{V:tM - IC} New York by Night

[Tory Adore]

Laughing with Jemal as they exit the club, Vych follows his lead and wraps her arm about his waist as they continue to the car.

As she places herself comfortably in the Mustang, Vych answers with a blushing to her cheeks and a smile,
“How is it that you make me blush so? That was very kind of you to say, but the dress tonight will be relaxed, and this sweater just won’t do. Picture a steamy Moroccan paradise.”
She glances down at the white angora plucking it off her chest letting it fall back against her and then looks back up to Jemal.
” For now I live above the club actually so we can head straight there. It won’t take but a moment to change, and everything else is in place and ready to go at my command. Whatever you desire or request shall be provided for you.”
Vych says as she does a little middle-eastern flourish to help get her in the mood of the party. Her fingers touch her forehead, then her lips, next her chest, slightly extending an open palm nodding her head in Jemal’s direction and finishing by placing her hand gently on the console between them.

” I would like to get out more too. Starting this club has kept me way to busy I’m afraid, and I have yet to explore New York. This was definitely a great start! I love people, to dance, to go for drives, parties and clubs, and it seems I have gotten them all this eve. You showed me some very beautiful sites tonight Jemal. Thank you.”
Vych smiles wide and turns her body back into her seat resting her head back as she runs through her mental check list making sure nothing, not one thing, is out of place or hasn’t been taken care of. Thinking to herself as her smile fades from her mouth, “I hope this evening goes extremely well. It just must…it has to…for Carrick.”

 

[Catulle]

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

The two elders within had moved to more comfortable seats, on opposite sides of a great, empty fireplace. Carrick was already looking towards the doors by the time they opened, softly bumping against the retainers in the still of Nathaniel's sanctum. The air inside was warm, despite the lack of visible heaters in a way which made Cate feel quite drowsy considering her exertion.

In Caitlyn's wake, and perhaps six paces behind, Mr Cooper stepped quietly in behind the mortal. He assumed a ready position by the doors, yet managed to keep his eyes averted from the group.

Nathan stood as Sabrina rushed him, putting out a hand to his niece, and affording her a thin smile. "I trust that the lesson was both educational and pleasing," he began, as his hooded eyes swept up to ensnare Caitlyn's, "the first of many, Ms Tran?"

(OOC - Carrick man/subterfuge vs Sabrina and Caitlyn per/subterfuge - 7,7,5,4,2 vs 10,9,9,4,3 and 5,2; Sabrina nets 1 success)

Carrick remained seated, his expression indistinct though the Toreador, as ever, radiated a kind of quiet confidence. To Sabrina's eyes, he seemed a little more intent on Caitlyn than she expected, and as she was sure his eyes shifted momentarily, becoming unfocused and dilated as if dreaming, while Nathaniel continued.

"I feel Mr Ashton and I are now adequately prepared for some later business. If you are unengaged, Ms Tran, you are most welcome to accompany us out for the evening. In fact, I would consider it a peronal honour." He looked down again from the singer back to Sabrina's tiny form, "I also think that you and I should speak awhile before we depart, do you not, Sabrina?"

 

[Shalimar]

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

Sabrina smiles brightly as she takes her uncle's hand. "Yes, we had a whole lot of fun. It was really really great. She said she'd come to my party too, isn't that great?" She asks positively bouncing in excitement.

Her heart-shaped face was positively flushed with excitement. She was going to get to go out with Nathan and Carrick wherever it was that they were going, and Cate was gonna go with them, could things get any better for her? She had thought that this would be the end of the night for her, Nathan hadn't taken her out since she had become a vampire, except for the party, and that had been special.

She wondered where Nathan and Carrick were going to take her and Cate, and the thought drew her attention to the Toreador. She thought he was just a little bit weird, and that wasn't helped by the look he was giving Cate. "Please say you'll come Cate, please?" she pleads with her best needy puppy look, one of the child's most valuable tools.

Her uncle's belief that he and she should speak was a little disconcerting. She hadn't reall meant to use her disciplines, it just sort of happened. But maybe he didn't know, she thought brightly, maybe he just wants to tell me about my party, and she could ask him all about how she had made Cate do exactly what she said. The little girl nodded in agreement that they should talk. She released te hand that she had pulled Cate along with, and stepped in closer to her patriarch. "Up please." she said trying to get him to lift her up in his arms. She knew people didn't yell as much if they were holding you.

 

[Festy_Dog]

Max looks around for a moment further, making sure David wasn't there.

