Iron Station Savage Masks IC III

[mmdeforrest]

John
“I don’t know John,” Emi replies coyly. She guides one of his hands around to her rear and the other up to one breast as she grinds her hips down on him. “I kind of like this.”

She leans down and kisses him one more time before she moves back and gets to her feet. “I’m going to change into something more comfortable than this, then we can talk, okay?” she says as she heads into her bathroom.

It was another sign of his inexperience that he had no idea how to process what Emi had just done and that his brain had almost refused to process it before she left the room.

Yes, he had kissed back. Yes, he had quietly moaned with pleasure and she had thrust against him. He thought his hands had done something when she had moved them to places he had never really had an opportunity to intentionally caress on a woman before.

Not grope. That would be too crass to describe what had just occurred.

But that was her idea — a thought that directly conflicted with his sense that he had, while not friend zoned, been placed into the safe category.

Yes he had managed to keep a smile on his face and nod as she left the room.

No, he thought as he placed his face in his hands. He did not understand any of it.

He stood up and began to pace the room, trying to get ahold of himself and construct some kind of a frame of reference for himself. At one level, things were continuing to go better than he hoped they ever could.

Caresses. Yes. In retrospect, he had caressed her.

Good to know he had responded.

He felt like he was looking at a puzzle made up of pieces that were perfect squares. It was obvious there was an order to the pieces but there weren’t any shapes to give a hint to the way they should be assembled.

He glanced at Emi’s desk and walked over to it. Sitting there, having a kind of pride of place, was the perfect gardenia within its Imperishable Crystal. He had fashioned it on Sunday for her when things felt somehow more certain. Given what had just transpired, he should feel more certain.

So why didn’t he.

He caught himself gauging the distance between Emi and Grayson in the picture again. The dragon. Dragons were cool and dangerous. They had an edge that nice guy magicians didn’t have.

He tore his eyes away from the photo, looking down at the desk as he fought down memories of the paintings of Saint George and the Dragon, with their ambiguous gold chains that could be read as both the bindings of the virgin to her captor or as a leash, where the beauty had somehow tamed the beast, rendering Saint George’s slaying the killing of a pet or companion rather than a rescue.

He had almost gotten ahold of himself when he realized he had been looking at the note inside her journal.

He stepped away, trying to focus on the photo of her family but he knew it was too late. In the back of his mind, the words he had seen, the style of the script, and the nature of the paper were being reviewed, dissected, and analyzed.

The four of them looked happy. The Opera House in the background hinted at a possible performance by her mother. That all four were in the photo suggested that there was a fifth person on the trip. Yes, Mr. Shaw was a skilled enough telekinetic to hold a camera and take a picture, but that would not guarantee a well aligned shot. It might also have been a tour guide.

He closed his eyes, trying to hold back the analysis of the note he had not planned to see but, in a moment of weakness, had observed.

He resisted the urge to take the picture down and look for a date. It would be useful in conditioning the diamond he would be collecting in the next 24-48 hours, if everything went according to plan.

He began to pace again.

Emi would tell him about the picture’s background if he asked. He was someone she could tell things to.

He took in the bed as he paced back toward that part of the room, noting the indentations where he had sat, where Emi’s knee had initially settled in as he drew her down to him.

He stopped and looked down at the bed’s memory of the encounter.

It would not do for her father to see that.

She might be a grown woman with a boyfriend but she was still his little girl.

He hesitated to smooth things out.

John ran his fingers through his hair, settling his thoughts and pushing down his emotional turmoil. It would not do for Emi to return and find him like this.

Deep breath in.

Hold.

Breathe out.

He loved her. He did not want to lose her.

[Roguewolf]

Keith
Zylas listens carefully to Keith’s story. “I am sorry you have gone through something like that, at what seems like to me, a young age.”

“Holding off the Shadow benefited me as much as it did all of you,” the demon says matter of factly. “As I said earlier, this place, thought it is still a prison, is much preferable to being starved of magic and having my blood stolen.”

The demon looks away from Keith and crosses a foot over his knee. “Though, to be truthful, I could not have stood by and allowed a woman to be hurt either. Even if I had not been trapped there, I still would have stepped in to assist her.”

Keith bows his head slightly and nods.

"Thank you, and it was roughly 10 years ago. Mostly, just know that I do want to help, even if that is just making sure that you can recover safely."

Keith shakes his head. "Would like to try and reunite you and your sister, but that also runs the risk of her being in this type of prison as well. Do understand the precautions but neither of you have done us wrong, so it would leave a sour taste in my mouth."

Keith listened as Zylas vented, or at least explained his meaning. He leaned back a bit sitting straight up.

"Glad to know. And I'm sure that while her companion is....well, himself, she is thankful. And for what it's worth, that sense of honor there is another reason I've enjoyed our talks."

[HIDA]

Manny
Manny’s punch stuns the man briefly, but he soon recovers and raises the knife. He looks at his buddy on the ground before turning tail and running down to the opposite end of the alley.

The man who got stabbed groans. Manny can see a significant amount of the blood on the ground near his stomach.

Manny quickly moves over to the stabbed man and taps his comm.

"Mimi, I need the closest hospital to my location or an Angel for some intervention now." Manny says, flipping the man over and tries to staunch the bleeding by tying his own shirt around the mans waist.

"Oi Mate, stay with me." Manny says to the man.

[InTheMachine]

John
The picture is a candid one. All four of them are seated on a large picnic blanket. Grayson and Emi are close, both looking down at a textbook in Grayson’s lap. Their legs, both crossed, are touching. Kylie and Zack seem to be comparing notes. Kylie is writing something with a pen into his notebook.

As he pulls the edge of the note out of her journal, John realizes that the note is actually on the very bottom of several sheets of folded paper. Unfolding it, he sees that it’s a handwritten piece of music for a duet between a violin and cello titled “Amaryllis”. He can hear it in his head as he reads the music. It’s a romantic piece, with a lead violin melody and the cello providing tender harmonies behind it. Technically, it’s fairly well done, though there were some improvements that could easily be made.

At the very bottom of the first page is the note that had gotten his attention in the first place.

