Time: Dusk
Location: "Don't ask"
Interaction with: @DreamingFlowers Mia

---

She's running a little late today… literally.

Sean Stone's forefoot seemed to bounce from the sidewalk with each step he took. The cool air and his high level of fitness kept the sweat at bay as he reached his fourth mile marker that was strategically placed across the street from the specific home of a particular young woman. She went on runs every other day like clockwork. And though he didn't plan his runs as late in the day, meeting her in isolation was important. He originally planned to approach her at her home, but the meeting would not have been optimal with both her brother and his female guest in the house. Changing up the original plan mildly bothered Sean, but everyone had to get theirs you know.

Sean checked his watch and narrowed his eyes at the home he was now passing. So many circumstances could have caused her to decide not to go out today, but he was banking on speaking to her tonight. Especially since he wanted to stake out some hotspots tonight. He was sure he would get the jump on something.

Sean almost smirked at the idea of going toe to toe with a creature of the night. Everyone had to get theirs, right? The sound of a door shutting behind him and down the street, caused Sean to turn to spot none other than Mia Young setting out for her evening jog. Because of this, Sean's smirk remained planted on his face. He had to make this quick.

Sean continued forward and rounded the block to intercept Mia on her typical run route. And that he did. He stepped out from around the corner of a back alley.

"Mia Young." Sean addressed the young girl sternly. "We need to talk. Won't be long. Sean crossed his arms over his navy blue t-shirt.

Time: Past Dusk
Location: Street outside of The Pit
Interaction: @Ithradine

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Marceau had just come out of the luxury shopping area in town. He had enjoyed his nightly feast on some male human and turned him after searching through his memories only to find he had a very interesting family tradition and many useful assets, and now was taking a stroll to get a feel of Ember Grove. He had paused seeing a vampire about to feed on a young woman in an alleyway. It was always good to see a young vampire succeeding in finding a meal. He watched with interest from his place in the shadows as the young girl pulled her blades out against the vampire. It seemed they had a hunting problem in Ember Grove.

The more he watched, the more he realized the girl was faster than a normal human. Something was different about her. He wondered how a human could possibly be as fast as a vampire. That was something he had not seen in all his years. Was she even a human? Surely, a vampire would have recognized a fellow vampire and not needed weapons. A witch would have resorted to spell-casting. Ember Grove would be an interesting town for him to stay in for a while after all. The girl was likely to be a hunter, which he had dealt with many of those even wiping out entire squads and organizations overseas. Marceau had yet to find a hunter with a mysterious ability such as this one.

He noticed a young vampire girl in the street also intrigued by what was unfolding before them. The vampire came charging out of the alleyway, bumping into the girl. Marceau had decided to go and move her out of harm’s way; her clothing did not camouflage her identity at all and it was unknown what the hunter girl was capable of. Marceau did not want to dispose of the hunter until he found out more details about where she was from and why she was so gifted. Besides, if the girl was turned, it was possible she’d be even faster as a vampire and be an asset to them.

Marceau moved to Helene’s side and took her hand to upright her on her feet. “Hello child, you should not stand in the open as you are, please let me lead you out of harm’s way.” He said in a calm, comforting tone, whilst looking down at her with bared fangs to let her know he, too, was a vampire. Gently, he led her to the side-walk and into a more concealed area if she was willing and consented to such. ” I am Marceau, you may have heard of me as the bringer of vampires, the first of our species. I came here to seek the leaders of the clans here to check up on matters and clean up some issues with hunters in the area. May I ask your name child and your clan you are from?”

Time: Past Dusk
Location: Outside the Pit.
Interaction with:@Alivefalling@Ithradine@princess

---

Step by step, the polished shoes clacked against the dirt on the ground, yet he moved with enough poise to not get a smear on his expensive gray three-piece suit. It had been a custom-tailored gift from once upon a time, yet the magic of clothes preservants had frozen their age in time. The old man had decided to dust off, close the shop and look sharp this time. Completing the looks, a matching fedora hat, a brown longcoat and a exquisitely embroided cane completed the looks.

How it all started? With remembrance. There was a time he was a young man. Not a werewolf. A man. Full of ideals. With crazy ideas and friends. One of such was Jean Pierre. Same town. Same age. Same unit when they enlisted. They tended to make jokes about the whole situation.

Can't wait to get outside of this muddy trench and get ourselves some fine french love ladies to hug instead of mud. Or even better, a full burlesque show. Probably for my birthday. So we will have something warm and soft to clench, instead of cold rotten dirt! You will see, Lupin! I bet you howl!

However, Jean Pierre was no more. The last time he had seen it, half of his skull had been missing, blown clean by a piece of shrapnel. Sleeping forever in the forest, in an unmarked grave. That had been his fate. Ever since roman times, libations had been made towards the deceased. But Jean Pierre did never hold his liquour. Lupin had instead chosen the next best thing. He had saved for months to book a private burlesque show. Or what they called here, private stripper dance. Jean Pierre would have been proud, for tonight it would have been his birthday.

Except that Lupin, used to the woods and the relatively quiet pace of being one with nature and trying to quell the ghosts of his past, had no actual clue on how one of those looked like. The Pit seemed the obvious choice, but it was quite a sight. All blaring and lights and what not. If he had been shellshocked still, he'd run away for the hills, thinking it was the Kaiser's army once again. Yet for all his discipline, he could not miss the creeping sensation around him.

Supernaturals. Bloodsuckers. The uneasiness of an ongoing scuffle. Ember Grove's outcasts had come to dance. Emotions probably were running high as more people came drawn to it. Big clashes would come. Like that new wolf pack. Lupin made a mental note to ask Sorrel about it. She probably knew something.

"Goodness gracious... I don't think this is the strip club." He muttered to himself and no one in particular, seizing his fedora hat. "...and where have gone the manners of people these days? Brawls this early... what a disappointment." Lupin added, scanning the area. Maybe, perhaps maybe, he'd find a club where one could get a "stripper dance". He just needed to search for clues.

