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Story Hour
"Here There Be Vampires" A Promise City, Arizona Story Hour
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<blockquote data-quote="orchid blossom" data-source="post: 2819529" data-attributes="member: 12815"><p>The group heads the half a block to The Gordon Hotel. The grand three story building almost looks out of place in this little town. It has been maintained better than most of the other buildings around town and looks almost inviting. They are greeted by a man who introduces himself as Victor Bishop, the owner of the hotel. </p><p></p><p>"Plenty of room for you folks, $4 a night per person. Includes bedding, stabling and breakfast, served promptly at 7:00 AM. How many rooms will you be wanting?"</p><p></p><p>"Minerva steps forward. I believe that we will be needing 4 rooms."</p><p></p><p>Mr. Bishop turns to the wall behind him and takes down 4 keys then calls to a couple young men who help everyone with their bags. "Enjoy your stay, if you need anything just wander by the front desk. If no one is here just ring this bell and myself or someone else will come running." he says holding up a small brass bell.</p><p></p><p>Maddie gave him a bright smile. "One for myself please, sir. And if I might ask I came looking for family of mine. John and Maud Smith? Might they have stayed here in the last few weeks?"</p><p></p><p>"I don't recall anyone by that name" he takes out a book and looks it over carefully. "Didn't register anyone by that name either, but then again I don't trouble with the register that much anymore, only if folks look like ruffians, which I am sure your family didn't ma'am. Sorry."</p><p></p><p>"I see. Thank you, sir. I guess they didn't come through here. Thanks to all of you for taking care of me."</p><p></p><p>Jake nods and lets them take the bags but not the bundle of long arms. "Where is everyone's rooms?"</p><p></p><p>Victor Bishop had handed over 4 keys each with little numbers on them. The keys read 208, 209, 301 and 302. </p><p></p><p>"Two rooms on the second floor, two more upstairs on the third floor. I like to keep it spread out for the cleaning staff." Bishop replies.</p><p></p><p>Minerva takes the keys and keeps 208. she hands 209 to Jake, 301 to Maddie and 302 to Chester. As she hands them their keys she whispers to each. "We'll meet in Chester's room."</p><p></p><p>"OK. Just knock first. Who knows who the other guests are." Chester says.</p><p></p><p>Kate took the key from Miss Florencia, nodded, and started the hike up the stairs to her room.</p><p></p><p>"Please feel that we are your friends, Senorita. Since you cannot locate your family you would be much safer if you stayed with us." Minerva says amicably.</p><p></p><p>"Now see, that is one of the things I love about you my Spanish rose, you are so kind," Nanuet says giving her a squeeze. "No wonder the people back home received you so warmly."</p><p></p><p>"Oh, I consider everyone to be a friend I just haven't met yet," Maddie answered and followed Chester up the stairs. She stowed her things in the room and sat down for a few minutes, waiting for the activity to clear up before going to Chester's room.</p><p></p><p>The young men load the luggage onto a dumbwaiter and one runs upstairs while the other stays downstairs to attend to the next load. </p><p></p><p>Nanuet puts his arm around Minerva's waist glad to finally be settling down someplace where he can gather his thoughts. He always liked to take a place in a bit before getting down to the action but everyone was on edge and with good reason. "Let's see what the room looks like, unpack our stuff and then go from there. I know I could use some freshening up."</p><p></p><p>When all the bags are delivered, Jake tips the young man. "Excuse me, there was a young woman buried today outside town. Rumor was she was staying here. What room was she in?"</p><p></p><p>The boy looks nervous at Jake's question. He wrings his hands and then replies "308 sir, Sally Ann was in 308 when they found her."</p><p></p><p>"Sally Ann, huh, pretty name. I'll bet she was a pretty lady too. Did you see her? Did she go peacefully in her sleep?"</p><p></p><p>Ruby grows pale and shivers before taking the key from Jake and walking away, heading towards their room while Jake questions the boy. </p><p></p><p>She unlocks the door and without much fanfare collapses face down on the bed, hugging the pillow tightly.