I’ve never written anything for strings, but I thought I’d try, for you. I hope you like it.
-Grayson

The paper looks like it’s been balled up at one point, like it had been thrown away.

Keith
“As far as I know, my sister is currently in a contract with a human here,” the demon replies. “I think he would be very upset to lose her. I would like to speak with her again, but it is too dangerous.”

Zylas’ eyes return to Keith as he mentions Stella’s companion, but he opts not to say anything. “I saw that she had a soul cage with her. Did she manage to return it?”

[mmdeforrest]

John
The picture is a candid one. All four of them are seated on a large picnic blanket. Grayson and Emi are close, both looking down at a textbook in Grayson’s lap. Their legs, both crossed, are touching. Kylie and Zack seem to be comparing notes. Kylie is writing something with a pen into his notebook.

As he pulls the edge of the note out of her journal, John realizes that the note is actually on the very bottom of several sheets of folded paper. Unfolding it, he sees that it’s a handwritten piece of music for a duet between a violin and cello titled “Amaryllis”. He can hear it in his head as he reads the music. It’s a romantic piece, with a lead violin melody and the cello providing tender harmonies behind it. Technically, it’s fairly well done, though there were some improvements that could easily be made.

At the very bottom of the first page is the note that had gotten his attention in the first place.

I’ve never written anything for strings, but I thought I’d try, for you. I hope you like it.
-Grayson

The paper looks like it’s been balled up at one point, like it had been thrown away.

Common Knowledge: Flower: 1d12o12 4 1d6o6 9

Amaryllis, his brain tossed up, is a flowering plant native to Southern Africa, often associated with the unrelated Lilly. In the Language of Flowers the Victorians used, it was associated with radiant beauty, pride, and determination.

Amaryllis is also the name of a shepherdess in Vergil’s Eclogues and her name was associated with the verb form of sparkle. He had the vague recollection of there being a love spell involved.

He slipped the music back into her journal and turned to the picture of her family, replacing it as carefully as he could to make it appear undisturbed and thanking God that it had not triggered his object reading. He understood Grayson was a rival and did not begrudge him that role. Nevertheless, it was a concern. Not only was he a dragon, he was a musician — one who, at some level, recognized that his offering a duet to her occupied a space that would be unique for them.

It was one he would never be able to meet or match. Even with Stephan’s help, he could not do it.

It would also resonate within her with the memories of her mother and their love for one another.

Another almost date — and encounter that, if Grayson pressed it at the correct time, could try and shift their relationship into something more.

As close as they were in the picture and as close as two musicians might be, John reminded him, they were not the same as what had almost happened between him and Emi.

Almost.

Well, there were some things that happened.

He focused his attention on the photo of the Opera House, trying not to let his nerves make him sick to his stomach.

[Roguewolf]

Keith
“As far as I know, my sister is currently in a contract with a human here,” the demon replies. “I think he would be very upset to lose her. I would like to speak with her again, but it is too dangerous.”

Zylas’ eyes return to Keith as he mentions Stella’s companion, but he opts not to say anything. “I saw that she had a soul cage with her. Did she manage to return it?”

Keith tilt his head trying to think of how they could even find them. Considering that Zylas said 'here', he could mean Iron Station. That certainly narrowed down everything. They'd possibly crossed paths and never noticed as well.

"I could imagine he would be. Almost curious who it may be in the city, though that would also just present more curiosity." Keith shook his head. "The danger should be taken care of first though. You're right there."

Keith's eyes grow a bit distant as he thinks back to the soul cage. He had made a mockery of himself all today and even now, just a matter of time before the mockery continued and he probably mess up the date with Kylie. Still, he should have asked Stella about the cage. He hadn't seen her since she left for the hospital and she didn't seem too upset afterwards, so he assumed she had.

"I think she did. So our entire reason for being in that place was doubly successful. Possibly tripled. That pet is dead, you are here, and the soul was rescued."

Keith was glad they had in fact succeeded, but he would still confirm the return of Stella's mom's soul. "I'll have to ask if it went through, but I do believe so."

[InTheMachine]

Manny
“Harbinger is on his way,” Mimi replies to Manny.

The man groans as Manny puts pressure on his wound. Blood begins to leak through Manny’s shirt almost immediately.

Less than a minute later there’s a rush of wind as Harbinger lands nearby. Several gray feathers drift to the ground around him as he kneels next to the injured man. The older angel places his hand on the man’s shoulder and deep orange fire that throws off a few sparks races down to the man’s wound.

The man on the ground blinks, then goes to touch his stomach, finding it unmarked. “I-I’m okay?”

John
John feels his magic return to him as Emi emerges from the bathroom in some very short black athletic shorts that show off how long and shapely her legs are and a soft pastel tank top with a mandala in the front. Her hair is down, falling in waves over her shoulders and back. “I hope you don’t mind my casual clothes,” she says as she reenters the room.

She tilts her head as she gets closer to John. “Everything okay?” she asks with a slight bit of concern as she touches his shoulder.

Keith
“I only meant that he was here, in the human world,” Zylas clarifies. “I don’t know where my sister is.”

The demon nods. “Good. She seemed very concerned about it.” He shifts a little, leaning back against the futon. “Earlier, when Aeryn and Manny visited me, Aeryn seemed… afraid. He was nervous the first time I met him properly, but not afraid. Do you know what may have changed?”

[HIDA]

Manny
“Harbinger is on his way,” Mimi replies to Manny.

The man groans as Manny puts pressure on his wound. Blood begins to leak through Manny’s shirt almost immediately.

Less than a minute later there’s a rush of wind as Harbinger lands nearby. Several gray feathers drift to the ground around him as he kneels next to the injured man. The older angel places his hand on the man’s shoulder and deep orange fire that throws off a few sparks races down to the man’s wound.

The man on the ground blinks, then goes to touch his stomach, finding it unmarked. “I-I’m okay?”

"Never better." Manny says with a reassuring smile as he looks back at the Angel an nods.

That's a trick that'll never get old.

"Thank you kindly, Sir. I'm new in town, so I don't know where any hospitals are. You saved this man's life." He says to the angel before retuning his attention back to the assaulted man.

"Can you tell us what happened? I heard you shout right before that punk knifed you."

