Post by Seniade on Jun 25, 2016 1:30:33 GMT
Jade had followed the scent trail for as long as she could. Most hadn't noticed the beauty as she made her way down the street. Hair the color of a ravens wing seemed to be meticulously kept. It hung in dark curls along her back and the way she moved in and out of the throng of people meandering the street spoke volumes to a feline like grace that most wouldn't notice.
She was heading towards the direction of the hospital as that was where the scent trail had lead her to. She'd been tracking the scent of a woman she had heard was the victim of what seemed to be a domestic dispute but she couldn't help the tug at her gut that it was something a bit more sinister in nature.
Jean was once again with nothing to do in the night. The morgue was more or less empty of fresh arrivals, and his latest toy was nowhere to be found. So now, Jean was thinking of what he should do. He could always attempt to figure out where his toy went through some rituals, but those took entirely too long, took too many resources, and was pointless, as she would need his blood sooner or later, or else her body would disagree with her choice in actions.
The door to the morgue was locked, and the light was off above the door, but Jean had a handful of scented candles lit, using them to mask his unusually strong smell that he had today. His Obfuscate had been discarded when he was told that, unless something very unsavory happened, his morgue wasn't going to be seeing any use for a little while as they repaired some things, and another hospital had as many open drawers that it did. However, he was told to be on standby, so his night was ruined Perhaps he could see if boredom was another surefire way to kill a vampire...
The amount of rain Birmingham was getting at this time of year was ungodly and for the thousandth time that day, Ben cursed himself for not wearing a hat. Truth be told, he wasn't sure he owned a hat in his disorganized clutter of clean clothing on the bedroom floor. But then his mind retreated back to the thoughts about Hagley Hall again and wondering what on earth a Primogen Gangrel and ... whatever that thing in the library had been, wanted with his kind and that place. The thought of the creature in the library made a shiver run down his spine; before he'd stumbled into that prat Arty, his life had been quite normal for a werewolf, thank-you very much. In fact, maybe taking on this project for 'the family' had been one big blasted mistake and he should just suck up his pride and go home tonight. Or even this instant.
With a pang of guilt, he also remembered he wouldn't have stumbled into the pretty neighbor girl who seemed to be lee-vampire bait and he wouldn't have a decent job at Emyln's Elysium either. He wasn't the best at vampire lore, but he was learning to distinguish the distinct scents between some of the clans who frequented Emyln's establishment. In that line of thinking however, a new scent crossed his nose and he stopped mid-stride on the pavement, looking around for the source of the smell. He didn't see anyone who was obviously 'glaring' vampire-ish, so he picked up his pace to a steady jog and started sniffing the breeze, his sense of smell dampened by the recent rain.
You would have received a call or what ever it was that you blasted vampires were receiving messages on about a young pretty woman who had found herself the victim of a domestic case. Now why would one such as you take notice of that when death was your game to begin with ? Well lets just say it lacked a certain southern louisiana flare and the taint of voodoo had been all over it . Anyone who knew of you or your whereabouts might have conjured you to be one such a man who was adept in the arts of the forbidden and though widely accepted in many parts of the world, here in this country it was rare and the knowledge was little ... The poor girl had been unable to speak a word, her voice long since gone and though she wasn't catatonic, she did seem rather paranoid and terrified of everything that made a bump whether in dark or light.. She clutched in her hand a rooster claw with feathers at it's base that she tried to tell the doctors she took off her attacker when he was thrusting it at her angrily. She bore those scratches along her collar bone and upper chest and though she had been too excited to actually write legibly, she did manage to get her point across...
(Seniade) Jade had covered the amount of ground fluidly without a single drop in her step. Her movements feline and lythe made her almost seem to be walking on air. Eyes as green as jade had been swept from one direction to the other, her vision sharpening in on the distance between her and the hospital rising like a shadow against the light ahead. It was just dusk and the rain though something she should be used to, had put her in a considerable bad mood. What feline liked to be wet, none really and there wasn't a woman alive who liked to be wet and cold... or at least that she knew of.
She closed the gap between where she had been to where the steps to the hospital had been and bound up the steps with a languid movement. It was just as she went to grip fingers along the door that the scent wafted towards her and she paused in step to look out over those that didn't seem to beaware of those that walked among them. Her head tipped up as she caught the scent a bit stronger and though she couldn't determine what direction it was coming from she noted it to be nothing less than musk.. she gave a bit of a hiss as the hairs along the back of her neck prickled and then stepped into the corridor of the hospital, not wanting to be distracted from what she had originally sought out to do.
He sniffed again, and there it was, alongside something that was really rotting disgustingly somewhere in the hospital, a lighter scent mingled toward him... not vampire. Not wolf. And not human. Ben's blue eyes locked on a woman moving with an unnatural fluidity and a very unpleasant expression on her face, like she did NOT want to be there, she did not want to be doing what she was doing. But it seemed she had to or why else would anyone be out in this. Ben's face contorted in disgust as he realized she was walking towards the 'rotting' stench and he sighed heavily, pausing a moment to look down at his boots and curse himself for a different reason. "Why do I always have to go look? What is wrong with me?" He muttered under his breath to himself before moving quicker towards the hospital and stopping dead by the doors when the woman hissed aloud. Well, that's something new. Never met a woman that hissed at people before. He held out both hands, palms open to show he wasn't a threat and stopped if the woman turned around and spotted him, which after that kind of a hiss, he would hope she wouldn't bother.
she no sooner pulled that door open that she looked over the form of her right shoulder. She in fact stunning in appearance and her eyes were the most unusual thing about her . Those jade hues found you and with it the source of the musk. You'd see her nose wrinkle a bit as she drew in your scent and she stiffened though her gaze moved to your hands seeing you meant her no harm. Jade was not accustomed to dealing with your kind but she did at least no you existed and she just hoped that the whole dog eat feline mentality didn't exist in your head.
" Are you coming in " she asked, her accent placing her from the middle east though she had learned to disguise it over the years . She'd wait then for you to grip the door while just down the hall and in the emergency department there was a rather cute little adorable red head who had just thrown a tray of undigestible foods in rebellion to someone taking her pink fuzzy bunny slippers.
