interior designers where going to return to complete the task.

Ringo and William returned to Kathy's haven the very next day, and scouted out the basement in search of more information for Gabriel. For Ringo of course it was all a very new experience, having been washed of all memory the previous night. As they scowered the horrific sights that lay strewn across the floor and tucked under bloodied tarps, they took careful notes. Meanwhile upstairs, the two extra decorators that Gabriel had hired repaired the damage the Toreador had inflicted.

When they returned to Gabriel that evening, the Ventrue seemed to be in a noticably darker mood. The two informants sat and sipped on fine brandy as they outlined the basement from memory. The bloody instruments, the perserving fluids, the large quantities of stored blood. It was only when they mentioned the personal items that Gabriel realized this man was actually living in Kathy's haven.

When the Ventrue was once again alone, he sat quietly contemplating.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Juan tossed the sweat soaked towel around his neck and stood from the bench press that acted as the centerpiece of his humble garage. He stripped off his undershirt and walked over to the fridge. The home was certainly humble, but it was large enough for his family.

Firefighting wasn't exactly a high paying job, but it got the bills paid. He and his wife had worked diligently throughout their young lives to save money. While most young couples skirted away to the Bahamas or on dream vacations, the two lovebirds from the slums of Cascadia had worked extra jobs, all the while saving their money as best they could.

The arrival of their first son had thrown them a loop, but it was a welcome addition to their family. They were a happy home, and although their budget left little room for compromise, they were content. All that was about to change however....

The gate door that ran perpendicular to Juan's garage burst open and slammed shut and was followed by the rustling of grass and bush branches. Immediately Juan leapt to attention, grabbing a flashlight and an old hammer from his toolbox.

He crept outside carefully, arching the flashlight's ray left and right. The backyard was shadowed and dark, and was revealed only in portions as Juan cast his light about. He focused in on the front gate and the bushes that ran along side it.

The gate was securely latched, but in the bushes sat a thick brown envelope. As Juan drew nearer he could clearly see his name written on the outside in elagant, nearly perfect script. Checking once more behind him, he knelt down and opened the envelope.

Reaching into the envelope's depths, he withdrew several bundles of tightly bound hundred dollar bills. [i:ffd1c07ef9]My God![/i:ffd1c07ef9] he thought, [i:ffd1c07ef9]There must be nearly...[/i:ffd1c07ef9]

"[i:ffd1c07ef9]Three-Hundred thousand dollars Mr. Ramirez."[/i:ffd1c07ef9] came the voice from behind. The money tumbled to the grass as Juan whipped his flashlight around and shone it at the intruder. A thickly built man stood motionless just under his favorite walnut tree. He was dressed conservatively in a light suit, suitable for summer. Carefully crafted brown hair was gelled to his scalp and dark, thoughtful brown eyes regarded Juan with little respect.

"[i:ffd1c07ef9]Who are you?!"[/i:ffd1c07ef9] Juan yelled, raising the hammer in his hand. "[i:ffd1c07ef9]What the f*ck are you doing in my backyard?"[/i:ffd1c07ef9]

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"I urge you to exercise restraint Mr. Ramirez. My name is Philipe, and I have come with an oppurtunity."[/i:ffd1c07ef9] he smiled and leaned against the tree. [i:ffd1c07ef9]"You're a lucky man Mr. Ramirez...a nice job, a beautiful family, a wonderful home...well...a home anyway."[/i:ffd1c07ef9]

Juan found himself lowereing the hammer, although somewhere deep inside he felt he should alarmed. The man did not seem as threatening as he should've been.

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"W...what do you want?"[/i:ffd1c07ef9] Juan stuttered, a calm euphorea creeping it's way into his mind.

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"Why, to better your life Mr. Ramirez! And you're family's life."[/i:ffd1c07ef9] he looked past Juan for a moment, down towards the money that lay still mostly concealed within the envelope. [i:ffd1c07ef9]"You want that money don't you? Don't worry, it's all perfectly clean and legit."[/i:ffd1c07ef9]

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"I'm no criminal...what are you trying to pull?"[/i:ffd1c07ef9] Juan asked, now somewhat at ease with the man. He in fact took no notice as the hammer fell from his hand and into the grass.

