(IC 2) San Francisco by Night: A Requiem in Fog

[Ladorak]

'Surprise me James' she said with a superior smile 'But you should know I'll be judging your selection.' Running a finger down her neckline with very little pretense of subtly she huskily added 'Hurry back.'

[Erulasto]

The tiny Gangrel followed the nudge, allowing Chase to lead her towards the exit with a shy smile. Part of the Gangrel wished she were as eloquent as Anna or Lilith. The two of them could so easily wrap people around their fingers. While Aisling was the daughter of an Earl, her time watching her father hold court and deal with the minutia of the day-to-day disagreements of the serf’s under him was a distant memory and her Beast held her tightly in its embrace.

”That…that sounds fine.” She murmured to the young man, gaze flickering to Anna.

Were they going to actually go home with these guys, or just jump them in the car? The driver could be a snack as well!

[Bennosuke]

Karl sits back down at the booth, where he has a clear view of the play unfolding with Lillith and her prey. He pulls out his cellphone and pulls up his grandson's contact. The phone begins to ring.

(OOC@Daishain: I was kind of planning this for a "private scene". I'm okay unfolding things here... it may just get messy. Please confirm that you want to go forward with it during the "Feeding Scene")

************************************************** ******************************

Chase leads Aisling and Anna out of the booth, and out of Mel's Diner. David follows, stumbling out of the bar, and almost going over a family of four's table. Though he isn't knocked over, the collision does manage to knock the kids hamburger and fries off the table, causing a four year old with blond curly hair to begin crying. David mumbles something like an apology before finding his way to the group who have already made it to the door. Chase doesn't even seem to acknowledge the incident, or David for that matter, instead busying himself with calling an Uber.

The car that arrives is an old beat up white SUV, driven by an overweight woman in her fourties. Even if it wasn't for the stained baggy sweater and jeans, or the car seat in the back, you can tell this woman is a full time mother on top of being an Uber driver. The cracks between the stained seats are filled with goldfish crumbs, and empty juice boxes and candy wrappers litter the floor. She greets the group with a tired but friendly smile, and invites everyone to pile in.

(OOC: I can move things on to David's apartment if you want. Only holding off because it sounded like Erulasto was not sure what he wanted to do)

************************************************** ********************************

Chase looks confusedly from Lillith, to the waitress at the counter just ten feet away, and actually gets up from his seat to get the waitress' attention. He returns in a moment, an anxious smile playing on his beet red face.

The waitress comes by a moment later, and sloppily makes a martini, using an unfortunate amount of vermouth. She studies Chase oddly, seeming to not even notice Lillith sitting next to him. When she is finished preparing the cocktail, she pushes it over to Chase, before walking away. Brushing off his confusion, Chase offers Lillith the drink as if it were a bouquet of flowers.

[Ladorak]

Lilith smiled as she took the drink, delicately wrapping her lithe fingers around the stem. He was actually quite sweet, she thought to herself, maybe the more... aggressive aspects of her game could wait for another victim.
Putting the rim to her lips she pretended to sip the drink 'Delicious,' she lied 'You've taken me for a sophisticated girl James. I like that. You're wrong of course, dead wrong, but I like it.' She set the glass down on the bar and gave him an intense stare 'Men like you are rare James. Do you know why, out of everyone here, I am only interested in you? Take a guess.'

[Daishain]

Karl hesitates for a moment, and then hangs up. It didn't feel right talking to Fred while the blood of another man was still fresh on his tongue. Instead he hangs back, if an easy opportunity crops up to satiate the rest of his hunger he'll take it, otherwise he'll just monitor the efforts of the others, and watch for anyone getting suspicious.

[Erulasto]

Aisling paid little to no heed to the mess of the back seat of the vehicle; it wasn't as if she hadn't been surrounded by grime before. Nor was it that significant considering the mess she'd likely make of Chase when the night was through.

