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"Here There Be Vampires" A Promise City, Arizona Story Hour
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<blockquote data-quote="orchid blossom" data-source="post: 2780197" data-attributes="member: 12815"><p>Ruby drinks hard and quickly, knowing this is her only shot at getting any real relaxation or rest. She blows off any worried glances or comments from her friends, and hopes they never ever have to be in her situation. </p><p></p><p>Luckily the bottle was mostly full and Jake was going light on the drinking. </p><p></p><p>With half the bottle gone Ruby finally relaxes and she goes outside to get some air.</p><p></p><p>A handsome, well dressed, middle aged, thickly built man sporting a heavy mustache and smoking a cigar follows Ruby out the door. </p><p></p><p>"Pardon me miss, but I couldn't help but notice you inside there. You must be new to town because someone who looked like you, well I would have remembered seeing you around. My name's Edwin, Frank Edwin." he says, giving a slight bow to Ruby.</p><p></p><p>Ruby's head was spinning slightly from the quick consumption of bourbon. She squints for a moment and holds out her hand. "It's nice to meet you Edwin. Ruby West," she gets out without slurring. "Of Promise City, Arizona. Are we still in Arizona?" she hiccups.</p><p></p><p>"Arizona? Afraid not miss... you're in New Mexico now. Albuquerque, to be more precise. Maybe you had better slow down with that bottle, you seem to be quite intoxicated. Perhaps you should sit? The air out here is lovely, let me get you a chair from inside, be just a moment." </p><p></p><p>The stranger does as he promised and gets Ruby a high-backed chair from the saloon and offers her a seat.</p><p></p><p>"New Mexico!" Ruby exclaims. "Huh, that's interesting." She gladly sits on the offered chair, almost falling off as she tires to get her foot up underneath herself. </p><p></p><p>"Yes, it's beautiful." She takes a deep breath in. "I am a creature of the night, I must admit. I especially love the stars." </p><p></p><p>"Edwin, what are you doing here in New Mexico?"</p><p></p><p>"Well ma'am, I happen to run a high end barbershop for the male population of our fine little city." Edwin replies. </p><p></p><p>"You like the stars you say? Well then look right over there, that there is Orion's belt, and that is ..." Edwin continues pointing out several constellations in the open night sky in an obvious attempt to impress Ruby.</p><p></p><p>Ruby is impressed, even though the stars look blurry and she has no idea what she's looking at. Squinting up at the sky she says, "Where did you learn all that?" Her gaze falls back on the man as she sways in her chair.</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p>Kate tucked her things away in the hotel room and changed into a fancier dress to go next door to the saloon. Once there, she didn’t immediately join the others instead sitting at the bar to sip a glass of wine and chatter away with the patrons. </p><p></p><p>When her glass is refilled, she leaned over to the bartender and whispered conspiratorially, “I don’t suppose you’ve been a strikingly handsome blonde man with the iciest blue eyes ever in the last few days, have you? I met him a few days ago and a friend told me he headed this way. I thought, if he’s still in town….”</p><p></p><p>"Sorry ma'am, but if there is anyone I'd be remembering it ain't a he if you get what I mean. We get a lot of folks in and out of this place but I can't say that I recall seeing someone who matches your description."</p><p></p><p>“I don't suppose you would at that," she said and smiled. "Although I think I'll remember <em>you</em>," she said with another smile over her shoulder as the slid off the stool to stroll around the room.</p><p></p><p>The bartender smiles at Maddie's comment and watches her stroll away. He calls one of the waitresses over and scrawls a hasty note. He reaches up high above the bar to the top shelf and grabs a bottle and pours a glass from it. The waitress winks and in a sultry voice says "She must be a special one, I'll bring this over right away." </p><p></p><p>The waitress follows Miss Anders around the room until she catches up with her. She taps her on the shoulder and says "I think our bartender fancies you, this is for you." she says handing over a glass of wine and the note."</p><p></p><p>"Thanks," Kate said brightly and turned slightly to open the note. It reads "I like your smile, perhaps you can wait around for me and I can show you some of the better late night places around here?"</p><p></p><p>“Well, now I know why Fanny was always in trouble," she muttered to herself, thinking of the girl from boarding school she had been emulating all day. Unsure how to answer this, she looked back and the bartender and smiled, looking up from under her eyelashes. </p><p></p><p>She made her way over to where the others were sitting. "My new friends, hello! I seem to have made a lot of friends lately." She leaned forward and whispered, "The bartender wants to take me out later... "</p><p></p><p>Chester smiles. "Evening, Madeline. Come and sit a spell." He whispers in her ear, "Do you think he's up to no good? One of us can trail you if you're going out with him."