No past...no future?

[Lionsheart Steel]

Sunday May 17, 2020 a little after 5 am

In his little hidey hole Lions could hear a muffled conversation going on in a neighbours apartment , somewhere in the room next door a clock ticked loudly and if he listened hard enough, he swore the sound of a tap dripping too! What he really hadn't expected to hear was the sound of a key in the front door, that could mean one of only two things, either 'Rina had ventured into Alpha, that couldn't be ... His security cam had been on all this time and yet She'd not been around in months? Or, worse, Ree had given the key to someone else, maybe even the returned beau?
Alarm set in and he searched his mind in an effort to conjure up some coordinates, he could tele' out of here if only he knew somewhere safe to 'arrive' ... at the same time he connected with the security cam, an idea of who or what to expect might help, maybe? The fisheye image blinked momentarily as it switched from nightvision as the room became bathed in the glow from the flick of the lightswitch, as it settled back down the picture it beamed back was still a massive shock.
Rina stood stock still as the front door closed behind her, Lions too was now completely motionless, should he flee? Should he hope She wasn't going to come in here? These thoughts swirled in his brain, and one other thought bounced in alongside ... Afterall, She was Ty .... and he WAS on the bounty list! Many years before he'd cocked up during a hunt, at the time they'd been man and wife and very, very in love, that hadn't stopped her from shooting him square in the 'gentlemens parts' for his mistake! In fact one of the last conversations he'd had with her was in that soulless dark place due to his own daft actions, *he gave a shudder at that thought* he doubted very much that Ree would ever forgive him for that stupid *** mistake. Lions sighed resignedly, better to be hunted and shot by someone he loved than culled in the street by some f**kin upstart! And besides, at least he'd get to see her face just once more...
"Don't come in here Rina!" He half shouted."I've trapped the s**t outta the place!"
He knew She wouldn't without having a sneaky peek, Her mind skills were far greater than his puny, fledgling efforts. Hoping that maybe Ree would believe the white lie just long enough for him to prepare himself ... for what? He really wasn't sure. Man, he wished he could tell if that wraith of hers had already scoped him and the place out, suddenly he felt very nervous, vulnerable and idiotic, why did I head here with a bounty?
Out of practice, out of the loop and by the looks of it ... out of luck now. Rina had years of practice taking down offenders and plenty of time to hone those skills some more, once upon a time he'd have been able to dodge anything the lady had physically sent his way, Blade or Bullet! Now though, too many years lazing around feeling sorry for himself ... the only thing he'd been dodging was company. Standing up, he tugged at his shirt and brushed the dust from the legs of his jeans, well, if you're gonna die, at least make an effort eh? Placing the safety on, he put the gun on the crafting bench and made the short walk to the hideyholes entrance before stepping through with his palms up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know where to go, this place just feels safe, like home" Making eye contact, he realised there was more surprise written on her face than that of someone that had deliberately tracked him down...

[Lionsheart Steel]

Hello Diary my old friend, I've come to write in you again. Ha! Who knew that lyric would stick in my head?

It appears I may have need of your services for some time longer!!
Where do I go from here?
Okay. So Just after we last conversed, Karina decided, coincidentally, to return to Alpha en-route from a hunting trip. No-one was more surprised than me! My cam's been up in here since, forever? Must have seen her come home 2 maybe 3 times since we were last together here on this side of the veil, funnily enough, this place was the last thing I saw before having my ticket punched and yet I still feel safer here than anywhere else in this town... with maybe the exception of the Eyrie.. but yeah that's kinda fortified so...
I felt certain I was punching out again, mainly because all these years of just kicking around in that basement, sleeping, moping, wasting my eternity, I was fairly sure that 'Rina would never forgive me.
How wrong was I?
I wasn't going to put up a fight against 'Rina, even if She had seen my name on that wanted list and decided to 'off' me for the bounty, in fact if I had to go I'd rather be sent by Her than some of the other mercs in this place!
I disarmed and went out to meet her, when I analyse why, there were multiple reasons, first being, I was curious, how exactly would Ree look? It had been a while but She was just as beautiful, the same inked little amazon I'd remembered and loved still after all these years. Secondly I wanted to know if it was the wanted list that had made her seek me out and thirdly if it was for that reason, would She be able to do the deed. If that happened, yeah I know, it's one thing to shoot me when emotionally charged, for something I deserved but here, in the cold hard light? If I looked into her eyes and the trigger had been pulled just for 'duty' then I knew She'd be lost to me forever. I'd rather have her in my life as a friend than just be another face in the street to her. Lastly, I couldn't shoot Karina, I wasn't in Ty as long, hell I haven't been a vampire as long, I don't have quite the same sense of duty, oh and I'm not saying that in a bad way, 'Rinas family -is- Ty, I'm just an interloper of sorts. In fact I'm fairly sure Vel only put me on the bridge because I was so useless it was obvious I'd end up being target practice for every trigger happy merc in HR, so glad she did though, I met Ree and then I worked hard!
Anyway, I digress, She didn't shoot me! Nope, quite the opposite, I was healed and off the list in no time.
I didn't tell her I was leaving, not at first, that part of me held back for some reason, maybe deep down I knew? Or more likely just longed for so much. Strange how fate can slap you with one hand just so it can rub it better with the other.
We talked.
We kissed.
We made up.
She STILL loves me!