Jade had just stepped into the corridor fully as a pink fuzzy bunny slipper went shooting past the door . Her gaze slid into that direction with a languid movement and for but a brief second she regarded the petite adorable human.. there was something about that girl that spoke a little touched, but when the stench of rotting flesh grew up so heavily she turned her gaze sharply towards the long corridor that spanned out before her. She moved off without hesitation then, following her nose as she headed towards what seemed to be an unpleasant encounter to come.
The woman did indeed lock onto him and seemed her pupils constricted and dilated as she did the exact same thing he had been doing, nostrils flaring at trying to catch an unfamiliar scent. She wasn't a werewolf... so what was she? He tilted his head to the side in observation as he dropped his hands when her nose wrinkled in almost distaste. Briefly, Ben lifted his arm and surreptitiously sniffed his armpits. He had showered that morning and he wasn't sweaty from his jog, so he wasn't sure just what she was wrinkling her nose at. "Yes, I'm coming in. You don't have to look at me like I stink though, I shower regularly." He replied a bit snidely as he moved after her, catching the door with his hand. Her accent was heavily influenced from a different country but she spoke English well enough he supposed.
Just as he crossed the threshold of astringent smells of cleaners and iodine, Ben's eyes saw a familiar fuzzy pink bunny slipper go flying through the hall from an emergency cubicle. Oh no... His blood ran cold as he knelt down to pick up the slipper, ignoring the almost gagging smell of rotting corpses from somewhere else in the hospital and stood up, his eyes searching for the... yes, she was here. He would deal with the haughty gorgeous creature loping down the hall with that dancers' grace later. He strode towards Arlana slowly, holding her slipper in both of his hands, his eyebrows raised in expectant surprise to see her in the hospital as he looked down at her, tilting his head to inspect the scratches on her neck. "You know, if you're going to play with cats, you really should keep their claws away from your neck." He told her quietly, his tone mildly amused but concern and worry still etched on his face.
lana would look up at you, those bi colored hues wide. She didn't know whether to be afraid of you or to curl into your arms and beg you to take her home. Though you opened your mouth and those eyes narrowed before that same fuzzy pink slipper came hurling at your head. She was a mess of emotions and tears began to stream down her cheeks as she set that roosters claw along the tray before her . She'd never been so scared before and didn't know how to explain to anyone what she had seen before the woman had come at her.
(Jean) Jade picked up her pace, a feline like grace having set in her small frame. She didn't have reason to really be in this part of the hospital and with her not having any id, well she was all but out of luck ... You'd hear the elevator doors open and the sound of her heels along the floor and though you'd pick up on her scent, yours was far stronger and more unpleasant. Of course the morgue doors were locked so gaining access was gonna be a bit more difficult than she had surmised.
He never said the right thing to Arlana, never had and probably never will. He admired the irony of failing at talking to a mute girl but took the blow from the slipper in the side of his head with a resigned sigh. He almost made a joke about her slipper maybe being the source of the stink in the hospital he picked up on but then he saw her tears running down her cheek. Well... fuck. What do you do now, genius? Ben silently gave her the slipper back and frowned at the rooster claw the girl threw down on the tray before her. He picked up the claw and looked from it to the marks on Arlana's neck. "Is this what made those scratches?" He asked, a little concerned if she had done it to herself, but he doubted it. She wasn't the type to self-mutilate.
Jean smelled a cat, but at the same time didn't. Whatever it was, it was getting closer. He didn't bother putting up his obfuscate, but he did begin to snuff out the candles that littered the morgue. With each one that went out, the scent of smoke increased for a moment, before being replaced with more rot. The unbroken line of crematorium ash that he always kept maintained was another layer of security, keeping any prying ears from hearing what he was doing inside. Once the candles were out, and he was bathed in darkness, he returned to his chair, and locked his eyes on the small windows that allowed for people to look into the Morgue. Anyone who could see in the darkness to see him would have to look from there, and be greeted with the sight of a partial skeleton with glowing eyes, waiting for them.... so he could wave hello, of course. Jean was nothing if he was not a gentleman sometimes.
Lana heard every word he spoke and when he mentioned the scratches she turned those eyes up to him and nodded. She then went into a tanget of handmovements that would blind even a deaf that was proficeint in the language. Of course she remembered half way through he didn't have a clue of what to take from it and she grabbed the pen and paper that was left for her. She scribbled maddeningly across the pad, unleashing all the things she had seen, how that woman took a cat and mutilated it to grow horns and a two tails, how the cat howled in pain and agony and even the look on the womans face as she had done it. Lana paused for but a moment before continuing on with her tale that was now reaching the next page .. the woman, she, she ... she spoke of making me a doll ,erasing my lips so her Master wouldn't hear her. " she added to the bottom and that's when the sobs came and for the first time she curled into his overly large frame and just wept there scared half out of her little mind.
The scent of candles lingered just before that of smoke rose . Jade didn't dare assume what was on the other side of those doors but she wasn't the sort to air on the side of caution all the time either.. The pungent odor of rotting flesh had risen sharply and she knew then that what was inside was more than just death, it was the essentialness of evil personified.. You'd see her shadow pass by the doors, though she didn't stop to look in, instead she found her way to the venting system and after removing the cover she took her proper form and lept up into it. Of course it was a tight fit considering she was the size of a rather large domesticated feline, the spots and lines along her body denoting of her clan. She wove her way through the maze of duct work only to rest just above the grate in the morgue and perched herself there to see what she could and listen to what ever the thing inside let out.
Ben got a full three seconds before she looked up at him and started signing at him so quickly that even the basics he was trying to pick up on were useless. Then in a frenzy of terror or excitement, he wasn't sure which, she grabbed a pad of paper and a pen and scratched away for him to read about some lady who tortured a cat... with making it grow horns and two tails? He looked quickly at Arlana, now a little concerned that she had bumped her head before he remembered... vampires... there's a clan that can use magic, Emlyn told me about it... what the hell was the name... He only got a few moments to think before he read more of what Arlana had written down after her pause... this woman, whoever it was, had utterly tormented the little mute woman, before telling her she wanted to make Arlana a doll, and mutilate her so she wouldn't be discovered by her master... That was all the terrified woman had written before she started sobbing and curled into him.