The Gangrel snuggled into the side of the mortal, faking another shiver from the cold.

"Where do you live?" She asked, curiously.

[Bennosuke]

James' face turns quickly from a flushed red to a bloodless pale at Lillith's question. He shakes his head in the negative, as his mouth opens and closes on absent words. "I'm... uh, I don't know," he stammers in defeat, "I'm not really sure. Why?" The question is phrased with true confusion, and James braces for the response as if Lillith had pointed a gun to his forehead.

************************************************** ***************

During the drive, Chase chuckles derisively at Aisling's question. "We're almost there babe. Don't you wait."

The car eventually pulls up in front of a luxury condo that has been erected on the border of The Mission District, located near a series of identical buildings; all mirrored glass and chrome buffed metal. The driver lets everyone out, and Chase is forced to practically carry his friend out of the car and up the flagstone to their apartment.

The inside of the apartment is a pristine bachelor pad with modern furnishings. Posters from music festivals, and framed dirty pin ups fill the negative space on the walls, and the shelves are covered with spent bottles of expensive whiskeys. The only dirty part of the apartment is the kitchen, where the sink is piled high with dirty dishes, and the trash is brimming with empty chip bags, and wrappers for instant ramen.

Chase practically throws his friend down on one of the long leather couches, where David quickly falls into a phlegmatic snore filled sleep. He invites his two guests to have a seat on the opposite couch while he gets the drinks ready.

************************************************** *****************

Karl watches as the ladies depart. Lillith is stringing the man with the laptop around his finger, and Karl remarks on how the Nosferatu is using her powers to keep from drawing attention from anyone else in the diner.

[Thundercracker]

The guy on the couch was looking absolutely delicious to Anna. She leaned over to Aisling.

“Why don’t you play with the one that’s awake first, see if you can get him into another room,” she whispered, “I’m going to keep the sleeping one company. Then maybe I’ll join you.”

[Ladorak]

Lilith pouted, her disappointment the first genuine emotion she had shown since she sat down. 'I'll let you get away with that one James, she hissed angrily, hitting him with a healthy dose of animalistic terror and all too human shame and inadequacy 'As ultimately all men as disappointing. But don't act surprised when I walk out of her alone if you disappoint me again.'
She lay her hand on his, shooting a thrilled perverse excitement up his arm as he felt the chill of her touch. 'It's simple.' She cooed 'I'm looking for a most unusual man. A combination of desirable traits. He must be empathetic, but not sympathetic. I loath sympathy. He must be smart enough to hold my interest, and to know his place. He must have imagination, that above all. He has to have the maturity to look past my injury to the bubbling cauldron of sensuality beneath... Oh, and this practically goes without saying, but I want a guy who won't fall in love after we ****.' She takes another slow 'sip' of her drink to cover the silence as she plays his libido like a supernatural fiddle and quietly asks 'So James, how's my character judgement?'

[Bennosuke]

Aisling purrs in Anna's ear, "Suit yourself. He seems like more fun prey anyways." She rises from her place on the couch as Chase returns to the room, two tumblers filled with clear cocktails on a single large ice cube.

He hands one to each of the vampires, flashing his winning smile and says, "Drink up ladies."

Aisling takes hers dutifully, even going so far as to bring the glass to her nose as if to savor the aroma of the beverage, though the drink never so much as wets her lips. "Delicious," she says grinning hungrily.

************************************************** *************

By the time Lillith finishes, it looks as if James' head is about to explode, so much blood is rushing to it his face... and to his groin. "It's great. It's a, it's a great character judgement," the words come stumbling out of James' mouth like a blind man in a antique shop. He nods his head vigorously, the added affirmation possibly meant to make up for his linguistic struggles. A tentative, very warm, very mortal hand reaches out to stroke Lillith's shoulder, somehow allowing his delicious scent stoke the vampire's hunger.

[Thundercracker]

Anna Wu

Anna took the drink and swallowed a few gulps, letting settle uncomfortably in her stomach.