"Did David say anything about going ahead of us or something?" he asks the others, "I thought he'd stick around with us, but then again if he assumes we're capable enough on our own thats all well and good. Where do we want to go people? My suggestion is that we head down towards the weak yellow light over there, ascertain the situation then try to find David before we attempt to deal with any nasties who might also be here."

But what if we don't find him, how do we deal with the nasties then? If its lupines I doubt we'd need permission to kill them, plenty of assistance but not permission. Two teams of two, and Nikolai was kind enough to loan me his shotgun. We're fine and I guess the others have their own means. I mean, a sword cane, where on earth could you get one? I thought they were just in movies and stuff, heh, like they were too kewl for real life. On the other hand, you could say being a vampire had nothing to do with 'real life'. If we're putting down wild animals I need not worry about controlling myself. Thats a relief.

 

[KitanaVorr]

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

That pale aristocratic hand reaching out for the child jumpstarted Caitlyn's mind from its hazy fog, recalling an age-old poet to her mind.

This living hand, be conscience-damned -- see here it is -- I hold it towards you.

Now why had she thought of that particular poem? And that particular poet? Why had that come to mind as she watched Nathaniel Montague.

And then those eyes trapping her with their piercing gaze, asking a question that for a moment she couldn't find the answer to. "Many more lessons, Mr. Montague," she agreed distractedly. "But this first one is free, a taste of what shall come."

But then his request took her by surprise. Come with them? Why did he want her to accompany them? Personal honor? Only the barest hint of a rose hue tinted her skin at his words. Was this what Jemal was hinting at?

As soon as Sabrina spoke though, Caitlyn's attention immediately riveted on the child's face, swelling in her mind with the song and the words. It was starting to be too much...why did her head feel as if it had been pulled, pushed and spread in so many directions tonight?

"Yes, I'll come with you," the young woman agreed, finding it difficult to say no to both the child and her uncle despite her reservations.

Was this a sneaky way to try and get her be the child's babysitter while the two men caroused? If so...Cate felt her streak of stubborness rising. If so, employer or no employer, Nathaniel Montague would get a few choice lyrical words from this songwriter.

Or maybe she could ask him for a favor in return.

 

[reapersaurus]

Nikolai thanks Max for the boost, and lands down from the wall, thinking to himself, "Sheesh - and back in the day, I used to be strong enough to climb pretty much anything.... although climbing was never my _thing_.
I'll have to 'work out' some when I get some time from my studies."

He looks around him, quickly spying David hiding within the cloak of Obfuscation's bosom, he surmised [Kindred Lore].

He surreptitiously acknowledges the scourge's presence with a wink/gesture, while taking a moment to absorb the atmosphere and surroundings -
the dilapidated graveyard was quite the sight, the spooky atmosphere a perfect foil for the night's sense of dread and foreboding.

Nikolai replies softly to Max, "I'm sure that David will meet us on the way, if he wishes to.

Maybe he wants to see how we do on our own?

I think your suggestion is sound, Maxwell.

But it's not that weak of yellow light..."

Nikolai walks 'point', peering thru the gloom, ears piercing the quiet, sniffing on the breeze.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Gabriel, a step behind Nikolai, and only a step ahead of Legba. He had his cane at his side, one hand on the "sheath", the other on the hilt of the blade ready to draw in a moment's notice.

Like those of a feral animal, Gabriel's ice blue eyes glimmered in the dim light. He walked softly, taking in his surroundings.

Why would David skip ahead?

His grip tightened on the sword's hilt. He knew enough about the Sabbat, first hand, to know that they could be walking into a very deadly situation.

 

[Catulle]

Frederick Douglas Memorial Cemetery, Staten Island
Wednesday 11th December, 2002

The scent of decay was on the air, they could all sense it as the sharp, crisp breeze carried the smell towards them. Nikolai could taste the bittersweet rot on his tongue, feel the cloying hand of death about him. It emanated, clearly, from the valley that lay, silent, before them.

As they moved, Gabriel became aware of another presence, flanking the coterie's movements. He was about to react when a shaft of weak moonlight revealed the scourge's features for a fraction of a second, paralleling the neonates' movements, knife in hand and crouched low. It looked as if he would remain a little behind Nikolai, but far to the group's left. All semblence of human mores had fled from the Malkavian, now, and he moved like an animal in the night; swift, silent and predatory.

Nikolai could hear every rustle of his group's movement, the creak of Max's boots, the near-silent rattle of the sword concealed in Gabriel's cane - everything. Too-loud, but still softer than the harsh breathing coming from the figure stood by a portable light in the midst of the valley. The impurity and wet echo to the sound testified to his recently having been sick.