Automatically, Ben wrapped his arms around her protectively. This at least, he was sure he knew how to comfort someone who was frightened, what with the nightmares Sophie used to have. "Well, I can see why you're upset, Arlana." He said soothingly, running a hand down her hair gently and resting his chin on top of her head as he gave her a comforting squeeze. "If you want me to go talk to the nurses for you about what you saw, what this woman was doing, I will. Did they at least disinfect those scratches for you? They can't be clean if someone who is willing to torture..." Something changed in the air and it caught him off guard as first smoke and then rot increased in his nostrils and he almost gagged, coughing and nearly choking a little on the smell, squeezing Arlana a little closer while he turned his head, doing his best not to give her a look at his disgusted face from the stench. Something was definitely off here, and the little mute should not be staying in a place that smelled like this.
Alana looked up at him when he spoke of disinfecting the scratches and she nodded to confirm they had taken care of them. She'd pen down again what the doctors had stated. " they want to keep me,said i am paranoid and they want to sedate me and i just want to go home. " she then shoved the paper towards Ben and gave a look as if she expected him to go out there and tell them he was taking her home right here and right now.
Jean began to drum his fingers on his ribcage in anticipation for whoever was coming. He could still smell them in the area, but he didn't know where exactly they were. His patience began to wear thin, and his fingers soon began to use his rib cage to make a beat. Before long, he began to sing quietly to himself. Jean was not a singer, so, though Cajun-French was his first language, the song was not right, and his pacing was off. Turning the song to be a bit unsettling, especially considering the circumstances. Each seemingly out of place yelp was like the moan of the dead. The words were better articulated, and sung a bit slower. Jean simply waited for whatever was waiting for him to show itself first.
Jade was perched just above where you were sitting . The uneven beat of a tune drummed along your ribcage. She didn't know what you were, and though she was frightened she didn't leave because for one simple fact.... curiosity...yep, she was curious of what you were and what your purpose was for hanging out in this area. You'd hear the grate gyrate as she shifted her weight to get herself a bit more comfortable . She wasn't about to show herself first cause ...well that would just be insane.
He nodded, trying to hide the fact that the smell was really getting to him as he glanced over both his shoulders, kind of expecting someone to be wheeling out a dumpster with bodies from around the corner of the hall. Then he noticed Arlana had a new message written down for him and he peered at it, rocking back on his heels at the almost demand. Ben could imagine Arlana's expression with the doctors when they told her she had to stay overnight for observation. "I'll take you home, if that's what you want. The doctors can go fuck themselves over the paperwork." The werewolf took a deep breath as if bracing himself for her reaction to what he was about to say. "But I am gonna have to make a call to our mutual friend when we get there. I have a feeling he might know what you're talking about. He mentioned something that sounds like what you described." He offered gently, offering a hand to Arlana. "If all you've got are those damn slippers, I'm gonna have to carry you. Can't have your bunnies getting dirty and wet, can we?"
Jean immediately stopped his song when the grate shifted. He knew how much weight would do that, because he occasionally hid some of his ingredients up in the vent. Now, though, nothing should have been up there. Picking one of the needles out of his hat, he held it in the palm of his hand before looking up to the grate. "Com'on down, na. I's know sometin is up tha." Jean said, not bothering to get up from his seat.
You spoke and lana gave a bit of a furrow to those brows of hers . Yes she wanted to go home, but she wasn't sure if she was up for more tug of war. The last time she saw you and him in the same place you both were growling at each other and you sprouted hair and fangs.. she'd tip her head then and look behind you half expecting to see a tail, but then she shrugged it off a gain to the fact she was probably just as hysterical then as she is now and it was all her imagination anyhow... You spoke of carrying her and she put her bunny slippers in her lap and looked up. was she consenting to go with you ? To be carried in your arms as if she were a child and avoiding a mud puddle ? perhaps , maybe it was just her way of hiding the fact she really needed to be held and feel secure again .. what ever the reason she allowed it and almost willed you to move quickly because she was not in the mood to deal with another shot to her arse.
He looked up and picked something from his hat...what ? She wasn't quite sure.. She didn't make another move, at least not right away and perhaps she'd have to clamor her way back through that maze of grates in order to get out of there before he did anything stupid... Again... curiosity struck and damn her to hell for her nature ... She let out a soft mew which would echo through the venting system to any and all rooms connected, alerting any humans near by that there was a feline stuck somewhere and they'd be sure to send someone to seek it out ... everyone loved a cat and when was in peril the entire world seemed to act... again she mewed and he'd see a paw scratch through the vent before pulling back as if she was trying to play with him .
He looked around one more time, starting to drive himself a little up a wall from the smell. Where was it coming from? He was nearly ready to tell Arlana that he would go check on something and be back, but he noticed she just plopped her slippers in her lap, apparently consenting to being carried. That was progress, he supposed, reaching down and picking up the short woman with one arm around her back and the other under her knees. She weighed maybe ninety pounds soaking wet if that, so she wasn't difficult to carry out of the hospital room. His first problem however, was one of the nurses who watched the young man suspiciously and rose from her chair when she noticed he was carrying a patient. "Easy, lady. She just wants to go home. She's had a rough day and I think being surrounded by her own things would do her a lot more good than pumping her full of medicine, don't you?"
