Path of the Vampire forum

Chance loitered around the outside of the Metronome club, he had expected it to be much busier on a Friday night. He could only guess on why the business seemed so slow but if most vampires had started to hide and protect themselves like he was thinking about doing then it would make more sense and with as many boarded homes and businesses to indicate how many people had already left the city and that really explained a lot.

A lit cigarette burned between his fingers although he didn’t smoke it seemed best to hide his intentions, even slightly to the casual observer, what he actually watched was the station across the street. He thanked the guy that gave him the smoke as he took a step away to lean his back against the club again. He suppressed a grin as the thought about what he was doing, he breathed only out of habit and had no real reason to even breathe so why would he smoke at all.

Over at the station, the guards looked well protected and armed against a fight. He doubted any one or even two would be any kind of match for him but the eleven that he counted was far more formidable.The guards checked all the passengers that entered the station but only scanned the couple of vampires that entered, similar to him they all had the microchips in either of the forearms. His own resided in the left forearm, just a few centimeters above the cuff, he knew it and hated it but it was necessary for now. The scans were quick and painless but everyone of the vampires endured a barrage of insults at them from the guards before they made it to the train. He could see the disgust and hatred seething from the victims, this seemed to mess with the natural order of things as he knew it. Humans shouldn’t be this aware of his kind!

The passengers that entered the train station slowed to none, at least until the next scheduled train would arrive and depart. His attention returned to the club, he dropped the burning smoke onto the sidewalk before he ground it out with the toe of his shoe. He watched a small group of people enter the club, leaving the street mostly quiet except for a few final stragglers hanging around the area.

The stranglers dwindled down to only a couple of others that seemed to avoid him as much as he avoided them although he had no issues with standing in the street lamps or not. Apparently they preferred to stay in the dark which made him wonder what they had planned for any drunk clubbers as they left. Not that he cared at all tonight, especially with both his weapons neatly packed inside his coat he knew he was more of a match for any common street thugs. Once the street cleared, he made his way around the back of the buildings until he found his own dark and secluded space.

He pulled his sleeved up to the elbow, so he had a clear view of the spot the guards had inserted the tracker. He probed his arm for a few minutes before he could feel its location before he started to work it back to the surface of his skin. The work was short lived before it satisfied him, a knife as sharp as a razor appeared in his hand as he quickly opened a spot just below the tracker. He cut far deeper from what he should but the knife had a razor’s edge and the stroke was quick, with a grunt he worked the tracker out of his skin and into his waiting thumb and forefinger.

Once in his hand, he gently set it between his teeth as he tightly squeezed the wound on his arm to allow it to close on its own. Pain was short lived and even shorter to his vampire abilities but he wanted the cut to close somewhat properly as well, he didn’t need people suspecting what he was actually doing. He checked his surroundings as he held his arm, he preferred to keep his own council for now and the fact that most seemed content to be herded around like sheep to the slaughter. For now it seemed like a good plan to allow a sense of acceptance until they were more lax with their work or he came up with a better plan.

Slowly he released the arm and after a quick inspection he was satisfied. He pulled the small capsule from his teeth as he looked at it. It appeared identical to the other two he had already acquired already since the law went into effect. He snickered again as he pulled out the new ID he was just issued as he read the name on the ID, Richard Langly, while he pushed both the card and the tracker deep into the inside pocket of his coat to add to the other two sets in his apartment.

Once it was secure in his pocket, he headed toward the entrance of the alley to make his way back on the street.

Cristiana worked hard most days but this city was becoming a wasteland. People were fewer and fewer. Those that did come in, the regulars, practically knew her by name. She watched from behind the bar, repeating the same movements she did night after night serving the customers as they sat. Familiar faces she most always gave the first drink on the house, just to keep luring them back in with their wallets yet to be emptied.

She was midpour when she noticed the new face come in. Her eyes followed his movements, watching and waiting. She smirked knowing exactly what the man was doing. By all accounts he must be new to the city or worse, freshly turned with the tracking skills. She smiled to herself remembering. It was hard to recall anything before the turning but after she woke up, how she ambled around aimlessly until Tempy found her. Those nights were utter chaos and nightmare to even think of.

As he went out the back exit, she followed him sticking to the shadows. She didn’t bother to approach him. No, that would be too much fun. She kept her distance. Shadows kept her engulfed and shaded from the light, tucked away where the eye could not see. She watched what he was doing in part fantasy and part enthusiastic infatuation. It has been a long time since someone caught her attention like this. It was almost a familiarity to it but she could not quite place it.

