Path of the Vampire forum

There were a lot of things that would go unnoticed by Louvel von der Marck at that moment. The couple exiting with two kids in tow was one example. The waitress that chased after them with a small blanket in her hand was another. The fried egg steaming and curling in the back on the grill while the cook had it out with the prep kid that finally managed to roll in the employee entrance was added to that slow growing list. He didn’t miss the inhale of the woman across from him or the disappearance of her hands as she reached forward with a request escaping her lips.

Pools of color close to that of vibrant forest moss followed the movement of the material that effectively swallowed up her hands from his view. It stirred a reaction in him that he didn’t feel that often. Rarely in fact and now he was left to decide whether he was going to be consumed by the deep pang of growing twist in his empty gut over what he came to terms with long ago or reach out and meet her halfway.

“Sure.”

His voice followed the extension of his hands which turned to reveal palms up. The skin was callus covered beneath each finger and rough at each heel for good reason. Honest hard work never left pretty hands in its wake. He caught sight of the deep line on his right hand that was in fact a scar centered between the space between his thumb and forefinger. A crevice of what could only be from an expertly sharpened blade marked the spot where his heart was to supposedly able to be reached through hand massage. It would take more than skilled hands to find it in his case. The keeper had no second thoughts as to the woman’s true motives. He sensed she was seeking only to do what she claimed her aunt had taught her to do. The fact he had no clue what he was really getting himself into escaped him entirely.

“If you find any bad news in there I don’t want to know.” Lou requested as he centered his focus on her face as if he could read its signs like she could in his palms. “I live in the moment. Just so you know.”

It was a truth he lived by. The past was never enough to have him looking back for any length of time. When his time was up so be it. He would be able to say he was content, fulfilled and lived each moment to the fullest. It was what Mara taught him to do by her example in each and every one of her living days and nights.

Talk about some instant chemistry. Louvel wasn’t thinking of anything in particular other than the small charge from first contact that was delivered. It was nothing huge but it certainly had what it took to grab his attention if any of it was lacking. He looked to their hands while she apologized. She was disarming in the sincerity of her reaction and if he had questioned her intentions at any point it dissolved right then and there.

He watched her fingers move to read the lines that had been with him since his life began in the womb. The sensation of her warm skin tracing over the inside of his palm was soothing like a tactile whisper to remain calm was conveyed in the brief silence that was otherwise taking place. The scar acquired years back was noted and as she commented on it he nodded. The sounds of a table being cleared next to them meant the rattle of silverware and dishes accompanied her voice as she explained the life line was not short. That was all good and well. He wasn’t planning on checking out anytime soon. Once it seemed that things panned out pretty much how he would have expected based on how he anticipated his future he decided to turn the tables on Birdee.

“That was actually pretty good.”

It seemed she was curious enough to ask but he let the question sit. How he ended up with a scar on his hand would be truthful as was anything with him. But there was a catch. He was interested as well in what her palms would say. He felt the freedom to move return to his hands and watched her claim her glass of water from the table. Perhaps he could barter and learn as much about her as she was about him.

“How about if you tell me what your palms reveal and I tell you how I wound up with the scar?”

Louvel chuckled at the response he didn't quite expect but found amusing nonetheless. It was true, he figured, but he wasn't quite sure why. Wouldn't palm readers be a bit tempted to do so between their usual clients? Wouldn't it be in their best interests if it is their profession? There he was staring at her hands thinking he was already out of his ability and would be taking a wild guess at best. It wasn’t his thing. Not when it came to something his mother took pretty seriously.

“Mara would have been able to read your palms like pages from one of her numerous books. She could smell a liar a mile away I think.” He shrugged his shoulders and reached for the nearest utensil to start off his meal with. “My mother and I hardly share that gift so why don’t you tell me what you want.”

He served up a brief but encouraging smile as his hands turned the plate so that he could start with what would go cold the fastest. A glimpse into the woman’s hope for her future was far more than most would expect to learn about someone they did not know existed hours prior. Few were so open and content with themselves to be so revealing. He appreciated it. To prove it he put a little of himself out there for encouragement.

“I never want to grow too old that I can’t enjoy the life I do now and to live forever...well, let's just say that would be a wish.”

With a slide of the fork into the still steaming food he looked up at her as the portion found his lips. Maybe he shouldn’t have tossed all that in before she revealed her prospects but it was with good intentions. What came of it remains to be seen. The flavor flooding his mouth as the fork left his lips had him wearing a closed lip grin. She knew what she was talking about when it came to the food.