Ohhh anyone who knew hospital staff at all could tell this was not going to end well in the least, not in the least at all.. The nurse stood fully ready to take on Muhammad Ali , fists on her hips as she took the stance of a fighter.. " That is unacceptable and she may want to go, but the doctors have determined she should remain. Now you put her back Sir or I shall be forced to recall security and have you escorted from the building. " the nurse didn't stutter or blink so it seemed and was going to be a formidable force to reckon with.... Now arlana, cute as a button as she was, felt it necessary to protest and thru those slippers at that nurse and not with idle force, she flat out chucked them... now would they hurt the woman ? Nope most likely not, but it would be a distraction for Ben to either A... run for the door and take her home or B.... stand there stunned as shite that lana was in his arms willingly let alone begging him to take her home.... not at all the first kind of date anyone would wish, but she wanted out of there .. it was about that time the stench hit her and she turned her head up to him and leaned to sniff around his collar.....nope not him ... lana looked back at the woman and furrowed her brows... did that woman just let one slip ?
Jean let out a surly chuckle. He stood, pulling up his obfuscate as he did so. (3 successes) He walked over to the wall that the grate was on, and pulled open a morgue drawer. Jean stepped up onto it as he had done so many times before, and lightly pulled on the grate, letting it pop off with ease. "Meow again, lil cat, and yous aint gonna meow no more," Jean said with a smile. "Now, yous gonna craul right on outa ther and down on mah flo, or..." Brings the pin he pulled out of his hat and showed it to the cat. "Dis little tin will say hi, and den ima drag yous out myself."
An orderly knocked on the morgue door, and Jean waved the grate at the man without letting the cat out of his sight as the ghoul unlocked the door with a key of his own. "I's gots it. Tel'em Papa Jean's handlin' teh lost lil pussy cat." The ghoul nodded, and closed and locked the door back. "Yous in mah home, lil one." Jean said to the cat.
Ben blanched as the nurse came at him, a look in her eye that he knew all too well from dealings with his mother. He squeezed Arlana closer to his chest as the nurse read him the riot act and ordered her to put the mute girl back in bed and he very nearly did from the steel in her eyes that said she had no problem getting the security officers involved. Then this little tiny thing curled up in his arms did somethign that was either very foolish or very brave, and winged her precious slippers at the nurse, bopping her square on the nose. Before he took advantage of the situation, Arlana shifted and sniffed at his neck, making him frown and glance down at her briefly... before he moved. He knew when to take advantage of distraction and moved, clutching Arlana close and sprinting out of the hospital, turning sideways to slam his shoulder against the doors that opened easily until they were out in the open air again and he could take a proper breath without wanting to vomit.
"You keep looking over my shoulder and slap me if you see someone coming after us." Ben instructed the mute girl carefully as he stretched out his long legs into a steady stride, trying to blend in with the crowd. The ebb and flow of the people soon had them wrapped up in it, but he held onto the mute girl tightly, his senses humming, waiting for repercussions to follow for 'stealing' a hospital patient. There was something foul in that hospital he thoguht, so if they really wanted to press charges, he'd say he was getting her out of an unclean medical facility.
Jade hunched back when the grate opened and she was face to face with something that looked entirely like a human but smelled like the depths of hell. Eyes green as jade regarded the man as the hint of light reflected off her retinas to send that glowing tint out.... She was ready to hiss and bat her claws into anything if he stuck it in that vent towards her.. what the hell was this anyway... impale the pussy with something sharp and deadly ? Noooo she was not in the frisky mood at all..
When the orderly came knocking and the door was opened, Jade sprang from the grate and given her size lept clear past the opened drawer and onto the floor, making a b line for the door to get her way out of there.. Perhaps this was just too much curiosity and this time it just might cost her ,her life.
Lana had created the distraction and curled a small arm about his neck while holding to him as he took flight. She didn't realize just how quickly he could move and as he bucked that shoulder to the door she gained a quick breath of fresh damp air.. The rain had been refreshing and she didn't seem to mind it too much at least not for the moment as she looked over his shoulder. So far so good because no one was following them...that's when she saw her... There just exiting an alley and into the dimness of a night entered the very woman who had terrorized her to no end.. She didn't see lana but had taken off instead to the direction of the hospital... Her fingers curled into bens hair as she tried to pull herself up around his shoulder to keep eyes on that woman,squirming wildly in his embrace as fear had again taken a hold of her.
Jean had an advantage other than surprise in his list of skills. The moment the cat lept out of the vent, Jean discarded the vent and jumped himself. Being made of mostly bones and loose flesh made you light. Couple that with the natural power that a vampire normally has, and he sailed across the room, landing next to Jade, and quickly shoving his hand into the cat's back, holding it on the ground. The orderly, upon seeing the flurry of movement, closed the door as quick as he could, before asking if Jean was ok. "I's told ya, son. Papa Jean's gonna handle it." Jean said, picking up the cat by the back of it's neck. Jean then turned his attention to the cat, bringing the needle close to one of her eyes. "Yous seein' dis? Dis pin aint no fun, lil one. Yous heard bout dem voodoo dolls, right? Dis tin makes those dat much wors. An' I dont need no doll ta use it."
She has leapt but apparently upon landing you had followed suit and landed just beside her. Just with any frightening moment she hunched down and hissed out of fear and then your hand was felt... You pressed her to the floor, her size alone more on the exotic side of felines and a bit larger than a domesticated one.. Her head turned to fix eyes on you as she again hissed and tried to twist herself on her back to bite at your hand and at least buy her a bit of time...however that blasted ghoul had locked the door, leaving her in there with you..
Now this was a lot going on all at once and before she could regain her composure you pulled her up by the scruff of her neck and who ever in this god forsaken world stated it didn't hurt was full of fucking shit.... the weight of her body fell against the excess skin at the back of her shoulders and neck and she squirmed wildly.. That was till that needle came up and you spoke.. her sudden silence was enough for you to know she understood what you said and so she remained still her tail thrashing wildly in anger while she could do little more than just wait.
Being a taller than average person gave Ben certain advantages when it came to moving quickly through a crowd, his legs allowing him to make long strides and eat up the distance much more quickly than normal people would. As he and Arlana moved out of sight of the hospital, his charge suddenly started squirming around in his grip and hauled herself over his shoulder, her eyes fixed on something he couldn't see. "Arlana, do I need to stop or go faster?" He asked warningly, his blue gaze taking in the people around them and not seeing anyone that looked like they were coming to take Lana back to the hospital. He turned his head and risked a glance over his shoulder as he held tightly to the woman who was now his responsibility to see she got home safely. Ben couldn't tell what had Arlana's attention so fixed so he kept walking and returned his attention to before him.