… Did he just???? Her eyes narrowed looking intently. He was mulliating himself. Her morbid curiosity was now sated. She had done some messed up things in the past but it was all for a greater good. What greater good could it be that he used a knife to slash open his own arm.

She would find out though. As he passed, nimble little fingers slipped in and out of the pocket. She fished for whatever he pulled out of his arm and the whiteish, now reddened card she saw him slide into his pocket. After all her years of practicing her hoped her hand wouldn’t rouse him from his previous stated destination. She should be good enough since she could slip in and out of pockets all the time without being caught, even a jacket of bells did not ring. Mistake one, never curl the fingers around what you want, let it gently rest between the length of the fingers. Easy in and out.

He peeked out the end of the alley to find no one paid any attention in his direction yet all the while something gnawed at the back of his mind and that was a rather unfamiliar feeling for him. Without really knowing what was wrong, he stepped out of the light as he quietly searched around for whatever was causing his trepidation. He didn’t search long but decided it may be best to find another way to exit.

With a quick about face, he returned the way he had walked moments before. He had no issue taking risks of any kind but at the moment he wanted to inspect the device and see if he could learn anything about it. Absently he smoothed the front of his jacket as he saw the back door to the club was open and he decided to…

“What the….” his voice trailed off as his hand dove into his now empty pocket! He anxiously felt around in the pocket but the pocket was still completely intact. He knew he had been preoccupied but he hadn’t felt a thing, he didn’t see a thing either. A small smirk lit up his face as he laughed, realizing he had been had by a pro and he was now slightly envious of their skills.

“How..whEN?” he stammered as his mind worked on the implications but he knew he didn’t want to stay in the open streets any longer. He reached for the door of the club to figure out what was next. On a good note, if the device was actually tracked then at least he was no longer holding the evidence.

Finding the nearest barstool to the door, he sat down for a drink. Should buy him a few moments to collect his thoughts. He scanned the room for any signs that the thief may be somewhere in the room or any other signs of pursuit.

The young looking woman wearing her normal red and black corset style top with the bar logo, a black open blazer and tight black a line skirt just passed her thighs didn’t bother to ask the man who sauntered up to the bar what he wanted to drink. She slipped a glass, darkly tinted, in front of him.Tempy’s favorite, The Captain’s Punch. Captain Morgan was done proud of this concoction.

Since hers was the first in the whole city to make the specialized drinks for the fanged species, hers tended to be some of the strongest content. She did let the spells be known but hers had been refined, cultured into the strong infusion of the blood. The content of alcohol was as if drinking the same as a human, if not stronger. With enough, you didn’t need the curse to get you drunk, these drinks would do it.

“On the house.” She said softly before turning to get another person a refill. It was the difference in the glasses that would be most noticeable. Humans got clear glasses, or colored ones. But Fanged species received darker glasses. It was a slight thing for her and the staff of the place to notice. She might not have a heartbeat but some of the staff did and it would not make for a great night if they were cleaning up. Everyone was aware and vigilant on who held what glass. She also worked hard in keeping the video streaming only to her computers and accessible only by her.

She watched as the guy sitting beside the one who mutilated his own arm tried to strike up a conversation about the dangerous city streets and craziness of the police everywhere. At that she was just about to go over when she spotted a human girl drunk trying to lift one of the blood glasses to her lips. Crissy hurried over and just before she could drink it, snatched the glass from her. “Darling, that was tainted. I didn’t catch the guy who slipped something into it! I am so glad I stopped you from drinking it. Security chased him out. Let me get you a fresh drink!” She ushered the girl up to the bar giving her a drink using the lie to put her at ease as to why she was taking the glass away, “Free darling. You have yourself a good time, stay safe.” She ignored the thank you’s and gushed how she just saved the girl's life. Now the girl would not only have a tale to tell her friends, but also in the long run gussy up some business if the staff is looking out for the ladies like that.

Finally she managed back over toward the man, truthfully if he didn’t already have fangs, given what she saw then she might have turned him herself. She did have a soft spot for the crazies. “You need a refill?” A hand went out across the bar like she was going to take the glass but instead she pressed the tracker into the fleshy part of his palm before reaching the glass itself. The movement was so fast she didn’t think anyone else could have seen it. All of this with a straight face, no different from waiting on any other person. “Maybe you’d like to come back into my office and share a bottle with me? I have a private reserve of my own stock.” A sly wink and turn thinking he might want to follow her into the not so hidden section of the club, too many people knew about her secret office now.