</p><p></p><p>"I did see her sir, but I didn't look too long. She didn't have no clothes on or nuttin. She looked awful pale, but they said she died in her sleep. I ain't never ever seen anyone dead before her. Can I go now?" the boy says as he is getting fidgety.</p><p></p><p>"Sure, son, sure. Thanks." Jake laughs to himself, <em>Only a few years younger than me. </em></p><p></p><p>He follows Ruby and sits on the bed next to her. "Take a few minutes and relax. Then we'll go meet the others."</p><p></p><p>"Relax?" she says into the pillow. She rolls over, "You're kidding right?" But the thought occurs to her that in her jacket is a nice, friendly, relaxing little silver flask.</p><p></p><p>"I've been funnier." He stands again and paces about the room. "I'll check the corridor, it if is clear we can head up to Chet's room then."</p><p></p><p>As Jake checks the corridor Ruby rises off the bed. “Maybe a glass of water and then we go meet everyone.” Ruby walks over to the small table holding a pitcher of water. She pours a glass then checking that Jake isn't looking she deftly removes her little flask and pours a couple of drops in. She drinks the water down quickly with a satisfied Ahhhhh. “Alright let’s go.”</p><p></p><p>* * * * * * *</p><p></p><p>Chester, Maddie and one of the bellhops go up to the third floor. "These must be our rooms. Thank you." Chester tips the bellhop. He opens up his bag and checks to make sure everything is as he packed it.</p><p></p><p>The bellhop thanks Chester for the tip and heads downstairs. He checks his bags and finds everything to be in order if not a bit jostled around from being dragged around town.</p><p></p><p>Chester grunts in approval. While he is waiting for the others, he places one of his revolvers on the night table. Next he looks out the window. There isn't much to see since electricity hasn't arrived here.</p><p></p><p>Considering she and Chester had packed the lightest, it was soon quiet outside her door. Kate went into the corridor, locked the door, and tucked the key into her pocket. She knocked softly on Chester's door. "Mr. Martin? It's Maddie."</p><p></p><p>Chester opens the door with his right hand behind his back. "Come on in, Maddie. Are you as bored as I am?" Maddie enters the room. Chester closes and locks the door and puts the pistol he was holding back on the dresser.</p><p></p><p>Minerva and Nanuet enter room 208. Minerva goes to the window and looks out before shutting the curtain on the unfriendly night. "You OK? See something out there you want to talk about?" Nanuet asks trying to comfort her.</p><p></p><p>Minerva spins around to face him. "NO! I am most certainly NOT alright." she begins to pace back and forth in her agitation. "We are no closer to destroying this evil and time is running out. I can feel it! The evil is all around us. Nanuet I am not strong enough to face it down! None of us are!"</p><p></p><p>Nanuet moves quickly over to Minerva and stops her pacing. He wraps his arms gently around her. "I understand you are scared, we all are. And you are right, alone none of us are strong enough to face that... that creature, but together, working together we will be stronger than him. Together we have the strength to overcome the beast and return this town to the people." </p><p></p><p>Nanuet hears Jake and Ruby in the hallway "The others are going upstairs, we should go now" and releases Minerva from his embrace.</p><p></p><p>"I am sorry. I shall continue to have faith in the gods and in you, Mi Amore. You are right. We WILL destroy this evil by whatever means necessary.” She hugs him tightly and takes a deep breath, then smoothes down her skirt as she smoothes her features into an unreadable mask and opens the door. With a purposeful stride walks up the stairs to Chester's room.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, seeing the hallway is clear, Jake leads Ruby to Chet's room. "Mr. Martin," Jake says after he raps on the door, "The Jacobs."</p><p></p><p>Ruby giggles, then a serious look crosses her face. "This is a bad idea though Jake."</p><p></p><p>"Why?"</p><p></p><p>"Because one of us might like it," she replies seriously.</p><p></p><p>Chester holds his index finger up to his lips then grabs his gun. "I'm coming." He opens the door and sighs in relief to see Jake and Ruby. Nanuet and Minerva come up the stairs and he lets them all in.</p><p></p><p>Nanuet says, "Well here we all are. Now that we have had a chance to look around what do we think of Mr. Turner's home?"