[big teej]

Q&A:

"They're glorified blood bags who think their owners actually have any more attachment or concern for them than you would for a ham sandwich." Raphael spits out.

He sighs and continues, calmer. "Most are deluded they'll be rewarded some day, either by being brought across, some sort of material compensation, or something else. Others are just... hooked on the experience. Many are dominated or enthralled."

Raphael relaxes and considers how to answer Stella's other question.

"You were there with me." He says. "I don't know how you feel about being property, but as far as they are concerned, that's basically what you are until you are shown to be something else. You're mine, as far as Vampires go. And it's... tantamount to spitting in someones face to be hassling with someone's...."

Raphael frowns at the ceiling. Trying to find the right word to express the sentiment. "Retainer?" He says finally. "Entourage?"

"The point is, you showed up with me, so that makes you eight different kinds of off-limits to other kindred, or their hangers-on."

[mmdeforrest]

John closed his eyes, willing himself into his mental palace. He swept through the hallways and exited into one of the courtyards. As he strode forward, his uniform faded into existence around him. Drawing down his hood, he approached the shallow font standing in the center of the space. He had worked with Doctor Higgins on this space to help him work through his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following the Windsor Incident. Often, the first step of his work here would be to will the blood boiling up from within the font into water that he could then still.

Tonight, it was only water waiting for him but the font’s waters — mirroring his emotions — were turbulent, as if a storm-tossed sea. Above him, storm clouded raced, as if time lapsed for a horror film. The wind whipped through his hair, tearing at his cloak and threatening to pull him off balance.

His feelings lashed out, lighting the brazers that defined the circle around the font. He raised his hands, extending his will and stilling the wind.

He closed his eyes — both external and within.

He listened to the water, accepting the turbulence — the uncertainty and insecurity that was tearing at him, disrupting him.

Deeper within his mind, he found his memories of Emi — the smile and the kiss from the car with her happiness at being with him.

He held it and listened to her joy, letting it down out the sound of the water.

He felt the warmth of her feelings for him.

He felt the warmth of the sun as it burned through the racing clouds.

The water rolled then splashed, then dripped. He heard it drop on the flagstones.

He felt them on his face.

The water stilled.

The brazers flared, signaling his magic’s return.

Harbinger was awake.

He opened his eyes and looked at the still pool, reflecting the light above.

He drew a deep, stilling breath.

He opened his eyes, back in Emi’s room.

Spoiler: John’s PSTD is barely kept under control.

Show

OOC: John spends his Hold with Emi to clear his Insecure condition.

John feels his magic return to him as Emi emerges from the bathroom in some very short black athletic shorts that show off how long and shapely her legs are and a soft pastel tank top with a mandala in the front. Her hair is down, falling in waves over her shoulders and back. “I hope you don’t mind my casual clothes,” she says as she reenters the room.

She tilts her head as she gets closer to John. “Everything okay?” she asks with a slight bit of concern as she touches his shoulder.

John smiled, weakly but contentedly at the sight of her. She was here. With him. Because she wanted him to be here.

“You are here,” he said, his voice a little thick as he finished fighting down the edges of the PTSD. “How could things not be okay?”

He barked out a quick, quiet laugh. “Sorry,” he explained. “I’ve just been pacing the room and rethinking some of my recent life decisions,” he said nodding to the space where they had been a short time before. Slipping his arm around her, he asked, “Why don’t you come back to the bed and let your emotional wreck of a boyfriend rub your neck while he confesses some of his inadequacies?

“Oh,” he added, not yet able to meet her eyes. “Harbinger is awake and has released my spell — should we determine I need to work some magic.

He led her to the edge of the bed and stepped back, allowing himself, for the first time, to take an undisguised look at her full form. “First confession — although you may already have noticed this: I’ve been sneaking glances at you ever since we have met — always trying to be discrete and respectful and not descending into objectification.”

He risked a glance at her eyes.

“Your loveliness has made it a bit of a challenge.”

He stepped around her, easing them gently back onto the bed — although in a manner much different than the last time.

He notices a slight tremble in his hands as he smoothed her hair and set it to the right side of her neck. “Second confession: I, um. Well, you are my first serious relationship. And our activity this evening is about as…well, no. It is as far as I have ever gone with….”

You are okay, John, he thought as he reached up and began to massage her.

She cares for you and if you love her you can…you have to trust her.

“I’m also used to being confident and in control of things,” he continued. “I’m the expert. The guy why knows things and stays on top of things.

“I have no idea what I am doing and I am afraid of drifting back into the usual role I have with women — the nice guy. The good friend. The safe one.”

Interesting. For all of his nervousness, his hands were moving with greater certainty — probably because he knew how much his touch was welcome by her.

“It’s not that I lack confidence,” he explained. “After all, I cast spells by rewriting reality using the language of Creation. You don’t take that kind of thing on without a self-confidence that borders on hubris.

“But with you?” he asked as he came across a knot that needed work. “ I don’t know how a serious relationship is supposed to work and what I am supposed to do and I am fairly certain that any formulae I find in a book is going to be inadequate. The physical side of thing is going to be the kind of thing we learn together, which sounds like fun. But a relationship requires more than instinct is going to provide me.

“You may already have figured all of this out but sometimes I need to say things out loud and that can lead to some absurd moments — like when I started mansplaining the interpretation of visions of possible futures to Harbinger earlier today.

“And I am probably already doing the same with you right now.

“Anyway, my impossibly wonderful girlfriend, that is why I keep asking you to tell me if I am doing something wrong and why you may have sensed me panicking about how I am running the risk of moving myself into the friendzone because that is where I am used to being and know how to act.

“So not only will I not know how to unclamp a bra, I won’t know when I should be doing so.

“And, somehow, gentlemen are supposed to magically know all of these things. In earlier eras, I think many got around that by artificially bifurcating women into ladies you impress with your knowledge and the not-a-ladies you learned with. I’ve never been able to accept that kind of bifurcation.

“I thought you deserved an explanation as to why your supposedly competent expert of a boyfriend doesn’t know what he’s doing and is perpetually worried that he is about to disappoint you because he is about to do or not do something that everyone knows you should or should not do.

