A warning to his friend died in his throat as she was already gone, readying herself for a hunt. Alistair wasn't taking any chances with the Kingstons still around – no way in Hell – and so even as he sauntered over to the bar, chatting up a lonely woman with a smoking habit, his eyes were carefully surveying the whole of the room. Despite the aching dryness of his throat, he could survive a little longer if it meant keeping each and every member of his family in tact.

He might be considered old fashioned, but he didn't like Trixy leaving alone, either. She had a reputation, a big one, and while he trusted in her abilities... He didn't want to spill the blood of their kin tonight, Kingston or not, but if she was otherwise harmed by the elder vampire out there – the one who picked off the nomadic acquaintances of his clan out in Europe – it would become a necessity.

There was no harm in following, he decided. Maria could take care of herself, that was for sure, and they were going to be leaving anyway... He wasn't just being a paranoid old man. He quickly excused himself from what would have been prey on any other night, finding Emilia and wordlessly tapping her on the shoulder to get her to follow him as he quietly went outside, footsteps making scarcely a sound.

Theo's eyes widened as Klaus talked about drinking her blood, but he quickly moved on to another subject. "Really?" She perked up when she thought she could get come dirt on Mira. "What was she like...?" She drew in closer, her eyes never leaving Klaus' face. She hesitated for a moment, but her curiosity got the better of her. "Were... were you serious about drinking my blood?" Theodora showed no expression other than pure curiosity as she waited for him to answer her questions.

Klaus nodded as the girl moved closer, curious about the family head. "She and I never agreed on anything," he explained. "She never listened. Still doesn't even though I'm right." He wrinkled his nose and scratched at his temple, irritation flickering across his eyes. "Over time, though, she managed to learn a thing or two from me. She still has an issue with self control, however. Most of you do, I think. Stay away from hunting for too long and a potential kill will be far too indulging for you..." His voice trailed off and he scratched at his throat, looking back to her as she questioned whether or not he was serious. "No," he decided.

Adelisa's heart raced as he wouldn't awaken, almost crying. She noticed his heart wasn't beating, but she could smell blood. He was diabetic, that was for sure. She licked her lips and slowly descended on the old man's throat, losing herself to the tempting urge within her... almost. Adelisa then opened her eyes to an already dead man whom once was her customer. She felt tears run down her cheeks and she screamed "someone call 911! This man had a heart attack! Please someone! Help!" She looked around and continued screaming.

Béatrix led her puppy dog out into the dark alleyway behind Tortuga. She felt his shudders of fear beside her and licked her lips at his increasing heart rate. The delicious sound thrummed in her ears, beckoning her body to move and dance to the rhythm. As entranced as she was in her bloodlust, Trixy was never one to have the wool pulled over her eyes. A hunter at the core, her ears picked up the sound of footsteps behind her… even though they belonged to a relatively silent vampire.

Kingston scent hung thick in the air, Trixy knew better than to fully indulge this night. Praetor’s watchful eyes bore holes in the back of her head, and she would pretend that she didn’t know he was there, for now… she’d give him a little show, in fact.

Although the ally was dark and not frequented by humans, Trixy still covered her bases… her attack would look like she was kissing his neck – just a young couple who couldn’t wait to go home to share their passion. Trixy pressed her body up against the human male, pinning him to the brick wall in an iron grip. “You will not make a sound, even when it hurts, understood?” she compelled him and he was hopeless to nod and obey her.

Trixy’s sharpened canines extended in her excitement and she plunged them into his carotid artery. The blood rushed into her mouth like a chocolaty river, building up her high. He had drank alcohol, which was a real treat, because the only way a vampire could really get buzzed was through drunk human blood. In her frenzy, the time passed rapidly… it wasn’t long before the song of his heart dropped tempo in her mind. He was fading, this was the moment that was always hardest… to stop before they died of blood loss. The presence of an enemy vampire near her brought her to her senses, and she released her fangs from his neck.

The male gasped for breath in silence, his eyes portraying the panic he was compelled to keep silent. “Look at me, dog.” Trixy commanded, disregarding the blood trickling from her lip. Her eyes were feral and hypnotic as they locked onto his, oozing with the mental manipulation powers she had honed in on for so many years “Death would be to sweet a release for the likes of you. You are scum, you deserve much worse. And as fate would have it, I’m just the girl to deal out the adequate punishment.” A dark smiled peeled across her bloody face, made more menacing by the sharp contrast of alley way shadows and a distant street light. “You will never feel love, for as long as your pitiful life remains intact. You will yearn for it, but you will never be able to feel love. You will want to feel the touch of a woman, but your hands will never do so again. I hope you enjoyed your last sexual encounter, because it was indeed your last. Is that clear?”

