Path of the Vampire forum

Her mind never strayed too far from her surroundings. The last time it had, Every had been shot by an unfamiliar face - a hunter, no less - who had disappeared before she could retaliate. As her hand had pressed into her stomach, the small shadow had cursed at the sight of the deep red soaking through her white t shirt. It was unnerving after nearly six years of bleeding an inky black substance. She’d made a routine of walking the streets at night, a patrol of sorts, trying to think of ways to repair the damage that had been done to Harper Rock. In some ways, she also knew she was looking for signs that Theodosia was actually out of her throne room. In other ways, she was checking for things that were worse than the zombies, mooncalves and ferals that had escaped from the rift.

"Every, I found the creature you were asking about." Zachary said, drawing her attention through the link that she’d been leaving open more and more often between their minds. He'd spoken out loud, drawing the attention of the theodosian mooncalf to where he was hovering. ”I’m on my way.” Her response was telepathic as she began to make her way towards the familiar landmarks, reaching out to the side of the brick wall and allowing her nails to sink into the stone of an abandoned building. Every supposed she would be lying if she didn’t like the fact that the town had become quieter. Over her time in Harper Rock, she’d learned that she preferred the company of a few compared to the masses, even if she could put on a friendly smile and charm her way through crowds.

Adapting, she’d learned, was something she was very good at. Survival, in the end, was her goal. And as she walked down a street littered with ashes, she supposed she was doing just that. Although, her mind didn’t allow her to forget the words, at what cost? as they echoed around her mind. Pulling her nails away from the wall, she ran them against the edge of her thumb gently. It had been almost a week since she’d last come into River Rock, the once busy part of town still. There were boards on some of the windows of the shops, the frown that had etched across her lips simply turning deeper as she heard the steady scuff of a boot moving unevenly against the asphalt.

Behind her, she heard the sharp crack that accompanied gunfire and she steadily went in the opposite direction. Even if she healed, she did not want to be scrubbing blood out of her shirt if she didn’t have to. It took her a total of fifteen minutes to make it to Zachary. She wasn’t in any hurry, and through his eyes, she knew the mooncalf hadn’t moved. With each foot drawing her closer, Every could feel the dark, familiar sensation beginning to touch upon her skin. Theodosia. It was the only sign of her that she’d been able to feel, to find in the city in the months that had followed the throne room aside from the rift expansion.

The creature looked at her, it’s gaze unwavering as Every stared back at it before folding her arms in front of her chest. ”Are you ever going to make a move to greet us, or did Amalea, Freyja and I get treated like **** for nothing?” Her telepathic message to Theodosia was never answered. By now, she didn’t expect to get an answer. Her attention went to the creature in front of her, her jaw clenching briefly before she asked, “I don’t suppose you can answer me, either?” Her fingernails tapped against her arm, ”It’s different, seeing an intelligent mooncalf. I don’t know what we’re going to get, setting her free.” Her hazel eyes studied it. Every wouldn’t attack it. Not after knowing how strong the vampire who had created it was in her weakened state.

Even now, the aura made her uneasy.

Her arms folded in front of her chest, the dislike that there was no answer increasing her negative mood. After everything that she and Amalea had gone through, she thought something was unbalanced. Not to mention, there were too many things unanswered. Her tongue ran over her teeth as she remembered that splitting headache, the way it'd cut through her skull and made her lose track of her thoughts. What power had Theodosia been promising, what truly would have been the sacrifice of killing the creature, had they gone that route? Micah's words echoed through Every's brain before she heard the footsteps approaching.

Every turned after she heard the voice, the face familiar to her, as well as the presence. Family, formerly. She was one of the Fforde's, although she hadn't seen her in some time. "Theodosia." The answer slipped past her lips with ease. In some ways, not being able to lie was easier than preferring not to. "She's an ancient vampire that was released several months ago. This is her creation. One of them, at least." Her gaze went back to the creature, frowning. "It's Ursula, correct? You're one of Jesse's."

Hazel eyes moved to her wraith and then to the creature not too far away, Zachary eyeing Every before he drifted off elsewhere. Both kept to a routine. It was time for him to go check on Amalea, as agreed. After everything the two had been through, and what had been revealed, she didn't like to leave the human alone for long. Yes, she was human, and while she wasn't as fragile as some wanted to believe, she wasn't as strong as she was believed to be either. "Surprised you haven't read the ******** on CrowNet. Granted, delusion of grandeur have managed to come into play."