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” he said with a combination of frustration and self-deprecating humor. “I mean, just listen to me. I’m worried they are going to take always my Man Card for not working to have things continue earlier and couple that with performance anxiety about the relationship.”

He leaned forward and kissed the base of her neck before starting to massage the outside of her shoulders. “You really know how to pick ‘em, Emi.”

Spoiler: John makes himself vulnerable.

Show

OOC: John shares a vulnerability with Emi, holding two, which he can use to clear a Condition or use as Camaraderie in situations involving her.

[InTheMachine]

Manny
The man gets to his feet, looking down at all the blood on the ground. “I uhhh…” he glances nervously over at Harbinger. “I was walkin’, and these guys… they uhh… Dude pulled a knife and stabbed me. I wasn’t doin’ anything.”

“Sure,” Harbinger says, crossing his arms with a tired shake of his head. He starts to go through Red Hat’s pockets, pulling out baggies full of a red crystalline substance. “You weren’t gonna buy any of this, right?”

The man shakes his head. “Nah man! I don’t even know what that **** is.” He looks back over at Manny. “You gotta believe me, man. I wasn’t doing anything.”

Raphael
As Raphael speaks, Stella gets more and more concerned. “So you’re saying that Cassie, who might be enthralled, is no more than a ham sandwich to that man? But we can’t go talk to her because that’s taboo among vampires?”

“And if she is enthralled, she wouldn’t tell us she was in danger anyway. How can you tell?” she asks. “How do you claim someone?”

[Roguewolf]

Keith
“I only meant that he was here, in the human world,” Zylas clarifies. “I don’t know where my sister is.”

The demon nods. “Good. She seemed very concerned about it.” He shifts a little, leaning back against the futon. “Earlier, when Aeryn and Manny visited me, Aeryn seemed… afraid. He was nervous the first time I met him properly, but not afraid. Do you know what may have changed?”

Keith nods, finally understanding fully.

"That makes more sense. My apologies." It was an honest mistake, though he had figured it worth a shot.

At the mention of Stella's concern, Keith nods.

"Yeah, it essentially frees her from that catfish. Wouldn't wish anyone be in his service." Keith shakes his head before tilting it at the mention of Aeryn's fear.

"Nervous I can understand, but I can't imagine what had him afraid. He may have tried some home research and come across wrong information." Keith shrugs. "I'd be happy to ask him for you of course. Unless you have a special instructor, most Occult information that gets written is..... well more so for entertainment. And it gets a lot of things wrong, or only halfway true."

Keith offers a comforting smile.

"Thinking about it and how he loves to try to cook the best he can, I'm certain it was a misunderstanding from faulty research."

"That said, I do have a couple of questions. If you don't mind at least." Keith took a deep breath. "So about Raeksha. I know they're demons on the verge of becoming greater, but what are they? Do they have to enter pacts with Greater Demons or are they just to ascend on their own?"

[big teej]

holupaminute:

Raphael picks his head up off Stella's bed and looks at her, perplexed. "What?" He breathes.

With a grunt, the vampire rights himself to a sitting position again. "What?" He says again, trying to process her----

"Oh." He says, as the coin drops.

"No, I don't think my first impression was correct. I did think that's all she was at first. But I..." Raphael slumps. "I couldn't point you to anything specific, but I really think her relationship with Feris is something much more developed than that."

Raphael considers the rest of Stella's questions before continuing. "Spotting a thrall is really hard. The easiest way is probably to go mucking around with their mind. Probably. The other thing is to just... watch them. But that only works if you watch them around their master."


He grows silent again. And stays that way for a long time.

"It... Depends on how serious a claim you want to make."

[HIDA]

Manny
The man gets to his feet, looking down at all the blood on the ground. “I uhhh…” he glances nervously over at Harbinger. “I was walkin’, and these guys… they uhh… Dude pulled a knife and stabbed me. I wasn’t doin’ anything.”

“Sure,” Harbinger says, crossing his arms with a tired shake of his head. He starts to go through Red Hat’s pockets, pulling out baggies full of a red crystalline substance. “You weren’t gonna buy any of this, right?”

The man shakes his head. “Nah man! I don’t even know what that **** is.” He looks back over at Manny. “You gotta believe me, man. I wasn’t doing anything.”

Manny walks over to the guy and throws an arm over his shoulders and brings him real close. "Now you probably don't remember that guy saying he stabbed you because he 'thought you were a cop' and I understand that. Having a new hole in you stomach does tend to make you forget the world at-large. But since you're not dressed like a cop, you must've been doing something to make him think that."

Manny takes a dramatic head turn towards Harbinger Before looking at the guy and pulling his arm back. "Heroes tend to be merciful if you don't lie to their faces, Mate. Rule of thumb."

[InTheMachine]

John
Emi lets John guide her back over to the bed, though her expression gains a little more concern as he speaks before he sits her down.

“I’ve noticed you sneaking glances, John,” Emi says with a soft smile at him. “I don’t mind you looking at me. I’ll be honest with you, I’m very used to it. But it feels different, with you. I almost get a thrill from sensing your gaze on me.”

“As I said earlier,” she says suppressing a sound of pleasure as his fingers work on a knot, “we’ll learn together. I’m not worried about the physical side, nor you doing anything ‘wrong’.”

She leans over and kisses him gently. “I still want you, John. Please, know that. You don’t have to be so nervous.”

Raphael
Stella relaxes somewhat upon hearing that Cassie is most likely not Feris’ thrall. “That makes me feel a bit better, if she’s probably making her own decisions.”

“Are there different levels of… claiming?”

Manny
The man looks back and forth between Manny and Harbinger before letting out a deep, frustrated sigh. “Okay. Look. I saw these dudes down here and they called me over. Said that they had some good ****. Said that it was better than glass. I was gonna buy. I don’t know if I said somethin’ funny to ‘em or what, but the other guy pulled his knife and stabbed me. I don’t remember much after that.”

“You’ve never met these guys before?” Harbinger asks as he checks Red Hats other pockets. He finds a wallet, but it has no ID.

“Never,” the man replies. “Never seen ‘em.”

[mmdeforrest]

John
Emi lets John guide her back over to the bed, though her expression gains a little more concern as he speaks before he sits her down.