</p><p></p><p>"It makes me sick!" Ruby says forcefully, "And we can't get out of here soon enough."</p><p></p><p>"It's no wonder he travels,” Kate said, “but it's a good place to run back to when he needs to hide. Enough people to sustain him, remote enough that no one really pays attention when someone disappears or dies mysteriously. The locals care, but they don't seem to feel as if they could do anything about it. What did you all learn upstairs at the saloon?"</p><p></p><p>Jake shrugs. "Here is a few things you all ought to know. Greely says O'Neil was in the room when Turner came in. So if Turner was afraid of someone it was one of us. I doubt he missed seeing Ruby, though I'm not sure who he is afraid of." Jake explains about the card book O'Neil is looking for and that fact that he invited him to breakfast. He also shares the state of Colleen's room. "Oh, and I put some of that holy water on my hand when I shook O'Neil's hand. He didn't scream or wince or anything, but he did notice."</p><p></p><p>"There is something special about O'Neill. Do you think he might be hunting, like we are? Pains to keep his face hidden, cryptic comments?" Kate asked.</p><p></p><p>"Maybe," Jake says coolly. "Or hunting like Turner."</p><p></p><p>Ruby shivers again. "This stinks. What? You're all thinking it." She pulls on her hair and looks out the window. "Too bad we don't know which room is his. He said he would be out all night."</p><p></p><p>"There now, my girl is thinking ...." Jake said.</p><p></p><p>"One or the other. But if he agreed to meet you during the day it's less likely he's like Turner," Kate said.</p><p></p><p>"How do you know he doesn't have a way to be out in the light, if he is one of those monsters?" Ruby asks.</p><p></p><p>Chester says, "Yeah, kinda odd that he kept his Peacemaker out on the table. Like he expects trouble or just wants to scare people away."</p><p></p><p>“Is there a way to find out?” Minerva asks. “I could attempt to detect if he is evil, but I do not think that he is. If he shows up for breakfast we will know that he is not one of Turner's growing number. Perhaps we should just ask him directly what his business is?”</p><p></p><p>Nanuet says, "I don't need sleep, I can keep an eye out for him. Or we could take a walk by the desk. All the room keys were hanging on the wall, didn't look like there were too many other keys missing. We could certainly narrow it down."</p><p></p><p>"Is Turner back at his home? Maybe he's afraid of us." Chester asks.</p><p></p><p>"I think the best time to go hunting for Turner is during the daytime,” Nanuet continues. “We are pretty sure he at least doesn't like the sunlight, I mean nobody ever saw him out and about during the day back in Promise City. Maybe we stop back at the boarding house tomorrow during the day. I didn't see if that room had a back window or anohter way in but I am sure we can figure something out."</p><p></p><p>"If we can learn where Turner's coffin is, we can visit it in daylight," Jake says to Chet. "O'Neil said he was staying on the second floor. Someone could look for the empty keys for that floor."</p><p></p><p>"I'll go downstairs and look at the keys while you all keep talking about whatever it is you're talking about." Ruby hops off the bed and heads downstairs.</p><p></p><p>"I agree with Nanuet,” Minerva says. “It does not make sense to go hunting in the dark. That is 'his' domain. I shall go and speak to the priest in the morning. Perhaps he can help us and that will give Jake a chance to speak with Senor O'Neil and see if he can also be of assistance."</p><p></p><p>Chester says, "We have to be careful. Who knows how deeply Turner has sunk his claws in this town. Anyone here could be his slave."</p><p></p><p>"Anything else we want to risk tonight? Besides breaking and entering into a guests room?" Jake pauses and then adds, "Oh, the dead girl was in 308."</p><p></p><p>"I'm not sure how much I can help. There's only so much I can learn as Maddie without being very suspicious. And Jake, it hasn't occurred to you that he might be afraid of you? He knows you're in possession of a weapon that can hurt him. And that you have a passionate reason to use it. You didn't let your fear stop you from attacking him in Promise City, you've chased him here. If I were him I'd be more than mildly concerned."</p><p></p><p>"It has crossed my mind. He was mighty boastful when we last parted though." <em>If he isn't afraid of me, he doesn't quite understand how much I hate him.