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"Nothing criminal at all Mr. Ramirez! I am here to offer you relief...relief from your monetary burdens. In return I would ask you a single favor."[/i:ffd1c07ef9]

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"What kind of favor?"[/i:ffd1c07ef9]

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"I understand you work for the fire department."[/i:ffd1c07ef9] the man said, now approaching him, his hands opened and extended, Christ-like almost.

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"Yes...yes I do."[/i:ffd1c07ef9] Juan felt like embracing the man, thanking him for the kindness he had shown.

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"I have also been told you are scheduled to drive the truck tomorrow night."[/i:ffd1c07ef9] he said, his warm brown eyes shining in the flashlight's beam.

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"Wednesday night is my night to drive, yes."[/i:ffd1c07ef9] came the reply.

[i:ffd1c07ef9]"Mr. Ramirez, if you're willing to cooperate, I think I can make you a very happy man indeed...."[/i:ffd1c07ef9] Philipe smiled with serpentine reflexes.

Kathy had risen earlier than usual, her body had been tired but her mind would not let her sleep, and what brief respite she had was interspersed by vivid dreams of limbless bodies, floating in large tanks of a clear fluid.

She stood on her balcony and sipped the strong black cuban coffee that Tobias had brought to her as soon as he heard her awake. Even he had been suprised to find her awake just after sunset.

"The decorator's have been Mistress, and I must say they have done a most excellent job"

Kathy merely nodded and placed the cup down on the wicker table before she turned around to face him.

Her face was still tired and withdrawn, even more so now she had decided what she must do.

"has he left the cellar at all? be careful of your answer, I did ask you to wake me if he did"

"No mistress, but ...well it was weird actually, the two decorators, Ringo and Williams, well they returned again today, with another decorator, and they disappeared for a while, I know they didn't leave the haven, and when they reappeared....well it looked like they were coming out of the cellar, and before I got a chance to ask them what they were doing, they were gone"


Kathy frowned " what on earth would they want in the cellar...unless someone has decided to snoop around....do you think they could be spy's or collaborater's with some other clan?"

Tobias shook his head " I really don't know Mistress, but I did run checks on them both and they do seem to be in a lot of financial difficulty at the moment, there company needs a large injection of money if it's to survive at all"

"well that would explain some things then.. but why would they want information on me at all ?"


Kathy shrugged as she pulled on a pair of loose grey trousers and a simple white tshirt.

"Tobias! if theyve been in the cellar, that means.....oh hell....what have they seen?"

Kathy ran to the cellar and pushed it up effortlessly.

"nerov!!" her voice rang around the cold damp cellar and she sighed as the light switch failed to bring the bright glow of the neon light into being.


"

"I see your a lot calmer today, well that's good to see"

Kathy felt his breath on her neck and stood motionless, no longer would she let him succeed in shocking her or putting her on edge.

"I'm not here to play games.....where is it....the body.....where is she?"

Kathy moved quickly around the room, lifting up the covers that shrouded the tables, her mind listing what exactly someone would see.

"she's safe, and surviving very well, do you want to see?"

"how the hell can she be well? for god's sake, you've mutilated her, her body is nothing but a shell now! "

"kathy....kathy, I merely gave you what you asked for ....a living statue and now you have one" as he spoke he was pushing a heavy bookcase along the section of the wall.

"would you like to say good evening to your new piece of art?"

without giving kathy a chance to answer he flicked his fingers and a picture lamp, which kathy could tell was newly fitted ,came into life and illuminated the wall.

"oh dear God..."

The body was now in a large glass cylinder and suspended in a colourless fluid. The electrodes from her organs ran into the cylinder and connected to her body.

"I found that if she was laying down, well it wasn't much fun, I couldn't make her legs move very well, so I thought of this which works much better, watch"

Kathy looked on in horror as he prodded the upper lobe of her brain and her legs twitched into action as the electric inpulses from her brain told them to move.

"Nerov...this just has to end, there was someone down here yesterday, and I dont know what they've seen or even why they were here, but whatever reason it's bound to mean trouble"

"oh those two....yes I saw them...I kept out of their way though, they were very nosey, luckily I had missy her all safe in her new home so to speak, I even saw them looking through my clothes that I brought with me, damn inpudents, but then what do you expect, look who they are working for "

Nerov looked at her as if she should know what he was on about.

