[VtR][Mature] Born into Darkness: Arc 1

[industrygothica]

Everything seems to move in slow-motion as Beth tries desperately to break free of Diego's grip. She claws at his hands and snaps her new fangs, but she's just not strong enough.

And then when the guy with the crowbar puts his boot into the door, she realizes it. That's the guy... sword guy A million thoughts go through her head in the eternity it takes the door to slam close. Thank him... Kill him...

The hot embers were flying everywhere, pieces of burning ash floating down into her hair. Strange how quickly the smell of burnt flesh assaults one's senses. And then she crashed through the door, setting the alarm to ringing. Dazed and confused, alone in the cool night. And then there's nothing...

When she awoke from her reverie Diego was still holding her. She wasn't sure if he was holding her back still, or if he was holding her up now, but she was thankful for it either way.

"I don't know what happened," she whispered to him, thinking she ought to be catching her breath now, if she had been breathing. "I... I think I know him. He saved me once. At least I think he did."

 

[Graf]

Outside Blackcoat's Mansion
Nice continues to talk quietly with Oscar.
At length Oscar's fangs retract and his face loses its bestial cast.

Beth and Diego stand quietly.Diego stands quietly as Beth makes her announcement and regains her composure.
[sblock=Beth]
Though your memory is fragmented you believe you met the-man-with-the-swords months ago during the summer. Before you were embraced (as the vampires apparently call it).[/sblock]

Inside Blackcoat's Mansion
Biggs leans his shoulder back up against the door. He can hear Nice talking down that kid as well as a snatch of Beth is saying. "know him... saved me once..."

[sblock=Biggs]That is where he knows her from. That freako ceremony with the jerk with the knife. Biggs wouldn't forget that easily. Biggs believes his fight with WJ probably happened a couple of days, maybe a week ago.[/sblock]

The Car to the Mansion
Cole and Archer are settled into the back of a comfortable old style vehicle. Once they are inside the driver heads off without a word.

The car makes speedy time and is soon winding through the wilderness to the northwest.

[sblock=Cole]
Cole has ridden with this man, or someone like him, fairly frequently on his "feeding runs". If history serves the man has been dominated to the point that conversation is virtually impossible.[/sblock]

 

[Festy_Dog]

"...and that's how it was last time I had checked, but I have no idea how long I've been out of the loop, which is why I asked if you knew the date. There's been a lot of political maneuvering amongst the new and old guard, but no outright conflict yet for control of the company. That information is old though, and I don't know what changes have taken place while I was MIA. Admittedly my position was a product of revamping efforts by the new guard, so it's probably in my best interests that they succeed if I want job security."

Archer, wary of the driver overhearing, explained to Cole in hushed terms what the company had been like in recent times, within the bounds of his knowledge.

 

[Graf]

[sblock=Cole]There was no "company" when you, Lamb and Fitz in operation together. It the whole thing was built on shoestrings, bailing wire and Fitz's remarkable ability to forge signatures.[/sblock]

 

[Graf]

Outside Blackcoat's Mansion
Nice finishes talking Oscar down and turns to the sturdy double doors.

"Open the door! We're going to have a vampire to vampire conversation."

Inside Blackcoat's Mansion
Biggs can clearly hear Nice through the door.

 

[WarShrike]

Biggs opens the door and steps back a ways. "Fine, let's chat. Oh, hey, you wouldn't have anything to drink in here, would you?"

 

[OnlytheStrong]

Diego leans over to Beth, "Don't suppose you know what in the hell is going on do ya?"

 

[Graf]

Inside Blackcoat's Mansion

Nice enters the mansion waving for Beth, Diego and Oscar to follow him.

He leads the group through a relatively dust-free corridor and an empty kitchen toward a large steel door, like the sort for a walk-in freezer.
There's blood in there. But first we're gonna have ourselves a conversation.

Nice looks around the room. I'm going to just cut to the chase. There are a bunch of rules that all kindred or damned or whatever you feel like calling yourselves follow. I am not gonna tell you to follow them. But you're gonna hear what they are.

 

[OnlytheStrong]

Diego shifts his weight impatiently. This was almost as being back in jail. At least there he was respected and feared.

 

[WarShrike]

Biggs examines his co-vamps while waiting for Nice to get to the point. He briefly glances at Beth with a sad expression, then shifts back to Nice. "Get on with it. The suspense would be killing me if i wasn't already dead."