She didn't miss the way that the mooncalf seemed to be studying them, listening. It set her nerves on edge. She could feel it's aura radiating off the creature and Every pressed her lips together in thought. As an afterthought, the vampiress put her weapons away and blew some of her hair out of her face.

Her lips pressed together lightly as she considered the events that had followed after the incident down in the chamber. Things had changed in Harper Rock in the years that she'd been there; there were highs and lows. Every, herself, simply adapted to situations rather than worry too much about them. So far, there hadn't been too many negatives. She knew the government would have reacted at some point to mobilize more military to the streets - a city of vampires wasn't something that one could ignore for too long. Aside from the increased zombies and the population decreasing, all in all, it hadn't been that serious. At least, she suspected, it wasn't as serious as it could have become.

The sirens had thrown their kind under the bus. Eventually, Every hoped to look for a chance to return the favor. She wondered exactly how many secrets the Hebigumo foundation wouldn't want to be get out. Eventually, she would want to try and contact one Fabian Mueller, a scientist that had been named in the papers and see how far his research correlated to the sirens, too. It was added to a list that was growing day by day, week by week. She'd start marking things off when she had the chance. "Well, at least there's a positive note." The glimmer of a small smile played across her lips before she tucked her hands into her pockets. As Ursula mentioned the ancient, Every turned her head to face the other woman once more.

"We don't know much about her. A handful of us got a taste of her memories..." As she said it, Every could remember the various images that were almost burned into her mind. It came back to her occasionally in almost a reel like fashion: the sacrifices, holding herself down with stones to cross underneath the sea. It was interesting and chilling at the same time. "But she's an ancient one. Older than our elders, possibly even the first vampire." Every couldn't believe it. She'd always been one to believe in fate, the idea that it had been their destiny unnerving to someone who ran from her past as much as possible.

The question that Ursula asked was one that she herself had wondered. She still didn't understand how Theodosia was so strong, even as she was mummified. "It likely is attached to her power, too. She was able to beckon five of us without even so much lifting a finger." Her eyebrows furrowed together as she remembered the pull that she couldn't deny. "Four vampires and a blood thief. She was able to block out two appraisals, as well, at the same time giving us a massive headache." Her hazel eyes moved to Ursula curiously, "I can show you, if you'd like sometime. As well can a friend who was down there. My story is her story."

It was an open offer. She knew Amalea was as willing to show and tell. It was in an easier fashion that would allow the feelings and sensations that had been building in the throne room. "We still don't know what Theodosia plans to do, but chances are the bad and good will balance each other. She said there'd be power, but I only want to know more."

The darkness that she could sense from the ancient vampire came back to her mind as she looked at the mooncalf once again. That same sensation was there, it was unmistakable. “I’ve felt power before, in this city a couple of times, but there was absolutely nothing compared to Theodosia.” Her eyebrows furrowed as she considered it. Her fingers tapped against her jeans. Her mind drifted back to the brief memories of human sacrifice. Every wondered if it was something they would have to deal with. So far, things weren’t too significant. The amount of human blood spilled wasn’t anything out of the ordinary given the circumstances Harper Rock dealt with on the regular.

In comparison, Every supposed the canadian town had an above average murder rate. In the long run, the evacuation was likely the best decision someone could have called for. Although, the crime rate had risen, the increase of soldiers in the streets made things easier to watch after. There were others on patrol in the street, too, taking down zombies. Her doppelganger, too, and her wraith, were often lurking around. Watching, listening. As Ursula asked what she meant and who, the petite shadow rolled her shoulders back before hazel eyes shifted back to the woman at her side.

Every paused as she tried to think the best way to explain it. The memory telepathy was a bit odd and it wasn’t something she could still quite explain other than, ”I’m able to project my memory - memories, really - onto another individual. They can feel everything I felt, see and hear everything I experienced. I don’t lie, therefore its an honest account rather than secondhand knowledge.” It was the gist of everything, really. She still didn’t understand how some could make an opinion after seeing a video that showed only a fight, but to each their own. ”You would be able to essentially be in my shoes during the event, which is also why I think you should speak to Amalea, my friend, as well. She was the one who opened the rift with the help of my thrall.”

The brunette shifted her weight where she stood. She was never good at standing still. ”She gains the same ability that I have when she takes my blood, and she is willing to share her side of the story, as well.” A shrug of the shoulder was offered before her hazel eyes moved over the creature across from her.