The pitiful boy nodded at her in understanding and her smile widened “You will not remember what I did to you this night, my saliva is already healing the wound.” Trixy continued, “You simply had a lonely night out that led to you having a change of heart to become celibate for the remainder of your days.” He nodded again, solemnly. “Now be gone, dog. Shoo!” And with that, he took off done the alley and into the shadows.

Trixy turned sharply on her heel to face Praetor now, finally acknowledging his presence. “Do you think me daft, Praetor?” she began and sauntered over to him, wiping the blood off of her lip with her thumb. “That I would kill with so many Kingston’s milling about? That a trained assassin like me wouldn’t know when I was being watched?” She gave him a signature killer smile, it was about ninety-five percent sex appeal, with just a hint of danger. Instead of licking the blood off of her thumb as she desired to do, she wiped the blood onto the older vampires lip. “Did you enjoy the show?” she asked in a breathy voice.

Trixy recognized the scent of her family head and close friend nearby, so she felt comfortable in her slightly drunken bold behavior. He wouldn't let her be harmed, as she hadn't broken any laws.

Praetor did not flinched as she she walked towards him, his eyes narrowed in a glare, he resisted the urge to lick the blood instead wiping it away, he spat on her boots as she passed him. "You sicken me, I am not some weak willed man you can seduce with a smile and your saunter. I simply wished to ensure that wretched mans survival. Now unless you have something you wish to discuss you may go... You may go as well." Out from the shadows steps a squad of pale skinned un-dead world war I British riflemen, the one in lieutenants uniform saluted as they dissipated into the wind. "I hope you don't mind they had there sights trained on you the whole time, I take no chances." He turned to the rest of the Blackmoore's that lay in waiting. "You may come out, I heard you approach you young fools."

Trixy looked to his small undead army with mild disinterest, a man who couldn’t fight his own battle was weak, indeed… even if his age and pride made him think otherwise. With an amused chuckle, she grinned “Well, excuse me… I thought I was talking to Miss Mirabelle’s guard dog, not a member of the vampire council. Oh wait…” Sarcasm was thick in her voice as she smiled.

With a tilt of her head, she pried into his mind, a gift very few vampires were blessed with. Trixy kept her expression calm and studious as she looked into his eyes, searching aimlessly through his head. He was old, very old… but she knew that already. The minds of humans were simple, which is why most vampires had no trouble compelling them. Think of it like bowls of pasta. Human minds were like bowls of lasagna noodles, thick and few in number. Human thoughts and feelings were simple and easy to decipher… finding the appropriate lasagna noodle to remove and alter wasn’t that hard. Vampires, on the other hand, their minds were more like bowls of spaghetti - the noodles being thin, numerous, and wrapped together… the older the vampire, the more tangled and confusing their mind. The vampire before her was one of the latter, she had no hope of seeking out any thoughts to cut up and mold to her will in any short amount of time. With time and practice, Trixy knew she would overcome any challenge… so she didn’t fear him like others might. In fact, she wished to study him further.

Béatrix broke her gaze and returned to the present time and place. “You should learn to hold your tongue, elder vampire or not. This singular ‘fool’ you speak of is one of the only two family heads in this city, have some respect if you wish to remain here. Wouldn’t want to find your way onto my list” she said subtly and turned to where Alistair was watching from the shadows. “Let’s get out of here, Ali. I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of hanging around all of these wet blanket Kingstons, I think Mira is the only one who doesn’t make me want to claw my own eyes out with boredom.” Trixy threw a teasing smile over her should at Praetor before walking away to Alistair and putting a hand around his waist. Definitely a bolder move than she was used to, she began to wonder just how much cheap beer that human had drank tonight.