She was heading towards the direction of the hospital as that was where the scent trail had lead her to. She'd been tracking the scent of a woman she had heard was the victim of what seemed to be a domestic dispute but she couldn't help the tug at her gut that it was something a bit more sinister in nature.
Jean was once again with nothing to do in the night. The morgue was more or less empty of fresh arrivals, and his latest toy was nowhere to be found. So now, Jean was thinking of what he should do. He could always attempt to figure out where his toy went through some rituals, but those took entirely too long, took too many resources, and was pointless, as she would need his blood sooner or later, or else her body would disagree with her choice in actions.
The door to the morgue was locked, and the light was off above the door, but Jean had a handful of scented candles lit, using them to mask his unusually strong smell that he had today. His Obfuscate had been discarded when he was told that, unless something very unsavory happened, his morgue wasn't going to be seeing any use for a little while as they repaired some things, and another hospital had as many open drawers that it did. However, he was told to be on standby, so his night was ruined Perhaps he could see if boredom was another surefire way to kill a vampire...
The amount of rain Birmingham was getting at this time of year was ungodly and for the thousandth time that day, Ben cursed himself for not wearing a hat. Truth be told, he wasn't sure he owned a hat in his disorganized clutter of clean clothing on the bedroom floor. But then his mind retreated back to the thoughts about Hagley Hall again and wondering what on earth a Primogen Gangrel and ... whatever that thing in the library had been, wanted with his kind and that place. The thought of the creature in the library made a shiver run down his spine; before he'd stumbled into that prat Arty, his life had been quite normal for a werewolf, thank-you very much. In fact, maybe taking on this project for 'the family' had been one big blasted mistake and he should just suck up his pride and go home tonight. Or even this instant.
With a pang of guilt, he also remembered he wouldn't have stumbled into the pretty neighbor girl who seemed to be lee-vampire bait and he wouldn't have a decent job at Emyln's Elysium either. He wasn't the best at vampire lore, but he was learning to distinguish the distinct scents between some of the clans who frequented Emyln's establishment. In that line of thinking however, a new scent crossed his nose and he stopped mid-stride on the pavement, looking around for the source of the smell. He didn't see anyone who was obviously 'glaring' vampire-ish, so he picked up his pace to a steady jog and started sniffing the breeze, his sense of smell dampened by the recent rain.
You would have received a call or what ever it was that you blasted vampires were receiving messages on about a young pretty woman who had found herself the victim of a domestic case. Now why would one such as you take notice of that when death was your game to begin with ? Well lets just say it lacked a certain southern louisiana flare and the taint of voodoo had been all over it . Anyone who knew of you or your whereabouts might have conjured you to be one such a man who was adept in the arts of the forbidden and though widely accepted in many parts of the world, here in this country it was rare and the knowledge was little ... The poor girl had been unable to speak a word, her voice long since gone and though she wasn't catatonic, she did seem rather paranoid and terrified of everything that made a bump whether in dark or light.. She clutched in her hand a rooster claw with feathers at it's base that she tried to tell the doctors she took off her attacker when he was thrusting it at her angrily. She bore those scratches along her collar bone and upper chest and though she had been too excited to actually write legibly, she did manage to get her point across...
(Seniade) Jade had covered the amount of ground fluidly without a single drop in her step. Her movements feline and lythe made her almost seem to be walking on air. Eyes as green as jade had been swept from one direction to the other, her vision sharpening in on the distance between her and the hospital rising like a shadow against the light ahead. It was just dusk and the rain though something she should be used to, had put her in a considerable bad mood. What feline liked to be wet, none really and there wasn't a woman alive who liked to be wet and cold... or at least that she knew of.
She closed the gap between where she had been to where the steps to the hospital had been and bound up the steps with a languid movement. It was just as she went to grip fingers along the door that the scent wafted towards her and she paused in step to look out over those that didn't seem to beaware of those that walked among them. Her head tipped up as she caught the scent a bit stronger and though she couldn't determine what direction it was coming from she noted it to be nothing less than musk.. she gave a bit of a hiss as the hairs along the back of her neck prickled and then stepped into the corridor of the hospital, not wanting to be distracted from what she had originally sought out to do.
He sniffed again, and there it was, alongside something that was really rotting disgustingly somewhere in the hospital, a lighter scent mingled toward him... not vampire. Not wolf. And not human. Ben's blue eyes locked on a woman moving with an unnatural fluidity and a very unpleasant expression on her face, like she did NOT want to be there, she did not want to be doing what she was doing. But it seemed she had to or why else would anyone be out in this. Ben's face contorted in disgust as he realized she was walking towards the 'rotting' stench and he sighed heavily, pausing a moment to look down at his boots and curse himself for a different reason. "Why do I always have to go look? What is wrong with me?" He muttered under his breath to himself before moving quicker towards the hospital and stopping dead by the doors when the woman hissed aloud. Well, that's something new. Never met a woman that hissed at people before. He held out both hands, palms open to show he wasn't a threat and stopped if the woman turned around and spotted him, which after that kind of a hiss, he would hope she wouldn't bother.
she no sooner pulled that door open that she looked over the form of her right shoulder. She in fact stunning in appearance and her eyes were the most unusual thing about her . Those jade hues found you and with it the source of the musk. You'd see her nose wrinkle a bit as she drew in your scent and she stiffened though her gaze moved to your hands seeing you meant her no harm. Jade was not accustomed to dealing with your kind but she did at least no you existed and she just hoped that the whole dog eat feline mentality didn't exist in your head.
" Are you coming in " she asked, her accent placing her from the middle east though she had learned to disguise it over the years . She'd wait then for you to grip the door while just down the hall and in the emergency department there was a rather cute little adorable red head who had just thrown a tray of undigestible foods in rebellion to someone taking her pink fuzzy bunny slippers.
