((All that is written in Karina's Journal is for OOC knowledge only. She writes to her sister, Mercedes. Kacee has nagged her in the past about starting one because it would be better for her than bottling up her feelings...it is now nine months later and finally starting it. <.< She's a bit of a procrastinator when it comes to her thoughts and feelings.))
So...I'm going to give this stupid thing a try but hey!! At least I don't have a special custom pink journal that Kacee got you. I was able to pick out my own from Barnes & Noble and hides perfectly between the mattresses of the bed. Most wouldn't think to look there anymore for journals...or at least journals of adults...I think.
OMG!! I wished you were still here. It hasn't even been a full year that you and Raphael disappeared and yet I miss you both so very much each day. Malachai tried to get me to believe when you both first disappeared that maybe there was someone out there kidnapping vampires but after all this time, one would think that there would be a ransom note. I have made Velveteen worry because I fell comatose for awhile. I couldn't even kill anyone to keep my mind preoccupied so now, I am playing catch-up with my training. I will admit though that there are days that I resent you and Kacee for hooking me up with Raphael. Mainly because I loved him so much that I felt death itself when he vanished. I even had to declare his death. Malachai hasn't even spoken to me unless I intentionally break something in the apartment at Ivy Bluff just to make him come and fix it because you know...he became my landlord in Raphael's disappearance. It was strange really but it was worse when weird things started happening at home and I brought others over to use a power that could tell me who had been in my home and would you believe that it was Malachai and Phoenix. Psychometry is an amazing power, though I can't understand why the sudden cause of grief. It's not like they don't own a million and one places to live in. I have been on my best behavior when it comes to Phoenix. I haven't even attacked her and now...members of Tytonidae moved into help. Lia and Velveteen have bought me a new place. Lia is even working on decorating it. Tytonidae has been amazing. I also have been adopted by Raphael's sire Cai because Kacee hasn't been around much but I still love her to pieces. Cai's such a sweetheart, Merc. I see why you dated him, he's amazing.
Oh!! I do have to tell you...there is this incredibly amazing man. Neville Silvanus! He is Zodiac's childer. He's quiet but that means there is no drama that comes with him. Also...-NOT- related to Phoenix in anyway so I can ignore that she's an in-law because I'm done with the drama. Raphael is not returning, he broke a promise of always being there so I am going to break my promise of waiting. Velveteen said it was about time. It has almost been nine months, Merc...would someone honestly be expected to wait nine months without any sign that he is returning? No...others would have been moved on and possibly remarried by now. I waited. I had proven that I was vigilant and loyal with no outcome but more heartache. Neville...you don't have to worry about that with him. He gets busy but that is because he owns his own warehouse. He is busy quite often, though he does encourage me dancing. For Sweethearts Day, he bought me a necklace that were ballet shoes. Before that just because he could, he got me a box to put the jewelry in that he buys me into and it has a ballerina inside. His support has been astounding, that I have been thinking of trying to come up with a way to get money for a dance studio. Because of him and the encouragement...I have slowly started to want to dance again. I haven't danced ballet since my parents died and I went to live with my grandparents on the farm but now...now I am more than ever glad that Kacee saved me from that life. I am glad that you are my sister because we both know that we are more alike than this city cares to admit. (Wished you were still here to cause trouble with me. We could set this town on fire and stand there laughing together only to give Cai what's left of the charred bodies. It would be great!) I'm glad that I married one Mr. Raphael Reyes as I will eternally love him. I am even glad that I embraced being a widow and moved on with my life. I am sincerely happy. I don't regret a damn thing and that includes Phoenix as a sister-in-law because of Malachai (I just think she is misunderstood but I would never-ever tell her that)...if it wasn't for all that I have been through then I wouldn't have what I have now. I have a loving family, amazing friends, and a wonderful network of people (Tytonidae). Life is grand and I wouldn't change a damn bit of it. I just wished you would return so we can look back and talk about all of this and laugh. I love you Merc. I just hope that you are safe. Please be safe.
I love you always!
Your sister,
Karina Reyes
-x- Tytonidae -x- -x- Andras -x-
His Protector ~ His Obsession
Today is one of those days that I honestly missed you a million times over. We went out to kill Ripper. Yes, he is causing trouble like always but to be honest....that will never change. Anyway...he has been out shooting up the town, jacking up his bounty, and for what? Attention? Who the hell knows but him but he has been nothing but a coward and has been grave digging every chance he gets. Coward!! Well, I couldn't help but think of all the times that you and I had gone out hitting, dragging poor Bubbles along with us only to be the one to get the crit. Man I miss that little woman. She was the best daughter that we could ever share! She disappeared too you know. Still think something is off...all of you disappeared at the same time. Was it something that I did? I don't know. I really don't want to think about it. I think I will stick with the story that Malachai told me when I mentioned you and his brother was missing...there is someone out there kidnapping vampires. In this case like I mentioned before...really sucks because they have failed to provide a ransom note so I could get you guys back.
