Blood Moon.... (Open, PM me if you want to be plot)

[Mike Barone (DELETED 2047)]

Mike had been out, looking for more wires for his robots. He stuck the wires in his backpack. He had his cell phone off, so he didn't get any calls or messages.

"Watch it." Rude Robot complained.

"Oh shut up." Mike replied, zipping the bag back up and flung it over his shoulder, which got more complaining out of the annoying bot. He headed out of the building and went down the street. Next on his list was some nuts and bolts. He stopped as a car was zooming down the street at a high speed, gun shots, yells and screams. He looked around at all the people running, chasing each other with weapons. Wait...what were they chasing?

He had seen many different creatures in this town before but these, he just wasn't sure about these. Why were they out here and not locked away somewhere? "Interesting.." he said. That's when he noticed the moon, "More interesting.."

Was this a natural thing or was it done by magic? Either way, he wanted to know what was causing this. He ran back to the apartment and grabbed his tablet, booting it up and grabbing some other handmade instruments. He went back down to the street, and started to do some readers. He frowned, if its magic then there wasn't anyway he was going to be able to figure anything out. "Useless.." he said, turning the tablet off as it wasn't recording anything. He put those items in his bag, before moving on.

Mike went into the nearest alleyway, trying to stay out of sight as he watched was going on. The was a creature that was chased and gun down. It disappeared in a gust of ash. "Could it be?" he said, supposedly vampires turned to dust when they died. Did they mutant?

"Why the **** are we out here? It's obviously dangerous!" Rude Robot yelled.

Mike's eyes widened as it brought the attention of the group that just killed the creature. Maybe it was dark, maybe they were just in the zone but Mike did not like the way they were looking at him. "Hey...I'm human.." he said, backing away. They dashed towards him, Mike turned around, Crap! he thought as he took off running.

It was good thing he was young and used to running so he got away without much problem. However the robot was complaining as he was being jiggled a lot. Finally once Mike thought he was safe, he leaned against a wall. He breathed deeply, "Man.." he said, putting a hand to chest.

"Will you shut up! You almost got us killed." Mike hissed at it, "Wait, who cares about you. You almost got me killed."

"Let's get the **** out of here!" Rude Robot said.

Mike shook his head, he started to think of the other people who might be out here. This was dangerous. Windy he wasn't worried about, the man was a paladin and could take care of himself. "Nimmy.." he said. The man was like a child, he wasn't going to be safe here.

He hurried off towards the bank, he was almost there when he got distracted by a pile of ash. He could study this...he picked up a fistful and stuck in a side pocket in his bag before hurrying off. He didn't see the group, instead he went inside the bank. "Nimmy! Are you here?" he called out.

[Zodiac]

Zodiac jumped as she felt CC's hand drift up her leg. "What the hell has gotten into you?" her mind shouted in reflex but her thoughts stopped inside of her skull. She stood up as CC ran to the window.

"I'm needed out there. Those guys need to be taught a lesson and they need to see what it's like to come up against a REAL vampire!"

OH, ***** please! Who do you think you are? Rambo? She signed but the allurist either did not comprehend sign language or was beyond reason now. Zodiac stepped back as the curtain opened again as CC grabbed one of the swords she kept hanging on display in the parlor and charged out to the front of the shop. Outside of tacking the woman and tying her down the gypsy wasn't sure what she could do to try and keep the woman from getting hurt in all of this.

Jennifer was making sure the curtains were closed after taking a look herself at what was going on outside. "Damn! It's insane out there!" she gasped. "Too bad you can't just turn off the Moon and let everything calm down."

The mystic's head snapped in Jennifer's direction as she clapped her hands sharply for the girl's attention. What did you say?

"Huh? There are people fighting out there." she replied. Zodiac shook her head no and clarified. "Oh. Well, you said the Moon was helping all this to happen. Too bad it doesn't come with a cosmic switch you could turn on or off."

The girl thought for a few moments. What do you do when an annoying light is coming into your room from outside and its keeping you from sleeping?

"Pull the curtains closed."

Exactly!

Zodiac grabbed a notepad and began to write a list. When she finished, she handed it to her assistant. You need to go upstairs to the store room and find all of that. Bring it all down here and stack it so we can take it out the back door and load it into the van.

"But, how are you going to go outside? You said whatever the moon is helping happen would get to you too." Jennifer asked in concern.