Jade had just stepped into the corridor fully as a pink fuzzy bunny slipper went shooting past the door . Her gaze slid into that direction with a languid movement and for but a brief second she regarded the petite adorable human.. there was something about that girl that spoke a little touched, but when the stench of rotting flesh grew up so heavily she turned her gaze sharply towards the long corridor that spanned out before her. She moved off without hesitation then, following her nose as she headed towards what seemed to be an unpleasant encounter to come.
The woman did indeed lock onto him and seemed her pupils constricted and dilated as she did the exact same thing he had been doing, nostrils flaring at trying to catch an unfamiliar scent. She wasn't a werewolf... so what was she? He tilted his head to the side in observation as he dropped his hands when her nose wrinkled in almost distaste. Briefly, Ben lifted his arm and surreptitiously sniffed his armpits. He had showered that morning and he wasn't sweaty from his jog, so he wasn't sure just what she was wrinkling her nose at. "Yes, I'm coming in. You don't have to look at me like I stink though, I shower regularly." He replied a bit snidely as he moved after her, catching the door with his hand. Her accent was heavily influenced from a different country but she spoke English well enough he supposed.
Just as he crossed the threshold of astringent smells of cleaners and iodine, Ben's eyes saw a familiar fuzzy pink bunny slipper go flying through the hall from an emergency cubicle. Oh no... His blood ran cold as he knelt down to pick up the slipper, ignoring the almost gagging smell of rotting corpses from somewhere else in the hospital and stood up, his eyes searching for the... yes, she was here. He would deal with the haughty gorgeous creature loping down the hall with that dancers' grace later. He strode towards Arlana slowly, holding her slipper in both of his hands, his eyebrows raised in expectant surprise to see her in the hospital as he looked down at her, tilting his head to inspect the scratches on her neck. "You know, if you're going to play with cats, you really should keep their claws away from your neck." He told her quietly, his tone mildly amused but concern and worry still etched on his face.
lana would look up at you, those bi colored hues wide. She didn't know whether to be afraid of you or to curl into your arms and beg you to take her home. Though you opened your mouth and those eyes narrowed before that same fuzzy pink slipper came hurling at your head. She was a mess of emotions and tears began to stream down her cheeks as she set that roosters claw along the tray before her . She'd never been so scared before and didn't know how to explain to anyone what she had seen before the woman had come at her.
(Jean) Jade picked up her pace, a feline like grace having set in her small frame. She didn't have reason to really be in this part of the hospital and with her not having any id, well she was all but out of luck ... You'd hear the elevator doors open and the sound of her heels along the floor and though you'd pick up on her scent, yours was far stronger and more unpleasant. Of course the morgue doors were locked so gaining access was gonna be a bit more difficult than she had surmised.
He never said the right thing to Arlana, never had and probably never will. He admired the irony of failing at talking to a mute girl but took the blow from the slipper in the side of his head with a resigned sigh. He almost made a joke about her slipper maybe being the source of the stink in the hospital he picked up on but then he saw her tears running down her cheek. Well... fuck. What do you do now, genius? Ben silently gave her the slipper back and frowned at the rooster claw the girl threw down on the tray before her. He picked up the claw and looked from it to the marks on Arlana's neck. "Is this what made those scratches?" He asked, a little concerned if she had done it to herself, but he doubted it. She wasn't the type to self-mutilate.
Jean smelled a cat, but at the same time didn't. Whatever it was, it was getting closer. He didn't bother putting up his obfuscate, but he did begin to snuff out the candles that littered the morgue. With each one that went out, the scent of smoke increased for a moment, before being replaced with more rot. The unbroken line of crematorium ash that he always kept maintained was another layer of security, keeping any prying ears from hearing what he was doing inside. Once the candles were out, and he was bathed in darkness, he returned to his chair, and locked his eyes on the small windows that allowed for people to look into the Morgue. Anyone who could see in the darkness to see him would have to look from there, and be greeted with the sight of a partial skeleton with glowing eyes, waiting for them.... so he could wave hello, of course. Jean was nothing if he was not a gentleman sometimes.
Lana heard every word he spoke and when he mentioned the scratches she turned those eyes up to him and nodded. She then went into a tanget of handmovements that would blind even a deaf that was proficeint in the language. Of course she remembered half way through he didn't have a clue of what to take from it and she grabbed the pen and paper that was left for her. She scribbled maddeningly across the pad, unleashing all the things she had seen, how that woman took a cat and mutilated it to grow horns and a two tails, how the cat howled in pain and agony and even the look on the womans face as she had done it. Lana paused for but a moment before continuing on with her tale that was now reaching the next page .. the woman, she, she ... she spoke of making me a doll ,erasing my lips so her Master wouldn't hear her. " she added to the bottom and that's when the sobs came and for the first time she curled into his overly large frame and just wept there scared half out of her little mind.
The scent of candles lingered just before that of smoke rose . Jade didn't dare assume what was on the other side of those doors but she wasn't the sort to air on the side of caution all the time either.. The pungent odor of rotting flesh had risen sharply and she knew then that what was inside was more than just death, it was the essentialness of evil personified.. You'd see her shadow pass by the doors, though she didn't stop to look in, instead she found her way to the venting system and after removing the cover she took her proper form and lept up into it. Of course it was a tight fit considering she was the size of a rather large domesticated feline, the spots and lines along her body denoting of her clan. She wove her way through the maze of duct work only to rest just above the grate in the morgue and perched herself there to see what she could and listen to what ever the thing inside let out.
Ben got a full three seconds before she looked up at him and started signing at him so quickly that even the basics he was trying to pick up on were useless. Then in a frenzy of terror or excitement, he wasn't sure which, she grabbed a pad of paper and a pen and scratched away for him to read about some lady who tortured a cat... with making it grow horns and two tails? He looked quickly at Arlana, now a little concerned that she had bumped her head before he remembered... vampires... there's a clan that can use magic, Emlyn told me about it... what the hell was the name... He only got a few moments to think before he read more of what Arlana had written down after her pause... this woman, whoever it was, had utterly tormented the little mute woman, before telling her she wanted to make Arlana a doll, and mutilate her so she wouldn't be discovered by her master... That was all the terrified woman had written before she started sobbing and curled into him.