"I see nothing but dogs in your clan and you there bitch. I hope for all your sake's Mira proves to be a good leader or I will go back to my old ways." With that he pushed past the Blackmoore's. "And the only reason I am not on the council." He shot Trixy a glare. "Is because I've five of it's former members. Now go spread your legs for your master, I have important matters to attend to, I do not have time for a French whore." a entering the club heading back Lucian. "We are leaving, time is up and the locals are restless. I suggest you make peace with your women, you may return tomorrow night." Praetor carefully watched the other vampire in the club, he knew he had just insulted there clan and the executioner personally so he expected trouble, trouble that would give him cause to kill half there clan and drive them from the city.

Maria cocked her head, smiling. "I hope my family does not offend you," she said. "We are a little more... free-spirited than the Kingstons. But we are not bad people." she assured him quickly, but it didn't really matter. She would be whatever he wanted her to be. She had always been loyal to Alistair because he was her sire, but now she felt that, if this angelic knight wished it, she would leave her sire and follow him anywhere. It wasn't like she would be missed at that much. She wasn't the most important person in the family. In fact, she wasn't important at all. Her skill was not required. She had been turned merely at a whim by her sire, not because he required her presence. While she was grateful to him for giving her this life that she loved, if there was a chance to find a place where she was valued and wanted for more then just amusement she would take it.

"Being a vampire is so hard! Shit! I can't even get drunk anymore without it being in the blood of a human! I didn't even want to be a vampire! I wish I had died on that stupid ship!" Theodora threw the glass on the ground. "How did you get used to it? Being a vampire? I watched as all of my old friends died. I watched as my parents and siblings died. I stopped trying to date men a long time ago because vampires are too cocky and human men are not cocky enough. Not to mention every time I was with a human man, I wanted to slice his throat open." Theodora pulled out a tiny hand dagger hidden under her dress. "When I first learned what I was, I refused to except it. I tried to starve myself. But the blood lust was too much for me to ignore. So, I did the next best thing. I slit their throats and poured their blood into a flask." She sighed and looked at the clock. "Sorry for the back story. I wonder when Mira and the others will be back."

Klaus blinked at the sudden outburst, his eyes following the glass as it hit the ground and broke. Oh, Mira won't like that, he thought, a smile tugging at his lips. Then he put his feet back up on the table, leaning back in his chair. "I lost no one when I turned," he admitted, though it could be argued that wasn't entirely true. "Mira, however, lost her children. And yet she still embraced this life. One of the reasons I decided to turn her--she loves to live life even if she's dead." He wrinkled his nose and picked the book back up again to flip through it. "As for men, I find humans are far better companions than vampires. You only need to learn to control that bloodlust, love. And I assume the others won't be back for a while--the night is still young."

Alistair made no further effort to hide his presence, leaning lazily against the corner of the brick wall. His eyes were focused to Praetor, a wry smile twitching at the corner of his lips. "Mhm... I don't think she was trying to seduce you," he said, a half-snort of derisive laughter slipping from his lips. He made no further effort to move even as Praetor insulted them and left - Mira would be receiving a strongly-worded letter later and, if it happened again, Alistair would even consider making the first move. It was only out of respect for the other Kingston leader that he refused to do so right away.

"Absolutely, Béatrix. I'd sell my soul for a bit of fun," he continued, throwing a heavy arm over the woman's shoulders. "Did I tell you we've got an exposure to deal with tonight? No family, rogue, refuses to drink from humans. I doubt the Kingstons know about them, or they'd have already been poached to join them."

Béatrix leaned into Alistair as she watched the older vampire stalk off into the club. “I think he likes me, it’s not every day that someone calls me a whore and lives to see their next.” Most women would have bristled at the insults, but Trixy was made of stronger stuff than that. Although, had she the ability, one of Praetor’s comments would have brought a bright blush to her pale cheeks… she was thankful she didn’t. Praetor would face justice for his actions in one way or another, seeing as Ali bear witness to the whole thing… Mira would be hearing about her altogether unruly family members.

“An exposure, you say? Hmm, it has been a while since rogues so boldly passed through these parts. What makes you think we can convince them not to join the Kingstons, if they already agree with their distasteful ideals?” She asked, not really doubting Alistair’s ability to be convincing, he’d convinced her after all, she was just curious as to what his plans to do so were. The blood swimming in her stomach made her feel warm and comfortable, although it awakened the insatiable thirst within…

Adelisa opened her eyes when she noticed no one had come and she was alone with a dead body with two holes in its neck... She looked down at her hands and her eyes widened in horror. "Wh-wh..." They were bloody. She touched her mouth with the bloody hands and confirmed what had happened. She had fed from her dead customer. Adelisa felt tears sting her eyes and she broke down into a sob. All of the evil and disturbing thoughts came back to her and she couldn't stop them. She felt everything come at her all at once. All of the memories she tried to ignore hit her like a truck. She felt like the lowly vampire she was before she met the Kingstons. Adelisa looked at the body of her once faithful customer and decided to get rid of it, but she didn't know how. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to clean up the mess she made. She decided to just heal the wounds she made and clean up, hoping nothing would expose her.

