{V:tM - IC} New York by Night

[Shalimar]

Crown Plaza Hotel, Montague Family Suite
Wednesday December 11th, 2002

Nathaniel looked down at his neice indulgently, perhaps only a hint reproachfully, as she finished the glass. "But what would a young lady say?" He raised his eyebrows as he did so, alleviating the sternness of his sharp features as he weighed the half-empty decanter in his right hand.

Sabrina blushed at the question. It had been rather rude not to say please, but the blood was just soo tasty. "May I please have some more uncle Nathan?" she asks again for more, this time politely. She gives the glass one last lick before handing it back to Nathan, hoping he'll refill it.

"I know you said I can't have my friends at my party but can I have miss Vychtorya come over? She's very nice, and I like her a lot." She says smiling across the room at Vychtorya.

 

[KitanaVorr]

Somewhere on the streets of Manhattan
Wednesday, 11th December 2002

Caitlyn watched as the man moved across the street, taking with him the last of her money. When he entered the diner, her dark eyes widened and the gloom that had pervaded her thoughts lifted in the brightness of her song of hope, that moment of clarity in what had been a shadowy journey tonight.

Un bel di, vedremo

Everything felt a part of it, the hum of tires on the road, the air brushing past in cold frenzy. She could taste the song on her lips in the form of the icy frost that warmed with a puff of incandescent breath. A frost that wasn’t withering, that was damned from her touch.

Levarsi un fil di fumo
Sull´estremo confin del mare.

She laughed at the choice of music that chose to fill her mind…oh it was so glorious and yet so true! It felt like the whole of Manhattan sung to her, to take her mind away from it all, to a higher plane of wonderful. Her steps lightened, she began to move quickly, half-running, half-skipping.

E poi la nave appare.

Accompaniment, it needed accompaniment. It was only fair after all.

Poi la nave bianca
Entre nel porto.

Glorious voice echoed through the streets, melding with the sounds of Manhattan, lost within the music that was the city that swirled within her thoughts. She didn’t care who heard her, who stared, or who believed things of a young woman who sang with her heart upon the street.

Romba il suo saluto.

The wind cut through her cheeks, the effort sustained in her hurry bringing more color upon them, lighting her dark eyes alive with the fever of her music. Long black hair, thick and glorious, flew behind her, billowing in the wind like lustrous raven banner. With every step to the hotel, her song grew louder, more full, rolling about the streets around her in a thick blanket to temporarily alleviate those listening from their own dark secrets.

Vedi? È venuto!

And that was how she ended up there in their drawing room, waiting for the Montagues to come down from their perch to retrieve her. Frost melting upon her lips, the flush of exertion on her pale cheeks and the glow of fascination sparkled in her deep ebony eyes. A wild spirit flying in from the cold dark night to alight upon their home, looking so human and so very much alive.

 

[Vychtorya]

Crown Plaza Hotel, Montague Family Suite
Wednesday December 11th, 2002

He glanced to Vychrorya with a smile as he spoke, then returned his attention to Jemal, "I know my dearest Vychtorya has been trying to pry a hint of that from me these past nights..."

With a playful pouting lower lip, squinting her face up like a little girl, Vych says,
“Yes, tried I have. Yet I _STILL_ know nothing more than to have a suite set aside for you Carrick.”
Her lips curl into a little pout as she lowers her head and looks at Carrick and Jemal through her eyebrows as a teasing smile crosses her full lips.

"I know you said I can't have my friends at my party but can I have miss Vychtorya come over? She's very nice, and I like her a lot." She says smiling across the room at Vychtorya.

Vych, pleased that the possibly terrible and uncomfortable situation had corrected itself, when hearing Sabrina say her name, looks over and smiles very happily and friendly at the little girl.

 

[Jemal]

Crown Plaza Hotel, Montague Family Suite
Wednesday December 11th, 2002

Smiling again, Jemal accepts the hand and bows his head to Carrick respectfully. "I would be pleased to, sir. I think it would be a good idea.

He looks over to Sabrina and Nathan, a relieved feeling washing over him as his 'formal' smile melted into his more personal, half-smile 'I thought he'ld blow up or some such thing.. I never expected this.. Maybe he's getting over it, that would be great.' Jemals thoughts raced as he looked upon the 're-united' uncle and niece.

 

[Festy_Dog]

"I'd take the ferry but for the anarchs. Not that they're any real trouble, but slugging it out with them'd blow the discretion we were hoping for. Order of the night's investigation, not combat. Of course, if it's necessary..."

Max nods knowingly, surprised by the faith David has seemed to put into his martial ability.

"Investigation... I have a bit of experience in that. Glad to assist in any way I can really," he says.

Wow, sounds like Morgan had big praise for me. I hope I live up to the standards she set for me, heh. But anyway, this looks alright, a bit of investigation work won't be hard, I can handle myself pretty well in that department.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Gabriel's Story

Gabriel watched as the peculiar bum rushed to the bathroom, then turned his attention back to Nikolai. "Your not one for beating around the bush are you?" He only grinned slightly. "Alright, it looks like we are going to be spending a lot of time together, so you may as well know my story."