But with the three bloodsuckers around and the strange redhead it could prove difficult.

Time: Dusk
Location: Ember Grove General
Interaction with: Nathalie @Liv

Like she'd mentioned, the walk to the office wasn't all that long. She was on Phyllis' desk, searching through her drawer until she found the application stack. The only reason she was going through someone else's things was because they'd previously touched on the topic. Being that Phyllis was the office administrator and she worked the typical 9-5 schedule, some of the staff would occasionally stop by her desk to get any paperwork they needed outside of business hours.

With the application in hand, Nathalie headed back to the cafeteria, a little more eager than before to finally have the chance to eat. She again waved at some of her coworkers and turned the corner before walking in through the door to the cafeteria. Spotting Damien, she walked over to the table he was at and placed the application aside.

"All set. I'll help you fill it out once we're done eating."

"Sounds like a plan." Damien didn't waste any time digging into his food. "Hey, so I overheard someone talking about missing blood… Someone's actually stealing blood?" Damien probed the idea in between bites. He pretended to be a bit surprised by the information. No one had mentioned anything of the sort, but in Damien's travels, he found trends within vampire clans. He wasn't just confirming vampiric activities. He wanted to know the perspective of someone who appeared to not be tied to the supernatural.

The question took her by surprise. Nathalie knew some of the details of the incident but she wasn't aware of the specifics. On the other hand, she didn't want to give away information that would hinder the hospital's investigation.

Nathalie opened the to-go plate and took her first bite, buying herself some time.

"Yes, there have been some thefts in the laboratory, though I'm not sure what they're doing about that," she shrugged, smiling a little to keep the conversation friendly. "Hopefully they catch the person or persons responsible. I mean, who in their right mind would steal blood?"

"That's the thing I'm trying to wrap my head around. I've heard people getting their organs stolen in China, but blood?" Damien tried to read Nathalie, but didn't get much of an expression from her. She either doesn't have a clue or she's one of those people that tries to deny they've seen or heard things. Damien smiled "Maybe it's some secret government organization trying to clone the oh so exceptional Ember Grove populace or maybe..." He took another bite and gulped it down quick. "Vampires!" Damien chuckled at the absurd idea. "Anyway, what's there to do around here? I consider you to be one of the locals now." Damien teased.

"Well, don't I feel honored?" she teased back, slightly weirded out he briefly touched on the supernatural. Nathalie had overheard some things in the past, about creatures roaming around and whatnot, but she'd never seen anything with her own two eyes so she never asked around. She had her suspicions, but never took it any further...not yet at least. "But, um, depends what you're into. I usually go to a bar every now and then, and if not I'll go bowling. There's a nice park here and also a lake I like to visit when the weather's just right. If you're the party animal then you can definitely check out some of the clubs they have here. I seldom visit them though, so I can't exactly give you my opinion of them."

"Then maybe we should do that. It could be a new experience for the both of us… But you know what? Let's try a bar first. Have you been to Alexei's? I hear it's nice for a small-town dive bar. And it wouldn't be fast tempo with blaring music. We'd probably never hear each other over the music if we hit the club. Maybe once we learn a bit more about each other." Damien appeared to be excited at the chance of going to Alexei's. He'd heard rumors about the place, and if they were correct, Nathalie would be the perfect person to show off there… especially if Rose was working that night.

"Alexei's it is. I'm off for two days starting tomorrow morning, and goodness knows I can use some drinks real soon." Nathalie took her last bite of food, quickly eyeing Michael who was looking for a place to eat. "I'm not an alcoholic though, promise," she joked, reaching for a napkin.

Damien noticed Nathalie's eyes glance to one of her coworkers. He figured that was his cue to start wrapping things up.

"Sounds like a… good time between two new friends." Damien played with the idea of it being a date, in order to joke back. He looked at Michael and smiled. "Your friend? How about exchange numbers and shoot for tomorrow night at the earliest?" Damien pulled out his phone, ready to add Nathalie's number.

"Alright, that'll work. By the way, that's Michael over there, one of the nurses in the ER. We work together, and sometimes he'll come get me if we're needed, though I think he just wants to eat right now. But anyway, my number's 312-555-0246. Do you want me to help you fill out the application? I can let you know what we're looking for so you don't waste too much time on it."

As Nathalie talked, she started cleaning up after herself, putting the used items in the to-go plate and then putting that in the bag. Damien did the same after he quickly input her number into his phone as a new contact. Once saved, he sent a text message that simply read Damien.

"Thanks. I'm really going to owe you if I get this job." Damien said gratefully as he grabbed the application and scooted his chair around the table's edge so Nathalie had better eyes on the document. "Alright, fill me in."

"Here, let me see this..."

Nathalie grabbed the form, giving it a quick glance front and back. "Alright so you're going to fill out your basic information up here, then down here you have the job history. I know it has plenty of slots, but realistically they check with about 3 of your previous employers so you don't need to include every single job you've ever had. Here in the back are the skills and references. Stick to skills relating to the job you're applying for, and if you're feeling a tad boastful then come interview time you can go in depth. And lastly, just give two references. Ideally, both are previous supervisors or something of the sort, but if not, then include at least one professional and one personal reference. Pretty simple, right?"

"Yeah, not too different from any other application out there. You saved me some time with the details on how much they're really checking for though." Damien grabbed the pen Nathalie had brought with the application and started to immediately fill it out. He was swift, but his handwriting was surprisingly neat. In reality, Damien had filled so many of these out since shacking up with the Holy Saviors. Going from town to town and trying to blend in with the locals had been his life for the past few years. The group had given him some generic information to use and it always worked like a charm. They were no Operation Humanity, but the saviors kept a tight-knit network across the country. "If everything goes well, how soon do you think I'll be working here… aaand done."