He had just barely sat down before the bartender appeared with a drink which she sat down in front of him. Slightly surprised by the drink and the fact she turned away just as quickly as she had appeared. “Thank you” he replied as she walked away, he watched after her for just a moment while she helped other customers but was interrupted by the man next to him.

“The city just isn’t s-shafe anymore and the police aren’t doing anything about it either. Wouldn’t be out myself except for needing a bit of a drink” the man started to say but was obviously drunk and didn’t even wait for an answer from anyone but himself. “E-even the military can’t handle all the problemss.” Chance picked up his glass and allowed himself to turn away slightly from the drunk a little and promptly proceeded to ignore the chatter but pulled down on his coat sleeve making sure his injury stayed properly covered.

He sipped the drink slightly, before he realized that it wasn’t an ordinary drink at all but much stronger and made for his own kind. After another swallow of the drink, he set it back down gently on the bar and watched the doors as best he could for any unexpected visitors. It didn’t surprise him this time as the bartender came asking for refills with the half empty glass in front of him.

It only took half of a heartbeat, if he had one still, for him to realize her hand was in his. He squeezed down onto her hand ever so slightly, while her fingers gently slid out of his palm leaving the tiny device where she just vacated. He didn’t even need to look inside the hand to know the tracker had been returned without anyone being the wiser it happened at all except for the curious look that he shot the woman in front of him.

He admired her poise as she talked, but knew at the moment he would follow her regardless. He stood and dropped the tracker back in his pocket as he straightened his clothes, she obviously robbed him or attacked him but a conversation sounded like a better alternative to him. “That is a great idea actually, I would love to.” he answered as he sized up the woman that walked in front of him, pretty and polite to be sure but he also knew first hand she was far more than that already. Although she didn’t seem to want him dead just yet, it didn’t mean he was out of danger entirely.

“Chance, by the way.” He stated politely as they passed out of earshot of her other customers. “Not that I would want to turn down such a polite offer, are you planning on explaining your ….umm… actions?” Politely asked still as he hadn’t made up his mind yet if he was upset by her actions or not and likely would depend on how this meeting turned out nor did he see any reason to escalate the situation needlessly either. He had plenty of time and patience to wait.

As the two walked to the privacy of the office, she did as he was doing to her. The eyes of his person roaming her up and down. She could feel it on the back of her neck. Instead of doing the same with him she reached out with the intuitions she had gained from being in the city for so long. Those dark days, when she was newly turned, burned into her head. It was how she saw him now, but not new persay.

Once in the stark white office, she shut the door and took up the spot behind her desk. The room was immaculately clean. Everything was meticulously placed in order to be stylish yet functional. She swept the seat in front of the desk, all five feet two inches tucked behind the modern style desktop.”Cristiana, pleasure to meet you Chance.” After she had been done wisping the contents of his mind, seeking out the danger level of this man before her, she smiled. “You can relax, I truly want just a moment of your time. If you would like I can and will gladly pay for it.” At that she reached into a drawer she pulled out and laid before him a few crisp and clean one hundred dollar bills.

“Now, that should buy me at least if not more an hour of your time.” She was self assured and yet, not snarky about it. “Greetings to the club. It was an interesting display of you mutilating yourself out in the alleyway. I am coping the video for you as we speak, then destroying those few moments. You never took what looks like a tracker from inside your person. I am the owner of this establishment. I do try to be somewhat privy as to what goes on, even if people do not think I know about it. The does include the alleyway in back. If you need someone to nibble on I can call upon someone for a quick bite?” It was an offer to him. “Relax, I cannot harm you within the walls of the club nor could you harm me. It is as it always has been a secure place for our kin to be. It is guarded well, not just with security but magical style forces that keep everyone …. Neutral.” With that she offered a smile and for Chance to explain just why he was removing a tracker out of his arm!

In silent wonderment, she pondered if there were more trackers. If there was she could always help him remove them, not here in this building but she owned enough places in this town. She could steal or get the ladies to buy it for her, some equipment to not only extract and deactivate these trackers, if said trackers actually existed. She wouldn’t mind doing a little cut and paste job. Now if Doc was around he would love to get his hands on such a specimen but as far as she knew the man was no longer around. He laid down for a long long sleep. Her focus was on the man before her even with the drifting thoughts she was paying attention to what he was saying verbally and nonverbally. His body language was more important than what came forth from his lips.

The office was clean, organized, and perfectly normal making it far better for running the club and not anything too dark. She introduced herself even as he felt the warning of the intrusion inside his head, a warning that had become far too familiar in the short time since he had acquired it. He grinned as he realized they both sized the other up, he still trusted his eyes further over his new found powers. The cash offer was appreciated but completely unwarranted for him, he let it lay on the desk as he continued to stand in front of the desk until he knew more of what she was expecting from him.