He paused a moment and looked around to make sure none where close enough to hear. Even then, he spoke softly so that a human would have a hard time hearing him even if he where sitting where Nikolai was. As an extra precaution, he covered his mouth discreetly so that even his lips couldn't be read.

"Just before the Camarilla took the city, I had been discovered by a vampire of House Goratrix*. He had plans to embrace me. Well... evidently, the siege forced him to hurry his plans. I was drug out of my home, and became a victim of a mass embrace. From what I remember, I along with several others, where embraced, somehow knocked out, and them buried alive."

He hesitated a moment, remembering the horror of the experience. "I alone survived to claw my way free of the earth. As a reward, I was taken into their pack."

"The very next night would be the end of my short stay with the Sabbat. The pack shared a common haven, and during the day ghouls of the Camarilla attacked us. Again I found myself the lone survivor. I awoke to find the apartment ablaze and the pack, along with my sire, had mostly been burned to final death by the flamethrowers the humans used. In a panic, I leaped from the third story window into the sunlight. Fortunately, I landed in the shadows of an alley and was able to find cover in the sewers. To my knowledge, the rest of the pack where destroyed."

Gabriel, usually very cool, was obviously ill at ease by the memories he was reliving. "A few weeks later, I came was discovered by Valentine. I told him of my situation and he helped me. He later took me to Aisling in the hopes that she could determine what clan I belonged to. Obviously she could. She nearly destroyed me before Valentine could explain how he found me."

"A great deal of torture, and an equal amount of mental violation finally convinced Aisling that my story was in fact true. I was later bound in entirety to the clan, as you no doubt have heard, and now I sit here with you as a full member of House Tremere. I hope my story puts your mind at ease."

*House Goratrix is just another name for the Tremere of the Sabbat for those of you who don’t know.

 

[Catulle]

Crown Plaza Hotel, Montague Family Suite
Wednesday December 11th, 2002

"How could I refuse such a gracious request?" Nathan reached down to take the glass back, this time draining the decanter to the last trickle, holding it upended above the thick crystal tumbler to catch every drop of the dark liquid. He brought himself down into a crouch, handing the brimming recepticle to Sabrina as he saw eye to eye with her. "See, Sabrina. Good conduct will bring its own rewards." He rose again to his full height, smiling genially, but as Jemal could see while his sister was absorbed with her meal, his eyes were chillingly cold in the shadow of his brow.

Carrick smoothed his hair back as he seemed to weigh Vychtorya's pleading expression, before laughing aloud "You see, Jemal? She's desperate to know, and much as it pains my soul to do so, I'll stay quiet on the matter. Later, my heart, later..."

It was at that point, with questions raised but few answers provided, that a bell rang from deep within the house. The signal to the Montagues that a guest had been received downstairs.

 

[Catulle]

Snared in Traffic over the East River
Wednesday December 11th, 2002

The engine idled smoothly as Gavid continued to drum his fingers on the wheel. He seemed lost in thought as, perhaps, he pondered Max's responses. Weighed him against some ideal? Judged him?

He fumbled in his pocket, snapping open the pocketwatch and glancing at it's face. From the seat next to the scourge, Max could see the time; 1:11. The dashboard LCD, lurid green in the dark, read 21:14. A quick flick of the fingers, and the watch returned to whichever pocket it had rested in before.

"Do you think yourself ready for sacrifice?" his voice came, soft and low against the ambient sound of the engine.

 

[KitanaVorr]

Crown Plaza Hotel, Montague Family Suite
Wednesday December 11th, 2002

The city never looked so beautiful than it did from so high up here. Lights twinkling across the expanse of city-scape, stars fallen to the earth and burning their glow into the paleness of human existence.

Reaching out with both her gentle hands she barely touched the window that covered one section of the immense drawing room. When she had entered, nothing came to mind, only the the window that she looked out of now, the window that she wanted to fly through.

She could hear the music even now, playing with each sparkle of the city's lights. It was the melody lulling her to them...so beautiful! Slender fingers traced the pattern of the blinking lights, one note after the next, hearing it play within her mind.

The moonlight couldn't compete with it, echoes of New York's luminescence echoing in her own velvety dark eyes. If only she could fly through the window! Throw herself into the melody and drift upon it to its completion. She could imagine the cold of the air against her, the warmth of music surrounding her, and the inevitable crashing crescendo that awaited the end of every beautiful piece.


There she stood in silence of the drawing room, and yet a silence so heavy with music only she could hear, her thoughts lost in a contemplation that few could break.

 

[Vychtorya]

Crown Plaza Hotel, Montague Family Suite
Wednesday December 11th, 2002

Carrick smoothed his hair back as he seemed to weigh Vychtorya's pleading expression, before laughing aloud "You see, Jemal? She's desperate to know, and much as it pains my soul to do so, I'll stay quiet on the matter. Later, my heart, later..."

Sighing at her playful battle lost, Vych turns and uncharacteristically flops herself down in one of the chairs, legs apart, hands resting on the arms of the chair, she leans her head back and looks up at the ceiling. Thinking to herself, "I wonder if Jemal will be going tonight...Oh well, wait and see V...wait and see." At hearing the bell, Vych brings her head forward.