"Oh...good." Nathalie took the form from Damien, trying not to show her disappointment. Given the position he was applying for, she imagined he had not taken it all that serious as he'd barely filled anything out, and in turn, ended up wasting her time. But once she looked over the application, she noticed he had all the information there, or at least what she'd told him was required. Slightly stunned, Nathalie tried her best not to stutter. "I will, um, get this to Phyllis. You could be hearing back from her possibly tomorrow for an interview. After that, they conduct a quick background check and a drug test. All in all the process could take maybe like a week."

"A week? Not bad. I think I can last till then." Damien said with a nod. He had noticed an uneasiness that came from Nathalie when passing her the application and surmised that it was due to how quickly he filled out the form. At worst, she would find him to be an oddity, at best she may just shrug it off and forget it ever happened. Either way, Damien wasn't too worried. There was a brief silence as he darted his eyes away from hers. Then he met her eyes again. "I guess this is it. Our first farewell." Damien said a bright smile.

Nathalie got up, taking the bag with her. "I guess so," she added, returning his smile. "Let's meet tomorrow at 10, alright? Also, be on the lookout for that phone call." She pushed the chair in, making sure she wasn't leaving anything behind. At the same time Damien returned his chair to its proper place.

"I'll definitely keep my phone at the ready. And it was nice meeting you. Aaand I'll probably say this a few more times, but thanks again." Damien gave Nathalie a quick single motioned wave goodbye.

"Don't mention it," she waved back, making her way towards where Michael sat in order to ask him a question.

Time: Night
Location: Vie et Mort, then prowling Ember Grove
Interaction with: N/A

A blood-spattered Noah walked the dark streets of what had once been the prosperous Mill’s Community and that now served as home for many of the vampire’s of Vie et Mort. The houses were all nearly identical, before it had been overtaken by vampires, he had no doubt this left the community with an unimaginably dull suburban atmosphere, much like Noah’s human home had. Now, however, the air had an unsettling feeling; porch lights left off, many house’s left falling into dilapidation, and lawns overgrown and filled with weeds. Sometimes, when things got really quiet, Noah could swear he even hear faint screams from the humans they kept here. The home Noah approached was no different, and its door was left unlocked and ajar, for what did a home of vampires have to fear within their gated community. This was not just Noah’s home, but it was currently empty, his roommates all seemed to be out and Noah too wished to roaming the night.

His face and hands were still coated in dried blood, although the look suited him, it was too conspicuous for prowling the night. So, Noah headed upstairs to shower, his fingers trailing along the dusty banister as he did. He caught himself humming a lullaby his mother had once sung to him and once he realized what he was doing he let out a snarl at the human memory. He looked forward to the days when he would be old enough to forget lingering traces of humanity, until that time came, he kept human Noah chained up in box deep within his mind, where he belonged. Noah turned the hot water on and stepped into the grimy shower, smiling as the hot water hit his skin. He could still remember the first time he had showered as a vampire, with his senses heightened, the way scalding hot water felt against his now cold skin. He had stared entranced as dirt and blood swirled and washed away down a drain; imaging that it was his humanity being washed away as well. The thought that everything that made him weak, and connected him to his mortal life, could just be washed away, swirling with water down a drain, made him happy. Even now he still watched entranced as the blood from the nights kill washed down the drain.

After his shower there was no mirror for Noah to look into, he didn’t care for mirrors. He hated staring into his own reflection as it looked back it him, mocking him with flickers of things he didn’t care to see in his own eyes. The first time he saw his own reflection he had smashed up all the mirrors in the house, leaving delightful little shards of glass littered all over the floors. He liked his reflection in that mess better, random pieces and colors, but without the whole, without eyes looking back at him. But this had not pleased Celeste, she liked mirrors and hated messes, he always saw her looking at her reflection. He could understand this, he also liked looking at Celeste, a perfect vision of a demonic goddess, both beautiful and inhuman. Maybe, one day, he’d be able to see his eyes in mirrors and see nothing but the monster looking back. For now, that spot on the bathroom wall was left black, a reminder that one day he’d earn the ability to be able to stand his own reflection.

Noah left his home, not wanting to spend the night cooped up and alone inside the gates. Bloodlust gnawed at his throat, returning as it always did. He drove the car again, trying to remember that he was supposed to be trying to drive like humans did, carefully, but he found it so boring. He headed back to Ember Grove, his playground, and he wanted at least one more snack before dawn came. He remembered that he would have to make sure he didn’t leave another body laying around and that maybe, if he had time, he should clean up the male he left in the woods. Noah tried to remember these things but thoughts left his mind almost as quickly as they came. He parked the car, poorly, in someplace completely forgettable and as he looked for something to do, or someone to eat, and he forgot all about the body left in the woods.

Time: Dusk--->Night
Location: Alexei's
Interaction: @princess Violet @blackdragon Rachel @Rodiak Kyran @Katthaj The Twins @Milkman Finn

---

Rose had nodded at Rachel, deciding on just the house red as it was the first bottle of red she found. She poured her a glass and passed it to the woman, scanning her bracelet to start her tab for her. After that she served a few more drinks and found a moment to take a break and look at her phone. She saw a message from her sister, opened it, and read it. She couldn’t contain her giggle as she swiftly texted her back.



She hit send and then proceeded to close her eyes, reaching out for her sister telepathically. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to reach her this far away, but she always liked to test it out. As they got older their strength in those things seemed to get stronger and stronger. So she decided it wouldn’t hurt to give it a shot from this distance. She focused in, playing the scene of the guy who earlier tried hitting on her. She knew that Violet would get a kick out of it if she were able to see it. When she finished she smiled just a tiny bit to herself before getting back to work.