Automatically, Ben wrapped his arms around her protectively. This at least, he was sure he knew how to comfort someone who was frightened, what with the nightmares Sophie used to have. "Well, I can see why you're upset, Arlana." He said soothingly, running a hand down her hair gently and resting his chin on top of her head as he gave her a comforting squeeze. "If you want me to go talk to the nurses for you about what you saw, what this woman was doing, I will. Did they at least disinfect those scratches for you? They can't be clean if someone who is willing to torture..." Something changed in the air and it caught him off guard as first smoke and then rot increased in his nostrils and he almost gagged, coughing and nearly choking a little on the smell, squeezing Arlana a little closer while he turned his head, doing his best not to give her a look at his disgusted face from the stench. Something was definitely off here, and the little mute should not be staying in a place that smelled like this.
Alana looked up at him when he spoke of disinfecting the scratches and she nodded to confirm they had taken care of them. She'd pen down again what the doctors had stated. " they want to keep me,said i am paranoid and they want to sedate me and i just want to go home. " she then shoved the paper towards Ben and gave a look as if she expected him to go out there and tell them he was taking her home right here and right now.
Jean began to drum his fingers on his ribcage in anticipation for whoever was coming. He could still smell them in the area, but he didn't know where exactly they were. His patience began to wear thin, and his fingers soon began to use his rib cage to make a beat. Before long, he began to sing quietly to himself. Jean was not a singer, so, though Cajun-French was his first language, the song was not right, and his pacing was off. Turning the song to be a bit unsettling, especially considering the circumstances. Each seemingly out of place yelp was like the moan of the dead. The words were better articulated, and sung a bit slower. Jean simply waited for whatever was waiting for him to show itself first.
Jade was perched just above where you were sitting . The uneven beat of a tune drummed along your ribcage. She didn't know what you were, and though she was frightened she didn't leave because for one simple fact.... curiosity...yep, she was curious of what you were and what your purpose was for hanging out in this area. You'd hear the grate gyrate as she shifted her weight to get herself a bit more comfortable . She wasn't about to show herself first cause ...well that would just be insane.
He nodded, trying to hide the fact that the smell was really getting to him as he glanced over both his shoulders, kind of expecting someone to be wheeling out a dumpster with bodies from around the corner of the hall. Then he noticed Arlana had a new message written down for him and he peered at it, rocking back on his heels at the almost demand. Ben could imagine Arlana's expression with the doctors when they told her she had to stay overnight for observation. "I'll take you home, if that's what you want. The doctors can go fuck themselves over the paperwork." The werewolf took a deep breath as if bracing himself for her reaction to what he was about to say. "But I am gonna have to make a call to our mutual friend when we get there. I have a feeling he might know what you're talking about. He mentioned something that sounds like what you described." He offered gently, offering a hand to Arlana. "If all you've got are those damn slippers, I'm gonna have to carry you. Can't have your bunnies getting dirty and wet, can we?"
Jean immediately stopped his song when the grate shifted. He knew how much weight would do that, because he occasionally hid some of his ingredients up in the vent. Now, though, nothing should have been up there. Picking one of the needles out of his hat, he held it in the palm of his hand before looking up to the grate. "Com'on down, na. I's know sometin is up tha." Jean said, not bothering to get up from his seat.
You spoke and lana gave a bit of a furrow to those brows of hers . Yes she wanted to go home, but she wasn't sure if she was up for more tug of war. The last time she saw you and him in the same place you both were growling at each other and you sprouted hair and fangs.. she'd tip her head then and look behind you half expecting to see a tail, but then she shrugged it off a gain to the fact she was probably just as hysterical then as she is now and it was all her imagination anyhow... You spoke of carrying her and she put her bunny slippers in her lap and looked up. was she consenting to go with you ? To be carried in your arms as if she were a child and avoiding a mud puddle ? perhaps , maybe it was just her way of hiding the fact she really needed to be held and feel secure again .. what ever the reason she allowed it and almost willed you to move quickly because she was not in the mood to deal with another shot to her arse.
He looked up and picked something from his hat...what ? She wasn't quite sure.. She didn't make another move, at least not right away and perhaps she'd have to clamor her way back through that maze of grates in order to get out of there before he did anything stupid... Again... curiosity struck and damn her to hell for her nature ... She let out a soft mew which would echo through the venting system to any and all rooms connected, alerting any humans near by that there was a feline stuck somewhere and they'd be sure to send someone to seek it out ... everyone loved a cat and when was in peril the entire world seemed to act... again she mewed and he'd see a paw scratch through the vent before pulling back as if she was trying to play with him .
He looked around one more time, starting to drive himself a little up a wall from the smell. Where was it coming from? He was nearly ready to tell Arlana that he would go check on something and be back, but he noticed she just plopped her slippers in her lap, apparently consenting to being carried. That was progress, he supposed, reaching down and picking up the short woman with one arm around her back and the other under her knees. She weighed maybe ninety pounds soaking wet if that, so she wasn't difficult to carry out of the hospital room. His first problem however, was one of the nurses who watched the young man suspiciously and rose from her chair when she noticed he was carrying a patient. "Easy, lady. She just wants to go home. She's had a rough day and I think being surrounded by her own things would do her a lot more good than pumping her full of medicine, don't you?"
Ohhh anyone who knew hospital staff at all could tell this was not going to end well in the least, not in the least at all.. The nurse stood fully ready to take on Muhammad Ali , fists on her hips as she took the stance of a fighter.. " That is unacceptable and she may want to go, but the doctors have determined she should remain. Now you put her back Sir or I shall be forced to recall security and have you escorted from the building. " the nurse didn't stutter or blink so it seemed and was going to be a formidable force to reckon with.... Now arlana, cute as a button as she was, felt it necessary to protest and thru those slippers at that nurse and not with idle force, she flat out chucked them... now would they hurt the woman ? Nope most likely not, but it would be a distraction for Ben to either A... run for the door and take her home or B.... stand there stunned as shite that lana was in his arms willingly let alone begging him to take her home.... not at all the first kind of date anyone would wish, but she wanted out of there .. it was about that time the stench hit her and she turned her head up to him and leaned to sniff around his collar.....nope not him ... lana looked back at the woman and furrowed her brows... did that woman just let one slip ?