Oh I didn't tell you...Tytonidae threw a Halloween party this past weekend. I went as this cute bumble bee. It was an old dance outfit that I had in a box at the Alpha Tower apartment. I didn't plan on going until Neville reminded me and then well...needed an outfit at the last minute. I'm waiting for him to point out that since getting him the Rolex, he is always on time and I...well...am not. I am always late and it's either him or Zoey giving me a call to remind me. I think the minute Velveteen tells me that I'm late is the day that I will be in trouble. Neville went as a coal miner and Zoey was some magician chick from a comic book. There were other great costumes. Sadly a fight but I wasn't apart of it so I am not going to say anything on it. I just hope everything worked out because on of them is a good friend of mine.
I wished there was a way that I could find you. I have had the chance to grow and be my own person which is great. ******* fantastic even! But Merc...you were my best friend. The two that Kacee adored and no matter what we did...loved us still. Even pulling away from Docere didn't upset her, she just wanted us safe but now...even though things are great, I still need you to talk to or hang out and watch movies. I promise not to blind you if I stop by and there is a naked man in your place. Though I still think that was funny!! I kind of you need you...if not as a sister and a friend...to at least keep me sane, let me explain...I agreed with Phoenix today. I know it was terrible. Yes, she may be misunderstood by so many but that does not stop that I had issues with her because of you and I really don't like that she's with Malachai but I can't do anything about that and I promised him that I wouldn't meddle and I haven't. I do keep promises. Anyway...yeah...agreed with her. I never thought that would happen and yet...with that agreement...there was a faulty twinge in me that wanted to like her. LIKE HER!! Merc...I don't even think that is possible especially since I know that if you would show up, you would disown me in a heartbeat but something is wrong. I don't know. I might wait it out to see but I see it going down hill from here. I might not sing campfire songs with her but yeah...liking her...I don't know. Want to give me a head wound? Make me forget? No...that won't happen, I know it won't but the more she works with Tytonidae...the more my opinions change about her. It scares the hell out of me. Where are you?
You know what...I think I am going to go. I need to hide this between the mattress while trying not to wake the sexy man (Neville) that is sleeping, curl up with him and wake to a new day. Things will be better then. Besides...I need to get rested so I can work on my spirit army. The whole house is full of them and I am not even done. 98 of them before Velveteen borrowed some...amazing. I love the company. Well good-night, Merc. I love you always!!
Your sister,
Karina Reyes
-x- Tytonidae -x- -x- Andras -x-
His Protector ~ His Obsession
It has been just over a month since I last wrote you. I'm not exactly sure what happened to the time but God did it fly by. Please forgive me. Neville has been great! I really wished that you could meet him but well...we know this isn't possible. I really wished that wasn't true but after all this time, I have finally accepted the fact that I will never see you, Raphael and Bubbles. It's okay...Zodiac, Velveteen and Lia have been really amazing. Oh and Zoey...she has become close to me like she is my sister. Sorry, I don't say that to make you think that I am replacing you but I like that I have someone close that I can count on to talk to.
You missed Tytonidae's 1st official Anniversary as a faction. The party was a blast. Lia and I were in charge of throwing it all together. It was amazing and it had a sort of steampunk feel to it but it was formal so I got to dress up in a really amazing dress. Neville looked absolutely stunning. Here...I took a picture of his suit. See...amazing and add a very handsome blonde haired man and it was breath taking...well if I could breath anyway. We had a little bit of excitement though as Noelle seems to enjoy the negative attention she gets especially since she started dating Ripper. She's most likely his puppet but who knows or who even cares? She will just see the Shadow Realm as much as Ripper does. Not my problem. Malachai was even at the party. It was a bit awkward given all that has happened a few months ago but he is still my brother whether I like it or not, I did marry his brother. I will say that I was on my best behavior and absolutely pleasant with him. You would have been proud of me.
I was also thinking that if you were still here then we would have gone into business together. I have been thinking about opening up a ballet studio but though that we would have a two story building where you could have once floor for what you wanted and then I could have the studio upstairs. I don't know...it was a thought.