Myst said
Maria cocked her head, smiling. "I hope my family does not offend you," she said. "We are a little more... free-spirited than the Kingstons. But we are not bad people." she assured him quickly, but it didn't really matter. She would be whatever he wanted her to be. She had always been loyal to Alistair because he was her sire, but now she felt that, if this angelic knight wished it, she would leave her sire and follow him anywhere. It wasn't like she would be missed at that much. She wasn't the most important person in the family. In fact, she wasn't important at all. Her skill was not required. She had been turned merely at a whim by her sire, not because he required her presence. While she was grateful to him for giving her this life that she loved, if there was a chance to find a place where she was valued and wanted for more then just amusement she would take it.

Apollosarcher said
"I see nothing but dogs in your clan and you there bitch. I hope for all your sake's Mira proves to be a good leader or I will go back to my old ways." With that he pushed past the Blackmoore's. "And the only reason I am not on the council." He shot Trixy a glare. "Is because I've five of it's former members. Now go spread your legs for your master, I have important matters to attend to, I do not have time for a French whore." a entering the club heading back Lucian. "We are leaving, time is up and the locals are restless. I suggest you make peace with your women, you may return tomorrow night." Praetor carefully watched the other vampire in the club, he knew he had just insulted there clan and the executioner personally so he expected trouble, trouble that would give him cause to kill half there clan and drive them from the city.

Lucian smiled at Maria allowing his guard to fall and a true connection to be made, "Offend me? Your family is hysterical! I feel quite at home actually." His eyes filled with sorrow, "Maria...please...come with me...I shan't be away from you for another dark moment in this black existence!" He held out his hand, "I would take you to see all this world might offer...please..." That's when his sire approached him, was he trying to force him to leave after all Lucian had heard everything that had gone on outside, and now he was trying to force them apart after just finding each other. White cold anger and liquid rage filled the vampire with bloodlust. He looked Preator in his eyes given him full view that the powerful barriers that sealed away Lucian's "other side" had indeed been shattered, "No...I shall do as I please...if I so choose I shall spend tonight in debauchery and merriment with the Blackmoores...and if you would so like to stop me..." His fingers wrapped around fangs hilt, "you want the truth Preator... You remember the case in London...the one we knew was a vampire but couldn't place how the killings were being done? I started having flashbacks weeks ago...I'm your culprit brother!" His words were full of venom and for the first time in a long time he let out a roar that shook the building, amping the sound just right to knock every human in the building unconscious, "Either she comes with me...or I'll give you a reason to be Van Helsing again."

Praetor sighed looking at his old friend. "Maria is free to come with us, I am simply doing as I've been told to wait for you, I am worried though that the Blackmoore's will break my hold on my rage. Much like it seems you've broken yours, let us not forget the battle against Dracula, surely you do not wish to see me repeat that sickening display of my powers." He referred to when he had summon thousands of un-dead soldiers in a gambit to kill Dracula, of course he survived but only just and it took a century before he had returned to full strength. "Now if you draw that blade you will have put us both on a path we wish not embark on. So for the sake of family, love, and brotherhood ask Maria if she wishes to go with us or tell me you shall not return and let us leave still brothers."

Otto went from in motion to out of motion; all of a sudden the New York skyline became filled with beautiful woman. Unfortunately Otto could not move also, so the woman think was kind of a tease he assumed at the moment. The rest of the family seemed not to care that he was fighting 2 vampires by himself, so he would have to deal with it on his own. “So, Rouge, while we are here and I am unfortunately incapacitated, why don’t we have a conversation? Why do you choose to kill although no one appointed you to be the wannabe vigilantly vampire Batman?

She could hardly believe it. He was... actually asking her... no, begging her to come with him?
Her smile was slow and warm, her eyes full of a feeling that could only be described as light, the bright and glowing light of joy.