The graves in the dip were in total disarray, torn up here and there as if by force majeur, bones strewn across the charnel-field and parhaps a dozen corpses in a variety of states of putrefaction and integrity ripped free of the earth, to lie exposed and naked on the bloody earth. A bare tree stood in the midst of it all, and in drawing closer, a man's form was hooked to it, branches forced hard through flesh and muscle alike; one bloodied bough protruded from his chest and had been broken off.

A portable light threw illumination up onto the tree, as a figure dressed as a police officer cast it upwards, towards the body that hung there. His posture radiated unease, and such was his concentration that he paid no heed to the approach of the Kindred.

Above the victim's head was hung a wooden plaque, lettering indistinct in the shadow. Lodged in the tip of the broken branch, and sprayed red with blood, was a single white rose.

 

[Catulle]

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

"Free? But, dear lady, it would be churlish of me to refuse this gift yet at the same time ingratious of me not to extend my thanks for the favour you have shown my house. You have me in quite the quandry." The ghost of a smile graced Nathaniel's mouth but briefly. "Now I must insist that you accompany me out this evening; it is the least I could to to repay my family's debt to you." At Cate's acquiescence, the gentleman's poise softened to a more relaxed stance, as he extended that cool hand to take hers. The smile returned, warm where his flesh was not and he added with a bow of his head, "I thank you."

Carrick's gaze returned to focus as Sabrina watched him, and a whisper passed his lips at that moment that only Sabrina, by virtue of her height, was in a position to hear, "Bright star! Would that I were as steadfast as thou art...". He glanced across to Sabrina, and the smile he gave her was tinged with the hint of a deeper, painful death. The Toreador's eyes lead her own towards her uncle, and he raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Would that I could walk the mind, Sabrina. Things would be so straightforward then."

It was then that Nathaniel picked the child up, bringing her to his eye level as Carrick rose as well. "We must take some time together now; there are things you must know about tonight's company. And of other matters" Her uncle's tone at the second part did not indicate his pleasure.

(OOC - Carrick Awe - 7,7,5,3,2,1 - 1 success, affecting Caitlyn)

Cailyn found Carrick by her side, the sharply dressed man's casual confidence was infectious after a fashion, and the smile he threw her simply radiant. "I think it's time to take our leave for a moment, don't you? If you'd like to accompany me to the drawing room, I think I could find us a little something to drink..." He offered Cate his arm, "And you must tell me about the fortunes of the Kindred - Vychtorya was really quite taken by your performance at the bar and grill and I think you've a fan there."

 

[KitanaVorr]

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

Nathaniel's hand touched hers and Caitlyn could feel the warmth of her skin leech into his, affording it a bit of heat merely by contact and chilling hers in return to her heart but none of that appeared in the soft smile on her lips. The poet's words came upon her again -- not conscience-calmed - but certainly damned as she had first thought. And yet she did not want to let him go, only doing so reluctantly when he moved to pick Sabrina up.

Her mouth opened almost in automatic response to Nathan's tone of displeasure, feeling a sudden need to defend Sabrina -- perhaps a note of that song ringing in her ears and melding her with the child's own uneasiness pulling her so. But then suddenly Carrick Ashton was there and the music that rang with him troubled and exalted her all the same.

This strong music - this beautiful and beauty making power.

Caught within the infectious song that rolled along the handsome features of the man beside her, Caitlyn felt herself being pulled away from Sabrina's allure. But unlike the sweet purity of the child's song, this man's, though beautiful, weaved within it the uneasy strains of the memories - strains that connected him with Vychtorya Farychyld gaze -- and tainted his desires.

Yet she placed her slender hand upon his arm as she dismissed the thought, enthralled with his infectious song. How could she think those things of someone who seemed so nice? And yet it stung in swift strikes, darting in places when her mind wasn't occupied by Carrick's music -- reminding her that something was wrong.

"Yes, of course. I'd love to accompany you." Maybe a drink is what you need to put your thoughts in order -- or maybe not such a good idea

At the mention of Vychtorya's name, Caitlyn's fingers tightened on Carrick's arm as the terror began to roll over her in faint memory my name is Vychtorya... remember it...it would behoove you not to dismiss me thrice Whatever color she had on her cheeks from thoughts of Nathaniel vanished.

"I don't believe she..." Caitlyn could not bring herself to say that name for fear of the return of the memory of that awful gaze again."...shares that opinion." Why did it frighten her so? Her voice continued on unsteadily as she forced her mind to focus on something else -- on her cold feet. "Please, could we go to the music room first? I left something there." Her fear gave way to embarrassment.