He listened as she spoke and her directness that she talked was something he grew fond of rather quickly. Not that he liked everything she said or implied even but he didn’t feel insulted either. It would appear she had caught his business in the alley and wanted an explanation, an understandable request on her part.Instead of deleting the film she could have taken this an entirely different direction, yet she hadn’t. Did she think he was some newly turned fledgling and unable to ‘hunt’ on his own? He hadn’t felt that way about himself for a long time yet on the other hand many of the older vampires may still think that way about those his age. That never bothered him, if they underestimated him it would be a disadvantage of their own making and something he had no control over. However the woman behind the desk was a mystery to him as well, although she had a polite and respective demeanor he doubted she was in much danger from anyone.

Despite her reassurance, he had no false sense of security here in her office nor did he feel threatened by her. He set his fingertips down on the money and gently pushed them back toward her. “I think the drink and a nice conversation will be payment enough in itself. You don’t need to pay me for that.” He smiled quickly as he turned and sat down in the chair behind him while he thought about her request but couldn’t see any of it as more than a footnote in a file somewhere. Once he was sitting he apologized sincerely, as it was the truth “My apologies for bringing this business outside your club, it hadn’t been my intention to involve it at all.”

He studied her for just a moment before he relaxed back into the chair a little as he decided the truth, or most of it anyway, wouldn’t hurt anything. Her own actions told him she had a stake in this as well. He smiled back at her a little as he started. “The ‘mutilation’ as you called it is nothing more than a small incision to remove it and since we heal quite quickly it will really not account too much at all. I have no idea of what or how it works yet but wanted to know more about it quite honestly and it seemed like a good way to get a bit of information.”

He looked up at her as he spoke and hoped he didn’t sound like the raving lunatic he felt like at times. “I have no intention of being tracked or hunted like a faithful dog by anyone, not even a little bit. Don’t get me wrong, I am no anarchist nor do I want to harm anyone at all as willing donors and bags are far too available. A little information is all I am seeking from that little device.” He grinned slightly as he tried unsuccessfully to gauge her reaction before he continued. “My plan will likely accomplish nothing but on the worst will hurt only myself or on the best help us all. However you may want to delete this last part again if you are still recording for your own good.” As he finished he used a finger to point around the ceiling of the room for any cameras that she may have about.

The whole thought sounded absurd in his own head so he didn’t know what to expect from her, tossed out of the club or committed to the psych ward would be his first thought so he just waited for his answers to sink in.

She most willingly pointed out the small concealed cameras in the room. Six of the little buggers in total, mostly used for when she worked from home or afar to see not only who tripped the camera and came into the office but to view the screen while one of her thralls did the work via the computer that she normally did. Her dainty little hand pushed the screen over showing him it was perfectly safe and nothing was recording at the moment. With their heightened hearing, she would be able to hear the low hum of the camera if it were on. “You would know if it was, concentrate. You can feel the vibrations of the world around you if you focus enough. Light, sounds, all of it. That is why there are so many precautions in this room. It needs to be a haven when it gets too much out there in the club. Hence, the white. It is almost mostly soundproof but the cameras when they are on just as the gas flows into the fireplace over there… it is all heard if you listen hard enough.” Maybe it was just her, but she doubted it. So many nights she came into the office under the ruse of needing to do paperwork when she was just overwhelmed by the noise of the club.

“It is interesting how you are being tracked, why and how?” The woman could only ponder on just ideas of what could be out there. “Are there anymore of the little buggers in you? One of my apartments is nearby. I can call the girls and have them bring some equipment to search you internally without making cuts. We can use it to see the internal organs without cutting you up. Should you so wish it anyway.” She turned the chair grabbing two of the crystal glasses and a reserve of her private stock. This was cherry blood brandy.

One glass before each of them she tipped the glass before taking a long drink of her own. “You interest me. This is uncommon for this day and age. The streets are a mess and not nearly safe enough not that they ever were really. Perception is all that matters in this town. Remember that. Now please do tell me what has happened that you are being tracked?”

She didn’t know how to tell him or if she should know that the school that was created for their kin was right above the club. Although, even if she wanted to let him in, the passcodes for allowing entry were seized for all of them as one said person who carried them was long passed asleep or gone. She couldn’t let him in and telling him such would have been a teaser for something that could not be done. The SOA was good but with no one able to admit new people there was a halt in the process. She would have to find a way around this and soon. She would have to make a mental note to somehow acquire said keys. The question was, what locksmith would have that type of skill.