5 years in a basement sulking like a child? Sometimes I'm such a ****

That's all for now, Ree has brought me a pile of crafting stuff and a new forge, okay so I'm confined to quarters but heh heh at least the company is good.

[Lionsheart Steel]

Hello again my grubby little book of musings.

Okay so things have been ticking over. Rina and I re-wed, although I will admit I never removed my ring in all these years.
I got stupid a couple of times and found I'd sired two rather carelessly. I kept tabs on them and watched as they faded and slipped away from this coil. Not sure whether I'm saddened or relieved. I'm pretty sure the one thing Harper Rock doesn't need is a 'family' with a stubborn, poorly skilled, hermit-like Head! That said though, it would have been fun to at least attempt to help them to become useful. Ah well, que sera...
The businesses are performing well enough. The skewed Moral Compass is making a comfortable profit and I have taken on help for online orders etc and the girls have really taken the new business plan to the next level. It's going to be interesting to see how this quarters figures look after this!
Prestige Sports Car Company appears to have turned a corner too. Sales are up although profits are meagre currently but again have taken on new staff for this venture too and the team are only just beginning to gel. Eleanore had been overseeing this business but in my abscence she too has disappeared which was a double whammy, I lost a daughter and a deputy manager in one fell swoop.
In the case of her 'vanishing' I fear the worst, I have heard nothing from her, my calls were not returned and I'm unable to locate her at all...She is either beyond the reaches of my latest skill set....or.. beyond help. I'm trying not to dwell on that thought.
I did however locate Ree one night about a month ago in a disused sewer system. And that's when I found out where She was laying her hands on all of the weapon parts I'd been being given!
Those Acolytes have now given me countless hours of fun as I relieve them of there burdens! About time I began swinging the blade again, I'm really finding it rather therapuetic.
I've had another close call with the wanted list, seems I got a little distracted in my haste to liberate a relic. Story of my life! Thank fully Rina helped me clean the sheet... How ironic, She normally helps me dirty them!
I spent a week or so processing crafting and weapons materials before slipping out of Docere.
I haven't been stopped in the street so I'm guessing Rinas Mystical skills have got me out of the proverbial mire again!
They might have had a residual effect too : 9h 30m ago: You won the lottery! Your total winnings were $4750.

I kinda wish I hadn't said anything though, because we're apparently going to be having a 'talk' about 'my gambling'.

Ah well Diary, until the next time I need to absolve myself of guilt...

[Lionsheart Steel]

20th August 2021

Dear Dusty, Neglected and Abused witness to my messy existance!

It's been a year or so now since I first heard her.
The screams, the wails, the sobs, the endless heart wrenching pleas for help.
I'm no nearer to getting a handle on this situation than I was the night I panicked and called out for 'Rina.
I now know the girls name, Anneka Jameson, because the crime featured heavily in the local news, with speculation as to the reason for her murder ranging from unpaid debts to a spurned lover.
All of this has still done nothing to help me help her, I'm just as mystified now as I was then. Anneka does respond somewhat when I call her name, in so much as she appears to calm a little but still doesn't speak a word other that to cry for help.
Turns out the 'girl' I summoned is a 'wraith' Ree explained it all to me. Once again I messed with the mysticals and shouldn't have.
The wraith settled down pretty quickly and aside from the odd quirk or two has fitted right into my small but perfectly dysfunctional family.
Her name is Lindsay, a former vampire of this coil and it would appear that she spent quite some time in my least favorite holiday destination. She often recites poetry to herself, nothing that I've ever heard before.
I can no longer see her but always know when she's around, the pressure increase, sometimes makes my ears 'pop'.
I gained another 'worker' Julia, I have her working for the same office temping agency that Anneka worked for. You never know, something may come to light.
I've taken on new staff at Skewed and Prestige, one of those is a very useful 'security' man called Marty. To be honest he's turned out to be far more useful than I'd originally thought and makes a thoroughly good casual drinking buddy too.
Mabbits has been an absolute legend recently, some total jockstrap decided to put a bounty on my head for reasons undisclosed. Luckily in this town money talks and bullcack walks. Hitmen are more than happy to oblige a higher paying customer, some were only saddened by the fact they couldn't sell me the name of the person placing the contract because it's anonymous, now they know my money's good!
I'm pretty sure my shenanigans have annoyed 'Rina to her final straw. I haven't seen her now for many months, the letters are piling up on the occasional table in the apartment, so She hasn't even been home to check in.
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be at all surprised if She's choosing to stay as far from me as possible, I'm nothing but headaches to my beautiful wife and let's face it, I was lucky enough to land her not just once but twice!
I'm missing her like crazy but I'm not crazy enough to incur her wrath by seeking her with powers, last time Ree got really mad at me I ended up in the Hotel Realmafornia. I'm shuddering just at the thought of that place.
I often wonder if spending time there is what's been giving me these weird dreams....