She watched the man from earlier who had said his name was Dylan mingle with a bunch of the other groups in the bar. When he started drinking others drinks is when she began debating on stopping him, yet at the same time she felt like at that point he would deserve whatever he got. Besides she was rather busy and had other people she needed to babysit. When the next thing she knew Viktor was talking to her, telling her that he was gonna pay for the new guys drinks. ”Whatever you say boss.” She said as she cleared out the guys tab. She found it quite interesting that he couldn’t remember his name right away and it made her a bit suspicious. She kept that to herself, however, deciding there was no sense in making a fuss.

That’s when Kyran showed up which Rose was glad for as her shift was due to be over soon. Tonight was her early night at the bar and she was actually going to make it home at a decent hour. She was glad too as she was starving and she hoped that Violet was making dinner. While there was food here she could eat, it could get boring after awhile of having the same things all the time. Besides, Violet was a good cook though Rose suspected that part of it was some sort of spell she figured out how to use to make food delicious. Of course she would sometimes tease her sister about that just to try and get a small rise out of her.

She gave Kyran a smirk as he approached and then promptly insulted a group of drunkards who flipped him off. It made her chuckle a bit and shake her head. ”You know Kyran, even though they won’t attack you in here because the respect Viktor and Katya, it doesn’t mean they won’t try to beat the shit out of you once you leave.” She told him teasingly as she cleaned a glass.

It was at that moment that a new face approached the bar and Rose couldn’t help but find it funny that they had two new faces in one night. Sure new faces weren’t completely uncommon, but you could go days without seeing someone new walk into the bar. Tonight just seemed to be the night of newbies. She moved over towards him, taking a quick glance at the blonde haired man’s bracelet and then at him again. He was young looking and seemed to be a bit exhausted. Even though she was leaving soon she figured she could at the very least get this guys order started and then pass him off to Kyran.

”Sure thing hun, just let me scan your wristband and get things going for you then I’ll probably pass you over to Kyran if that’s okay? I’m about to leave for the night, but he’ll take wonderful care of you.” She told him as she went to scan the wristband. Once she’d done that she went and filled a glass with a coke. She set it in front of him while grabbing a menu that, unbeknownst to most, was specifically catered to werewolves. While it looked as if it were no different than any other menu, if one paid close enough attention they would realize that the entire menu consisted purely of meat dishes. She set it down in front of him before speaking again. ”These are our options for those that are starving as they’re all pretty large portions, though I would highly suggest the pot roast as it’s one of our most popular dishes. So go ahead and take a look then you can tell Kyran what you want and he’ll get it for you asap. Also welcome to Ember Grove.” She told him with a small grin before walking out from behind the bar.

She approached Kyran and the others after having grabbed her backpack. ”I’m leaving that young man to you, my dear Kyran, and I’m headed out. I shall see everyone tomorrow night.” She told them, instructing Kyran to go take care of the newcomer. Then with that she headed out the door and began her walk home. She could have driven her car, but they didn’t live too terribly far from the bar and Rose oftentimes enjoyed walking home in the cool night air. It was refreshing and allowed her time to herself. She did pull her phone out to let Violet know that she was headed home, however, just in case something were to happen to her on her way there.



She hit send and then pulled out her headphones, putting them in her ears. She found her Spotify app and opened up a playlist, hitting shuffle. A song started playing and softly Rose began singing along to it as she walked.

Time: Night
Location: Ember Grove Streets
Interaction with: @Tae Rose

---

"She did? Alone?" Damien asked softly as he walked down the streets of Ember Grove inquiring about a certain someone's activities. He had spent hours walking and thinking about his plans for this weekend. The man had confirmed several things this evening. Witches, vampires, and werewolves were present in this town, vampires were largest in number, Alexei's was somehow a neutral hotspot for all manner of supernatural, vampires were most likely hitting the hospital for blood regularly, and there was a scuffle between a werewolf faction and vampire faction in the woods earlier tonight.

His eyes peered up to a raven perched on a street lamp. Lucy She was a great reconnaissance asset and he wouldn't know nearly half of things he gathered tonight without her. She wasn't the best familiar to have around the home without garnering a little suspicion. Sure, people had ravens as pets, but how bad would it look to have such a cliche creature in your apartment if you were suspected of being a witch? Lucy wasn't subtle at his side but she made a great spy from a distance. She croaked twice and turned her body in the direction she wanted Damien to walk towards at the intersection he was approaching.

Damien didn't know what to feel right now. He was the verge of intercepting her. He had confronted the others that abandoned him the night he was caught attempting to perform necromancy involving a human sacrifice, but the reunions with them did not kick up the amount of contempt he felt now. Without realizing it, he tightened his grip around the stems of the bouquet of flowers. The sound of the plastic crinkling beneath his grip was ignored. His teeth ground as he seemed to snarl at the thought of Rose. If there was a question on whether or not he would murder her bloody in the streets of Ember Grove, his current thoughts answered with the most brutally satisfying fantasies of violence.

Damien's eyes began to glow yellow, each step towards the intersection coincided with his increasing bloodlust. Would he use his claws to swipe at her face, disfiguring it as she cried out in confusion, blinded by the loss of her eyes? Then he could grab and gut her right on the sidewalk. Or maybe he would go straight for the jugular like the beast he had grown to accept himself as? He could be quick… Take a single bite and then watch her bleed out. What about dismemberment? Or skinning her with the claws… Perhaps eating her guts while she screamed for her life…

Lucy croaked, causing Damien to blink a few times and stop in his tracks. You're right Lucy… Patience. When I kill her, she will feel the betrayal and pain I felt when I lost everything. When the time comes, I WILL TAKE EVERYTHING FROM HER! Damien blinked a few times and his eyes reverted back to normal. He then made sure to straighten of the plastic wrapping on the bouquet before turning right at the intersection. With a few deep breaths he was calm again with a hopeful smile on his face as he saw a figure in the distance walking straight towards him in the distance. It was definitely her. Lucy fluttered to a street light between the two and croaked vigorously. Perhaps to get Rose's attention, or maybe it was a menacing ding ding ding!