“Why don’t you two get started without me, I just need to run to the bathroom real quick,” she said.

She locked the door and gave Aisling enough time to get Chase into the bedroom, then ran the water, dumped the drink and threw up what she’d drank into the toilet, and washed up.

Emerging from the bathroom, she quietly listened at the bedroom door to make sure Chase and Aisling were occupied, then turned to the unconscious David and spread her arms wide.

Mine.

She stepped to the couch and wasted no time, going for the hot fresh blood straight from David’s neck, and forcing herself to stop before she was full, lest she accidentally kill the guy.

Spoiler

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take 3 bp

Licking the wound closed, she savored the sensation of his blood running through her. Buzzed from whatever David had been drinking, she checked to make sure she hadn’t spilled, then burst into the bedroom.

“Chase, I wanna party but your friend is passed out,” she said, ignoring whatever was going on in the room, “is there anyone else you can call to come over? I’ll make it worth your while.”

She grinned at him and hung her jacket up wherever it seemed convenient.
“If you can bring more than one, I’ll call my friend over also, she’s cute too,” she added.

[Ladorak]

Lilith didn't bother to hide how the close scent of her prey affected her, it simply added to her performance. She'd have liked James, she thought to herself, back when she was mortal, he was just the right amount of fawning unthinking adoration. She probably wouldn't torture him tonight... Not seriously anyway 'Now James, the night is running out, and you've only got me for tonight. I'm like Cinderella but the shoe metaphor is waaaay less subtle. So, you wanna show me your place?'

[Bennosuke]

Anna took the drink and swallowed a few gulps, letting settle uncomfortably in her stomach.

“Why don’t you two get started without me, I just need to run to the bathroom real quick,” she said.

She locked the door and gave Aisling enough time to get Chase into the bedroom, then ran the water, dumped the drink and threw up what she’d drank into the toilet, and washed up.

The drink comes up completely undigested, though it is now tinged ever so slightly with sticky bloody mucous. The act of evacuating the contents of Anna's stomach is not the same as vomiting, though it is considerably unpleasant. It is more like spitting out accidentally eaten feces, rather than the nausea and abdominal spasms associated with vomiting. Regardless, there is still the same relief after the act.

When she walks back into the room, the boy David is still snoring loudly on the couch. One arm hangs limply, fingers grazing the polished wood floor. Anna's silent approach goes completely unnoticed, and the man barely utters a sigh when Anna's fangs find his throat. The man's blood is soured by the acidic and heavy taste of alcohol, though this does little to hinder Anna's appetite. She stops herself well short of drinking the man to death, though she leaves him breathing just a little harder, snoring just a little louder, his heart beating just a little faster.

Spoiler: OOC:

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Anna takes 3 BP and is up to 7

Anna opens the door to the bedroom that Aisling had followed Chase through. The lights are off, and the only illumination comes from the moon and city light that streams in through a lone window; though Anna would have been able to see in the room without this. There is a comfortable looking king sized bed in the far corner of the room, on which Chase and Aisling lie. The room is otherwise simply adorned, a small desk, a nightstand, and an over-sized dresser.

Aisling is astride the frat boy her legs hugging his abdomen tightly, her head bent over the man's face. Ann can smell the blood in the air, can hear the fighting of the man's heart beat, and can tell by the near orgasmic tension in Chase's body that Aisling is feeding.

Chase sighs at Aisling's words, seemingly too wrapped up in The Kiss to hear Anna's words. But Aisling looks up from her feed, turning to stare at Anna. The Gangrel's eyes shine red in the moonlight, and a protective growl begins to bubble up in Aisling's throat. But the vampire stifles this, instead grinning at Anna who stands in the doorway. "Join us dear. There is plenty if you are still hungry." she says, sweet blood perfuming her breath from across the room, though not a drop of blood has been allowed to spill onto her lips or chin.

