[IC] The Hidden People

[KuroTenshi]

Rikive glanced over at Tony when he growled his warning about the presence of silver and a 'Hunter'. She couldn't see the man he spoke of from where she was in the room, but the lycanthropes were infamous for there sense of smell. While silver wasn't a threat to her, it was made obvious earlier that any small bit of metal slicing through the air at highspeeds was enough to hurt her. She also never had the displeasure of meeting a Hunter, but she had heard enough horror stories from other's to feel suitably wary. Even if they were normal mortals. "I want to know how they found us." She muttered.

As Parael posed his question and the woman responded Rikive pressed her lips into a thin line. The muscles in her jaw ticking for a few moments before she lost her inner battle. She started laughing. A full belly laugh at that, her stomach muscles were starting to hurt as the light sound poured from her lips. She knew this was an extremely inappropriate time to be laughing. The very disorganized group was on the run and hiding from the demonic ancient taking control of the city. Their base was already possibly compromised depending on how in the Nine Worlds the two people outside found them...But she couldn't help it.

In her mind she could very easily picture Parael, sitting in a small jail cell either crying or pouting because of the stain on his clothes. And that would be the only reason he would be upset, he wouldn't have given a damn about being arrested. Just that his coat had a small spot of wine on it.

And it was red wine, on a red coat!

Yes, it certainly sounded like this woman had met Parael.

Reigning in her laughter she tried to grow serious once again. She could tease him about it later. And she very well intended too after the grief he gave her for being arrested herself.

[Trinais]

"You had a matching ruby red velvet designer outfit. The jacket barely fit you and looked like it was trying to jump off your body. Small yellow flowers were embroidered all around it and a large red flower of the same material was sewn on your left shoulder. The cuffs were Faux Fur, same ruby color, which made you look even more ridiculous in you cell. I believe you said it was a Renato Balestra original and the only of its kind. As I recall the police report read 'Disturbing the Peace.' The owner though said that you were drawing clientele away and had a meltdown when a red wine had been spilled on you." Pointing toward her foot she made one last note. "You made it expressly clear to point out the dime sized stain on the hem of your pants to me many, many times."

@t2wave

Parry stood at the ready, recounting the experience as best he could. To be truthful, he only remembered waking up in the holding cell, sloshed out of his mind, with Autumn on hand to bail him out courtesy of de Lacy himself. And he did have a face ravaged by tears over the outfit that had been ruined in whatever kerfuffle he'd been involved in. That one-of-a-kind suit had been tossed when the dry cleaner had pronounced it dead on arrival.

"Hey Autumn! How's the practice?" Parry bubbled, opening the door wider for her. "Guys, this is Autumn. She bailed me out of jail once in New York City. A lovely gem of a lawyer. And... oooooooh, who's the stud muffin you brought with you, hm?"

[teapotshark]

Not a moment passed between Beth uttering her greeting and the woman opposite her responding before the door opened by just a few inches and Parael's face poked out, closely followed by Flint's. No doubt he still had the gun in his hand behind the door. Beth threw up her hands and rolled her eyes. Really, did these people have no tact? No matter, should the mortal bodyguard attempt to get by, she would turn tangible again.

She folded her arms and watched the exchange, not for a second appreciating this woman's authoritative tone. No one ruled the roost here. Not any more. She respected de Lacy's authority because the system, as unstable as it was sometimes, worked for the most part. He kept supernaturals in check and gave them somewhere to go, so long as they didn't cross him. For Beth, he'd given her a future beyond death. What had Autumn done for them? And her wording -- tolerate, carelessness? She must have wanted to piss everyone off.

At least her story about meeting Parry was entertaining.

Staring through narrowed eyes at the woman, Beth waited for Parael to confirm her story. Once he did, however, a laugh broke through the small gap in the door. A rich and jolly laugh that, if she had a body, might make her skin tingle with excitement. Never before had she heard it, but she attributed it to Rikive nonetheless. Though Beth did her best not to smile, the corners of her ghostly mouth twitched upwards. She tried countering it with a scowl.

The moment Parael opened the door, the humour fell flat. "What is it you think you can do?" she asked Autumn, ignoring the mortal and Parry's question regarding him. "Unless you know exactly how to kill the mummy, you're on the same level as we are."

