Path of the Vampire forum

Posted: **24 Aug 2015, 03:19**

Lillian led the way slowly, unlike most in the current age she didn’t carry a phone, she had been looking for one that would work but with not knowing anyone in town she had no one to call. She relied little on technology and focused on landmarks alone to find her way around. She felt bad dragging the man along behind her but it was a comfort as things began to grow dark and the people passing by became fewer. The only fear she had in getting lost was who or what she would find along the way.

A small smile crossed Lillian’s face as she nodded. “I like this city so far. It’s so pretty in the day and at night it is filled with such interesting people. I hope in time I will learn more about it.” She perked as she passed what seemed to be a familiar shop front, her pace quickening. “So far people have been friendly. I fear I am not adjusted to the temperature here though. I used to love the cold as a child but it seems I’ve grown out of it.” She laughed at herself, pushing forward with relative cheer.

Tonight she seemed to have been lucky. Cosimo made for good company and was a gentleman for as far as she had seen. Though once the buildings were fully cast in shadow her eyes were not able to recognize the few landmarks left along the way. “None of this looks right,” she muttered as her brow furrowed, her pale fingers clutching at her coat to pull it tight around her against the cold. She had made a mistake along the way and couldn’t correct it in the dim lights that lined the street ways.

Posted: **30 Aug 2015, 11:33**

Cosimo arched a brow but didn’t say anything. When he’d first arrived in this city he’d been given a crash course about its inhabitants and its history. It had been a lot to take in; there had been a lot that he didn’t believe at first, but had learned quickly through practical demonstration that these things were real, and what’s more, he wasn’t actually going insane. He didn’t know whether he should warn this woman against trying to learn too much. But, each to their own. He wasn’t breaking any rules by staying silent. And being too heavy-handedly concerned about her curiosity would be a hint in and of itself that something was different. So he just shrugged it away. If people wanted to satisfy their curiosity, all the power to them. Cosimo could not judge. He could only applaud.

Cosimo smiled, then, and shrugged his shoulders.

”The cold, you will get used to it. I have always thought that it is easier to get warm, and is more comfortable, than trying to get cool. It does not work so well sometimes,” he said. Always searching for the silver lining. He preferred the heat, and the sun, and the days of basking in it on the docks. But those days were gone, now and he had to work with what he was given.

When they paused and Lillian’s general demeanour hinted at their being lost, Cosimo frowned. He did not know this woman, and he had no special powers to determine where she lived. Even if he, too, looked around – he couldn’t possibly help her. Except that he did know his way around marginally better.

”What street are you on. Which… suburb? What is it near?” he asked. He could at least narrow down the search if he had a better idea of the landmarks.

Posted: **30 Aug 2015, 20:56**

Lillian was aware of the danger she put herself in by wandering near dusk. She had an idea what was in this city, since she was told of the city by another who had seen it’s lights and was attracted to them. People like her were moths to a flame and were just as easy prey. She tried her best to stay aware of herself and where she was going. Though she faltered in her focus, when she was around others she was fairly sharp, watching their movements for signs of the paranormal. She knew there were more secrets here than was admitted to her. The vampires were not openly known and she would have to be careful who she shared with.

When it dawned upon her that she would really need the man’s help to even get an idea of where they had gotten her expression soured into a pout. She didn’t really plan to lead the man all the way back to where she had been staying. The plan had been to stop at a house and pretend it was the right place, then find her way from there. She knew where she was going was not reasonable and the man would have questions she wasn’t ready to answer. Though it did seem now that she had little choice.

“Well, I do know where it is in general.” She fidgeted with her jacket and looked around, as if the way home would appear from the dark. “It’s in the quarantine zone,” she finally blurted. She was aware of why it was sealed off but she was careful inside the walls. No one would believe what she did to get in and out of the zone. “I-if you get me to the walls I can make it from there I’m sure.”

Posted: **05 Sep 2015, 07:02**

The Italian was, for a moment, completely at a loss. His feet scuffed on the ground as he turned to face Lillian completely, mouth opening and closing as he tried to form the question on his lips. The hair had fallen from behind his ear, to half obscure his vision, his entire body tense as he tried to figure out the implications of this woman’s place of residence. When he did speak, it was preceded by half a laugh and a rough rub at the stubble of his jaws. His gaze slipped from Lillian, to stare down the street. They had to cross over the bridge, which was over the next block. And then?

He couldn’t quite believe that this woman lived in the Quarantine Zone. That she would have to get in and out via the tunnels. And in the tunnels…

He cleared his throat. Here he’d been, concerned that this woman should trust a stranger so easily on the street. When maybe, he should have been worried about trusting her. A memory surfaced, and he had to resist the urge not to take a step backward; he pushed it away, remembering that he had changed, and that though he was not as strong as he could be, yet, he was still a far sight stronger than what he was. He would not have to go down into the sewers with her. He could be wary, and avoid any traps she might be trying to lure him into.