</em></p><p></p><p>Kate nodded. "He wouldn't be the first one to talk big while trying to cover how small he feels."</p><p></p><p>"Well, 308 just down the hall. Let's take a look. No one's staying there right now, are they?" Chester asks.</p><p></p><p>"I don't know. Why don't you go knock? </p><p></p><p>Ruby's been gone a while, I'm going to check on her." Jake says and lets himself out.</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p>Once downstairs Ruby wanders nonchalantly to the main desk. She leans on it, and waits for the clerk to return. She squints her eyes to see the keys and makes note of which ones are missing. “Excuse me sir," she calls out. "Ru-uh, Mrs. Jacobs here of, uh, I forgot my room number."</p><p></p><p>Ruby notices that besides the keys for 208 and 209 that the key for 201 is missing. </p><p></p><p>"Well miss I handed out 4 keys, not sure which one you took. Let's narrow it down, are you on the 2nd or 3rd floor?"</p><p></p><p>She runs her finger back and forth over the desk. "Um, second floor. With my husband," she giggles. "Doesn't that sound funny?"</p><p></p><p>"Well then you are in either 208 or 209, were you in the room at the end of the hall or the one next to the end? Are you OK miss, you seem a bit out of sorts, should I send someone to get your husband?"</p><p></p><p>Ruby giggles again. "Oh NO. My <em>husband</em> would be FURIOUS that I forgot which room we were in." She takes another quick peek to verify 201 is the empty room then smiles at the clerk. "Thanks for being so concerned though." She winks at him then heads back up the stairs. </p><p></p><p>Victor scratches his head and wonders what the rest of their stay will be like. <em>If I were married to her I wouldn't let her out of my sight!</em> he thinks to himself.</p><p></p><p>Instead of going to the third floor she stops in front of room 201. She checks the hallway both ways, and when she is sure no one is looking she puts an ear to it and listens. No sounds come to her from behind it.</p><p></p><p>Still sure no one is watching, she quickly pulls her handy little tools out of her bodice and carefully and quietly tries to pick the lock on the door. Ruby works on the lock but has a hard time. She tries to force the pick and hears a dreadful 'plink' as the pick breaks off in the keyhole.</p><p></p><p>"Dammit!" She continues to swear under her breath as she works with the other tools to get the broken piece out of the lock.</p><p></p><p>It takes Ruby the better part of a minute and she is breaking a sweat before she is finally able to get the broken pick out of the lock. Just as she does so she hears footsteps coming towards her from downstairs.</p><p></p><p>Ruby stands tall and hides her hands with the picks in it behind her back. An angelic innocent looking smile comes to her face as she waits to see who is coming.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="orchid blossom, post: 2819529, member: 12815"] The group heads the half a block to The Gordon Hotel. The grand three story building almost looks out of place in this little town. It has been maintained better than most of the other buildings around town and looks almost inviting. They are greeted by a man who introduces himself as Victor Bishop, the owner of the hotel. "Plenty of room for you folks, $4 a night per person. Includes bedding, stabling and breakfast, served promptly at 7:00 AM. How many rooms will you be wanting?" "Minerva steps forward. I believe that we will be needing 4 rooms." Mr. Bishop turns to the wall behind him and takes down 4 keys then calls to a couple young men who help everyone with their bags. "Enjoy your stay, if you need anything just wander by the front desk. If no one is here just ring this bell and myself or someone else will come running." he says holding up a small brass bell. Maddie gave him a bright smile. "One for myself please, sir. And if I might ask I came looking for family of mine. John and Maud Smith? Might they have stayed here in the last few weeks?" "I don't recall anyone by that name" he takes out a book and looks it over carefully. "Didn't register anyone by that name either, but then again I don't trouble with the register that much anymore, only if folks look like ruffians, which I am sure your family didn't ma'am. Sorry." "I see. Thank you, sir. I guess they didn't come through here. Thanks to all of you for taking care of me." Jake nods and lets them take the bags but not the bundle of long arms. "Where is everyone's rooms?" Victor Bishop had handed