"kathy really ....you don't know....well I suppose you could call it concern for your well being, he's merely trying to protect you"

"Gabriel....no he wouldn't he has no reason to ....your lying !"


kathy started walking back up the stairs.
" The only thing I could get off them was that Mr. O'Brien wouldn't be pleased at all ...not one little bit"


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

Kathy stood outside gabriel's office at his haven, she knew he was in, normally she would have just walked in and kissed him lovingly while she tried to pry him away from his work, whispering in his ear what fun they could have and smiling as she made him blush.

Tonight was different, she could almost hear the tension filling the air with static.

"gabriel?" she pushed against the door and was relieved to find it open.

"gabriel?"

She walked confidently into his office only to find it apparently empty, only the dim glow from the lamp on his desk gave the impression that anyone had occupied the office at all.

Kathy frowned, she could have sworn she had sensed him here in this very room. Her fingers ran along the back of his high backed leather chair and she sat down in it wondering what to do next, her fingers tapping out of sheer frustration on the heavily polished desk top.

"He's not here Kathy, you must have just missed him, an urgent call of some sort he said, he didn't give me the details"

Kathy jumped as he stepped out of the shadows.

"damn it Tyler, you scared me the life out of me, dont you start creeping around as well"

He looked at her carefully, where had the immaculately well kept toreador he had first met gone....she was still dressed very well, but her eyes told of a weariness and untold sadness that if truth be told he was reluctant to find out.

Gabriel had been bad tempered and a nightmare to live with for the past week, maybe they shared the same torment, or maybe she was the cause .

"Im sorry kathy, I thought you was gabriel , but I see your not" he smiled politely and looked towards the door.

"No Im not, but when you see him would you tell him I called and that, well just tell him that will you please"

Kathy didn't wait for an answer, she needed to feed badly, her senses were clearly failing her, she knew Gabriel had been in that room only minutes earlier.

"Miss katherine Belvadere of the clan Toreador"

It was a statement more than a question and was said with such authority it made kathy flinch. she turned slowly and looked upon the person who spoke to her.

"And who may I enquire is asking?"

"my name is insignificant, but I have been told to find you and tell you that his Arbiter Elegancie Titus petronius has demanded an audience with you, I'd be obliged if you accompanied me of your own free will, but if not"

He looked over his shoulders and kathy's eyes looked at the toreador's bodyguard's that stood a few feet away from him.

"petronius he is a justicar is he not, why on earth would he wish to see me ?" kathy kept her voice light and nonchalant but deep down she knew why he wished to see her.

"I know not madame, I merely follow orders, I beg you to come willing I have seen what the animals behind me can do" he whispered in a very camp voice.

Kathy nodded and he led the way to a black sedan. Once sat inside kathy took her phone out of her bag and turned it on, she could at least make sure someone knew where she was, and in a cryptic way instruct Tobias to dispose of everything in the cellar.

"Miss belvadere, I've been instructed not to let you make any calls or send any texts, it is what Petronius demands you understand"

Before she had a chance to protest the mobile was taking off her and he slipped it into his jacket pocket.

"Really this is too much and I assure you not necessary at all"

"I have my orders Miss Belvadere, I suggest you relax before we get there, I have a feeling it's going to be a long night"

The smell of burnt skin which Nerov so usually enjoyed now repulsed him as he slipped back into reality. The odor of scorched flesh and hair was not so bad in itself, but when combined with the realization that it was his own it brought a certain levity to the situation. He struggled to open his eyes but found he could not, it was as if they had been sewn shut. He fell silent and relied on his remaining senses to identify his surroundings.

He quickly became aware of a dull pain in his forearms and shins and further found he was immobile. What had happened? He had been working in the shop below on a particularly delectable portion of anatomy when there had been some type of explosion. Several enbalming fluids had caught on fire, he had rushed to the door but found it shut and reinforced. The windows had been covered with some sort of barriers...

[i:13465b9fa9]"Having trouble are we?"[/i:13465b9fa9]

The Tzimisce instinctively whipped his head towards the source of the voice. It was familiar, and the truth of his current prediciment became all to evident. He attempted to heal himself but found his blood reserves depleted.

[i:13465b9fa9]"Tyler, help our guest."[/i:13465b9fa9] he felt a pair of cold fingers grip the upper and lower eyelid of his right eye and then the shock of excrutiating pain as the brittle fusion of skin that had been joined in the fire was ripped apart.