All the things she could offer the guy; a place to stay, money, even a job if he so needed but this all seemingly was not what this one was after. He seemed to genuinely want for nothing. The man seemed pretty laid back for the most part. That was a rare gift in this town where people were wound so tight they easily snapped. Guitar strings bore under so much tension they couldn’t be pulled further without popping one in the eye. She had taken herself out of that a long time ago. Fighting and the likes happened around her and she cared for none of it really. None of the fighting, only a small group of dearest ones, mainly one, and the club held her from taking the long long nap like so many others.

But this lone man was giving her something interesting to do and later talk of with Zodiac. ‘What did you do tonight?’ ‘Oh I helped a youngling out, like you do most nights’ Bahhhh! Maybe it was best left unsaid except the high lights. But that was the thing that got her in trouble in previous relationships, she didn’t talk and tell everything of how she knew. It was the cause of her marriage failing, her own secrecy. One mistake not to be made again, and thus far there was no hidden secrets that she knew of between them.

She waited for the male to tell him fair tale of how it was that he came to be getting tracked. She was interested in finding out. Then perhaps helping remove any piece that may linger within him... but wouldn't they have had to been put in prior to him being turned for them to stay inside his body. They naturally healed, and could remove things like ink from tattoos if they so desired. He could will them out of his body if he wished, but did he know that? Did he know he could change his own body to look younger or older if he wanted it? Maybe there was a reason for their meeting after all.

Her willingness to point out the cameras surprised him, not that he truly cared about the locations at all but the fact that she seemed to trust him so quickly and easily when she had no reason to. He wasn’t the most trusting of people under normal conditions and only fully trusted a few people in the world completely, yet she continued to grow on him as she explained her own hearing or maybe it was their hearing, he really wasn’t sure yet. He quickly attempted it himself but was cut short as she continued, he could see some vast potential in the ability like that so he definitely would make a practice or at least make a real attempt when he was alone.

He held back a smirk as she talked about more trackers, she made it seem like it was something only relevant to him and not everyone. He watched as she opened and poured them both a glass of something dark but quickly could smell the alcohol in it, he wondered where she had been for the last couple of months since the new laws had taken effect? Locked into her club or even just plainly avoiding the outside world as it seemed so many had done before. Long sleep, short ones, or even the shadow realm he still barely understood those terms himself. He mulled the thoughts over inside his head as he raised his own glass towards hers before he sipped on the drink. It was good, real good but he savored the taste quickly as he kept more attention to her over the drink itself.

Shocked by her supposed interest in him and it probably showed across his face for a moment but her direct conversation was something he liked and appreciated quite a bit. He lifted his glass and took a slow draught of it, allowing himself a second or three to regather his own thoughts before he reluctantly admitted with a grin. “I was unaware of that, I don’t seem to have the concentration for it at the moment. I will have to try again later, I bet it could come in handy.” He wasn’t vain enough to really think he knew everything but hated admitting to her that he didn’t know this when it seemed so basic. “Although the offer sounds interesting, I don’t have any more devices in me. X-rays and ultrasounds shouldn’t be needed or tests of any kind. Thank you for the kind offer, that is something I do appreciate.”

He set the drink back onto the edge of the desk after another sip from it and sat back into the chair comfortably, he carefully chose his next words. Unsure if he liked her or simply respected her so far but he didn’t want to insult the petite woman in any way, that would be unfair to her. “I watched the tracker inserted specifically so I could remove it afterward. Please forgive me m’dear as I mean you no disrespect at all but I am not sure on what you are asking for on the why? This is rather public knowledge and easily available to all, or at least so I thought.” He paused for just a moment to take a breath and emphasize it before he finished. “The new legislation in effect that is supposed to track all of us is a problem. Travel bans and deportations aren’t right either. I don’t intend to wait around until they want to round us up, or include the humans with powers into our fold, or whatever it is they may want to do next nor have I ever been one to wait around hoping for someone to fix these things, that just isn’t me.”

Unsure if this was some kind test on her part or if he truly was more paranoid than he admitted even to himself.Her own patrons often openly discussed these matters, hatreds and all although he left this out but her club was one of several bars that he frequented when he needed information or rumors. “I am surprised that you don’t know about this, besides the public announcement and it is often discussed openly or at least partially all around.” He left the statement hanging open allowing her the option of answering it or not after all she had requested this discussion. “I myself find it strange that more haven’t come out for or against the law, couldn’t really say if we number that few or if no one actually cares about it? Are we that scattered or just not bothered by it?”