[Necrophage]

Even eldritch horrors didn't produce the kind of revulsion that Gray suddenly had for this gender-bending creature before them. The hunter shuddered, wishing he could say to Autumn, 'It looks dangerous, can I shoot it?'. He liked money though and that would probably endanger his paycheck.

The commotion behind the door of murmuring and suddenly mirthful laughter made this place feel more like the sub entrance to a psych ward. Were these guys going to be allies? Not exactly his first pick. "I'm Gray. I specialize in killing things that don't like staying dead. What's this about a mummy?" Despite being unable to see the ghost it wasn't uncommon to try holding a conversation.

[rtc143]

Karram listened intently as the all too familiar voice echoed from behind the door. With flawless accuracy and an almost inherent confidence, the clearly female mouthpiece described a ruby red velvet outfit and other intricate details without missing a beat. It was stunning how articulate she could be despite her quick speech pattern and eerie stoicism. It was like listening to Wednesday Addams seamlessly perform a monologue from Hamlet in one minute flat. Karram shuddered a bit as the memories crawled back into his brain; he recognized her without even laying eyes on her... now that's saying something.

Arachne...

Just as the name crossed his mind, she directed a pointed comment at him. "Oh and Karram. You're lucky that you don't still work for me. Fraternizing with former clients is strictly against 'company' policy." Karram gulped. He shot a glance at Antonio, trying to remember back to the time when his fate was intertwined with Tony and Flint. He knew for sure she wasn't involved in that case, nor was Tony technically his client. Then he turned his head to the mystery girl and it came to him.

Claudia Laurel. Vehicular Manslaughter. So I do know her.

His internal monologue was interrupted by Parry's over-excited greeting as he let Arachne and the strange armored fellow into the bunker. Once Karram met her gaze, he shrugged comically. "Desperate times, Autumn," he'd reply with a smug smirk. He enjoyed Arachne's professionalism, and working for her was hardly the worst thing he's been subject to in his life, but he still found strange pleasure in playing the fool or speaking to her with a bit of sarcasm.

"I'm Gray. I specialize in killing things that don't like staying dead. What's this about a mummy?" This was the new guy. Entirely unfamiliar to Karram. Even new to Parry, which was different. Up until now Parry had connections to nearly everyone in the party, it seemed. Of course fresh blood meant a new target for Parry's fetishes and fantasies. And this Gray guy didn't seem to like it. It seems the fun never stops with this group, Karram thought.

[HeySeuss]

"Fuck," Tony muttered under his breath. Yeah, Hunter Boy thought this was a walk in and shoot Nemsemet situation, and that was because, like Tony said, Hunters tended to be kept in the dark and fed shit. He gave the woman and her attendant a wide berth as they entered the bunker, even if he did put the Kalashnikov down, he never took the safety off, on the table where the other two lay; a little bit of ammunition alongside. Karram gave him a glance as if to ask if he were 'the client,' and Tony gave a blank look back, even while he found a place to observe the proceedings from, arms folded over his chest and his face masklike in its impassivity as he sat in one of the old metal chairs with the back facing forward. He was not in his comfort zone here, and so he did not offer up a tray of hors d'ouerves or an aperitif.

In all honesty, he was annoyed with Parael just letting this woman and the hunter right in, the latter toting a shotgun full of silver rounds, without even a by-your-leave consultation with the others. Casper was going out to handle it, and she had a certain sort of skill at assessing the situation without having it go confrontational or, important here, exposing them to an unnecessary risk. Even if the city weren't being overrun by Nemsemet and company, Camden wasn't always a place where everyone played nice.

There was no way to say Volunteer nothing out loud without being very tense about it, but he wanted to shout it so that it bounced off the walls and echo'ed down the hallways because he got the feeling a gossip fest was about to start.

[solamelike]

Flint gave Rikive a light punch to the arm, hoping that she would stop laughing and act more serious. Flint walked towards Tony as the two strangers where allowed in, he stood beside him as they both watched the new possible members of the group. “So what do you think? Take him ‘round back and give him a few more holes?” Flint whispered jokingly to Tony as he saw the plastic toy gun once again. “Hey commando Joe, you can’t just carry weapons in here! Place it by the door with anything else you might be packing “Flint said sternly, not caring that it was obvious the ‘no weapons’ rule didn’t exist. For starters Tony and himself where holding firearms, and a few others still had there medieval gear out. Although it wouldn't hurt for everyone to stop clenching their death machines.