The flow of blood that shot from the tattered wound was minimal, but enough to cause rivulets of sweet vitae to trickle down his face. As he shook the blood from his eye and the world slowly came into focus, he found himself in a dimly lit room barren of almost everything save for himself and two other shadowed figures.

The first, sillouhetted against the room's sole lightbulb, was obviously the Ventrue Gabriel, dressed oddly enough in formal evening wear. Standing slightly closer was a youthful looking man with a mop of spikey blondish hair, obviously the one he had referred to as Tyler.

The pains in his forearms and shins were now identified as four crudely drilled construction spikes hammered into the concrete floor below. A sledge hammer in the distant corner and the sweat on Tyler's brow attested to the method by which they had been inserted.

[i:13465b9fa9]"You'll burn for this one Ventrue...I suppose you think you've got me beaten eh? Quite a Byzantine tactic if you ask me..."[/i:13465b9fa9] Nerov sneered at last. Gabriel was silent for a moment and then smiled.

[i:13465b9fa9]"I would think you more than anyone would've learned by now..."[/i:13465b9fa9] his voice became a coarse whisper as he advanced to a kneel mere inches from Nerov's flame scorched face. [i:13465b9fa9]"...the rules only apply to those who follow them."[/i:13465b9fa9]

He stood up and stepped casually over to a black bag the lay on the floor near the room's only entrance. He unzipped it and produced two objects from it.

[i:13465b9fa9]"You see Nerov...not everything is as it seems. Not all Camarilla Kindred are boy scouts. The same applies to we Ventrue."[/i:13465b9fa9] he paced for a moment, staring blankly at the wall. Nerov spit a rather copious portion of blood in his direction, drawing the Ventrue's gaze once more.

[i:13465b9fa9]"I know what you think of us...we're all snot-nosed, hoity toity panty wastes. But you're wrong...I'm capable of 'slumming it'."[/i:13465b9fa9] he laughed as he released the final words. [i:13465b9fa9]"For example, many of my Ventrue brethren would have surrounded you in decadance upon your capture, merely a subtle way of showing you what you're up against. Many of my clanmates might've bribed the entire fire department not to come to your aide back there....me? I only bribed the driver."[/i:13465b9fa9]

He stood and handed the objects to Tyler and then stood and walked back.

[i:13465b9fa9]"Many people would've gone through extravagant lengths to plant evidence in that house to suggest a burglary or gang retalliation. As for myself? I merely cashed in a boon from a few local Nosferatu, granted they're sewer rats who are extremely talented in disguising their appearance. I've never seen more convincing Tzimisce myself."[/i:13465b9fa9]

At this last statement, Nerov finally gurgled a blood drenched moan. The pain in his arms were truly unbearable.

[i:13465b9fa9]"Yes Nerov...I know all about your past trangressions...when the Prince looks into it, she will find that this was nothing more than retaliation by your clan for your crimes."[/i:13465b9fa9]

[i:13465b9fa9]"Fuck....you..."[/i:13465b9fa9] Nerov cackled. The Ventrue moved closer once more, now within a breaths length away.

[i:13465b9fa9]"Finally Nerov...while most Ventrue would use an overpriced flamethrower, I'm merely going to use this lighter and a can of hairspray to burn your face off."[/i:13465b9fa9]

Before the words had a chance to sink in, Nerov heard the [i:13465b9fa9]whoosh[/i:13465b9fa9] of fire and was then once more engulfed in flames. The Beast tore through his senses and he gave in completely to it's embrace. The mixture of snarling and shrieking filled the tiny room and was only silenced when Tyler pounded the stake into his chest.

Blackness followed, blackness and sweet unmolested silence. For a moment Nerov believed he was dead, and was grateful. The illusion was shattered however with the wet suction sound of a stake being wrenched from his chest cavity.

As he struggled against conciousness once more, he saw his captors on the far side of the room. Gabriel leaned into Tyler.

[i:13465b9fa9]"Take this shitbag for a ride."[/i:13465b9fa9]

The drive had taken them 20 minutes out of the city and kathy watched as the view turned from the familar sights of the city to the woods that surrounded the area.

"Are we going to be much longer? I really don't have time for this you know" kathy said impatiently, no matter what, she was going to protect her innocence to the end. She didn't know Petronius, but had heard a lot about him. He once served in the court of Emperor Nero, throwing lavish parties which more often that not ended in wild orgies, and blood feasting no doubt.