As she speaks, blood begins to trickle quickly down Chase's neck, pooling and soaking into the sheets, wasted by the lack of a hungry vampire to take advantage.

************************************************** ***************************

James continues to nod his head furiously at Lillith's newest proposition. "Sure," he blurts, "I'm ready whenever you are. Let me just pay." The man calls for the waitress at the counter almost desperately, and leaves an over generous tip in an attempt to exit the diner as fast as possible. James leads Lillith out of the diner, the Nosferatu catching the eye of Karl as she moves through the door, who sits alone in a booth.

Standing outside of Mel's diner, which now has a significant line to get in, James pulls out his phone and says, "Let me order us an Uber, unless you have a car. I... uh, I didn't drive here."

[Thundercracker]

"Careful!" Anna said, rushing to stop the blood from staining the pillow.
She clamped her lips over the break in the skin and took her time with this one, letting the blood fill her mouth before each swallow rather than trying to eagerly suck it down. Again, she stopped herself before she was full and licked the wound closed, then looked at Aisling and gave her a grin coupled with a little giggle.

She looked down at Chase to see if he was still conscious.

Spoiler

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Anna takes three from chase.

[Bennosuke]

Spoiler: OOC

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Sorry was waiting for others to post. I heard from Erulasto about a week ago. It sounds like his father had a heart attack, but I haven't been able to hear back from him (hopefully everything is okay).

@TC: I ruled Aisling took 3 BP, with Anna taking 3 to fill her pool, that will be 6 lethal damage taken by the man. He will be drained, and with only one healthbox unfilled, ie, he will be very very sick. Obviously, Anna could stop sooner if she is concerned, and you can retcon this to say Anna does not take as much if you wish.

Anna pulls back from her prey, feeding until she was fully fully sated and for just a moment her body feels warm, and the ache in her throat and gut soothed. Looking down, Chase is now fully unconscious, his heart racing, a low moan escaping his lips as the release of the kiss.

[Thundercracker]

Anna Wu

“Oops,” Anna thought after she licked the wounds closed and saw the state of the man.

She checked Chase and tried to determine if he’d survive without medical attention.

Spoiler

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roll for Anna please, int 2 med 0, dunno if there are bonus dice for her experience with blood loss.

She emptied one of the bottles over his chest, soaking him and the bed in alcohol.

“Honestly thought they’d last longer,” Anna said, donning her jacket again, “c’mon, let’s go.”

If she doesn’t think he’ll live, she’ll call an ambulance from Chase’s phone and give them the address, saying there was a guy passed out drunk in his bed and having trouble breathing. She’ll then leave the connection open and the phone next to Chase before departing the apartment with Aisling.

Once outside and away from the condo, she texted Karl and Lilith.

“Meet up?”

[Ladorak]

'Order the car' says Lilith as she takes his hand, leading him off into a dark alley 'I know just what we can do to pass the time.' She makes booking the uber difficult, stroking his chest and biting gently on his ear. Once he is done she shoves him up against the wall, using Nightmare to give him a delicious thrill of fear at the surprising power in the small woman. She looks about, making sure the coast was clear for the feeding to begin.

[Bennosuke]

Anna looked down at the pale boy as Aisling eases herself off in a graceful dismount. He was very pale, and Anna could hear the racing and pounding of his heartbeat. She had seen mortals in nearly every stage of exsanguination, and she could tell that while he was not it a "critical condition", he would probably be best served in the care of a trained medical professional. His breathing was shallow, and though he was unconscious, his eyes seemed to rove about behind closed lids and a tense grimace across his face.

The 911 call goes smoothly, and Aisling follows Anna out of the room as the 911 responder's voice fades on the hanging receiver. Anna sends out her text message.

(OOC: Not going to make you roll here, I think Anna's experience as a vampire is enough to make a reasonable judgement. I am still finishing up with Ladorak, but will send Anna's text message out to Karl)

************************************************** *********************

Karl sighs as his phone lights up with Anna's text message, "Meet up?”