Flint turned his attention to Parry “and what are you doing bringing anyone in!” He said angrily “For one these guys could be here for a number of bad reasons, and two this place isn’t even yours, its Tony’s here and I would think you should address the group before letting people wander in nonchalantly.” Flint glanced back to the newcomers as he went back to his trunk, locking it up tightly. “Tony what room should I stick my crap in?”

[twave]

Clearly not all of them knew who Autumn Weltich was. Which was fine considering. There was some advantage to not being known at times. All of them, barring at least Parry and Karram, were suspicious of them, and rightfully so. Their secret hideout was visited within hours of their arrival. Either they were followed, someone had loose lips, or she already knew about it. Only the first one was partially true. But they had no way of knowing how.

Of the displeasure only the spirit really was presenting much in the way of words. Perhaps she struck a nerve, or whisp, by her earlier comment. "I'm sorry. I was not aware hiding in a daycare was your idea." Making herself at home she took a seat and crossed her legs. She still had yet to flinch at the others. "You are right. I don't know how to kill the mummy, yet. But as you can see I found you all quickly enough. It is only a matter of time before that little secret becomes known as well. That is my specialty after all, and why the other courts sent me to New Camden."

Noting Gray's uncomfortable body language she lifted one hand and motioned Perry closer with her finger. "I make it a point to keep track of old clients. Please keep in mind that Gray is my associate and not here to enjoy himself." That may not be enough to really keep the Celestial away, but at the very least she presented it in the open so any retaliation in the future would not be unfounded. She was not above petty actions. Although with Perry destruction of property would probably suffice.

[KuroTenshi]

Rikive shot a look at Flint for punching her arm. She couldn't help it, the image was so unexpected and vivid it made her laugh. Maybe it was a sign she needed to sleep. Dismissing the thought she tensed as the two newcomers entered into the bunker, clenching her jaw and tightening her grip on her sword. For once she found herself agreeing with Flint, it was a very bad idea to let them in.

Though technically, none of them had any reason to trust each other. And we're planning to band together to try and fight Nemsemet. She thought with an internal grimace.

The other's were putting their weapons to the side but she was hesitant to do so. Though, she could see that having her sword drawn wouldn't help ease the tension in the air.

Her shield returned to it's sheath form as the woman walked in and sat herself down with the grace and authority of a queen. "How is it exactly you found us?" She asked, sheathing her sword and placing it back at her hip in her belt. "If you could locate us, it's possible that other's could as well using the same means."

[teapotshark]

Beth shot the others a look when their unwanted guests strode inside, her features tight with irritation. It was high time they got going with whatever move they planned to make, and these delays only meant less time to prepare. The longer it took, the more chance Nemsemet had to find them.

Now, she wasn't afraid exactly. Why should she be, if she couldn't die? The dread mummy himself posed no threat to her life, or afterlife as the case may be, but the chaos he was already beginning to rain on New Camden did not harmonise with her plans for the future. She did not like being caged, either. Or spoken down to, or very much of any of this. She took some comfort in knowing the rest of their troupe felt the same way towards Autumn and the hunter. It helped to know she could seize the mortal's body if she wanted, too.

She peered outside once more, then shut the door with a tangible hand. For as long as the strangers grew comfy in the bunker, she would remain an ethereal form by the door.

The way this woman spoke suggested she wanted something from the group, or perhaps from Nemsemet's demise. Everyone had an ulterior motive in the underworld. Certainly the death of the dread mummy and the rebuilding of the court proposed a new start and plenty of opportunities to anyone with half a brain. With most of the undead running into Nemsemet's arms as soon as he took control, Beth knew that well enough. She decided Autumn had much more to do in New Camden than what the other courts sent her there for.

Once Rikive asked the obvious, Beth crossed her arms again and added, "And what business did they send you here for?"