Jean let out a surly chuckle. He stood, pulling up his obfuscate as he did so. (3 successes) He walked over to the wall that the grate was on, and pulled open a morgue drawer. Jean stepped up onto it as he had done so many times before, and lightly pulled on the grate, letting it pop off with ease. "Meow again, lil cat, and yous aint gonna meow no more," Jean said with a smile. "Now, yous gonna craul right on outa ther and down on mah flo, or..." Brings the pin he pulled out of his hat and showed it to the cat. "Dis little tin will say hi, and den ima drag yous out myself."
An orderly knocked on the morgue door, and Jean waved the grate at the man without letting the cat out of his sight as the ghoul unlocked the door with a key of his own. "I's gots it. Tel'em Papa Jean's handlin' teh lost lil pussy cat." The ghoul nodded, and closed and locked the door back. "Yous in mah home, lil one." Jean said to the cat.
Ben blanched as the nurse came at him, a look in her eye that he knew all too well from dealings with his mother. He squeezed Arlana closer to his chest as the nurse read him the riot act and ordered her to put the mute girl back in bed and he very nearly did from the steel in her eyes that said she had no problem getting the security officers involved. Then this little tiny thing curled up in his arms did somethign that was either very foolish or very brave, and winged her precious slippers at the nurse, bopping her square on the nose. Before he took advantage of the situation, Arlana shifted and sniffed at his neck, making him frown and glance down at her briefly... before he moved. He knew when to take advantage of distraction and moved, clutching Arlana close and sprinting out of the hospital, turning sideways to slam his shoulder against the doors that opened easily until they were out in the open air again and he could take a proper breath without wanting to vomit.
"You keep looking over my shoulder and slap me if you see someone coming after us." Ben instructed the mute girl carefully as he stretched out his long legs into a steady stride, trying to blend in with the crowd. The ebb and flow of the people soon had them wrapped up in it, but he held onto the mute girl tightly, his senses humming, waiting for repercussions to follow for 'stealing' a hospital patient. There was something foul in that hospital he thoguht, so if they really wanted to press charges, he'd say he was getting her out of an unclean medical facility.
Jade hunched back when the grate opened and she was face to face with something that looked entirely like a human but smelled like the depths of hell. Eyes green as jade regarded the man as the hint of light reflected off her retinas to send that glowing tint out.... She was ready to hiss and bat her claws into anything if he stuck it in that vent towards her.. what the hell was this anyway... impale the pussy with something sharp and deadly ? Noooo she was not in the frisky mood at all..
When the orderly came knocking and the door was opened, Jade sprang from the grate and given her size lept clear past the opened drawer and onto the floor, making a b line for the door to get her way out of there.. Perhaps this was just too much curiosity and this time it just might cost her ,her life.
Lana had created the distraction and curled a small arm about his neck while holding to him as he took flight. She didn't realize just how quickly he could move and as he bucked that shoulder to the door she gained a quick breath of fresh damp air.. The rain had been refreshing and she didn't seem to mind it too much at least not for the moment as she looked over his shoulder. So far so good because no one was following them...that's when she saw her... There just exiting an alley and into the dimness of a night entered the very woman who had terrorized her to no end.. She didn't see lana but had taken off instead to the direction of the hospital... Her fingers curled into bens hair as she tried to pull herself up around his shoulder to keep eyes on that woman,squirming wildly in his embrace as fear had again taken a hold of her.
Jean had an advantage other than surprise in his list of skills. The moment the cat lept out of the vent, Jean discarded the vent and jumped himself. Being made of mostly bones and loose flesh made you light. Couple that with the natural power that a vampire normally has, and he sailed across the room, landing next to Jade, and quickly shoving his hand into the cat's back, holding it on the ground. The orderly, upon seeing the flurry of movement, closed the door as quick as he could, before asking if Jean was ok. "I's told ya, son. Papa Jean's gonna handle it." Jean said, picking up the cat by the back of it's neck. Jean then turned his attention to the cat, bringing the needle close to one of her eyes. "Yous seein' dis? Dis pin aint no fun, lil one. Yous heard bout dem voodoo dolls, right? Dis tin makes those dat much wors. An' I dont need no doll ta use it."
She has leapt but apparently upon landing you had followed suit and landed just beside her. Just with any frightening moment she hunched down and hissed out of fear and then your hand was felt... You pressed her to the floor, her size alone more on the exotic side of felines and a bit larger than a domesticated one.. Her head turned to fix eyes on you as she again hissed and tried to twist herself on her back to bite at your hand and at least buy her a bit of time...however that blasted ghoul had locked the door, leaving her in there with you..
Now this was a lot going on all at once and before she could regain her composure you pulled her up by the scruff of her neck and who ever in this god forsaken world stated it didn't hurt was full of fucking shit.... the weight of her body fell against the excess skin at the back of her shoulders and neck and she squirmed wildly.. That was till that needle came up and you spoke.. her sudden silence was enough for you to know she understood what you said and so she remained still her tail thrashing wildly in anger while she could do little more than just wait.
Being a taller than average person gave Ben certain advantages when it came to moving quickly through a crowd, his legs allowing him to make long strides and eat up the distance much more quickly than normal people would. As he and Arlana moved out of sight of the hospital, his charge suddenly started squirming around in his grip and hauled herself over his shoulder, her eyes fixed on something he couldn't see. "Arlana, do I need to stop or go faster?" He asked warningly, his blue gaze taking in the people around them and not seeing anyone that looked like they were coming to take Lana back to the hospital. He turned his head and risked a glance over his shoulder as he held tightly to the woman who was now his responsibility to see she got home safely. Ben couldn't tell what had Arlana's attention so fixed so he kept walking and returned his attention to before him.