over 4 keys each with little numbers on them. The keys read 208, 209, 301 and 302. "Two rooms on the second floor, two more upstairs on the third floor. I like to keep it spread out for the cleaning staff." Bishop replies. Minerva takes the keys and keeps 208. she hands 209 to Jake, 301 to Maddie and 302 to Chester. As she hands them their keys she whispers to each. "We'll meet in Chester's room." "OK. Just knock first. Who knows who the other guests are." Chester says. Kate took the key from Miss Florencia, nodded, and started the hike up the stairs to her room. "Please feel that we are your friends, Senorita. Since you cannot locate your family you would be much safer if you stayed with us." Minerva says amicably. "Now see, that is one of the things I love about you my Spanish rose, you are so kind," Nanuet says giving her a squeeze. "No wonder the people back home received you so warmly." "Oh, I consider everyone to be a friend I just haven't met yet," Maddie answered and followed Chester up the stairs. She stowed her things in the room and sat down for a few minutes, waiting for the activity to clear up before going to Chester's room. The young men load the luggage onto a dumbwaiter and one runs upstairs while the other stays downstairs to attend to the next load. Nanuet puts his arm around Minerva's waist glad to finally be settling down someplace where he can gather his thoughts. He always liked to take a place in a bit before getting down to the action but everyone was on edge and with good reason. "Let's see what the room looks like, unpack our stuff and then go from there. I know I could use some freshening up." When all the bags are delivered, Jake tips the young man. "Excuse me, there was a young woman buried today outside town. Rumor was she was staying here. What room was she in?" The boy looks nervous at Jake's question. He wrings his hands and then replies "308 sir, Sally Ann was in 308 when they found her." "Sally Ann, huh, pretty name. I'll bet she was a pretty lady too. Did you see her? Did she go peacefully in her sleep?" Ruby grows pale and shivers before taking the key from Jake and walking away, heading towards their room while Jake questions the boy. She unlocks the door and without much fanfare collapses face down on the bed, hugging the pillow tightly. "I did see her sir, but I didn't look too long. She didn't have no clothes on or nuttin. She looked awful pale, but they said she died in her sleep. I ain't never ever seen anyone dead before her. Can I go now?" the boy says as he is getting fidgety. "Sure, son, sure. Thanks." Jake laughs to himself, [i]Only a few years younger than me. [/i] He follows Ruby and sits on the bed next to her. "Take a few minutes and relax. Then we'll go meet the others." "Relax?" she says into the pillow. She rolls over, "You're kidding right?" But the thought occurs to her that in her jacket is a nice, friendly, relaxing little silver flask. "I've been funnier." He stands again and paces about the room. "I'll check the corridor, it if is clear we can head up to Chet's room then." As Jake checks the corridor Ruby rises off the bed. “Maybe a glass of water and then we go meet everyone.” Ruby walks over to the small table holding a pitcher of water. She pours a glass then checking that Jake isn't looking she deftly removes her little flask and pours a couple of drops in. She drinks the water down quickly with a satisfied Ahhhhh. “Alright let’s go.” * * * * * * * Chester, Maddie and one of the bellhops go up to the third floor. "These must be our rooms. Thank you." Chester tips the bellhop. He opens up his bag and checks to make sure everything is as he packed it. The bellhop thanks Chester for the tip and heads downstairs. He checks his bags and finds everything to be in order if not a bit jostled around from being dragged around town. Chester grunts in approval. While he is waiting for the others, he places one of his revolvers on the night table. Next he looks out the window. There isn't much to see since electricity hasn't arrived here. Considering she and Chester had packed the lightest, it was soon quiet outside her door. Kate went into the corridor, locked the door, and tucked the key into her pocket. She knocked softly on Chester's door. "Mr. Martin? It's Maddie." Chester opens the door with his right hand behind his back. "Come on in, Maddie. Are you as bored as I am?" Maddie enters the room. Chester closes and locks the door and puts the pistol he was holding back on the