[twave]

As the weapons were being put away Autumn listened to their concerns. They wanted answers that she was not quite ready to divulge just yet. "I'd rather not say how. It exposes someone I've spent a lot of time keeping under wraps. I'm sure some of you can understand the benefit. The less people know the more useful the skill you see. Once the cat is out of the bag then everyone will know how to thwart it and it would be of no use to anyone. Suffice to say it is a skill uniquely bound to me that doesn't leave any trace of magic for our mummified friend to find. At least no more than anywhere else." That was about as close to the truth she was willing to go. She didn't know enough about the majority of them. She would need to get to know them individually and even then that did not mean they should know. Some of her closest friends had no clue who she really was.

Then there was the question about the courts. This was one she would be completely open about. "They sent me here to figure out what's happened to New Camden. If you've been inside this whole time then you might not know that anyone that comes in that has any connection or knowledge of the supernatural cannot leave. So once you've gone in then you aren't getting out. Those humans who are ignorant of such things can come and go as they please. Additionally any communication related to such is cut off. With nothing to go on the courts are scrambling over themselves in confusion and fear. Being a thorn in their side they saw fit to force me in to figure out the situation. To be honest I had no intention of coming anywhere near this city myself. Though the mystery of it all has some allure to it." The last sentence was probably the most genuine thing she had said up to that point. Having access to so much information the unknown was a most exhilarating experience. Were she honest with herself this was probably the most fun she's had in centuries.

Dropping the story telling she switched back to the task at hand. Their run in with the web earlier brought with it a tiny spider that hid itself from view. Until entering she could not know what what was said. Physical barriers were still a hindrance, but it wasn't often that one came across that completely cut off communication. Picking up where they left off as if she had been there Autumn felt the need to put in her two cents. "Your plan to capture a vampire is a good one. I can help scope out a potential target with sufficient clout without raising an alarm. The capture will need to be done by someone else though."

[Necrophage]

Diplomacy was not a very fun process. Didn't really feel any different with monsters. Both ways it sucked. Diplomacy with lead was a lot easier and generally more fun. Too bad it had some terrible consequences.

Despite requests from the tall old-fashioned man he held onto his weapon. True that it might be a concern to them but it was also one the things giving him a sense of safety in this dungeon filled with unknown creatures. "I'll hang on to mine. Dangerous creatures about." He did do them the respect of putting the safety on and laying in next to him, hand still perched on it, after finding a folding chair to sit in.

"I can do it." Gray immediately volunteered. "I just need to know how old the target is, his nationality and a chance to get some groceries. If I can't get those I'll just make do." Vampires had specific weaknesses that were exploitable and it was quite possible to capture them if you took them by surprise. Good thing Gray did this kind of thing for a living. Time to earn to brownie points!

[HeySeuss]

"Elders ain't that easy. They keep themselves surrounded by security and they don't show themselves like the goons and the minions do unless they have cover, because they've been around long enough to appreciate the risks and lots of people want to get at them. Like I said, best to snag one down on the totem pole and pump them for information. If we get lucky, the bloodsucker has a grudge somewhere that we can use to our advantage," since that's how internal vampire politics worked -- they weren't real families, like, say, a pack of werewolves, that squabbled in private but put together a unified front under pressure. It was safe to say that vampires worked together well in peacetime but tended to show the fractures under the surface when the pressure came on.

"Beats going into a club full of them in plain sight. If we're going to get some vampires to turn on one another, we can't be a pride parade in the middle of Frisco, gotta make it deniable. That means actually kidnapping one and hoping they play along. And if they don't play along, we interrogate them for real and dispose of them. But if they play along, you want to make it look like they didn't cooperate because vampires don't like to take sides openly, it's always some sort of fuckin' catch or bullshit with them."

These were words out of the mouth of a man that, and sometimes others forgot, ran a not for profit foundation that helped economically disadvantaged people find jobs, re-purposed abandoned buildings for industrial and commercial use and otherwise pushed any in-the-black performance back into new projects in the community. He took home a modest (actual modest) paycheck for the job. But Horizon didn't get big by accident, it identified areas where it could react nimbly to a situation when New Camden's government couldn't, and it often couldn't due to bureaucracy and gridlock, providing the right training for the jobs they had, and changing faster than local and state government could to address the manpower needs. So businesses started doing business with the charity instead.

But the plan was a result of that sort of thinking -- bottom line calculation in the name of a greater good. Grab a vamp and make them talk.

"Pick whatever space you want," he shrugged to Flint. Personally, he wasn't sure he wanted to sleep down here anymore. Things just done got tense, especially with the Punisher running around with his silver-loaded shotgun always in hand.