"I… can't believe it." Damien said in shock before looking up at Lucy who croaked again. "Yes you were right, Lucy. No need to rub it in." Damien said quietly as he rolled his eyes. He almost seemed to forget Rose was there for a second or how she might react to seeing him. His eyes met hers and put on an uneasy smile as he didn't know how she would react. "Rose… um… hey." Damien said nervously.

---

Leilani plodded through the park, her steps slowly becoming more and more of a shuffle. Mindlessly, she tightened her grip on the thick, twin size quilt around her shoulders. Made up of blue and pink patterned patches, it provided little warmth to an eternally frozen body, and no semblance of comfort. That being said, it would make a perfect buffer between her skin and the irritating blades of grass. Picking a random spot beneath a birch tree, she laid out the blanket, tugging at the corners and smoothing the surface to ensure there wasn’t a wrinkle in sight. A breeze was nowhere to be found, so she didn’t bother to hunt for rocks to prevent the corners from peeling up. Settling down onto the quilt at last, she folded her legs neatly together, tucking her hands into her lap and releasing a deep sigh.

If she were still human, she would’ve described the moment as blissful. Eerily silent perhaps, but certainly calming.

She was not a human though. And silence was no longer a reality to her. Even now, she could hear the buzz of some grouping of insects a distance away, the rustling of rabbits as they disturbed the grass. The fall of a pine cone off a nearby tree. Her serenity was disrupted. Torn asunder by her new, heightened awareness.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have been complaining. After all, she had been given a month to adjust. It wasn’t as if she were making zero progress. At first, she had been so overwhelmed she could barely leave her home on the estate. Now she could at least wander. Still, it managed to irk her. Not that she ever expressed this to the other members of her…clan. She did her best to act content around them. It was the least she could do, seeing as they had adopted her, after her sire had abandoned her on their doorstep like a defenseless babe in a basket.

Shaking her head, she struggled to clear her mind. Overthinking her issues wasn’t what she was there for. She had come to the park for a purpose, one that didn’t involve the relentless scratching in her throat and the emptiness in her gut.

Reaching into the satchel that was secured around her shoulder, she pushed aside the ration she had taken earlier and dug for her sketchbook. Taking it out alongside a charcoal pencil, she settled it in her lap and began flipping through the pages. The sketchbook was in great condition despite being almost two years old, each finished artwork painstakingly laminated to preserve the design etched on the thick paper. Finally, Leilani came across a blank page.

This was why she had traveled to the park in the middle of the night. She wished to restore her muse, which had died out in the past month. It was an irritating cycle. Every time she attempted to start a piece, she found herself drawing blanks, and ultimately ended up setting her pencil down or snapping it in an accidental showing of frustration. She could only hope that tonight would be different. The longer she went without her outlet, the more exhausted and angry she felt.

Holding her pencil delicately, she stared out into her surroundings, trying to feel the way she used to. She reminded herself that there were no expectations. That she was doing this for herself. She pushed at the block in her mind, disappointment filling her as she realized that there was nothing there.

She continued this for another ten minutes, at the very least. She tried closing her eyes, humming a tune, drawing random lines on her paper. She just couldn’t inspire herself. The longer she tried, the more persistent the scratching at her throat became. Finally, she pushed aside her sketchbook and replaced the pencil in her hand with a blood ration. Her fangs came out of their own volition, and she downed the thick, red liquid with a soft groan. It was the only thing that could satisfy her anymore, as one would expect. Not even sour candy packed the same punch.

She wiped at her lips, then brought her hand to her mouth in order to lap up any blood residue on the back of her fist. Sighing at her lack of control, she put everything back into her bag, rose to her feet, collected her blanket, and began wandering back in the direction of her car.

A bust. That’s what the night had been. She wasn’t sure if she’d try again the next evening.

Location: Alexie’s
Time: Dusk
Interacting with: @Tae Rose Leblanc, @Rodiak Kyran Wright

Finn offered his wristband to Rose so she could scan it. At first the young wolf just thought it was just to identify those who haven’t had reached the legal drinking age yet but there was some more about that wristband. Now that the pink haired bartender scanned it, Finn noticed that everyone in the bar had one. Finn wasn’t sure what to think about the wristband. Maybe It was some technological innovation to speed up the paying process but he had never seen it before in the big apple.

Finn gave Rose a friendly smile and thanked her for bringer his drink and the menu card. “Sure, I’ll let Kyran know what I want to eat. Have a good night” With just one glance at the menu card Finn noticed that there where only meat dishes on it. Something that was odd. Didn’t every joint have at least one vegetarian dish? And why was there a lack of side dishes? The wolf looked around to see if any other patron’s where having anything to eat but those who here did not have large piles of meat on their plate. If Finn didn’t know better he would say this menu card was catered to werewolves. But that would be impossible.

That pink haired bartender just looked normal. There was no way in hell that she could have noticed that Finn was something more then just a regular human. If she would have been a wolf like him, he would have smelled her and she didn’t smell of wet dog so that was out of the question. She wasn’t a vampire either, their odor is like death herself. Maybe she was a witch? But then she should smell like all the herbs and spices they use to brew potions, right? Not that Finn would know how a witch smelled, he never met a witch. Most of them died during the war in new York 7 years ago. The more the wolf thought about the subject, the more uncomfortable he started to feel in this strange bar. Things looked and smelled just too normal in here.

It was the growling of his stomach that shifted his attention back to the menu card. Getting a good bite simply had a higher priority at this point and all those meat dishes looked delicious on paper. It was hard to choose between grilled steaks, mountains of sausages and other dishes. Finn decided to go with the lady’s advice and waved at the man who was introduced as Kyran. “Hi, you’re Kyran right? I would like to order the pot roast. I heard it was good.” He paused a bit and realized that if this card was exclusively for werewolves, everyone in the room would probably know what he was as soon as his order was delivered. But that would be problems for tomorrow. First diner and then sleep.