************************************************** *********************

Lillith has devilishly led her prey to the back of the parking lot; a nearly unlit corner that seems dipped in shadow. She shoves James up against the wrought iron fence, and he lets out a faint moan of ecstasy even before Lillith's fangs find his artery.

(OOC: Lillith taking some blood?)

[Ladorak]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Yes, I did want to (mentally) torture the guy a bit at the end but that'll take too long. I'm good to get the group back together. Drink 5 blood (Assuming that leaves him Drained but not dead)

[Bennosuke]

When Lillith releases the man he slumps to the ground, still dazed and possibly near unconsciousness. His lids are near half-mast, and the Nosferatu can hear the heavy breathing and racing of James' heart. Still leaning back against he fence, James sits with his knees up, arms hanging loosely on the ground. The ravenous hunger that filled Lillith's mind is now soothed, though she knows she could have easily drained the man and still been hungry.

When she looks around, there is no one to see her depart. But before she does, her cellphone buzzes. It's a text message from Anna that reads, "Meet up?”

Spoiler: OOC

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Lillith takes 5 BP leaving the man drained and with 5 lethal and a -1 modifier. Lillith's pool is now up to 6/10

[Ladorak]

Taking out her lipstick Lilith quickly sketched a phone number across Jame's shirt. Not hers of course, but it would fill him with hope only to dash it. There was some satisfaction in that even if she wouldn't be there to see it, to taste it.


She almost jumped when her phone went off, suddenly aware she had let her guard down. 'Name the place.'

[Thundercracker]

Anna Wu

Tommy’s Joynt.

Anna brought Aisling back to her car, then parked on the street outside Tommy’s.

“Figured we could stop in and say hi to whoever is there,” Anna said as an explanation.

If there’s no objection, Anna will enter and take a look around.

[Erulasto]

Pleasantly full from the feeding, Aisling followed Anna with little to no complaints. She had done all she had hoped since she had been awoken again from Torpor – some vengeance for her Beast and a belly full of hot vitae. Unlife was good, sometimes.

”I am for it.” The Gangrel responded to Anna, before following her out of her car.

[Bennosuke]

The four Kindred joined at the Elysium Tommy's Joynt. They can't help but notice the eyes that follow them of their fellow Kindred as they pass through the mortal's first floor, en route to the exclusive upstairs. The coterie has apparently gained a small reputation, given their part in the slaying of Prince Gorman, a story that has grown larger and larger, as D'Agostino has slowly taken power.

The four vampires settle into the comforting anonymity provided by the shadows of the second floor of Tommy's Joynt, gathering their still monstrous hearts together to look out upon their future.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

All players gain one more beat for completing this short scene. The beginning of individual stories in the next post is coming soon. Please let me know if you want to spend any XP.

[Bennosuke]

Act IV Scene i

"We have ended a dark reign in my predecessor, and we shall usher in a bright future. I shall bring those who swear fealty to me a new stability, a safer Requiem, and a stronger Masquerade. We shall hold this city more firmly than in in the past century, and the night shall be ours for eternity."

-Prince Gorman on the night of his coronation

Anna Wu stood before the newly crowned Prince, in the doorway of his office above The Night Owl. His hair was perfectly parted, his navy pinstripe suit had wide lapels that nearly hid his crimson pocket square, and the matching gems on his cuff links and his rings sparkled in the low light of the office. Nicholas D'Agostino reclined in his large leather chair (more like his throne), flanked on his left by his Childe Tony, though the spot on his right for Frank Beato remained empty.