But, as it always is, the feeling was short lived. The light disappeared when she heard the voice of Lucian's sire. Her face fell as he talked about them leaving. It made her sad, but at least his sire was willing to let him come back the next-

Maria's eyes widened and she gasped at the rage that came from Lucian. She took a step back reflexively roar that shook the building. The rage... it was something she had never felt from another being before.

"Lucian..." she murmured but stopped as he spoke of murders. Murders that he had commited that he had only recently began remembering?

Either she comes with me or I'll give you a reason to be Van Helsing again.

Maria gasped in fear and stumbled back. Van Helsing?! The Vampire Killer?!
The scent of her fear blanketed the area. "Lucian, please stop," she said, taking his arm, tears prickling her eyes. "Both of you. You're scaring me," she looked at his sire and hid paritally behind Lucian's arm. Lucian's rage scared her, but his sire terrified her.
If her sire felt anything for her at all she knew he would sense her fear and come to see what was wrong. She needed to calm down before Alistair arrived and a slaughter began.

"Lucian," she said, cupping his face and turning it to her. "Look at me. Please don't be so angry. Be at peace... my love," she added. "Calm yourself... be at peace..." she spoke the soothing words as she gently stroked his arm before moving both of her hands to his face. She wanted to see the gentle loving eyes of the vampire she had fallen in love with at first sight.

“Well, the vamp 'fell in love' with a human lass – told her all about us – but he just need a good thwack over the head–“ Alistair's good cheer was returning, evidenced by the tentative smile spreading across his face... or at least it was, until his ears twitched in agony. Whatever that noise was, the feral roar, it was nothing good.

Quickly he broke away from Beatrix, trusting her to follow at her leisure, and re-entered the Tortuga, noting that the few humans who frequented the place had been knocked unconscious. He wasn't half-surprised, after all, his head was still ringing with the sound. “Maria?” he called worriedly. “Maaaaaria?”

It wasn't long until he discovered the source of the problem, slowing his steps to a more human-like pace and calming his nerves once he discovered the singer unharmed. Good. “Surely disturbing such a budding young romance is beneath you... Van Helsing?” he said to Praetor, shuddering internally at having to deal with him a third time in one night.

Although he had a gut feeling that Maria was on the brink of choosing beneath the family she was born into and her new beau's, he stepped between her and Praetor as she tried to frantically calm her young lover. Ever the opportunist, Alistair wondered whether it would be possible to convince both of them to stay – become Blackmoores. One who appeared to be trained by a Van Helsing would be useful in dealing with exposures, which was the clan's forte... and it would keep his lovely Maria around...

“Let it be known that those of my own blood will always be welcome in Clan Blackmoore territory, as well as those they choose as their mates,” he continued suavely, nodding to both Maria and Praetor as he chose his next words carefully. “And believe it or not, drinking from humans is only a – suggestion. We have a small sect of your kind, too, Lucian - if that even is your name - and the worst we do is tease them.”

Béatrix ducked her head down like a cat when the piercing roar ripped through the surrounding area. Sometimes having super-sensitive hearing wasn’t a good thing. Trixy followed after Alistair in curiosity, her ears still buzzing low, as if she was losing the ability to hear that exact frequency ever again. A frustrated huff passed her lips, if this was more Kingston shenanigans in any way, she just might tear someone’s head off in frustration.

Alistair immediately went over to the two star-crossed lovers, who were obviously being antagonized by the prideful vampire she thought they had just rid themselves of. “Ah, I should have known…” Trixy muttered under her breath and practically rolled her eyes. What was it he called her, “French whore”… she much preferred the term ‘courtesan’ when she ran her brothel in France many moons ago.

Rather than get involved in any more political drama, Trixy took a seat at the bar and made herself a bloody mary using actual blood from the unconscious bartender. She drew her sharpened fingernail along the tender’s neck and sliced a thin line, draining enough blood to fill her cup, then quickly sealing the wound with a flick of her tongue. He would awaken none-the-wiser… no exposure or compulsion necessary.

Trixy sipped her cocktail in silence and watched the couple with scrutiny. It was no secret that she had a bitter heart, thinking love was foolish. It was the only emotion capable of destroying a vampire. When you are promised a literal eternity of bliss with someone, there are no words for the feeling of loss when it is taken away. The festering wound left in the chest after that kind of loss can and will change a person… even driving them to kill. Never again would she love again, nor would she find joy in the love others shared…