I think I have a temporary answer to that, but we'd have to move quickly.

***

(11 years ago)

She climbed into the passenger seat of the old pick up next to her grandmother as the older woman waved to the people she had just finished working a spell for. As always, the budding witch was full of questions but was smart enough to know to hold them till they were well away from here. They drove for a good 20 miles before her Nanna stopped and got the pair of them refreshments. The woman watched her granddaughter gobble the sundae she had gotten her for a few moments before speaking.

"You have questions?"

Angela nodded as she wiped her mouth and sat the frozen treat down so she could 'speak'

You didn't make it rain.

"Ah, but it is going to rain, isn't it? Very soon. I taught you how to tell the weather far better than science can did I not?" She watched the girl nod in agreement. The area had been suffering a serious drought and all it took was for the elder to find a few desperate and superstitious enough to snap at her bait. "So I made them a cloud of hope and sent it out to find other clouds that will be coming soon to bring them here and rain. You know how I made the cloud. A parlor trick anyone with an idea of chemistry could manage. So I did not lie. Rain is coming very soon."

But Angela signed. The cloud drifted to the West and the wind was blowing East. How did you do that?

"Ah," Nanna smiled. "Now that is the part no scientist could ever do. A bit of magick and a powerful will is required to manage that part. I have both and now we are 3000 dollars richer for our efforts. Do you think you are ready to learn this new skill, my angel? It will be hard and take far more effort than anything I have taught you so far." she warned the girl, but smiled as her acolyte nodded yes in eagerness. Angela was always willing to learn more and more. "Then tonight we shall begin."

***

Could she pull this off? Since being turned, her original 'skills' were erratic at best. She knew the spell and anyone here to vouch for the fact she had a will and attitude far larger than her small body suggested on first sight.

***

(10 years 6 months ago)

The older woman watched as the girl tried to encourage the cloud to move, but the wind was picking it apart. It was holding its place despite the wind. That was a good start. "Angela, you need to be more aggressive with it. You have to want it to move."

She saw the look of concentration on the child's face. She had the idea, but not the right motivation.

"C'mon, child. Own it, command it. Get pissed off at it and show it who is boss!"

***

"And what a perfect night to be pissed off," she thought. I will worry about that. I also need a high place. One where I won't be bothered and have a clear view from all sides.

"The broadcast tower." Jennifer answered. "I heard earlier something was wrong there so there should not be a lot of people there. Is on one of the tall buildings in town so its signal is not blocked. Would that work?"

The roof would be perfect. Get the stuff from upstairs. I need to change. Oh, grab a gas mask for yourself. This is probably gonna stink badly.

[Charlotte Ruse]

Relief flooded through her as Iris' light and gentle voice floated through the door to her ears. She could hear other noises happening in there too, but that was soon explained by her boss as a leak and an issue with the plumbing. Charlotte couldn't help frowning as she heard the woman say she'd fix it herself - as she didn't really seem the sort. She was..... different in how she dressed and acted. I mean, Charlotte thought she was a wonderful and kind woman - though Charlotte thought nice things of anyone who was kind to her and put up with her - but the way she dressed and acted was odd. As if she were perhaps touched in the head, but still able to mostly function in the real world. However, with everything, Charlotte very much doubted that she'd be able to fix a leak in a pipe, not least of which the clothes she wore would be far too restrictive to get into the positions needed to get to the pipes. Her fingers curled around the handle and she tried to open the door as she spoke.

"Here, let me have a look and then I'll call.... Zodiac is it? Her number's in your contact book? I've fixed a few leaks in my time and I'd hate for your beautiful clothes to be..... Oh. Iris? The door's stuck and won't open."

She jiggled it a little bit, figuring it was perhaps only stuck, but still it didn't move.

"Iris? You ok? I was, well, am upset. You should look out the window - people are fighting and attacking each other. There's guns being fired and screams and shouting."

She shuddered and her voice broke as a wave of emotion took her over, but she faught through it all.

"I just, it reminded me of some things from my past and I needed to be around a friend. And, well, you're the only person I really know here in the city - so I came to work."

She pulled herself together and tried to stop being pathetic and more businesslike. She look off her coat and placed it and her bag aside and once more tried the door.

"Step back, I'll see if I can unstick the door with a shove from my shoulder. Let me know when you're clear and we'll have you out of there soon enough."