</p><p></p><p>"No, I don't think he's up to anything but taking a girl out, which can be it's own trouble," she said in a matching whisper as she sat down. "I might be able to dig something up about Turner if I go with him. I'll go if one of you will tail us. That's a good idea, Chester."</p><p></p><p>Chester laughs, as though he heard a joke. "I just told the others that Turner's luggage went on the stage to Thomaswell yesterday. If you go, be careful. Since Jake has to look after Ruby, I'll follow you. By the way, where is she?"</p><p></p><p>She raised her voice to a normal tone. "Your pretty red-haired friend? She stepped out on the porch. To get some air, I imagine."</p><p></p><p>As she goes outside Jake continues to watch Ruby but moves quickly to speak with Minerva in a hushed tone. "Senorita, usted debe detectar si hay una brujería en rubí!"*</p><p>*you must detect if there is a sorcery on Ruby</p><p></p><p>"Something is very wrong. I must know if she is battling personal demons or does that fiend still have a hold on her. You must do it tonight somehow." Jake is looking nervous and glancing out the door towards Ruby and back to the priestess. "Please, Senorita," he pleads. Without waiting for her answer he walks outside, the unbuttoned flaps of his duster spreading wide with his quick pace.</p><p></p><p>Ruby smiles widely when she sees Jake. "Hey... Guess what? We're learning about the stars. I love the stars. Our stars. Come and meet Edwin.</p><p></p><p>Minerva stands and drops her napkin on the table. She turns to Nanuet and says pointedly, "I could use some air. Would you escort me outside, Nanuet? It is too smoky in here. I would like to go now, por favor." </p><p></p><p>Nanuet looks at Minerva questioningly but says nothing. He takes her arm and leads her out the door. She spots Ruby with her friend and Jake and casually strolls over with Nanuet. "Buenos Noches, Ruby, Jake." The priestess places her hand lightly on Ruby's shoulder in a friendly manner. "Who is your friend?" she casts detect magic while Nanuet and Jake engage Ruby and her new friend in conversation.</p><p></p><p>Ruby giggles. "You already know Jake Senorita, don't be silly." She looks around at the disbelieving faces. "OOhhhh you mean Edwin... This is Edwin. She faces him, "Edwin these are my friends." </p><p></p><p>Ruby doesn't notice when Minerva places a hand on her shoulder, but a sudden tingle comes over her. She suddenly crosses her arms across her chest and shivers, her actions breaking Minerva's grip on her. "Did you feel that? It's getting cold out here."</p><p></p><p>"Good evening Edwin," Jake says in a confident tone, "I'm Al--- um Jake." He offers the man his hand. "The young lady and I have spent many an evening admiring the stars. Mighty neighborly of you to share you knowledge with my girl."</p><p></p><p>"Your girl? Pardon me then, I had no idea. Please excuse me, I have something I have to take care of inside." The stranger leaves the porch in a hurry, his face quite red.</p><p></p><p>"Well," Ruby says huffy, "Alumjake you scared my new friend away. Now how am I going to learn about the stars?" She hiccups. She glances around the area quickly again, "Do you feel that?" With another shiver she says, "I think I need another drink."</p><p></p><p>Nanuet who had followed Minerva out to the porch spoke up "I think you've had enough to drink already Miss Ruby. We need to have our wits about us tomorrow if we are heading to Thomaswell. Who knows what will greet us there. Jake, maybe we should head back to the hotel, settle in for the night."</p><p></p><p>Ruby slides off her chair. With a slight edge in her voice she replies, "Well, Mr. Nanuet, I appreciate your concern but since you're neither my <em>husband</em> or my <em>father</em> you can't tell me what to do." She wobbly reaches down to the floor and picks up her bottle of bourbon. She holds it up and toasts, "Cheers!" and takes another drink before wandering out into the street.</p><p></p><p>Nanuet shakes his head and looks at Jake. "Well my friend, looks like you are in for a long night." He then looks back at Minerva and says "Well, how would you like to spend the rest of the evening? Nothing elaborate like last night, but maybe some relaxing and rest?"</p><p></p><p>As Ruby wanders off into the night Minerva takes Jake by the arm and whispers into his ear. "Senor, I do not see any sorcery affecting her, though she does carry something on her upper left leg." </p><p></p><p>Jake takes that in and pauses a moment. "Gracias." He glances at the wobbly and receding red head, "We'll likely be very late. I'm getting accustomed to being out late now anyway. I expect we'll be taking at least some of our rest during the daylight hours soon anyway. I'll likely sleep on the stage." With that Jake nods and trails off after Ruby. </p><p></p><p>"So Miss West, what say we see what this city looks like?"</p><p></p><p>Ruby gives Jake a crooked smile and takes his arm tightly in hers. "Good idea lover, you're so smart." She takes a sip from her bottle then offers it to Jake. </p><p></p><p>They wander up and down the streets of the busy city, Jake trying to steer Ruby away from any potential trouble. She keeps trying to look up at the stars, and each time she gets closer to falling over. "You know, no matter where we go the stars always follow us. They must like us." They quietly continue their meandering through the streets, Ruby occasionally pointing out things she likes in windows, or laughing over some drunk person making a fool of themself. She stops to pet some scruffy stray dog before the continue on their way. </p><p></p><p>Out of no where Ruby announces, "I'm hungry! Let's get a snack and keep the stars company."