The sleep part would be rather problematic. With his cellphone dead and no contact with his brother the young wolf didn't had many options for spending the night. He had no clue if there would be any cheap hotel in town and let alone where to find it. Finn looked once more to Kyran and asked “I need a place to crash for the night, is there anything in this town you can recommend?”

---

Leilani shambled across the field, on an unsteady path toward the park gate. Her car was waiting for her in the distance, silver exterior coated in a thin layer of dust. A small frown tugged at her lips. Once upon a time, she had it washed every other week. Now, she couldn’t be bothered. Pausing for a moment, she began to dig through her purse, seeking out her fluffy key-chain. That was when she heard it.

Footsteps.

She hadn’t been paying attention before, but now that she was still, they were evident. Resisting her immediate urge to panic and start walking faster toward her car, she slowly began to turn instead. Relief washed over her when she recognized who it was.

“Ah...hey, Cyler.” She smiled through her fatigue, raising a hand in greeting. Despite being hardly acquainted with the man, she had done her best to remember the names attached to friendly faces in her new home. Her gaze wandered over him, stopping for a moment as she took in the camera he was carrying. Every time she saw him, he had one in tow. Perking up visibly, she took a few steps closer.

“Got any good pictures?” She asked, wondering if he’d let her see. Some people kept their art to themselves, at least until it was perfect in their eyes. She was one of those types at times, if only because she was prone to changing directions over criticism. “It’s a nice night, huh?” She glanced around at the scenery that she struggled to sketch. The nights were usually beautiful in Ember Grove, a natural distraction from all the horrible things that happened there.

Stopping a few feet away, she searched his face. His features really reminded her of an ex, Cadence, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. Cadence had dumped her the weekend before prom, after all. She cleared her throat, blinking to break her awkward staring.

“I was just about to head out...but I don’t really have anywhere to go.” The thought seemed sad at the moment. “Did you, uh, wanna do something? I haven’t seen much of this town and I’ve been here a month.” She forced a chuckle. “Will probably be here for a while, actually. Have a lot of time to spare." It was meant to come across as a sort of joke, but it fell flat. She opened her mouth again, but said nothing, clamping it shut after a couple seconds.

Time: Dusk
Location: Ember Grove Park
Interactions: You again

---

It was starting to get chilly outside. Mia could feel the cold seeping through her clothes. Her body still needed to warm up, and she barely got in some exercise when she was interrupted. She reluctantly came to a stand still. Normally she wouldn't do this. Stop when someone asked her to, especially not for some random guy creeping out of a corner. Sadly she knew this random creeper, and he knew her too.

Sean Stone...

Seeing him again filled her with a sense of unease. She looked around. No one was watching them, but that didn't mean they couldn't listen in. Of course he needed to talk to her. He was trying to drag her back into the supernatural world. Mia had managed to stay away from anything concerning the supernatural for months. It surprised her how easy she could slip into a normal life, well until she met Sean.

"If you can keep up, we can talk" Mia said with a slight smirk. She wasn't under the impression she could outrun or outlast him, but she didn't want to stand still in the middle of Ember Grove Park. She always felt a little jumpy at night and even though that didn't stop her from going for a run, the feeling never really left her. There was just something in the air, she could almost sense it. At times it felt she was being watched. And maybe she was....

Mia took off onto the dirt track leading into the trees, disappearing into the dark. All anyone could see were two small lights following the movement of her arms. The bracelets she wore for safety in case she would come across bikers or other runners.

---

It had been a rocky journey. Ember Grove was in the middle of nowhere, and connections had been far from optimal. She needed to stretch, and avoid being cooped up and constrained of the walls of her bedroom. She always found it distressing, to be crammed in tiny spaces. It spoke very much of the past, and made her witness ghosts long vanished once again. That door to her heart was best kept shut. Still, a purpose was needed to wander, and an idea struck the chords of her mind.

Charity was the hallmark of a Christian. And it'd be not be bad as first contact. Maybe the gentiles and paupers had seen nothing, but it was worth a shot, if only to counteract the rumours of zealotry among the Holy Saviours. It had been said by Machiavelli, after all. It is better to be feared than to be loved, but it's best to have them both. Her short frantic breaths became more shallow and noticeable in the cold, unforgiving night, as she heaved heavy bags full of food and drink. Surrounding her , shadows shuffled in the darkness.

The pariahs. The dispossesed. Full of dirt, probably stricken with terrible illness, and with little to food nor shelter. They were drawn to the hot milk and sandwiches she had purposefully made for the occasion. Hesitantly like beaten animals, they shuffled towards her. She looked them into their eyes, and saw a moment of her past, but shouldered on and smiled. She was not the most striking figure, and one could be forgiven for confusing her for a teenaged maiden, but the sharp somber clothes, the headdress and the crucifix made her look imposing and solemn. As if struck with a sense of purpose, the beggars began to form a line.



She said, with a soothing singsong voice, her voice unwavering. The drinks and sandwiches kept being spent at a steady pace.



A sorry lot they were, but they were listening. It was all a matter of picking the manners, the moment and the word. Those three things mattered, if one wanted to struck a chord within someone else's heart with words.

She added, her tone rising above the murmurs of the street. One person, with a stocky build and milky rags stood up, and walked towards her.

"Thank you, sister... but someone like you should not walk the streets like that... Dangerous stuff happens." He said, hesitantly.

"I fear not, for God is at my side, guiding my hand." Sister Frida said, beaming the best smile she could offer."I must tend a hand to those in need..." She leant forward, her hands reaching for his face as he caressed one of his cheeks, full of dirt, boils and an unwashed scrawny beard. "...so do tell. What ails... you and this city?"