The Prince smiled as warmly as a dead body could at Anna as she entered the office. An empty leather chair (less impressive than Nicholas' of course) and the large desk separated her from the Prince as he ushered her in. "Greetings Anna, please come in," D'Agostino says affecting a tone of welcome, "I look forward to hearing more about your proposal. I agree that we need more stable sources of blood in this city to help protect its Kindred and preserve the Masquerade, and I am interested to hear how you wish to accomplish this." With a gesture, the newly crowned Prince of San Francisco offers Anna a seat at his table to parlay.

************************************************** *******************

After the feeding, and the night at Tommy's Joynt, Karl Bauer returned to his office. He had received a second call from his grandson in the car, but had been with the others, unwilling to respond while the others were present. Gabe was mercifully absent, and so Karl sat down at his desk and used his office phone to call Fredrick Rugg back. Perhaps if the Mekhet had had a pulse, his heart would have been racing as he dialed the number.

The phone barely rings once when Freddy picks up the line. Karl doesn't even have a chance for a greeting when his grandson says, "He's dead. They ****ing killed him!" The man's voice is too loud, too shrill, filled with a grief that no vampire could ever feel again. "I came back to the hotel and he was dead!"

************************************************** ********************

At the summons of Alejandro, Aisling returns to Tommy's Joynt the following night. She is brought to a table by Lady Stardust, and left waiting for the exceedingly late Daeva Crone. When Alejandro does arrive, he is carrying a large cardboard box taped up with duct tape. Alejandro glances around furtively as he approaches, more anxious than his normal cocky demeanor allows. Placing the box on the table (is it very light for the size of the box?) Alejandro says with a grin, "I have something for us... something of Mother Blackstar's that we found in Gorman's mansion." He pats the box gingerly. "I think this is exactly what we will need to drag Blackstar down and take her place," Alejandro says, as he starts to open the box.

Pulling back the roof of the box, Alejandro reveals a potted thorny rose plant. The thing unfurls, moving despite the lack of wind in the room, its crimson rose buds turning as if to look at Aisling. "Do you have ANY idea what this is?" the Crone asks with a confident **** eating grin.

************************************************** ********************

Lillith arrives at Eliza's Pacific Heights Mansion, she is greeted at the door by Jasmine, the Ventrue's ghoul granddaughter-turned woman servant. Eliza was a connoisseur of the fine arts, and an iron fisted control freak when it came to her collection. Jasmine led Lillith to the back garden, a fine cobblestone patio surrounded by lush bushes growing an assortment of flowers.

Eliza was dressed in a high fashion black wedding dress, complete with a lacy gauze veil that hid her face like a mourning mother. "Darling", the vampire says at Lillith's approach, remaining seated at her wrought iron deck table, silhouetted in the picturesque scenery, "I am so glad you are unharmed. Sit down dear, sit down." Despite Eliza's warm welcome, there was a studied look in her dark eyes.

[Thundercracker]

Anna Wu

"Thank you, my prince," Anna said, taking a seat.

"Every night, the Kindred of this city go out among the kine, and feed from them," Anna said, "and every time, there's a potential Masquerade breach, if someone sees, if there's an accident, if a Kindred is hungry or injured enough and gives in to the Beast. All of us have this one thing in common, we all need to hunt. Each occurrence by itself, there's very little chance of an incident, but taken together, over years, it's almost inevitable accidents will occur, if by nothing else than luck."

"What if there was a stable supply of blood, safe, that all Kindred could turn to in their time of need, or out of convenience?" Anna asked.

"There are individuals in kine society who are unable to function, perhaps they were in an accident, perhaps they were born defective," Anna said, "most of the kine do not wish to be reminded of them, so they pay others to care for them. If they're willing to pay other kine to care for them, why not pay us instead?"

"It is not a simple endeavor; there is a lot of paperwork involved, construction of hidden entrances and protection from law enforcement to secure, and domination as a last resort, but I think in the long run, it will be beneficial to the city as a whole," Anna said, "what I need is domain over the so-called farm, and exclusive rights as the city's only sanctioned neutral source of blood. I think it would be best if it were declared Elysium as well, but I'm eager to have your thoughts on the matter."