Louvel chewed slowly while a strong sense of something unseen felt as if it crept up behind him unexpectedly and gave him a serious and unsettling shake. Even the scent of fresh coffee passing by the table on it’s way with a waitress failed to distract him. She had his full attention as she spoke of a brother she that she had been looking for. He watched as she took a drink from her glass then go on with sharing what little she knew. It was hard to grasp how it could be that she didn’t know the whereabouts of her own family. The von der Marck’s had volumes of records preserved in library as well as one in charge of maintaining them. Centuries of record keeping paid off. He couldn’t deny Heath was his brother if he tried. All the proof was in the leather bound books back at the manor. He felt for her. She seemed to be reaching out revealing she was one of those faces looking for missing family. It took courage to reveal and that managed to touch him. He gave a nod of acknowledgment to the suggestion he could maybe help out. The odds of finding the guy she was looking for greatly improved as far as Lou was concerned when she mentioned he was more than likely right smack dab in the middle of Harper Rock.

Rather than interrupt her when she clearly was not finished expanding on her dilemma he simply dipped his fork for another serving of what he ordered. It slipped between his lips while she paved the way for the bombshell she had no idea she was dropping. von dar was so damn close to von der Marck’s that he nearly mouthed his own name in response. That is when it happened to change things considerably. He felt a particle stick in the worst spot possible on the back of his throat. The place that as soon as one tries to cough and clear it out only draws in the rest of the food in they can’t afford to have follow. He set the fork down and reached for the glass in front of him. He tried to take in a deeper breath and found more food inhaled deeper and clearly where it didn’t belong.

Overwhelmed and incapable of managing the simple tasks he was in the middle of confirmed that he was in trouble. While she explained the difficulty with searching online and through books he set the glass back down while abruptly shoving his body back in the seat. His hands grabbed the edge of the table to stand up and catapulted the fork on the nearby plate up in the air and who knows where. He ignored the fork in his state of rising panic. He had bigger problems. He could clear this up. Remaining calm was key. Yes. all he had to do was keep calm. That was his thought as he wheezed and ended up taking in next to no air. Never a good sign. He leaned forward feeling the effects of getting no air starting to set in. The new change of position should help. He would look odd at best while coughed up the obstruction and then of course he would apologize. That was how it was supposed to go but once again with Louvel it proved to go no where close to how he had things planned.

“H…”

The start of the word Help was the only indication that he was not doing so hot. It was followed by the sudden sound of his weak gasp. His eyes fixed on her as he wondered how long she was going to sit there while he struggled to breathe. His ears started to ring and his heart was pounding so hard he felt it in his fingertips while he tried to dislodge the food with a punch to his own gut.

“Oh my god!" A voice barked out from the next row of tables. "Someone help!" The sounds of dishes dropping to the floor and chairs being shoved echoed around him. "HE IS CHOKING!” It was the last thing he wanted to hear. Don't they know that? It meant he was actually choking!

The sudden weakness setting in was overcome quickly with the tight wrap of arms around his body fisting up over his midsection. The hopeful press of the woman behind him left him going along with what he was in no position to refuse. The first forceful jolt of her attempt to expel the food blocking his airway was close but no cigar. Through watering eyes he viewed a waitress rushing towards them with what appeared to be a first aid kit in hand. He wondered what good it could possibly do given his situation. Another gut wrenching shock was delivered and he felt progress as the obstruction advanced upward. His hands set a firm grip of the edge of the table. The verbal encouragement to spit it up seemed to do wonders with the following double fisted crunch upward. With an impressive arch and moist splat the regurgitated portion landed on the table and soon spread on the surface with the spilled water. A wheeze sounded while he gasped for air. Finally his lungs filled up to capacity. A deep cough rattled his chest as his fingers curled tight at the edge of the surface he towered over.

“Thank you.” The raspy quality of his voice broke quickly with another toenails deep cough working through his tall frame. “I’m okay.” He patted the hands still holding their position and once they released he dropped down to sit in the spot he was before it all started. “Sorry…”
“You sure you are okay?” An unexpected pat on his back was delivered by the waitress with a first aid kit still in hand. “That was damn close. I was ready to get out the knife and use this straw.” Of course she raised it for proof she was serious. “You just got a free meal for that.”
“Thanks.” He felt his hand on his own throat massaging the left over tension that still resided beneath his warm caress. “I think I am going to enjoy breathing for awhile and pass on the food.”
“Suit yourself.”

Seasoned hands trained to serve moved kitchen towels to swirl around the surface of the table to clean up what was left behind. His mossy orbs framed by the expected bright red vessels pinned on the woman who quite possibly saved his life while the rest of his body recovered from what she did to make it happen. His gut was on fire and in blazing knots. Despite all the bustle of those around them returning to their seats while chattering about what they were ready to do if it went on any longer, Louvel could only see her. His voice returned.

“von der Marck.” His German clearly was spot on as he said his own name. His mind tried to work out just who her brother could possibly be while he continued to focus on her. Given the size of the family it could be any of those world wide. However, she was sent to Canada. Harper Rock. That narrowed things considerably. “Got any names for leads? Who are your parents?”