Time: Night
Location: On the streets walking home
Interaction: @FunnyGuy Damien

---

The night was getting slightly chilly and Rose couldn’t help but pull her jacket closer around her. The slightest bit of unease tickled at the back of her mind, feeling as if someone was watching her. How night time could cause quite the paranoia. She wasn’t afraid of the dark, but even those who loved the night would admit that there were things in the shadows that made even the slightest fear rise in you. At the same time it made you feel silly, especially when the figure you saw really ended up being a rock or the pile of laundry you’d left on the chair in your room. Still Rose couldn’t shake the unease she felt and found herself glancing around every once and awhile.

She noticed someone walking towards her, but she tried not to think much on it. Lots of people walked these streets, less at night but it wouldn’t be unusual to come across someone. She pulled out her phone to change the song when the familiar voice hit her ears. She looked up quickly and her eyes met those of her ex boyfriend. ”Damien?...” She said as a flood of emotions hit her in rapid succession. First was shock at seeing him here, then came fear as she unthinkingly took a step back, but what she hadn’t expected was the tiny amount of happiness that she felt in seeing him.

Last time she had seen him they had both been heading down a very dark road. Things had been a little rocky between them. He had become obsessed with finding a way to bring his brother back and with that obsession came some major personality changes. Well maybe they weren’t changes if she were being honest, but it more amplified the negative personality traits he’d had. She began recognizing his manipulation of others and herself in ways that began to scare her. There may have even been some possessiveness of her that he was showing and she began to long for an easy way out. She’d be lying if she said her love for him had disappeared, in truth it didn’t, however, she began to realize that her own mental health was more important. When he began making plans to use a human sacrifice in a ritual to bring his brother back is what triggered the beginning of the end. He had instructed her to find the human to use and she began to desperately find a way out. It came in the form of her father requesting her and her sister to come home. She took it, didn’t say a word to Damien, and left the day the ritual was to happen.

Now here he was, standing right in front of her holding...were those flowers? She glanced at the flowers for a moment and then back to him, confusion clear on her face. He didn’t look angry with her. This brought the slightest hint of relief, but the worry was still there that he was upset. She found herself, despite everything, now stepping towards him and throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. ”How...What….When did you get here?” She asked him, finally letting go after a long moment. She looked up at him again, the smallest smile gracing her lips.

---

One terrible interaction with a single ruffian was not going to deter Helene or her insatiable curiosity. Before she could even lift herself up, a striking gentleman seemingly emerged from the shadows of her view and offered his assistance "My, aren't you a gentleman?" She smiled softly as she stood back up as if nothing had struck her in the first place. Whatever anger vanished in the face on the man before her, with a tone that reminded her an awful lot of her mother. She didn't have to wonder as the person introduced himself not only as another of her kind but also as the first. Her face appeared to light up with excitement as this chance encounter but was also hit by extreme humility. There were few even among vampires that her mother saw as her equal and Marceau was the only one she spoke of in a higher sense than herself.

The comment about danger slipped her mind completely in his presence as she followed his lead. Despite the giddiness she felt, she managed to hold her composure somewhat to answer his question. A flicker of hesitation shown in her eyes and the slightly agape lips as she was about to speak. What if he reported where she was back to her mother? That would disastrous! She had told Boris she would see him tomorrow! There were also so many other places to visit and people to meet! Not to mention she had yet to play her music in front of crowd! However, she could not bring herself to lie to Marceau. Helene had never successfully lied to her mother so how could she possibly do that now? "My name is Helene, of the Sinclaire clan, your grace." She performed a small curtsy as she spoke.

It was as if the average human had met the leader of their country...no, this exchange was more monumental to her. A child. That is what he called her and in comparison to him it was entirely accurate. Marceau had traveled the world over several centuries and had lived through events she had only read in books. A gallant, soaring albatross while she had only just managed to leave the nest. If the way she rubbed the back of her right hand with her left thumb was any indication, she was nervous talking to someone in which the difference between them seemed almost infinite.

It did not help as she overheard an individual around them speak of a strip club, that comment alone was enough to cause a light blush to rise in her cheeks. She had no idea that she had headed into THAT side of the town! Oh, mother would have her head if she was caught here! She had been so distracted by the bright lights and people that she had not put it all together. Was that what Marceau was here to protect her from! What Debauchery! Her eyes went semi-wide. What if Marceau was here for that same reason? After all, Vampires live forever but that doesn't stop their lust, right? Every thought inside her head was suddenly going wild and off in different directions. Even more than before, she began to panic about talking to Marceau "I assume you know of my mother..." The words seemed to trail off.

Time:Night
Location: The Pit
Mentions:@AtomicNut Lupin, @Alivefalling Marceau @Ithradine Helene @FunnyGuy Sean @Katthaj Oliver @Potter Niko

As Angel slunk out of the alleyway slowly, her gaze fell upon a girl who had fallen to the floor. She paused, considering helping her up, but someone beat her to it. Angel wasn't sure where he had come from. She began to move around the edge of the building, narrowing her gaze to try to get a better look at the two as they exchanged words. The female was wearing outdated clothes and the male had a certain regalness to his manner. It was possible they were both vampires. Angel often bragged about having a vamp-dar. They were just too easy to pick out sometimes. Unfortunately, she could not hear their conversation from her spot. To make matters worse, there was another guy approaching the club in a peculiar fashion. His suit was no doubt expensive and he did not fit in at all. She saw him muttering but she couldn't hear him from her spot. Maybe the other two could if they were vampires and he knew only they could. This all looked suspicious.

Angel craned her neck to glance around the edge of the building. The vampire was out of sight but she was sure of the way he went. He was hurt and weak so he wouldn't get too far. He'd heal soon surely. She quickly took out her phone and went to her message app. Scanning through her messages, she picked out the hunter group chat. Commander Trotter had been assigning hunters into 5 person squads so that they'd all have each other to contact in an emergency or to work together in case a large scale battle broke out. There was a firm preference for them to go out in at least pairs, but Angel hadn't reached out to work with any of them yet. They had to also leave their location tracking on in the group, which Angel hated since it drained her battery. Their group only had four people at the moment. Apparently, since they had some of their best experiments in the group, they needed to have the best of the best. One guy had come all the way from Sweden and could vanish into smoke. Angel wasn't sure she believed that one. The other two, Sean and Niko, were hard-working and very skilled.