He made it his target to become nero's eyes and ears and this he did well, revelling in the fact that all who knew him did so warily, one noe from him and they would have been thrown to the lions.
As far as she was aware he now lived in his beloved Rome, ina richly decorated villa on the outskirts of the town.

Her escort simply nodded ahead and through the trees she saw a large building, its gardens surrounded by a six foot black fence.

"well about time too, Really this better be important" she said as the car pulled up outside the doors.

"Miss Belvadere, petronius may be of your clan, but he does not take kindly to rudeness and people who are conceited, so I suggest you act accordingly, he is after all a justicar and not to be spoken to in an ill mannered way" He held out his arm for her to take and although she longed to knock his head off his shoulders she decided that would not be the appropriate action....at the moment.

She smiled sweetly, " yes of course, you are quite right, how rude Ive being, and all you are doing is your job"

He nodded and led her into the house. kathy had never noticed it before and even as she thought it her escort started talking.

"It was once a home for the criminally insane, this is going back years ago of course, then it was acquired by a Toreador who unfortunately met a rather tragic end and the deeds fell into petronius's lap shall we say, he's never taken a real interest in it till the past month or so when he was summoned here to help sort out the mayhem in cascadia"

Kathy smiled and nodded as he led her down the hall, its stone walls simply painted white, nothing adorning them at all, so stark so bleak so thought as he stopped at a doorway.

"The previous owner never got round to decorating, all but this reception room and 4 bedrooms remain as they were years ago, please step inside"

He released her arm and pushed open the door and kathy stood and looked around.

Thick heavy vibrant red drapes where festooned around the large window framing the many trees that stood in the garden, their branches draped with tiny white fairy lights.

The rest of the room was all marble and gold statutes. Long cream chaise lounges were scattered around the room and solid marble coffee tables placed either side of them.

"It's very nice" said kathy as she stepped towards the window, alal the time her senses finely tuned to what was going on around her.

"Miss katherine belvadere of clan Toreador, please come join me for a drink, and ....a chat"

She turned around and saw him. He was indeed inposing, his face was so finely chiselled he could have been a statue himself. His short dark hair was immaculately cut and his sheer presence that oozed out of him was what made kathy take his hand and kiss his ring.

"It is indeed a pleasure to meet you" she said as she sat down and took the glass of wine he offered her.

"I've heard many good things about you, I do believe you know of my sire, Connor Pierre"

He watched her and his gaze unnnerved her, his eyes were bright green but now and again they seemed to flicker lilac and kathy watched them mesmerized.

" I think we have met yes,My social circle is wide and varied you understand" His gaze never left her and she looked away.

"well yes, but us Toreador's have to keep the rest of the clans organised when it comes to social gatherings, otherwise as far as they would get is going to the local inn"

He knew....she knew it.....she was wittering on about nothing and anything, but she couldn't stop herself.

"well perhap's but then there is some clans we should maybe not get too personal with, you never know when they will be your downfall"

"yes quite, I totally understand, not the done thing at all"

her face remained perfectly calm but deep inside she was fighting to keep calm and composed.

" Not the done thing at all" he repeated as he refilled her glass.

"the wine is excellent, which I imagined it would be, you have exquisite taste"

He leaned back in his chair and rested the wine glass on his knee as he spoke.

" well thankyou, but I'm more interested in your tastes Miss Belvadere, I do believe they are, how shall we say it ....straying on the dangerous side"

His rage had nearly spiraled out of control, threatening to penetrate the cool calculated demeanar he had strived to potray. He had managed to let slip little more than a furrowed brow, but inside the news of Kathy's disappearance had set him ablaze. Poor Tobias had felt the brunt of his rage unfortunately, not from the Ventrue himself of course.

Gabriel had offhandedly informed his contacts to extract the information from the hapless ghoul by whatever means they deemed necessary. Their reports had been less than encouraging. Apparently, after the fire and the interviews with the police department (the officers on duty that night were of course bribed by Gabriel), Tobias had retired to a motel room to find two very well dressed, yet very determined gentlemen waiting for him.