dresser. Minerva and Nanuet enter room 208. Minerva goes to the window and looks out before shutting the curtain on the unfriendly night. "You OK? See something out there you want to talk about?" Nanuet asks trying to comfort her. Minerva spins around to face him. "NO! I am most certainly NOT alright." she begins to pace back and forth in her agitation. "We are no closer to destroying this evil and time is running out. I can feel it! The evil is all around us. Nanuet I am not strong enough to face it down! None of us are!" Nanuet moves quickly over to Minerva and stops her pacing. He wraps his arms gently around her. "I understand you are scared, we all are. And you are right, alone none of us are strong enough to face that... that creature, but together, working together we will be stronger than him. Together we have the strength to overcome the beast and return this town to the people." Nanuet hears Jake and Ruby in the hallway "The others are going upstairs, we should go now" and releases Minerva from his embrace. "I am sorry. I shall continue to have faith in the gods and in you, Mi Amore. You are right. We WILL destroy this evil by whatever means necessary.” She hugs him tightly and takes a deep breath, then smoothes down her skirt as she smoothes her features into an unreadable mask and opens the door. With a purposeful stride walks up the stairs to Chester's room. Meanwhile, seeing the hallway is clear, Jake leads Ruby to Chet's room. "Mr. Martin," Jake says after he raps on the door, "The Jacobs." Ruby giggles, then a serious look crosses her face. "This is a bad idea though Jake." "Why?" "Because one of us might like it," she replies seriously. Chester holds his index finger up to his lips then grabs his gun. "I'm coming." He opens the door and sighs in relief to see Jake and Ruby. Nanuet and Minerva come up the stairs and he lets them all in. Nanuet says, "Well here we all are. Now that we have had a chance to look around what do we think of Mr. Turner's home?" "It makes me sick!" Ruby says forcefully, "And we can't get out of here soon enough." "It's no wonder he travels,” Kate said, “but it's a good place to run back to when he needs to hide. Enough people to sustain him, remote enough that no one really pays attention when someone disappears or dies mysteriously. The locals care, but they don't seem to feel as if they could do anything about it. What did you all learn upstairs at the saloon?" Jake shrugs. "Here is a few things you all ought to know. Greely says O'Neil was in the room when Turner came in. So if Turner was afraid of someone it was one of us. I doubt he missed seeing Ruby, though I'm not sure who he is afraid of." Jake explains about the card book O'Neil is looking for and that fact that he invited him to breakfast. He also shares the state of Colleen's room. "Oh, and I put some of that holy water on my hand when I shook O'Neil's hand. He didn't scream or wince or anything, but he did notice." "There is something special about O'Neill. Do you think he might be hunting, like we are? Pains to keep his face hidden, cryptic comments?" Kate asked. "Maybe," Jake says coolly. "Or hunting like Turner." Ruby shivers again. "This stinks. What? You're all thinking it." She pulls on her hair and looks out the window. "Too bad we don't know which room is his. He said he would be out all night." "There now, my girl is thinking ...." Jake said. "One or the other. But if he agreed to meet you during the day it's less likely he's like Turner," Kate said. "How do you know he doesn't have a way to be out in the light, if he is one of those monsters?" Ruby asks. Chester says, "Yeah, kinda odd that he kept his Peacemaker out on the table. Like he expects trouble or just wants to scare people away." “Is there a way to find out?” Minerva asks. “I could attempt to detect if he is evil, but I do not think that he is. If he shows up for breakfast we will know that he is not one of Turner's growing number. Perhaps we should just ask him directly what his business is?” Nanuet says, "I don't need sleep, I can keep an eye out for him. Or we could take a walk by the desk. All the room keys were hanging on the wall, didn't look like there were too many other keys missing. We could certainly narrow it down." "Is Turner back at his home? Maybe he's afraid of us." Chester asks. "I think the best time to go hunting for Turner is during the daytime,” Nanuet continues. “We are pretty sure he at least doesn't like the sunlight, I mean nobody ever