”You… it is that way,” he said, pointing down the road that led to the bridge.

”…but why? Why would you live in that place?” he asked. Was there even anywhere in there to live? There was the apartment complex, he remembered. But never did he think people would actually choose to live there.

”It is Quarantined for a reason…”

Posted: **06 Sep 2015, 03:48**

This reaction was expected, though it earned a giggle from Lillian. The man’s face was priceless and reminded her of a fish. She couldn’t hide the embarrassment that came out in a flush on her cheeks, her fingers anxiously twirling her hair. Her eyes slowly following the direction he began to stare in. She honestly had no idea there were tunnels to the Quarantine Zone, instead using a little magic to go a long way.

When her gaze returned to Cosimo her expression deflated. She could tell the man was thinking hard on something and she wondered if there was something she did not know about the Quarantine Zone. She had seen the undead that wandered the streets but the place was not too bad to navigate and could be seen as quiet. Her few skills were enough to make living there easy and she had nowhere else to rest her head.

Once she was told which way to go her feet began moving again. Keeping a slow pace so the shocked man could keep up, if he still wished to. She spoke carefully, knowing how much of a fool she could seem, “I really wasn’t aware of the state of the place when I was told I could stay there. I just needed somewhere to stay and in the end the streets outside the Zone are much more dangerous. It is a small apartment and it suits my needs for now.”

She sighed, knowing full well why it was quarantined and that it would be dangerous. She just wanted a roof over her head for the time being and she would take on a better home when the money was available.
“I’m aware of the zombies running around. They are not dangerous one on one and I know how to avoid the large groups. I believe that the undead are much less horrifying than the living, or so to say less horrifying than the living and intelligent undead.” She eyed him knowingly and gave a small smile, glancing around so no one would hear her. “Speaking of, you should be more careful. The windows reflect so clearly at night, if you have a reflection.”

Lillian smiled at that, if the man wanted to do her harm he would have, and she wouldn’t be able to hide her knowledge for much longer anyway. She just continued to cheerfully stroll forward, eyes wide as she tried to find the walls that embraced the Zone.

Posted: **06 Sep 2015, 13:55**

There were hurdles that Cosimo’s brain tried to leap over. How could it be more dangerous outside of the Quarantine Zone than inside of it? Inside, for a human, there was risk of infection. There were hoards of vampire babies who went to hunt said miscreants of infection. Hungry vampire babies who probably would love the chance not to have to hike back through the sewers for fresh dinner. He had been one of those vampire babies, once, before he’d got sick of the commute. It was a great training ground. But bigger and better things were for the taking.

Any and all comments that he may have had in regards to Lillian’s living conditions were tossed right out the window as soon as she uttered those words, living and intelligent undead. They caused him to falter, readying himself for all the incredulous remarks he could make, all of the excuses, the disbelief, the lies that he could tell to steer her off track. Though steering someone off track who already played with the zombies would be harder than…

But then she continued, and if he had blood in his system it would have completely drained from his features. He glanced over his shoulder toward the shop fronts, biting his bottom lip between his teeth before a strangled frustrated aaargh crawled from his throat.

”Idiota, Cosimo. Non di nuovo...” he mumbled under his breath, before he pushed his fingers through his hair. He kept his voice as low as hers had been, jogging to catch up to Lillian, to keep pace with her, shoulders hunched down to her height as they headed toward the bridge.

”You are not going to try to blackmail me, are you?” he asked. Two of the three progeny that he had brought into this world had been a result of Cosimo’s foolish behaviour, giving himself away as a vampire and the girls then asking for him to turn them. Cosimo, who evidently could not resist a girl when she asked for something. And now here he was again. Accidentally giving himself away to someone he shouldn’t.

Posted: **07 Sep 2015, 03:43**

Lillian had seen the young vampires and found them charming to watch. She was content to avoid them in the way she was best and knew she could trust no one inside the Zone. She took little joy in watching the infected people wander around without sense of self or soul. So if the time felt worthwhile she would leave her hiding places and give them some mercy. It was the only way she knew anything about combat and it helped train her too.

She continued walking as she waited for Cosimo to either respond or run away. She could never blame him either way with how such knowledge was seen in the city but she hoped for the best. She made no room for him to hide what he was or the truth of this beautiful place. The honesty seemed to only improve her move as a light skip entered her step as she bounced towards the wall.

When she heard his frustration she turned towards him. Only catching ‘Idiota’ and his frustrated groans out of the small statement. Unable to suppress the laugh as he worked to catch up. The mention of blackmail struck her as odd, eyeing him warily. “Why would I want to do that? You seem to have nothing I want so desperately as to threaten someone in your position. I did not mean to make you feel threatened, but you should really be more careful. I have a feeling a lack of subtlety is enough to cause a lot of trouble around here.”