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="orchid blossom, post: 2780197, member: 12815"] Ruby drinks hard and quickly, knowing this is her only shot at getting any real relaxation or rest. She blows off any worried glances or comments from her friends, and hopes they never ever have to be in her situation. Luckily the bottle was mostly full and Jake was going light on the drinking. With half the bottle gone Ruby finally relaxes and she goes outside to get some air. A handsome, well dressed, middle aged, thickly built man sporting a heavy mustache and smoking a cigar follows Ruby out the door. "Pardon me miss, but I couldn't help but notice you inside there. You must be new to town because someone who looked like you, well I would have remembered seeing you around. My name's Edwin, Frank Edwin." he says, giving a slight bow to Ruby. Ruby's head was spinning slightly from the quick consumption of bourbon. She squints for a moment and holds out her hand. "It's nice to meet you Edwin. Ruby West," she gets out without slurring. "Of Promise City, Arizona. Are we still in Arizona?" she hiccups. "Arizona? Afraid not miss... you're in New Mexico now. Albuquerque, to be more precise. Maybe you had better slow down with that bottle, you seem to be quite intoxicated. Perhaps you should sit? The air out here is lovely, let me get you a chair from inside, be just a moment." The stranger does as he promised and gets Ruby a high-backed chair from the saloon and offers her a seat. "New Mexico!" Ruby exclaims. "Huh, that's interesting." She gladly sits on the offered chair, almost falling off as she tires to get her foot up underneath herself. "Yes, it's beautiful." She takes a deep breath in. "I am a creature of the night, I must admit. I especially love the stars." "Edwin, what are you doing here in New Mexico?" "Well ma'am, I happen to run a high end barbershop for the male population of our fine little city." Edwin replies. "You like the stars you say? Well then look right over there, that there is Orion's belt, and that is ..." Edwin continues pointing out several constellations in the open night sky in an obvious attempt to impress Ruby. Ruby is impressed, even though the stars look blurry and she has no idea what she's looking at. Squinting up at the sky she says, "Where did you learn all that?" Her gaze falls back on the man as she sways in her chair. * * * Kate tucked her things away in the hotel room and changed into a fancier dress to go next door to the saloon. Once there, she didn’t immediately join the others instead sitting at the bar to sip a glass of wine and chatter away with the patrons. When her glass is refilled, she leaned over to the bartender and whispered conspiratorially, “I don’t suppose you’ve been a strikingly handsome blonde man with the iciest blue eyes ever in the last few days, have you? I met him a few days ago and a friend told me he headed this way. I thought, if he’s still in town….” "Sorry ma'am, but if there is anyone I'd be remembering it ain't a he if you get what I mean. We get a lot of folks in and out of this place but I can't say that I recall seeing someone who matches your description." “I don't suppose you would at that," she said and smiled. "Although I think I'll remember [i]you[/i]," she said with another smile over her shoulder as the slid off the stool to stroll around the room. The bartender smiles at Maddie's comment and watches her stroll away. He calls one of the waitresses over and scrawls a hasty note. He reaches up high above the bar to the top shelf and grabs a bottle and pours a glass from it. The waitress winks and in a sultry voice says "She must be a special one, I'll bring this over right away." The waitress follows Miss Anders around the room until she catches up with her. She taps her on the shoulder and says "I think our bartender fancies you, this is for you." she says handing over a glass of wine and the note." "Thanks," Kate said brightly and turned slightly to open the note. It reads "I like your smile, perhaps you can wait around for me and I can show you some of the better late night places around here?" “Well, now I know why Fanny was always in trouble," she muttered to herself, thinking of the girl from boarding school she had been emulating all day. Unsure how to answer this, she looked back and the bartender and smiled, looking up from under her eyelashes. She made her way over to where the others were sitting. "My new friends, hello! I seem to have made a lot of friends lately." She leaned forward and whispered, "The bartender wants to take me out later... " Chester smiles. "Evening, Madeline. Come and sit a spell." He whispers in her ear, "Do you think he's up to no good? One of us can trail you if you're going out with him." "No, I don't think he's up to anything but taking a girl out, which can be it's own trouble," she said in a matching whisper as she sat down. "I might be able to dig something up about Turner if I go with him. I'll go if one of you will tail us. That's a good idea, Chester." Chester laughs, as though he heard a joke. "I just told the others that Turner's luggage went on the stage to Thomaswell yesterday. If you go, be careful. Since Jake has to look after Ruby, I'll follow you. By the way, where is she?" She raised her voice to a normal tone. "Your pretty red-haired friend? She stepped out on the porch. To get some air, I imagine." As she goes outside Jake continues to watch Ruby but moves quickly to speak with Minerva in a hushed tone. "Senorita, usted debe detectar si hay una brujería en rubí!"