“I’ve noticed you sneaking glances, John,” Emi says with a soft smile at him. “I don’t mind you looking at me. I’ll be honest with you, I’m very used to it. But it feels different, with you. I almost get a thrill from sensing your gaze on me.”

“As I said earlier,” she says suppressing a sound of pleasure as his fingers work on a knot, “we’ll learn together. I’m not worried about the physical side, nor you doing anything ‘wrong’.”

She leans over and kisses him gently. “I still want you, John. Please, know that. You don’t have to be so nervous.”

“I’ll try,” he replied. “I’ll rely on your empathy to distinguish between when I am nervous and when one of your looks has made me weak in the knees. That also keeps happening.”

He slid a little closer to Emi and, freed of his concerns about where he should and should not touch, began to work on some of the muscles of her lower back. “You’ve been very patient with me so far, given that you have been developing a list of questions all evening. What did you want to ask me?”

[HIDA]

Manny
The man looks back and forth between Manny and Harbinger before letting out a deep, frustrated sigh. “Okay. Look. I saw these dudes down here and they called me over. Said that they had some good ****. Said that it was better than glass. I was gonna buy. I don’t know if I said somethin’ funny to ‘em or what, but the other guy pulled his knife and stabbed me. I don’t remember much after that.”

“You’ve never met these guys before?” Harbinger asks as he checks Red Hats other pockets. He finds a wallet, but it has no ID.

“Never,” the man replies. “Never seen ‘em.”

"I was doing my best to keep this one alive. I dropped this one when i swooped in but the other one shook off my attack and ran off. Would've gone after him, but I didn't want this one to bleed out." Manny says thumbing over at the man.

"What's that you're confiscating?" Manny asks Harbinger, pointing to the baggies with the red crystals.

[PK-Leon]

Delivery Boy, First Class

Izzy gets off the bike and lets out a shaky breath as she pulls off her helmet. “That… was kinda fun. Once I kinda got the hang of it,” she says with a smile at the hero."

The hero parks his motorcycle and activates it's camouflage system disguising the street bike a high end commercial model as he walks away. Louis slides down his goggles down, letting them hang around his neck and smirks. "So you're saying you'd be up for another ride sometime?" He insinuates more than asks.

Her expression dampens a bit as she looks around the parking lot, looking for anyone that seems to be out of place. She waits for Louis before she quickly heads for an apartment on the first floor. “I’m glad the cops dropped off my keys,” she mumbles to herself as she unlocks the door to 121.

Louis tilts his head, taking a few seconds to piece together the cause of Izzy's sudden shift in demeanor before everything clicks. He lets Izzy take the lead as the two make their way toward her apartment. With a snap of his fingers an orb of flame materializes in the air above them casting bright torchlight along their path. The fireball dissipates and reappears further ahead of Izzy after every couple of steps she takes until she makes it to her apartment door.

Before she opens the door, she looks back at Louis. “Do… you want to come in? I was going to order a pizza or two for dinner.”

"Oh," is the only word that escapes Louis' lips after Izzy's offer catches him by surprise. "Yeah, pizza sounds great actually. Wait... you don't mind if I steal a slice or two right?"

Music Box

The inside of Izzy’s one bedroom apartment is clean, but full. She has a bright red keyboard set up on one wall. Next to it is a black hollow body guitar with a rose and thorn inlay on the neck. Sheets of music, both printed and handwritten are scattered on a table next to the instruments where a laptop is also set up.

Farther into the room, there’s a tv with a dark couch opposite from it that has a small coffee table in front of it. Several scratching posts and cat toys are on the floor. The kitchen is slightly cluttered, with a lot of counter space taken up by a coffee grinder and drip machine.

A fluffy, pure white cat trots up to Izzy with a loud meow, rubbing up against her legs. She picks the cat up and lays it against one shoulder. “This is Ray,” she says as the cat purrs loudly. She looks like she suddenly remembers something, and returns the cat to the ground before going to fill up Ray’s food and water bowls, which are dangerously low.

"Cute cat." He chuckles. "I think he... he(?), misses you. Love your set up by the way." Louis says waving a hand at the rest of the apartment. "It's a small space but you make it work."

[InTheMachine]

Manny
“It’s Nova,” Harbinger replies. “New drug that hit the streets about a week ago. It’s a Crown exclusive. I can tell you more about it back at base,” he says as he finishes searching Red Hat.

“C-can I go?” The man asks. “I don’t wanna mess with the cops or nothin’.”

John
“How long have you known about Raphael?” Emi asks. “Does the rest of the team know what he is? Do you think Alexander Feris is a threat to either him or Stella?” She stops herself before she can rapid fire more questions. “It concerns me that I was unable to read Raphael, Alexander, or Cassie’s thoughts tonight.”

Emi shifts to the side, giving John her left arm and hand to work.“I only know facts about vampires from movies or books, and some of them are obviously not true. Like garlic. I saw some on Raphael’s steak tonight, and he wasn’t bothered in the slightest.”

Louis
“Thanks,” Izzy says quietly. “It’s not much, but it’s home.” She pulls out her phone and starts to order pizza, making sure to get whatever toppings Louis wants before ordering a separate pizza for herself.

Ray meows again as Izzy stoops down to pet him. “I’m sure he did. I’ve had him since he was real little. Like three weeks old. He’s not used to me being gone for more than a day.”

“Do you mind if I shower real quick?” she asks. “I feel kinda… bleh after everything that’s happened. You can make yourself at home. I have Netflix, HBO, all that jazz, on the TV, so you can find something for us to watch while we eat.”

If Louis agrees, she’ll smile at him before closing the door to her bedroom.

[HIDA]

Manny
“It’s Nova,” Harbinger replies. “New drug that hit the streets about a week ago. It’s a Crown exclusive. I can tell you more about it back at base,” he says as he finishes searching Red Hat.

“C-can I go?” The man asks. “I don’t wanna mess with the cops or nothin’.”

"Fair. Most people don't." Manny says, frowning as he looks at his shirt. Sarah got me this shirt.