[Cinnamon Cherrywhip]

CC had made it to the door and had meant to simply open it. However when she grabbed it and yanked, she yanked too hard and the whole thing came off it's hinges. Her back was to Zo, so she never saw the hand flapping that was going on - but it wouldn't have meant anything to her even if she had seen it. She stalked out of the shop and down the hall as her rage seemed to build and build within her. She opened the front door to the building and saw the fighting that was going on outside, bodies and ash everywhere of both vampires and humans. That sight, that welcomed her through the doorway, once more reminded her of that feeling that had snuck up inside of her moments before and made her look back over her shoulder, back to Zo's place.

She turned back, letting the front door swing shut, and all but ran back to Zo's and through the open doorway. She looked around and saw the woman and took the few steps towards her and acted before she came to her senses and before Zo could react. Her arms snaked around the woman's waist, one heading down to grasp her firm buttocks while the other snaker up to between her shoulderblades. They drew Zo close, so their bodies were pressed together - and then finally her lips met the others while her tongue parted both in a sudden and passionate kiss. Then, as soon as it had started, she released and stepped back, turning away and running out of the door and down the corridor.

She was out and in the street, sword in hand and blanket flapping like a mad thing, all before she could think about what in the hell she'd just done. She managed to fell one tattooed wannabe, but the blanket was not helping her in any way, shape or form. So quickly she nipped down an alley and wrapped it around herself under her arms and tucking the end in just under her arm. She then used the sword to slice the bottom off and make it shorter, using the cut off strip to tie around her chest and secure it tighter than the tuck would hold it.

Now in her makeshift dress, she was ready to face anything and everything the night might throw at her. She charged down the streets slicing up anything with more tattoos than her and taking a few blows herself. She was like a demon possessed, or a wild animal cornered - the savagery with which she dealt with every paladin she found was uncomparable. That side of her her parents had tried to nurture, and which she had always quashed, had been set free tonight. Tonight it was not CC who roamed the streets, but her parents little Marzanna in all her glory, just as they'd always wanted. Finally their dream was being realised and she was free.

[Iris von Drol]

Cornflower blue orbs were nearly the size of saucers in horror at what Charlotte was proposing to do. Iris slid over to the bathroom door slamming her hips then rear into it making sure that it was locked. She pressed her back against it and hiked up her left leg and pressed the bottom of her vintage boot to the side of the sink. There was no way in all that was holy that the woman on the other side of the door was going to get inside where Iris currently was holed up. Plumbers usually worked alone. She had this covered just fine. She didn’t need any help. What was the females problem with not taking a hint?

“It’s okay. Really. I have it all taken care of. Anyone else in here would only make things difficult to impossible to fix.” She paused her words as she nearly choked on something in her mouth.

Iris spit the small hard object out into her hand and discovered a third tooth resting in her palm. Her tongue took an investigative sweep to the space on the top of her gums where three spaces were now void of the teeth in the drain, her pocket and now her hand. She wanted to cry right there. She couldn’t. She had to think fast and keep it together even if everything about her body was falling apart. She had to do this before when Ben Mercer was insistent on knowing why she couldn’t hang out during the day, or out ran him to the landing strip where airplanes landed. She explained it away that she was sun sensitive and had a habit of over indulging in power bars and energy drinks. Her eyes rolled at how much she was creating excuses when his questions got all the more pointed. She pulled it off before. She would just have to do it again.

“My father is a professional plumber. I grew up fixing everything. Best apprentice he ever had. In fact stay back and give Zo a call and see how things are with her and her shops. In an hour this whole building will be clog free. Whoever put in the pipes and whatever you know that goes with hooking up a building like it should be was not contracted when this building went up. I can tell you that just by looking at this pipe right here.”

Iris didn’t move from where she had the door braced shut with her leg and her back between the wooden surface behind her back and the sink. She stretched for the wire brush and fiercely swatted the silver pipe beneath the sink for effect.

“Hear that? Not even industrial grade pipe! I am going to be the best thing that ever happened to Veil Towers when I finish. Just need the room to work and you will be amazed at what I can accomplish.” She kept banging on the pipe and tucked the tooth in her hand into the pocket with the other. Two out of three salvaged teeth was not all that bad. Especially in the rare case she could super glue them back in place later. Hopefully a weave job to get her hair back on her head was also possible. “Let me know when you are done with that phone call. If she doesn't answer please call her private cell number. All numbers are on the phone list on the top of my desk. Ask if there is anything strange going on. I have a feeling something isn't right.”