After a bit of physical persuasion, the young ghoul had revealed that Ms. Belvadere had in fact been last seen heading towards Gabriel's office. Follow up calls to office confirmed Tobias' story and he was subsequently left alone. Even as Gabriel set about organizing a hunting party he was also recalling the very officers who had "investigated" the fire and found the apparent cause faulty wiring. The paid-off police officers were now hunting around his office building, questioning the night staff in the guise of searching for links to a recent mugging.

The call had come just as Gabriel was climbing into the back of one of a series of Audis which comprised his convoy. A black Sedan, last seen heading east out of Cascadia. An observant janitor was going to receive a very nice Christmas bonus this year.

Gabriel snapped the phone shut and nodded to the driver. As the cars peeled one by one out of the parking garage of Mississippi Trading Co, Gabriel furiously debated on the most appropriate way to handle Kathy now that her betrayal was complete.

They picked up the tire tracks just outside the city and within moments, a very large coterie of angry Ventrue were nearing the Toreador compound...


++++++++++++++++++++

Several thousand miles away, Nerov was taking a very different ride. Had it not been for several restraints, the car's sudden stop would've hurtled him from his seat. Once the car had fully stopped, there was a flash of bright light as the front driver and passenger door were thrown open and the other occupants of the car stepped out.

All this was once again ascertained without use of his sight. He now had a large trashbag securely fashioned around his head, allowing only the vague shades of light through. He had lost conciousness shortly after they had left Cascadia and presumed by his hunger alone that they had traveled for several days and nights.

His blood was kept dangerously low, and his injuries kept him in a weakened state. Without the blessing of blood healing his wounds had begun to fester, and he was now acutely aware of the sizeable swelling that had occured in his shattered shins and forearms. A slimy, mucus-like substance coated the dry blood and gave the general odor of rank disease. He was nearly thankful he had not the sight to view his condition.

He was not given time to reflect on his wounds however, as the rear passenger door opened and two pairs of rough hands tore his restraints asunder and hauled him outside. Immediately he felt the intense heat as his skin began to smoke.

He began to scream wildly, struggling against his captors who even now threw him to the ground. He heard footsteps as one moved foward and tore the trashbag from his head, casting him into the light.

He struggled against the pain and the impending prospect of death by sunlight to gather his surroundings. First and foremost, his two captors stood nearby smiling cheerfully. They were well dressed, obviously blue blood ghouls or henchmen. Nerov recognized neither.

The car behind him was a non-descript black Honda Civic that sat on a completely deserted highway obviously far from the swamps and marshes of Cascadia. In either direction, the single gray band of road disappeared into the horizon and in front and back of him, endless desert.

The sky was pink with the oncoming sun and the Tzimisce realized it must've been approaching sunrise. Even the tentative rays of the days coming bit at him though, he had no chance.

[i:acc7b0338f]"Mr. O'Brien sends his regards f*ck face."[/i:acc7b0338f] one of the men cackled before they both climbed into the car. Nerov summoned all the blood energy he could and lunged at the car only to land in dirt several feet from the vehicle. The occupants once more burst into an uproar of laughter before spitting rocks and dust high into the air with a screech of tires.

As the car shrunk into oblivion, Nerov struggled to his feet. The night was done, and so was he.





By 7 AM the sun had begun it's ritualistic ascent up towards the heavens, and far below, in a remote valley outside Las Vegas life went on as usual. No one would ever notice the brief bit of ash that floated through that hot summer breeze that blistering May day.

Kathy decided the best way to handle the situation was to play dumb and act as if she had done nothing wrong at all. She immediately put a barrier up to stop him from seeing her true thoughts, a simple trick that had sire had taught her well.

A wide sensual smile spread across her face and her eyes glinted mischievously as she crossed her legs languidly.

"My tastes may be exotic, but I've never heard anyone call them dangerous, but then I suppose that depends on how hard you fasten the restraints, but I have never had any complaints, from anyone at all"

her voice was almost sensual as she stood up and approached him.

He regarded her curiously, all he saw in her mind was vivid scenes of a sexual nature and the desire that rose inside her. Perhaps his informants had been wrong and it was as he thought, they had picked Miss Belvadere as an easy target for getting to Gabriel O' Brien. Although they strived to keep their relationship as low key as possible they were both talked about endlessly in social and political circles.


"I am merely going on hearsay Miss belvadere, I have to investigate these things you understand" He said as he felt her hands on him her fingers expertly massaging his neck.