saw him out and about during the day back in Promise City. Maybe we stop back at the boarding house tomorrow during the day. I didn't see if that room had a back window or anohter way in but I am sure we can figure something out." "If we can learn where Turner's coffin is, we can visit it in daylight," Jake says to Chet. "O'Neil said he was staying on the second floor. Someone could look for the empty keys for that floor." "I'll go downstairs and look at the keys while you all keep talking about whatever it is you're talking about." Ruby hops off the bed and heads downstairs. "I agree with Nanuet,” Minerva says. “It does not make sense to go hunting in the dark. That is 'his' domain. I shall go and speak to the priest in the morning. Perhaps he can help us and that will give Jake a chance to speak with Senor O'Neil and see if he can also be of assistance." Chester says, "We have to be careful. Who knows how deeply Turner has sunk his claws in this town. Anyone here could be his slave." "Anything else we want to risk tonight? Besides breaking and entering into a guests room?" Jake pauses and then adds, "Oh, the dead girl was in 308." "I'm not sure how much I can help. There's only so much I can learn as Maddie without being very suspicious. And Jake, it hasn't occurred to you that he might be afraid of you? He knows you're in possession of a weapon that can hurt him. And that you have a passionate reason to use it. You didn't let your fear stop you from attacking him in Promise City, you've chased him here. If I were him I'd be more than mildly concerned." "It has crossed my mind. He was mighty boastful when we last parted though." [i]If he isn't afraid of me, he doesn't quite understand how much I hate him.[/i] Kate nodded. "He wouldn't be the first one to talk big while trying to cover how small he feels." "Well, 308 just down the hall. Let's take a look. No one's staying there right now, are they?" Chester asks. "I don't know. Why don't you go knock? Ruby's been gone a while, I'm going to check on her." Jake says and lets himself out. * * * Once downstairs Ruby wanders nonchalantly to the main desk. She leans on it, and waits for the clerk to return. She squints her eyes to see the keys and makes note of which ones are missing. “Excuse me sir," she calls out. "Ru-uh, Mrs. Jacobs here of, uh, I forgot my room number." Ruby notices that besides the keys for 208 and 209 that the key for 201 is missing. "Well miss I handed out 4 keys, not sure which one you took. Let's narrow it down, are you on the 2nd or 3rd floor?" She runs her finger back and forth over the desk. "Um, second floor. With my husband," she giggles. "Doesn't that sound funny?" "Well then you are in either 208 or 209, were you in the room at the end of the hall or the one next to the end? Are you OK miss, you seem a bit out of sorts, should I send someone to get your husband?" Ruby giggles again. "Oh NO. My [i]husband[/i] would be FURIOUS that I forgot which room we were in." She takes another quick peek to verify 201 is the empty room then smiles at the clerk. "Thanks for being so concerned though." She winks at him then heads back up the stairs. Victor scratches his head and wonders what the rest of their stay will be like. [i]If I were married to her I wouldn't let her out of my sight![/i] he thinks to himself. Instead of going to the third floor she stops in front of room 201. She checks the hallway both ways, and when she is sure no one is looking she puts an ear to it and listens. No sounds come to her from behind it. Still sure no one is watching, she quickly pulls her handy little tools out of her bodice and carefully and quietly tries to pick the lock on the door. Ruby works on the lock but has a hard time. She tries to force the pick and hears a dreadful 'plink' as the pick breaks off in the keyhole. "Dammit!" She continues to swear under her breath as she works with the other tools to get the broken piece out of the lock. It takes Ruby the better part of a minute and she is breaking a sweat before she is finally able to get the broken pick out of the lock. Just as she does so she hears footsteps coming towards her from downstairs. Ruby stands tall and hides her hands with the picks in it behind her back. An angelic innocent looking smile comes to her face as she waits to see who is coming. [/QUOTE]
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"Here There Be Vampires" A Promise City, Arizona Story Hour
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