[Charlotte Ruse]

Charlotte was all ready to break the door down when there was a thunk and a thud at the other side of it that made her pause and frown. She stood quietly and listened to all the woman had to say and then debated in her head what to do. On one hand, the woman hadn't addressed the issue of the door being stuck, not in the slightest. This got her brain whirring and turning, wondering what was going on in there. Then, the woman was her boss. Who was she to question her and annoy her? This was the only person she knew and trusted in the city, the only person who had given her a chance after the mess with the Necro and the insane people who thought they were 'vampires' there.

She stood there silently as the debate raged in her head. She knew there was something wrong, knew something was going on in there - and knew it wasn't plumbing. However, the fact she was her boss won out and she nodded her head at the door in acceptance.

"Yes Iris, I'll go and make the calls just now and see what I can find out for you. Then I'll make us a cup of tea and we can see how you're getting on with the pipes."

And with that, she turned and went downstairs and began rummaging for the address book. It didn't take long to find it in a stack of papers, and as she sat herself down in the seat behind the desk, she picked up the phone and dialled the numbers listed for Zodiac one after the other, over and over. She was determined to get an answer - she needed to prove to her boss she wasn't trouble or in the way. There was no way she wanted to be sent back out into the city tonight. She'd do anything to stay put.

[Alexandrea]

"Nimmy! Are you here?" he called out.

Morgan heard Mike's voice and stuck her head out from behind a plant; "Mike! He's not here but hide with me, Alex is on her way and she'll take us someplace safe!" Trembling she hid again, she hoped it was true. Alexandrea wasn't just her boss... she was her friend.


Alexandrea looked up at the man Nimmy claimed was Robert in shock. She stared for a few moments trying to find something about her friend's sire that was familiar but she just didn't really know the former blood thief that well. She was about to identify herself when Windbag showed up and she pulled her cloak more tightly around herself. She tensed up, certain he would recognize her somehow but relaxed somewhat when he didn't and went on his way. She tensed up again when it sunk in that Mike wasn't answering his phone..

Trouble was heading their way and Robert saw it coming before Alexandrea did, urging her and Nimrod to run to his place and meet him there. West Towers was a long run without celerity but taking the train was out of the question. The closest bridge was the same direction as the bank when Morgan was hiding however, so that was the right way to run. But before she did, she turned to Robert and despite the fact she she didn't know if she trusted the man because of the way he had let Madison down, she thanked him.

"Robert, It's Alexandrea. I'll keep Nimmy safe, you keep yourself safe. See you at your place. And... thank you."

"Come on, Nimmy. You aren't going to die if I have anything to say about it. See Grossetos across the road? We're heading just past there to start, to hide behind some trees in the park next to the bank. Once I know you are safe, I'll go get Morgan from the bank and then all three of us can try and get over the bridge together and into Honeymead."

[Nimrod]

Nimrod frowned, “Mike not answer phone..?” he said, maybe he went back on the mother ship when hell broke open.

He yelped when he was grabbed by the back of his shirt. Flash backs of the awful people grabbing and pulling on him to go somewhere, to the next set of treatments. His heart raced a moment before he calmed down, humming a song. Robbie was talking but he couldn’t focus, even if he did, he always got lost so he wouldn’t know where they were going.

He focused on the nice lady, she was moving. “Trees…” he said, looking down the road. He frowned, he did not want to go that way, open space, he didn’t like open spaces. He normally crossed them quickly but it was a bit different now that there were all these people shooting at each other. “Alright…” he said, trying to urge himself to move.
Bang bang Nimmy, a bullet is going to hurt
He held his head a moment. Got to run. You’re not a spring chicken
He started running like a mad man, “Not spring chicken, old chicken but I still run good!” he said and ducked behind the trees. He petted the leaves, “Nice tree..you help me now..” he said softly.

[Mike Barone (DELETED 2047)]

"Nimmy! Are you here?" he called out.

Morgan heard Mike's voice and stuck her head out from behind a plant; "Mike! He's not here but hide with me, Alex is on her way and she'll take us someplace safe!" Trembling she hid again, she hoped it was true. Alexandrea wasn't just her boss... she was her friend.

Mike heard someone call out to him, it was the one Snow called Boobs, or whatever it was. He hurried across the bank and ducked behind the plants. His heart was still going faster than normal, he was still trying to catch his breath.