"I~ don't think I get to make that call, mate. Try you luck with that guy and maybe start with 'I'll go home and not get shanked trying to score drugs anymore'. Make sure you mean it though, he still looks a little miffed from the obvious lie from earlier." Manny says, rolling his eyes before looking to the angel for a verdict.

[mmdeforrest]

“How long have you known about Raphael?” Emi asks. “Does the rest of the team know what he is? Do you think Alexander Feris is a threat to either him or Stella?” She stops herself before she can rapid fire more questions. “It concerns me that I was unable to read Raphael, Alexander, or Cassie’s thoughts tonight.”

Emi shifts to the side, giving John her left arm and hand to work.“I only know facts about vampires from movies or books, and some of them are obviously not true. Like garlic. I saw some on Raphael’s steak tonight, and he wasn’t bothered in the slightest.”

John smiled as he took Emi’s arm, mentally cataloguing her questions and noticing how content and happy he was. Yes, the topic of conversation was somewhat outré, but he had eased back into her presence and the security he found in their relationship.

That did not mean he had forgotten the near-triggering of his PTSD or was not disturbed by the fuzziness associated with that short period. He noted, per her instructions to him prior to his leaving London, he needed to set up a remote counseling session with Dr. Higgins. He could also guess at what she would say — that it was understandable that the threat to a key pillar of emotional support would trigger a response deep enough in his psyche that the particular focus of his Amulet might not be able to compensate for it fully. He also suspected her eyebrows would lift in surprise at the short amount of time it had taken for him to form such a new pillar.

At least her understanding of the irrational nature of the human mind would limit her reaction. Most of his peers, he suspected, would have a reaction similar to the one Sidney had to his confession of love for Emi if they heard he had made his relationship with Emi the central pillar of his life.

Did he really just say that?

Think?

Realize?

The here and now, John, he reminded himself. Focus on the here and now and the joy that is here. You can indulge in self-analysis later. This time would help him heal.

“I am assuming that Nora is as discrete as Mimi and only release information disclosed here on a truly need to know basis rather than reporting everything I say back to Myriad,” John observed before he kissed Emi’s wrist and began to work her hand.

“I met Raphael on Monday evening, about five days before I met you,” John replied, “Although my introduction to him began with the briefing packet Montcrieff provided me the day before. His briefing sheet made no mention of him being anything more than a meta human. I might have begun to suspect something after he went out of his way to warn me away from his blood bags but I can’t be sure of that. It was Montcrieff’s notes about the team that made me aware about the possibility that he might be a vampire.”

John glanced up and smiled at Emi. “She was delighted when she got me to react in a manner that confirmed her suspicions. She didn’t want an actual confirmation, as she would have had to log it, but she enjoys confirming when she is right about things like that.”

“I don’t know if Raphael has told anyone else or not so the only people I can be sure know are Seraph, myself, and Stella. I got to be the one who broke it to her after Raphael’s disappearance after the fight at Amity Court when she was afraid she had lost him forever.” He shrugged, not daring to look up. “It was a good day for me to have a rocky start with dragons, apparently.”

He marveled at her hand being in his, accepting his touch, his love, and his desire to heal her through both. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that their breathing had synchronized again. He shifted his left hand so that, as he held her wrist, he could try and determine if their pulses were synchronizing as well.

“As for Feris, I can’t be sure. He is clearly centuries old and I suspect his bloodline is old as well. The two qualities determine the power of a vampire and may — although I am not sure — may indicate how many of the weaknesses we see in fiction apply. Sunlight destroying vampires was invented for the film Nosferatu. Before that, sunlight limited and weakened them but did not destroy them. But for all I know, Murnau had a prior encounter and that vampire was destroyed by sunlight.

“I only did some brief research on them while back in London. Montcrieff and I had started working on a case of a suspected vampire and while my expertise was needed, my PTSD limited the amount of time I could work on blood-related things at that time. It turned out to be a serial killer with a vampire fixation rather than the real thing and I never got to spend the time sorting out what was evidence-based, what was folklore, and what was fiction with any certainty.”

He looked up and smiled at her. “I had just completed a check of the kitchen to see if garlic was being avoided in our base when Raphael came in to check if anyone else wanted pizza. He had just placed an order for one with extra garlic so if I have to conclude anything it is that our resident vampire has a taste for it.

“That said, he is not a standard vampire. I’m not sure about the details on that and I cannot place my finger on why I have come to that conclusion. It could be just that he wields blood magic or that he is simply more powerful than the two lesser vampires at the bar tonight.”

He paused. “I’m not supposed to reveal this, but I had a visit from one of the spirits that sits in judgement over me while I was on my way here from London and was specifically instructed to not distract myself with Raphael and possibly Keith because they were arrayed against the demonic forces we are dealing with. Their instructions have made me comfortable with keeping a vampiric research project relatively low on my to do list.

“I don’t think Feris is an immediate threat. The two have some kind of a working relationship, I suspect, and his solicitous manner regarding our dinner makes it clear he wants to maintain that. The manner in which he drove off the two vampires at the bar was good evidence that he considers Cassie within his territory and perhaps was making sure they knew Stella was off limits as well. I can’t be sure if we woudl have been under Raphael’s protection while there or not. I plan to ask him about that later — perhaps tonight. While he should be classed as a potential threat, I don’t think he is a current one.

“Given his age and Raphael’s bloodline, I am not surprised that you could not get a reading off of either of them. Than you could not with Cassie is interesting. I’ll see if Raphael has any insight into that as well.”

He glanced up at the woman he adored as he began to work her forearm. “What else can I try to answer for you?”

[InTheMachine]

Keith
“I see,” Zylas says with a slow blink. He considers Keith’s question for a moment. “Raeksha are Lesser Demons that have not yet gained enough power to be considered Greater. Most of the time, yes, they will make contracts with a Greater Demon in exchange for power, though sometimes they can gain the power themselves, without the need for a Greater Demon’s.”

“Some Greater Demons of sufficient rank have many raeksha under their command. Most raeksha are not the most intelligent creatures, so they merely follow their master’s commands trying to complete their contract and end up perishing before their master is required to ascend them. There are a few that are capable of higher-order thought, though. They are the most dangerous of Lesser Demons. However, they are rare. Most are about as intelligent as… a betio, a dog. They are capable of following commands, and are predatory in nature, but that’s all.”