[Exie]

The loft the young vampire occupied was a wide and darkened space, dressed with fine things she’d acquired over the last few decades. Moments ago, she had stood in the center of it all, wondering if it would survive the oncoming war. It was an odd feeling, the sense of loss that accompanied the idea of seeing it perish. In her glowing eyes, it was her life’s work. Her beautiful loft, with these beautiful things, was a source of validation for her worth and skill. She had secured many a client by bringing them here, allowing them to see who she was through the lens of what she had come to possess. “Just things,” she had reminded herself, as she buried her attachment beneath the instinctual need to survive. It was simple: she couldn’t take these things along, and she might never be coming back. It all depended on how this night progressed.

Now, she stood before a decorative floor standing mirror. She was a tall, willowy creature. Her height she had inherited from her father, and every other human aspect seemed to speak of her mother. Her skin tone had paled, but her facial features and long, shining black hair were reminiscent of the woman who raised her in her mortal days. Even her mother’s eyes had somewhat survived her transition into immortality; Kaori’s natural eye color had been so deep, that it muddled the bright crimson that was typical of vampires’ eyes. Instead, her eyes were now the color of red wine.

It occurred to her, as she looked over herself, that these similarities would be the only thing she was guaranteed to keep of her mothers. Her eyes shifted from the mirror to the wardrobe that stood nearby. Moving towards it, she pulled a long silk robe from a hanger. It was deep blue color, not bright enough to compromise the night. This garment had been passed down through the generations of her family, and from her mother’s hands to her own. She tugged the smooth fabric around her shoulders, allowing it to dangle loosely from her frame.

If nothing else, at least she could die in it.

Everything else she took would be purely practical. Behind a sliding wall was her personal armory. From it, she selected a number of small, easily concealable weapons. They were tucked into various compartments inside her boots, leather pants, and beneath her top. She almost felt vulnerable leaving without heavier firepower, but it was key to lay low in times like these. Big weapons invited questions, and she didn’t much care to answer them when the future seemed quite so…unpredictable. As she approached the heavy metal door that separated her apartment from a dimly lit hallway, she cast a sidelong glance at a decorated red envelope that lay open on a coffee table.

She gave a roll of her glowing eyes. Vampires were such dramatic creatures. Nevertheless, she swiped it up between two fingers and tucked it into her pants.

She stepped through the wide door, bringing it shut with a notable ‘clang’. A flight of stairs would lead her upwards and spit her out onto the nighttime street. Suddenly, she was a part of the night, blended to it like moving shadow. Her black hair acted as a cloak, hanging down to nearly graze her hips. It would take a keen pair of eyes to find the glint of her pale face reflecting the moonlight, or the colored accents in the floral pattern of her robe.

[KuroTenshi]

Rikive didn't like the vague answer she was given to her question. At least the answer to Beth's was sufficient and seemed rather genuine. Still, she wouldn't be sleeping for the rest of the night. There were a few new faces other than Autumn and Gray that she didn't know what to make of just yet and she wasn't ready to let her guard down.

She turned her attention to the new plan of finding a vampire to abduct. "That I can assist with." She offered, since it involved more fighting than anything more cloak and dagger related. She shot a look at the only human in the room since he volunteered and the grocery shopping comment confused her. "If nothing else I can keep an eye on him." She said, pointing with her thumb over to the mortal. Bullets hurt but she healed from the wounds just fine and silver had no effect on her.

[teapotshark]

Beth watched the woman through narrowed eyes, still off-put by her earlier comments. She eyed Autumn from head to toe and back again, trying to understand what made her so knowing. She found nothing. She could not even tell whether Autumn kept her secrets out of necessity or simply to annoy the rest of them. However, Beth was pleasantly surprised to hear a touch of honesty in Autumn's voice when she answered the second question. She frowned harder just to hide her smirk.

She had figured out Nemsemet's barrier shortly after learning of the Count's death and her undead fellows' betrayal. The tormented spirits, those with the old "unfinished business" routine going on, they had thought Nemsemet could relieve them of their tasks and chains, and finally end their afterlives. The rest simply weren't loyal, and some of the risen dead completely stupid besides, or got themselves vanquished. All of Beth's key contacts gone, in just one night. She'd tried to get out of town then, but found herself unable to move past the town border.