[Erulasto]

With most of her new clothes lost to the flames of Gorman's attack on the Haven, Aisling had to content herself with the simple summer dress she had been wearing, and it was already showing signs of the roughshod unlife lived by the Gangrel.

When she was led to her table, she sat listlessly and waited, scuffing the heels of her sneakers on the floor.

As Alejandro approached, she flashed him a wan smile. Her overall demeanor perked up considerably at the mention of having something to use against Blackstar.

"I..do not." Aisling admitted with a somewhat awed expression on her youthful face at the revelation of the strange plant. "But if I am not mistaken, this is what fed upon me during my..initiation to the Circle?" Pale fingertips reached for the plant as if on instinct, before being drawn up short with a small frown.

"I can imagine the significance, but how does this exactly lead to removing Blackstar?"

[Daishain]

Karl is silent for a time, this... was not going to be easy.

A part of him wanted to see this as a good thing, now that the so called husband was out of the way, he could get his grandson back on the right path with a girl and keep up what's left of the bloodline...

But he shunts that inner voice into silence as he responds, "Focus, First of all, are you safe? Have you called the local police?"

[Ladorak]

'Love the outfit.' Lilith said, it felt odd to pay a compliment that wasn't loaded or manipulative 'It's good to see you darling.' She sat and smiled as best she could More like two half smiles she thought bitterly 'How are you?'

[Bennosuke]

The Prince grins with amusement at Anna, his pale lips spreading to reveal just the tips of his retracted canines. "And I suppose you wish to use your Boon to receive the needed Domain?" D'Agostino asks with the casual wave of a hand. He shrugs following the answer, saying, "I am not opposed to the idea as the benefits are obvious. It does sound like a costly and laborious undertaking, perhaps even putting the Masquerade at risk in the process... But, you will have my support in this project as long as things don't take a turn for the worst." D'Agostino pauses momentarily, but then raises a hand to indicate he has more to say, adding, "Once things are off the ground, the Psychiatric Hospital will be yours. Do you have any further plans on how to implement this impressive undertaking of yours?" The look that The Prince flashes Anna is equal parts challenge, curiosity and hunger.

************************************************** ******************

Alejandro practically scoffs at Aisling's reply. He clasps his hands together and replies, "You are correct. This plant was grown by none other than Mother Blackstar, in her private nursery up in Napa. I've only been there a few times, but no one else has such a... creature. But this one was found in the Prince's Haven." He pauses to give Aisling a chance to catch on before explaining excitedly, "Which means that either our Primogen betrayed her Covenant to gain the Prince's favor, or was too weak to hold on to one of her most precious secrets."

Now Alejandro is practically clapping with delight. He says, "Either way it proves that Mother Blackstar is not worthy of her position. This plant here is the weapon we can use to take control of The Circle!"

************************************************** *******************

Fredrick sobs in response to Karl's questions. "I'm... I'm still in the hotel," he replies, his words slurred and heavy, "I... I can't leave him." The other line is filled with the sound of poorly coordinated drinking, before Fred adds, "Oh god, there's so much blood... so much blood."

Somehow, the statement arouses a small hunger in Karl, his fangs beginning to ready themselves.

************************************************** ********************

"Oh, it's been terrible darling, just terrible" Eliza says with a hyperbolic and dramatic swoon. She eyes Lillith before offhandedly adding, "You look stunning yourself dear, I'm so glad you came."

She gestures towards the house and says, "Are you hungry my dear? If you are I can have one of my boys called up for a bite." The Daeva flashes Lillith a sly grin, knowing the offer was sure to impress.

Regardless of the answer, Eliza leans across the table, bringing a hand to her face as if pantomiming a whisper and asks, "Is it true what I have heard. Were you responsible for... finishing Prince Gorman? My little little Lillith, a king killer!" The words were playful, rather than accusatory, teasing and delightful.