Manny
“I got what I needed from him,” Harbinger says. “He can go.”

The man nods and heads back towards Manny. “You know he ain’t really an angel, right?” He says very quietly to the hero. “I heard you say that to somebody while I was down. He can’t be. He’s just a meta. A dude with wings.” He slaps Manny’s shoulder. “Anyway, thanks man. You saved my ***,” he says before heading towards the mouth of the alley.

Harbinger straightens and Manny gets his first good look at the man. He looks remarkably similar to Seraph, down to build and facial structure. His dark hair is silvered at the temples and he has a heavy five o’clock shadow. His sooty gray feathers are ragged and broken in places, unlike Seraph’s sleek, pale gold wings. Tired, dark green eyes observe Manny for a moment before he says, “Stay with this guy for a minute. Cops should be here soon. I’m gonna go grab the other one.”

He heads down the alley in the direction Jacket had gone, opening his wings and taking off when he gets to the end.

Only a few minutes later, he returns with an unconscious Jacket dangling from one hand. Harbinger lands and drops him unceremoniously next to the other gangbanger.

“Good job. With the victim, I mean,” the angel eventually says. “He would’ve bled out if you hadn’t put pressure on it.”

[HIDA]

Manny
“I got what I needed from him,” Harbinger says. “He can go.”

The man nods and heads back towards Manny. “You know he ain’t really an angel, right?” He says very quietly to the hero. “I heard you say that to somebody while I was down. He can’t be. He’s just a meta. A dude with wings.” He slaps Manny’s shoulder. “Anyway, thanks man. You saved my ***,” he says before heading towards the mouth of the alley.

Harbinger straightens and Manny gets his first good look at the man. He looks remarkably similar to Seraph, down to build and facial structure. His dark hair is silvered at the temples and he has a heavy five o’clock shadow. His sooty gray feathers are ragged and broken in places, unlike Seraph’s sleek, pale gold wings. Tired, dark green eyes observe Manny for a moment before he says, “Stay with this guy for a minute. Cops should be here soon. I’m gonna go grab the other one.”

He heads down the alley in the direction Jacket had gone, opening his wings and taking off when he gets to the end.

Only a few minutes later, he returns with an unconscious Jacket dangling from one hand. Harbinger lands and drops him unceremoniously next to the other gangbanger.

“Good job. With the victim, I mean,” the angel eventually says. “He would’ve bled out if you hadn’t put pressure on it.”

Manny look quizzically at the man as he departs before he turns and smiles at the Angel. "I'm not a fan of people getting hurt if I can help it. That's why I tried stunning them first. But I ended up letting him run to keep him alive." He says, Pointing to Jacket.

"I dont think we've been properly introduced. Izulu, newest member of your brother's team." Manny says, offering a hand to Harbinger.

[Roguewolf]

Keith
“I see,” Zylas says with a slow blink. He considers Keith’s question for a moment. “Raeksha are Lesser Demons that have not yet gained enough power to be considered Greater. Most of the time, yes, they will make contracts with a Greater Demon in exchange for power, though sometimes they can gain the power themselves, without the need for a Greater Demon’s.”

“Some Greater Demons of sufficient rank have many raeksha under their command. Most raeksha are not the most intelligent creatures, so they merely follow their master’s commands trying to complete their contract and end up perishing before their master is required to ascend them. There are a few that are capable of higher-order thought, though. They are the most dangerous of Lesser Demons. However, they are rare. Most are about as intelligent as… a betio, a dog. They are capable of following commands, and are predatory in nature, but that’s all.”

Keith nods as Zylas explains. He had no idea that they weren't just a separate category but also entirely connected to Lesser Demons.

"That makes a lot more sense. So the entire benefit usually falls on whoever holds the contract. That certainly lines up with what we saw earlier and the other day." Keith thinks for a moment. And his jaw clenched just for about a second.

The way some of the Greater Demons treated the raeksha, it mirrored the way his father would go through minions. Just promising power and never having to follow through. He wondered just how many had been truly affected by it and still praised that man's name.

"Might be a long shot, but is there a method to figure out who holds the contract of a specific Raeksha? Or if we were to luck out and find a highly intelligent one, would we potentially be able to ask it if anyone could speak the demonic language? Then again, I doubt they would give up tge information willingly either."

He tilted his head at his own question. He wondered if John knew demonic.

"Would it even be possible to learn the language?" Keith awaited Zylas's answer before continuing. "Mainly curious just because it could help us find the name of our common enemy."

"Come to think of it, was it you that I saw in one of the store fronts this morning when we entered that other dimension?" Keith stretched his arms a bit. It had been on his mind most of the day. And after considering the stones of Vanuusha they had found, he wondered if one might be in the treasure trove.

[InTheMachine]

John
Emi can’t suppress the slight shiver that goes through her as John kisses her wrist. He feels a spike of desire from her that she quickly suppresses as a slight blush spreads across her cheeks.

She clears her throat as John finishes explaining what he know about vampires. “I think that was all questions I had from tonight. To answer something that you wanted to know, while he wouldn’t admit it to me, I believe my father thought that you were clever, finding out what wine he liked. None of my other potential suitors did anything like that.”

Emi turns so that John can get to her other arm. She takes his hand and kisses his knuckles before letting him massage her forearm and hand.

Manny
Harbinger gives Manny a half smile as he shakes his hand. “Brother? He’s my nephew. Name’s Harbinger.”

Flashing red and blue lights arrive outside of the alley. Harbinger makes his way down to the officer to lead him down to the two unconscious men. The officer cuffs the two men, then calls for EMS on his radio.

The officer looks up at Manny. “You mind giving me a statement real quick?”

Keith
Zylas shakes his head. “I do not know a spell that can do that. And you are correct; no intelligent raeksha would give up its master.“

He thinks on Keith’s questions for a moment, uncrossing his leg and leaning forward. His tail sways gently by one ankle. “I don’t think that humans can truly learn demonic. You can learn words and phrases that do magic, but you could not speak it with any fluency. There is a nuance to it that involves a gathering of power and magic behind certain words. If you tried to speak it without that cognizance, it would be like an infant attempting to make itself understood.”