She spoke without really worrying or having to step carefully over her words. She had given Cosimo the only secret that would matter to him and now she had nothing to hide. Her concern was genuine and she hopped the man would learn to be more cautious. She had no desire at the moment to become a vampire, she had no one she wished to stay with for so long.

When the wall came into view she paused, knowing that there would be guards along the border and that it was likely that Cosimo did not want to follow her any further. “If I could ask anything of you it would be to see you again sometime. You seem like a nice man and I’ve met so few of those in my life.” She sounded a bit cold and dusted herself off, making sure none of her clothing hung any looser than needed.

Posted: **07 Sep 2015, 13:17**

Cosimo pushed his hands back into his pockets and did his best not to appear too perturbed. Even if he was a little perturbed. Though, when he thought about it, why shouldn’t there be a few humans who knew what was going on? He’d been in this city for quite some time, now, and he realised that the vampire population was not small. In fact, it was quite large, for a city of this size. Masquerade offenders were punished, or so he had learned, but there had to be plenty of vampires who had humans that they cared for. Plenty who associated with humans. Plenty who even needed humans, to do their daytime business while they could not. There had to be quite a few who were in the know, who lived beneath the radar.

It calmed Cosimo to know that this woman didn’t want anything from him. Now that she knew, he was happy that she didn’t back him into some corner to take his kindness for granted, and demand that he give her the power and the abilities that he himself possessed.

The Italian paused when Lillian paused, turning his eyes from the foreboding wall that surrounded the Quarantine Zone and focusing on his company. It took him a few seconds to catch up, mentally, wih what she was saying. He shook his head.

”Subtlety… si. Except… in the occasions that I have slipped up… I would not call it trouble, that has found me,” he said. Esperanza and Juniper were no trouble to him, and blackmail was probably too harsh a term. He was just a man who could not say no, sometimes, and neither of the women seemed ill-at-ease with the life that they had asked for. There was no guilt, on Cosimo’s behalf. And there were no regrets.

”I thank you for your concern. I will do my best to avoid window shopping in the future,” he said with a smile, the dimples on his cheeks reflecting the true nature of the smile. ”You can see me again. Life, it has settled again. New friends will be needed to make it whole,” he said with a nod.

Posted: **08 Sep 2015, 03:35**

Lillian listened to Cosimo quietly, watching the wall and keeping track of the men that guarded it. Taking a slow breath to calm and ready herself for the final stretch to her temporary home. “Everyone makes mistakes. I’m just a worry wart I guess.” She smiled softly and turned to the man.

“Thank you very much for helping me get this far. It was very nice of you to stick with me even knowing my destination.” She bowed shallowly at the waist and pulled her hair back from her face. When she straightened she slipped her hand into her small handbag, pulling out a small handgun, delicately preparing for whatever was on the other side of the wall.

“I will look forward to seeing you again then.” She held the gun at her side, keeping it aimed to the ground. “I should go while the guards are out of the way. Wish me luck!” With that she began to run, needing to get close enough to the wall to make the jump.

Yes, the jump, she had been bouncing her way in and out of the Quarantine Zone each day. It was one of the few magic spells she had gotten comfortable with. She turned to look back at Cosimo with a wide smile, muttering the spell under her breath before launching into the air, avoiding the guards by mere moments before vanishing over the other side of the wall. Two shots fired, and then silence.

Posted: **10 Sep 2015, 15:03**

Cosimo stood there in wonderment; he’d never seen guards around the Quarantine Zone before. It had him dumbstruck, wondering if something had changed. The army had camped out around the known entrances to the catacombs, yes, but all he’d ever seen guarding the Quarantine Zone were ominous signs. Warnings. There should be guards, given the amount of people who could wander in out of curiosity; given that there was an apartment complex on the inside that people chose, for whatever god forsaken reason, to live in.

By the time he had come to his senses, Lillian had already said goodnight. She had already bounded off into the darkness and by the time it clicked, it was too late to call out. She was already gone. Her one condition was that she wanted to see him again. Even now, she had repeated the sentiment. But she had not hung around to determine a time or a place, and nor had either of them given the other a phone number. Or an email. Or even last names. He knew her only as Lillian, and that she lived in the Quarantine Zone in a complex that had … how many floors? And how many apartments per floor? He wasn’t about to go knocking on every single one of them.

Arching a brow, Cosimo shrugged his shoulders and turned around, slowly making his way back the way they had come; slowly trying to recall what he had been doing before he had been run into by the strange woman, who expected they would magically see each other again. Recalling, he made his way back to the real estate, and the window and its wares. There was a number, there, he wanted to call. An apartment, in a new complex, which looked perfect for his needs.

Path of the Vampire forum

Cold Comfort

Re: Cold Comfort

Re: Cold Comfort

Re: Cold Comfort

Re: Cold Comfort

Re: Cold Comfort

Re: Cold Comfort

Re: Cold Comfort

Re: Cold Comfort

Re: Cold Comfort

Re: Cold Comfort