Though I won't lie...I wish that you were here because I miss all the trouble we used to cause and the times that we curled up together to just talk. I kind of need that right now and you to remind me why I am supposed to hate Phoenix because to be honest...I talked to her a few nights back and we surprisingly got a long. We were working out our differences and animosities The talk went well but I don't lie...it's weird getting along with her but I think she has changed quite a bit since you have vanished. Maybe this is not all bad though.
I'm not sure if I told you though...I am getting good at rituals. They get easier and easier the more I do them and I can do some pretty high level rituals. It's great and this is something that can be useful later on down the road.
I have Stasha and Skadi playfully nipping at my jeans. They want to be taken out for a walk and I still need to think of a gift for Neville for Christmas. I am not sure what to get him and we don't need anymore pets as the girls are going to get big. He has his warehouse but I'm not sure. He doesn't want me to help him with getting the car, he specified that he wanted to do that himself. I can't blame him there. I do want to go on vacation with him but he is busy with setting up the warehouse so I am going to wait until his schedule is more clear. I don't want to go away with him only for something to terribly go wrong and the trip is cut short. There have been issues anyway with the warehouse's security getting stolen. Two sets have been stolen now. I will think on it. I will talk with you later.
I love you always,
Karina Reyes
-x- Tytonidae -x- -x- Andras -x-
His Protector ~ His Obsession
So I know that it has been a really long time since I have written to you but truth be told...I was distracting myself. I don't have you here to talk to so what was I to do?? Distraction. I consumed myself into rituals and stuff with Tytonidae while I hide in a hole until a hit was needed. Reason being...Neville had vanished not long after Christmas. Why does everyone vanish on me? You, Kacee, Bubbles, Raphael...that is only to name a few. I honestly am now naively moving to accept Malachai's theories about there being some vampire kidnapper out there. Naive I know but you know...an excuse is better than no excuse when the reasons for the vanishing is unknown.
I miss him, I miss him more that I could even express. Neville had always been so sweet and cared for me. He was always there for me when needed while looking out for my back when issues would arise. Safety plans had always been made with escape routes between the places that we owned so that we could get to safety and hope that it would remain. There were always options between Eyrie, the warehouse, Alpha, West, and the Docere Compound...I had a plan ready at the go when it was needed. Even have a Home Bound Tome set to one that would take an army to get into while he had the one to Eyrie...or I thought he did anyway...I ca'nt remember now. We could even summon back and forth. It was genius if everything worked smoothly. Paranoid probably but when people vanish for no reason...hell yeah I am going to have a well thought out plan if I know someone is after me or those that I care about it. It's just knowing it before hand that is the tricky part.
This is probably where I should also tell you that I have a stalker but no a creepy one. Lions had come into Tytonidae as an initiate like everyone else and he kind of felt lonely. I can't blame him there. When a spot light is cast on you...no matter how many people are in the room you feel alone and on the spot. I went to him on the side to introduce myself and then he accidentally found his way into Tippy Toes one night. I opened a shadow gate for him and then had to explain what it does. It was refreshing to teach someone so I kept a shadow gate on him for at least a couple of weeks while I answered his questions or even had simple conversations. He expressed that he had no where to stay so he slept in the QZ or the sewers. Sorry...but that was a no go. I gave him a set of keys to the apartment in Alpha. You know the one that Kacee used to own but gave to me after Raphael vanished in case there was issues at Ivy Bluff....who knew that would have actually happened... Anyway, Lions has been staying there and I moved Neville's crafting bench there for him to use so that he can better hone his skills. He thought I bought it and with Neville gone...why tell him that I had already had the table.
Lions does know about Neville though because he's crushing but I think it's cute because he is a really sweet guy. He asked if we could be a couple a couple of months back. I told him that I was with Neville and that I needed to speak to him before I make any future plans. Neville deserves that respect for all that he has done even though he has been missing now for about 6 months if not longer. I am probably holding out to false hope but it's Neville... It's sort of the same thing I did with Raphael. Hmmm...I'm seeing a pattern. Would it be wise to push Lions away? He has been a great friend, and amazing guy, a lot of fun and everyone needs one of those in their life but I don't know. I will have to talk to Zodiac about it and get her wise advice that she always gives. Maybe she can come up with a better theory than Mal as to why everyone keeps vanishing because I don't think that I have been doing anything wrong...but then again...maybe I have. Who knows? Might get Zo to do one of those readings that she does for me. Just don't know if I want to bring up Neville to her...might actually be more hurtful to her since he is her childer and she hasn't even heard from him. I think I might wait...
I'm going to go, Merc...I have a few things to think on.
I love you always,
Karina Reyes
-x- Tytonidae -x- -x- Andras -x-
His Protector ~ His Obsession