“I spotted you all when you were on the bridge from atop a building,” he says. “I was not within one. Maybe it was one of the shadows?” he suggests. “I did not sense anyone else there.”

[big teej]

Achoo:

"I think she has at least as much freedom to make her own decisions as you do." Raphael says.

"Well sure." Raphael says in response to Stella's other question. "Some are more convoluted and involved than others."

Raphael briefly considers trying to change the subject, but discards the notion in favor of switching tack.

"It's kinda like your contracts with Jaal and Shrike. Right? They're named, and you've got some sort of formal agreement with them, but what about those hounds and snakes you conjured in our first fight? Do they have names? Do they have a contract somewhere? Or is it someone-thing- you can just kinda... yoink out when you need to?"

Raphael guffaws, realizing what he's said.

"Hey.... how do you feel about crossing the milestone of 'first fight' before we were even on a first name basis?" He says in an amused voice.

[HIDA]

Manny
Harbinger gives Manny a half smile as he shakes his hand. “Brother? He’s my nephew. Name’s Harbinger.”

Flashing red and blue lights arrive outside of the alley. Harbinger makes his way down to the officer to lead him down to the two unconscious men. The officer cuffs the two men, then calls for EMS on his radio.

The officer looks up at Manny. “You mind giving me a statement real quick?”

"You two bear an unmistakable resemblance to each other like me and my younger brother so I thought the tie was identical as well. A pleasure to meet you, Sir." Manny says, smile growing wider.

To the officers query, Manny smile again. "Certainly. What would you like to know?"

[mmdeforrest]

John
Emi can’t suppress the slight shiver that goes through her as John kisses her wrist. He feels a spike of desire from her that she quickly suppresses as a slight blush spreads across her cheeks.

She clears her throat as John finishes explaining what he know about vampires. “I think that was all questions I had from tonight. To answer something that you wanted to know, while he wouldn’t admit it to me, I believe my father thought that you were clever, finding out what wine he liked. None of my other potential suitors did anything like that.”

Emi turns so that John can get to her other arm. She takes his hand and kisses his knuckles before letting him massage her forearm and hand.

They were facing one another again as he began to work her forearm down towards her hand. While not as pronounced as her response, he had felt his own desire increase as her lips brushed the top of his hand and continue to surge as he looked at her — without the need to be furtive or afraid he was looking without permission.

He did gawk or ogle her, but nor did he force himself to instantly look away.

He did, he notice, still blush as he looked down to her hand before he lingered overlong on her figure. He was, after all, supposed to be helping them resist rather than inclining himself to instigate.

She…they were’t ready yet. They both knew it — even if they wished it, wanted it to be otherwise.

“They clearly didn’t have a friend like Keith on hand to work them up into an appropriate level of panic, then,” John observed. He didn’t think it appropriate to point out that Seraph’s nervousness may have magnified things further — Angels fear to tread and all.

He raised her hand and kissed her palm.

“A bit of a non sequetor,” he asked, “but how do you respond to the sea and the cold? Being from London and having navigated New York winters, I would imagine you know how to bundle up against it. Is it the kind of thing you look forward to? It’s the kind of thing that one should know before trying to plan a totally unexpected, surprise trip to Block Island or some place similar.”

Like an uncharted island in the North Atlantic.

[InTheMachine]

Manny
The cop pulls out a notebook. “Just a quick rundown of what happened is all I need. Harbinger is going to send a report over later, but it’s always good to get a statement from the first person on scene if you can.”

Raphael
“The hounds and other ghosts are just an extension on my magic,” Stella explains. “It is easiest for me to give them form for quick attacks like that.”

She grins at Raphael’s realization. “I don’t know if I’d count that as a fight, bouille. I was flirting more than fighting. Though you did explode Shrike… so maybe you were taking it much more seriously than I was.”

She leans her head on her hand and her breath hisses in. The heady scent of fresh blood hits Raphael’s nose as she grimaces, looking at one of her fingers. He’s suddenly hyper aware of the bright red drop of blood that seeps out from the tip of her pointer finger.

John
“I like cold weather,” Emi replies. “The crispness of the air, the lights around Christmas time, snow. I like being bundled up too.”

“When is this totally surprise trip supposed to be?” Emi asks, raising one eyebrow.

[Roguewolf]

Keith
Zylas shakes his head. “I do not know a spell that can do that. And you are correct; no intelligent raeksha would give up its master.“

He thinks on Keith’s questions for a moment, uncrossing his leg and leaning forward. His tail sways gently by one ankle. “I don’t think that humans can truly learn demonic. You can learn words and phrases that do magic, but you could not speak it with any fluency. There is a nuance to it that involves a gathering of power and magic behind certain words. If you tried to speak it without that cognizance, it would be like an infant attempting to make itself understood.”

“I spotted you all when you were on the bridge from atop a building,” he says. “I was not within one. Maybe it was one of the shadows?” he suggests. “I did not sense anyone else there.”

Keith nods and shrugs. It was worth a shot, but eh. Can't be helped. Even then the explanation behind how a human couldn't really learn the language, Keith had about expected the answer to be no.

"Well, was worth askin'. Either one really." He says with a grin. "Figured I would ask at least, could be useful if one of us here could anyway. Would definitely help with knowing what was being said if we find another raeksha." He was a bit dejected at the idea being shot down, but it made sense.

At Zylas's mention of being on the rooftop, Keith tilts his head.

"Might have been, but it was rather.... shiny? Makes me wonder if something might have been there that they wanted hidden." Keith thought for a moment. "Guess it doesn't really matter now with the core to that place being destroyed. Say, what all do you know about the Stone of Vanuusha? The other occult expert mentioned them earlier."

Keith stands up and focuses for a moment. "My next question, is a bit more personal. But I just want to know if you have seen anyone with a certain symbol on them." Keith takes his index and middle fingers of his right hand and starts to draw what looks like an eye with eight lines crossing out from the pupil in the air. What could be considered the iris almost resembles a spider web. The eye lingers for a couple moments after being drawn by Keith's shadowmancy skills.

All the while, White continues to cackle in the background.