"well yes quiet, but sometimes things get said for spite you know, maybe someone is jealous of what I have, you do get some malicious people about you know"

He merely nodded as he thoughts began to drift onto other more personal things.

Kathy grinned to herself and then pecked him on the back of his neck before returning to her seat. Maybe she was going to get out of here in one piece and her reputation intact.

"More wine perhaps Miss belvadere?" he was still not 100% sure about her but , I might as well enjoy her company for awhile longer, he mused as she nodded and held her glass for him to refill.

"Sir, please forgive me for interupting, but we seem to have visitors"

The room was aflutter with movement and momentum by the time Gabriel stepped in, a loose summer suit now ruffling in the wind. The occupants of the room were stationary, as still as one would expect the immortal to be. But the powerful gusts of air that paraded through the room's sole open window sent the fine draperies dancing and whirling through their tendrils.

Gabriel, having left his coterie outside in the antechamber, merely stood in the threshold much to the stewards discontent. The uppity mortal merely sniffed.

[i:a62346029a]"Mr. Gabriel O'Brien."[/i:a62346029a] he huffed. The Ventrue now took several paces foward towards where the Justicar and his betrayal sat chatting. Titus stood up, oozing with grace and demeanor. As he moved to embrace Gabriel's hand the textures on his clothing seemed to move in perfect coordination, not the slightest imperfection to be seen.

[i:a62346029a]"Ah, Mr. O'Brien! This is most unexpected."[/i:a62346029a] he chirped as the two shook hands tenderly. Gabriel flashed a grin and nodded.

[i:a62346029a]"My apologies for not sending word, but other matters have kept me quite busy these past nights."[/i:a62346029a]

((hmmmm...can you help me out Mandi? i'm not sure what Gabriel should do in this situation. arriving at a Justicar's unnanounced with a huge squad of goons...didn't plan this out as well as i probably should have :P

((hi baby :P umm not too sure myself ...check your pms though, I'll try and post on this laters on :):)

((run in feer? :P

Kathy looked at Gabriel slightly puzzled and before she could ask why he was there she received her answer.

"I must apologise for intruding, but we were all worried about Miss Belvadere, it seems there's been a fire, a rather bad one and unfortunately the fire department could do nothing to prevent it completely destroying her haven" gabriel said as he watched Kathy intently.
The words turned her face from one of puzzlement to one of utter disbelief and shock.

"My haven...but how? why?"

"The fire department are still looking into the causes, so that I cannot answer Miss belvadere" Gabriel's voice was oddly cold and even a weak smile from kathy could not break the icy look on his face.

Kathy leaned back in the chair and sighed loudly, her haven could be replaced but that had been her home and she had lovingly decorated it and adorned it with all the things she loved.

"My condolonences Miss Belvadere, a very unfortunate accident no doubt" said pertronius and he regarded the pair of them. Something was not right, he could feel the tension and anger seeping out of Gabriel and most of it seemed aimed at Miss Belvadere.

Kathy sat upright suddenly " was anyone ....found in the fire?" she asked curiously.

Gabriel looked straight at her and she recoiled and sat back in the chair.

"Was there someone at your haven Miss Belvadere?"

Kathy couldn't believe how cold he was been with her and looked at him worriedly.

"no...I mean yes...well maybe....Tobias, I think he was there, im not too sure though"

"Ah yes your ghoul, Tobias is safe and was not in the haven at the time of the fire"


Petronius cleared his throat, trying to break some of the tension between them.

"Mr.O'Brien, I had Miss belvadere brought here as I had certain questions that I wished to be answered, in private of course, but upon hearing the news of the destruction of her haven I think it is inappropriate for me to continue with my investigations, for now. AS much as I would like Miss belvadere to remain under my guard, I feel that it would be more apt if I could pass that responsibility to you until I need to see her again, if at all that is"


Kathy raised her eyebrows but said nothing as Gabriel merely nodded and said that he would ensure that she never left his sight until she was needed again.


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

Kathy climbed into the back of the car and slumped against the soft leather seats as she kicked her shoes off.

"I must say Gabriel, you played your part well, you guarding me indeed he has no idea has he?" she nudged him playfully as he got in next to her.

He turned and looked at her, his eyes flashing as he spoke.

"Its you who have no idea Miss belvadere, but you will learn"


((there ya go James :):) just dont hurt her too much lolol