She finished her text and walked casually from the alley, not giving the three any looks at all as she did. It was possible they were just weird humans, but it was better safe than sorry. Angel didn't want anyone to die because she left without stopping them. Once a bit more out of sight, she started to bolt in the direction. She came to an intersection in the road, looking both ways with a sigh. Maybe she had been stalled too long. Angel sighed, looking around for any signs, and luckily spotted a drop on blood on the road to the left. Moving over to it, a trail of small blood stains seemed to be going down the road. Angel followed it down until she started to hear faint voices. She moved into an alleyway and pressed against the wall.

The voices seemed to be getting louder. They were coming this way.

"She wasn't a human, she was too fast." The vampire from before's voice reached her ears, his voice exasperated. He seemed frustrated that no one was hearing him out.

"Oh relax. We'll explain it all soon. "Another male voice answered him and started to laugh maniacally after a pause, "Come out, girl. We know you're here..."

Seriously? It was a set-up all along. She bit her lip to keep herself from cursing under her breath. How many were there? Three? Four?
If they snuck up on her, she was doomed. She was going to have to face them head-on.

Angel moved into the middle of the road, her swords drawn. She held her breath and kept a steady expression as she watched the vampires move toward her. There were four, including the injured one.

"You've been hunting us in our favorite buffet!"The male exclaimed with a grin, "Not very nice of you. " The fourth one hung back cautiously, wary of her. The other three did not seem worried. At any moment, they could be around her, circling like vultures. Angel had to judge their every movement from now on very carefully.

Time:Dusk
Location: Leblanc House

Felix had hustled back to his cousins’ house as fast as he could, only stopping once he reached the driveway. He paused and rummaged through his satchel for his keys. Well, that’s what it appeared like to nosey Mrs. Hatch across the street - he’d seen her curtains twitch. His eyes were actually closed as he focused on the wards he’d placed around the house. They were fine. No signs of anything untoward, although he’d check his ‘log’ once inside. He breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed his keys from his back pocket to quickly bustle into the house.

“VEEEEEEEEE!” His shout echoed around the large house.

“Did you get my message?” He dumped his bag and keys on the sideboard and quickly unlocked his spell on the drawer below muttering “Aperi.” He slipped out a normal looking logbook that wouldn’t look out of place in any waiting room and ran his finger down the column with today’s date. Only him, his cousins, the postman, and some standard message spells had passed over their boundary today. Felix was proud of the enchantment on the book - a bastardized form of cogitation scriba, woven with an identification spell and linked to his cingo terminus that kept a log of all movement in and out of the house. His finger had smudged the fresh ink on the newly added time of his return and left him sucking the ink off his finger as he replaced the logbook in the drawer with a spoken spell “sera.”

Violet glanced up as she finished putting the chicken parms in the oven. Felix was home and he was shouting like a neanderthal across the house. She smirked, rolling her eyes. He had a way of announcing his arrival. She then whispered under her breath, “Inde rem hanc adducite.” . A cup of steaming tea appeared in her hands, which she supported on her palm while holding the handle of the mug with her other hand. She then moved into the foyer as he was putting the logbook back in its draw, her voice soft and mellow as she spoke, ” Hello, dear. I did get your message. I was hoping you could spill the tea on our new friend in town. “ She gently set the cup in his hand with a smile.”Dinner’s almost ready. I hope you like Italian.”

Her cousin’s shoulder visibly relaxed as the tea was thrust into his hands and he followed her into the kitchen. Violet made a great cuppa but he was never fully certain of what she added to it… Nevertheless, he sipped gratefully as he explained what he’d seen. “He must be the oldest warlock I’ve ever encountered. I caught a glimpse of original Latin in his writing before the spell took over so he could even be from before Judas.”
He closed just eyes and nestled closer to the steam from his cup. “But it was mostly the way he looked at me. It was a hard, piercing stare.” Mind still tired from his workweek, he turned to look at his younger cousin. “I’ll let the coven know but I really can’t be bothered with anything else this evening.” He took another deep gulp of tea. Seriously, what does she put in this? “Are we still going out?”

“Sounds like he’s powerful. We must let them know as soon as possible in case he doesn’t have our best interests in mind.” Violet replied to him as she was taking the chicken parm out of the oven. She began to make plates out, putting the pasta as the side. ” We can still go out. I think Rose is on her way home as we speak so maybe she can join us. Anywhere in particular in mind?” She asked. The plate for her father she wrapped up for him to enjoy upon arriving home, the same for Rose’s. She placed Felix’s plate in front of him to decide if he wanted to eat it now. She began to eat hers nonetheless.

Taking out her phone, she then examined her texts. Giggling at the first one, she responded:

” In that case, I’ll have to come in your next shift to hear some. Get home safe!

Felix dove onto the plate as Violet spoke, his recent pastry and encounter done nothing to curb his appetite. Anyway, he needed to line his stomach. “Okay,” he managed to mumble between mouthfuls, “I’ll send a message to BR then and jump in the shower.” He scooped up his plate, and with a quick peck on his cousin’s cheek, he leaped up the stairs, only to quickly scurry halfway back down. “Thanks for dinner!” he shouted back into the kitchen, where at his behest the utensils started to wash themselves and his shoulder bag floated back up the stairs behind him.

30 minutes later an ephemeral barn owl had taken flight from Felix’s bedroom window, his plants were watered and he himself was showered and changed. He hadn’t even flirted with anyone since moving to Ember Grove over 6 months ago, but tonight that was going to change. Hopefully. Maybe. We’ll see.