The proper thing would have been to ask if she was alright, but his mind was still on what was going on. Vampires being killed by humans so easily? There was something really wrong with that. "They can't use their powers.." he said softly to himself. That had to be it! They heal fast, they had all these powers but yet humans were killing them now? They must not be able to use their powers.

He finally looked at Morgan. "Its more dangerous for her to be out here then it is for us.." he said, maybe that wasn't the right thing to say, he didn't want to make her worry more. He dug in the pockets of his backpack for his weapon. "But I just got chased down the street by a group of...I'm pretty sure they were humans....people are so railed up that they are attacking anyone..." he added as he gripped his blade tightly as he peered out of the leaves of the plant for any sign of movement.

[Zodiac]

She had just rounded the corner to unlock the upstairs when CC came running back to them. "Oh thank the Goddess. Maybe we can talk some sense into her." she began to think before suddenly finding herself in the allurist's arms. A split second after that, Zodiac found herself being aggressively kissed. Before she could protest or react, she was suddenly free again and watched CC run out into the night. She blinked a few times, looked at Jennifer, then back at the door.

"She just totally macked you, Zo." Jennifer laughed.

She did, didn't she?

"Tongue, booty grab and all"

I know. WTF? Is everyone going insane tonight? She shook her head and unlocked the upstairs. Get the stuff down here as soon as you can, please.



***

Jennifer looked over the shelves quickly but carefully. The storage room above Pandora's always seem to un nerve her the most of anything on the property. It wasn't cobwebs or spiders or anything suggesting a gloomy, dark and dank closet. It was quite the opposite. Roomy, shelves well organized and clean with plenty of light. It was what was in there that made the girl nervous. It was half wizard's supply house and half chemical warehouse. What ever was written on the boxes said what exactly was inside of them.

Why her employer needed half this stuff she could only guess.

She sat the second box of sulfur dioxide on the moving cart when the company phone rang. She grabbed it from the wall mount and answered as she looked for nitrogen oxide.

"Pandora's Box. This is Jennifer speaking. We are closed due to the riots currently happening in the streets this evening. How may I help you?"

She listened for a few moments. "Zodiac is fine. How is my home girl, Iris doing so far, Char? What do you mean? Why she hiding in the bathroom?"

***

Downstairs, Zodiac pulled a box from one of her closets and sat it on the table. It was to be a gag gift to one of her workers in 'The Eye' but now she had another, more serious use for it. The girl was fond of dressing in costumes at times-nothing that disrupted business at all, so she had got her one to consider wearing more towards Halloween. The cowl and cape were ignored. Only the black body suit interested her now. Zodiac held it up to the light and stretched it, seeing how little light actually made it through the rubber-like material. When she was satisfied, she stripped down to nothing and began to squirm her way into it. It was far tighter than what she wore as the norm, but it would help keep the light from touching her skin. Once inside, she put her own clothing back on over the second skin she now wore. A pair of opera gloves lay waiting to cover her hands along side a mourning veil and her hooded cloak. A bit warm for the time of the year, but she had no choice.

Her largest portable braizer sat ready to go along with a few other items wrapped in a bundle near the back door. She was mixing a drink when the sounds of her assistant walking the handcart down the stairs caught her ear.

"Not sure you have enough of what you need, but there was some of everything on that list up there." Jennifer let the cart stand up as she wiped her brow. Zodiac smiled and offered the girl one of two glasses she had in her hands.

Thirsty work she signed. Jennifer smelled the liquid inside the glass and smelled cherries. When it hit her lips her tongue jumped for joy at the flavor and she quickly drained the glass.

"Oh wow. That was good. One of your custom creations?"

The mystic looked at her long time friend and frowned a bit as she watched and waited.

"One of Iris' people called to check on you. Seems Iris is..." Jennifer yawned as she grabbed the back of a chair for support. She looked at the glass and the one still waiting in Zodiac's hand. "You sneaky *****!" the girl declared as she began to fall. Zodiac caught her and helped ease her to the floor gently and then dragged the drugged girl into her parlor. The inside was out of sight from any view from the storefront so no one would bother her.

"I couldn't keep going if something happened to you, old friend." Zodiac slipped a small pillow under her head and covered her. She would be out for a few hours minimum. A soft kiss to her brow and the girl rose and grabbed the keys to her van.