What she didn't know, until Autumn opened her mouth, was that someone else could get in. This information she kept locked away for another time. She nodded her acceptance of Autumn's story and looked at the others as the conversation rerouted to the capturing of a vampire.

Beth unfolded her arms but remained close to the door. She gestured to Autumn. "Do your thing. Find us someone low on the food chain," she said, then looked at the hunter. "I'll go with him. If he decides not to play nice, at least he won't be able to kill me."

[rtc143]

Karram sheathed Oakbane and sat back down. He listened to Autmumn give her answers, one offering little to no details and the other giving a sufficient and plausible reason. Karram let his arm sling over the end of the chair as he assumed a more laid back posture. It was unlike him to do so, but at this point, his brain was fried and the excitement from earlier was finally taking its toll. The conversation quickly returned to the capturing of a vampire... one high enough in the ranks to offer information or play along with their plans, but not too high as to instantly sound the alarms when he or she didn't show up for dinner. Karram ran through a list of names in his head, but the majority of those he'd been in contact with were either dead or too close to the end boss. He did have one skill that could prove useful in this situation, however. He sat up in his chair and looked towards the group.

"If we can't get the vamp to help us, we could attempt an inside job. Snag the vampire, interrogate em, and then I can disguise myself with their likeness and hopefully walk in to the club freely. From there we stage a- I don't know- a Trojan horse routine or something and get to our target? Just a thought, a... last resort or alternative route." Karram would shrug with each progressively less confident sentence. He wasn't thrilled to throw himself to the dogs like that, but if he was going to avenge his uncle's death and help this ragtag group stop the damn mummy, he'd have to share what gifts he had to offer.

[HeySeuss]

Later...

Tony was not a guy with a car thief skillset or any particular comfort in playing the role of some sort of kidnapper, but other people in the bunker clearly had the skillset.

So they got their hands on one of those full-sized vans that a plumber might use and some other sundries and then parked themselves near the Rusty Steak Knife, which was an awful name for even a seedy looking bar like this. That was the exterior, anyway. Vampires enjoyed their melodrama and what looked like a seedy joint was actually meticulously designed to be seedy. Inside was a nightclub that'd rate with anything one might find in the richest part of the city, designed to be as chic and ultramodern and unbelievable as possible.

It was a place where the vampires brought their new thralls, or people about to be enthralled -- blood dolls, muscle, government officials and businessmen that they were trying to subvert. It was a busy, bloody little beehive of activity, especially as Nemsemet took the gloves off on creating more vampires and enthralling more mortals.

Vampires did so adore to hide in plain sight. The number of couture'd people mingling nearby, however, as well as the presence of thralls in somewhat cheaper suits and wielding radios gave a bit of a lie to that. Sure, it was in the ghetto, but vampires didn't fear mortal gangs. In most cases, they had control of them anyway and what they didn't control they could wipe out pretty quickly enough -- it was a simple matter of supplying rivals with guns moreso than slaughtering outright. No one screwed with the operation, as a result. The security wasn't there because they were worried about mortals -- they always had the mortals in the palm of their hands. It was the great advantage of vampires.

The vampires, moreso than any other group that existed in the society of the Courts, were masters of subverting mortal institutions -- their blood was addictive, they looked very human. They had the advantage of being human once, and knowing the system more thoroughly. A predator who was once the prey knew all the prey's vulnerabilities, given sufficient thought.

Moreso than any in the Courts, they adapted to the modern world and thrived, only held in check by the rules that kept them from breeding too many, too fast and endangering their existence. And apparently, Nemsemet played upon the right ones with their frustrations at living in the shadows, promising a better day.

It was headache-inducing to think about it. Sure, the Court was messed up -- the tithe alone was onerous taxation, kept high so as to ensure a steady pool of servants and keep the Courts nobility in plush luxury. It created the resentments that led to so many supporting Nemsemet in dismantling the system, even if it meant throwing mortals to the wolves. And some of them were the wolves, so that idea was made even more appealing.

Tony was in the driver's seat, wearing mechanic's coveralls -- he figured he was black and that made the whole disguise credible, but he had to stay in the car with a good bit of air freshener because vampires could smell him; their sense of smell was acute too. It meant he couldn't do the snatch, but that was okay, because he didn't want Rivike doing the driving anymore anyway.