* *you must detect if there is a sorcery on Ruby "Something is very wrong. I must know if she is battling personal demons or does that fiend still have a hold on her. You must do it tonight somehow." Jake is looking nervous and glancing out the door towards Ruby and back to the priestess. "Please, Senorita," he pleads. Without waiting for her answer he walks outside, the unbuttoned flaps of his duster spreading wide with his quick pace. Ruby smiles widely when she sees Jake. "Hey... Guess what? We're learning about the stars. I love the stars. Our stars. Come and meet Edwin. Minerva stands and drops her napkin on the table. She turns to Nanuet and says pointedly, "I could use some air. Would you escort me outside, Nanuet? It is too smoky in here. I would like to go now, por favor." Nanuet looks at Minerva questioningly but says nothing. He takes her arm and leads her out the door. She spots Ruby with her friend and Jake and casually strolls over with Nanuet. "Buenos Noches, Ruby, Jake." The priestess places her hand lightly on Ruby's shoulder in a friendly manner. "Who is your friend?" she casts detect magic while Nanuet and Jake engage Ruby and her new friend in conversation. Ruby giggles. "You already know Jake Senorita, don't be silly." She looks around at the disbelieving faces. "OOhhhh you mean Edwin... This is Edwin. She faces him, "Edwin these are my friends." Ruby doesn't notice when Minerva places a hand on her shoulder, but a sudden tingle comes over her. She suddenly crosses her arms across her chest and shivers, her actions breaking Minerva's grip on her. "Did you feel that? It's getting cold out here." "Good evening Edwin," Jake says in a confident tone, "I'm Al--- um Jake." He offers the man his hand. "The young lady and I have spent many an evening admiring the stars. Mighty neighborly of you to share you knowledge with my girl." "Your girl? Pardon me then, I had no idea. Please excuse me, I have something I have to take care of inside." The stranger leaves the porch in a hurry, his face quite red. "Well," Ruby says huffy, "Alumjake you scared my new friend away. Now how am I going to learn about the stars?" She hiccups. She glances around the area quickly again, "Do you feel that?" With another shiver she says, "I think I need another drink." Nanuet who had followed Minerva out to the porch spoke up "I think you've had enough to drink already Miss Ruby. We need to have our wits about us tomorrow if we are heading to Thomaswell. Who knows what will greet us there. Jake, maybe we should head back to the hotel, settle in for the night." Ruby slides off her chair. With a slight edge in her voice she replies, "Well, Mr. Nanuet, I appreciate your concern but since you're neither my [i]husband[/i] or my [i]father[/i] you can't tell me what to do." She wobbly reaches down to the floor and picks up her bottle of bourbon. She holds it up and toasts, "Cheers!" and takes another drink before wandering out into the street. Nanuet shakes his head and looks at Jake. "Well my friend, looks like you are in for a long night." He then looks back at Minerva and says "Well, how would you like to spend the rest of the evening? Nothing elaborate like last night, but maybe some relaxing and rest?" As Ruby wanders off into the night Minerva takes Jake by the arm and whispers into his ear. "Senor, I do not see any sorcery affecting her, though she does carry something on her upper left leg." Jake takes that in and pauses a moment. "Gracias." He glances at the wobbly and receding red head, "We'll likely be very late. I'm getting accustomed to being out late now anyway. I expect we'll be taking at least some of our rest during the daylight hours soon anyway. I'll likely sleep on the stage." With that Jake nods and trails off after Ruby. "So Miss West, what say we see what this city looks like?" Ruby gives Jake a crooked smile and takes his arm tightly in hers. "Good idea lover, you're so smart." She takes a sip from her bottle then offers it to Jake. They wander up and down the streets of the busy city, Jake trying to steer Ruby away from any potential trouble. She keeps trying to look up at the stars, and each time she gets closer to falling over. "You know, no matter where we go the stars always follow us. They must like us." They quietly continue their meandering through the streets, Ruby occasionally pointing out things she likes in windows, or laughing over some drunk person making a fool of themself. She stops to pet some scruffy stray dog before the continue on their way. Out of no where Ruby announces, "I'm hungry! Let's get a snack and keep the stars company." [/QUOTE]
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