My guess is time will tell.
With the dreams and the screams I may well slither into a less invasive space.

[Lionsheart Steel]

Dear Diary,

Consider this a cry for help if you will..
My addled mind needs to vent...

What the actual **** is happening to me?
Day follows night and the cycle repeats...
What is the actual point of these raised senses?
The lust for blood?
When I hunt now, I've become so acutely aware of every tiny change in my preys bio-chemistry.
I can smell every pheromone, hear their heartbeat in a busy street and even taste their fear without so much as a scratch of their dermis.
And now it is I that face my biggest fear...
The possibility that I may have to spend this extended 'life' tormented by half mad with fear and pain spirit, She barely gives me respite from her wails.... as I attempt to show a public persona of a decent hard-working businessman... all the time fighting back the urge to just snap and take them all... every last stinking one of them... every Harper Rock politician, soldier and figure of authority... take them all without mercy and once again free my brethren from this existence that befits little more than a rat.
We lived long and proud in the shadows, policed ourselves and kept the 'masquerade'.
The weak amongst us let the masque slip... and for that crime we must all suffer to exist bent and cowed under the weight of an enforced authority... an authority that is far inferior to ourselves.. an authority that is riddled with corruption, seeded in filth.
I become disillusioned with this...
I only allow myself to continue to abide by their laws for fear of disgracing the only good thing left in Harper Rock...
My beautiful, patient and never wavering lover...
She is a Golden light in a multi-layered darkness
An inked mini-Amazon with more fight that a cornered Lioness
And yet a soul so tender that She alone could make angels weep...
Karina my love... WAKE ME FROM THIS NIGHTMARE.
Let us once again be Lord and Lady of this strangely crooked town!

[Lionsheart Steel]

.

High in the wall of the basement office, a small squat window offered an obscured view of the outside, a quick glance could give visual assurance of the time of day.
This may seem like a relatively useless object, but to a vampire like Lions this was just another object that he had become accustomed to consulting daily, a failsafe if you will.
A cursory glance towards said window gave him cause to smile, not a big, happy, friendly, I'm having a good time kind of smile... No... more sort of a, yep, made it through another day, night is almost upon us, time to shine, sly almost animalistic type of smile.
The shadow cast was high along the windows reveal and this determined that sunset was nigh. As was habitual at this time of the day, Lions pulled the custom pistol from it's chest holster, removed the magazine, thumbed the first casing in the carriage and then with a wry grin, slid the mag back into the gun with a positive click, satisfied now that should things go south on the hunt that he'd at least be as ready as possible.
It really wouldn't do to get captured, if Karina and TY had taught him anything, it was to always be ready for the unexpected.
The price of being discovered was higher in these uncertain times than it had ever been, vampires were tagged, sometimes caged, often hunted to death and yet still mortally feared. As a former member of TY, he'd taken part in the hunts to ensure the Masquerade remained intact much to the chagrin of bad actors like Fifth column and this alone gave him even more reason to be cautious, this organisation had sought to bring about the destruction of the masque in order to co-exist alongside ordinary people on an even footing.
How misguided they were, Vampires were and are Apex. He'd heard one of their leaders claiming that co-existence was the only way vampires could be truly free... Ha! Just how free were they now huh? Tagged and at the beck and call of any authority figure that could demand to see their identity papers at will, incarcerate them without any real statute, with less rights than a rabid animal. People are always suspicious of what they do not understand and to that end they had virtually enslaved the vampire population, even now he feared that his kind were being experimented upon, governments would like to harvest many of the properties that 'pirekind displayed! Lions really hoped that the words those masque-breakers were choking on now were not their last... Lions still held hope that one day in the future they would all stand shoulder to shoulder again in their rightful place as apex and with a new shield of invisibility to the world.
He had the germ of a plan forming... but it wasn't something that one vampire alone could achieve, he was going to require help and it would require them to be experienced!