Theirs wasn't the only vehicle, but this was the snatch-van. "Okay, guys, I'm coming up on it," he said as he parked the van nearby.

[KuroTenshi]

Rikive flipped open the small, black purse Parael had given her to hold her sword. It still fascinated her how with a simple spell, this tiny bag could hold an infinite number of items. Plus it matched her outfit, which seemed pretty fitting for a nightclub and may help her seem less suspicious. Not a terribly difficult look to put together since the only clothes she had were ones Parael had picked out for her during their shopping excursion.

She shut the purse and let it fall by her hip, the strap hanging across her chest. "Should I go move into position?" She asked Tony, leaning forward a bit from her seat in the back of the van so she could see through windshield.

[Exie]

The scent of blood emanating from the Rusty Steak Knife was intoxicating. Consuming. To say she craved it was an understatement. What blood was to a vampire could only be explained in the most passionately extreme of terms. It was sensual, moving, more alluring than power, coffee, or other addictive substances. More than smell it, a vampire could taste the faint copper on her tongue, feel the heat of it in the air. It was this way each time Kaori approached the Rusty Steak Knife, where blood was stocked in human form and otherwise. For this reason, she didn't care much to do business here. She was too close to snapping, like a starving tiger let out of its cage. Delicate matters required a clear mind.

As she took a lungful of the air - so thick - her veins ignited within her, burning her from the inside. She heard the low growl pulling from her throat before she realized she was making the sound. Abruptly, she cut off her own air, emptying her lungs and leaving them that way. She didn't need oxygen, it was only another form of observing and interacting with the world.

With a steady click, click, click, of her heeled boots, she began to make her way through the dross surrounding the building. Distractions, all of it. She was significantly dressed down from what the people around her wore, but she had intended to be. There was no use attracting attention right now, and a short dress wouldn't do her any favors if things got...unpredictable. Her quiet, low-key presence didn't stop a pale female with curled, blonde locks from cutting her off before she'd made it halfway through the outer crowd. Her hair fell just above her shoulders, highlighted and primped to match a clingy tube dress that looked like it had been sized to be a shirt. Her glossed lips spread into a smile, "I see you must have gotten our letter. To be honest, I'm pleasantly surprised. We were beginning to think you'd left town."

Kaori's eyes rolled to the side in annoyance. Vampire women were usually unearthly and hypnotic, but at times they were nothing more than passive aggressive bitches.

"The hell do you want, Kel?" she impatiently demanded. She didn't want to be here any longer than necessary.

The blonde vampires features hardened at Kaori's tone, "Don't be so rude, not when we're trying to help you."

Kaori's arms folded as her face tightened in a snide smirk, "Help me? You don't have the power to help yourself."

The crowd was beginning to thin around them as people began to migrate indoors. A low growl rumbled from Kel's chest, "Quill is gracious to allow you to-"

"Quill is your elder, and you should know better than to speak for him," she hissed the words menacingly down at her, "My business is with your leader alone." Her features had lost all sign of amusement, instead, her delicate china-doll face had twisted into a mask of hostility. It was similar to what you might witness when a wolf defends it's territory. Threatening, for your own sake.

The petite blonde knew she had pushed too far. She wore a stubborn pout on her face, but nevertheless her eyes reluctantly shifted to the ground in submission. She stepped back slowly and wordlessly gave an acknowledging nod of her head before skittering away. Kaori watched each movement until the girl had disappeared through the doors of the building. Once she was gone, Kaori took another breath of copper-tainted air, and released it slowly, letting the fury escape her. There were a few stragglers left outside, but the majority of the clubs population were now indoors, partaking in whatever unsavory activity that had developed here tonight.

The tall vampire leaned against the rough brick of the building. Her head was spinning from the residual taste of blood in her lungs and throat. She squeezed her wine-colored eyes shut to steady herself and regain control of the animalistic instincts that threatened to overwhelm her. Her mind was a powerful tool that she prided herself in wielding, unlike so many of her kind. It was what separated leaders from the followers, and a large part of the reason she hadn't already been killed. She would need it's advantage tonight, and so she waited in the cool darkness for her senses to clear.