There are 2 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. [Web] Running Into Someone (JP)
From: "Katrina Gischer" <kgischer@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
2. [WW-Vamp] Help, I Need Someone...
From: "Katrina Gischer" <kgischer@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
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Message: 1
Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2004 17:12:26 -0700
From: "Katrina Gischer" <kgischer@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [Web] Running Into Someone (JP)
April 19, 2004 (per Chris's timeline)
NYPD Central Crime Labs
[snip]
Kysen nodded and smiled and hugged her once more and stepped back.
"Best be letting you back to your work. If you have any questions,
about. . well you know who, call me."
Fionula nodded and watched Kysen leave her lab. She heard her
footsteps down the hall and she turned back to her work.
[new material]
Or at least she tried to return to her work, but after 30 minutes of
aimless puttering carefully masked as "organizing", Fi recognized the
futility of the situation. This case was disturbing enough without
Ky's interference. The suggestion that THIS was the work of the
murderous and nameless "big bad" Ky claimed to have released years ago
was unbelievable.
But then, so was the fact that both she and Ky had died and come back,
so who was she to judge?
She shook her head. It was clear she wasn't going to be able to
concentrate until she cleared her head. Without further hesitation,
Fionula grabbed her jacket and headed out onto the streets. Despite
her rural upbringing, Fi loved New York. Loved the noise and the
crowds and gods help her, even the smell of exhaust fumes that seemed
to permeate EVERYTHING. A nice stroll through the streets would clear
her thoughts and settle her nerves.
It was just a few short blocks from her office to City Hall Park and
she slowed as she set foot on the park's paved pathways. A breeze
brushed across her face and for a brief moment, she shut her eyes to
better enjoy the feeling - even knowing how dangerous that was. As if
in response to her conscience's promptings on danger and proper
behavior on NYC streets, she felt a thud as she walked right into
someone. Her eyes popped open to apologize and she froze.
It was the same man from Wyrmwood, but here in the bright sunlight and
stone cold sober, she still felt that lingering sense of "dog" and
instinctively retreated a step.
Kayn noticed her apprehension and smiled. He recognized her from the
club the other night. Funny how he'd run into her again. Her reaction
to him was strange...it seemed instinctive, but there was something
else about her. Something that that smelt faintly of...feline.
"Best look where you're walking," he observed with a grin. "Don't know
who you might run into around here."
"Uh...I'm sorry!" She shook her head. "I was daydreaming and not
watching where I was going."
"Quite all right," Kayn replied. "Say, didn't you run into me at the
club the other night?" He smirked. "Seems you're making a habit of not
watching your feet."
Kayn observed her carefully as she apologized, noting her take another
half step back, as if something about him disturbed her greatly.
Instinctively he sniffed the air, taking in the scent of her being.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked down at her. Her scent was
strange, a mix of young and very old, but what most disturbed him was
the smell of blood; blood and something faintly evil.
"Well, well, what HAVE you been into," he murmured, his blue eyes
studying hers. She frowned.
"What did you say?" She blinked and he was at her shoulder, leaning
down and sniffing her neck ever so softly.
"You smell of blood and death," he whispered in her ear. "What have
you been doing?"
Appalled and now shaking with the beginnings of true fear, Fi took
another step back, suddenly all too aware of all the stories about
lunatics in NYC. A rememberance of training past prompted her to
straighten her spine - albeit with great effort - and meet this man's
eyes.
"I...I w-work for the NYPD," she stammered, silently cursing herself
for showing more weakness. Still, it was sun****ny daylight in a public
park, just across the street from the main police headquarters - she
had to be safe....didn't she? Something prompted her to add, "In the
crime lab," she half-gestured over her shoulder, "um, and I guess
you....uh, p-picked up something from there?"
Kayn stepped back from her and smiled charmingly, changing the subject
as quickly as he had brought it up. "A police woman? Ah, perhaps I
should show a little more respect." He sketched a brief, slightly
mocking bow, still intrigued as to why she was so jumpy and even a
little afraid at him. Something was definitely strange here. "So, just
out for a walk? I imagine it must get tiresome working indoors."
"Yes, I was," she replied , her eyes still very wary. "And yourself?"
"Somewhat of the same," Kayn replied, gazing up and the skyscrapers
around them. "Reacquainting myself with the city. I haven't been here
for some time." He looked back down at her and looked thoughtful. "I
know of a quiet little cafe not far from here. Would you like a
coffee?" He grinned at her. "You look like you need one."
Fi found herself saying "Yes, thank you, I'd like that." before she
quite knew what she was saying. As she walked with him towards the
cafe, she tried to determine what was going on. He seemed a nice
enough man - though that was always questionable in New York - and
certainly attractive, but she couldn't quite erase the memory of the
night at Wyrmwood. She could even still feel her skin prickle at the
sensation of "dog", though she couldn't fathom why. Frowning slightly,
she firmly resolved to push away the ridiculous "dog notion" and focus
on the present.
No doubt it had been the result of too many drinks anyway.
"So, it's been a while since you've been in the city?" she asked,
realizing the conversation had faltered while she wrestled with her
own insanities.
"Yes," Kayn replied with an amused smile, wondering what she'd say if
she knew just how long it had been. "Usually I don't care for the
cities much; too many people and very crowded." He smirked. "I'm more
of a country boy myself."
"Country boy?" Fi glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and
raised an eyebrow. "You don't look much like one." Kayn chuckled.
"Well no, I suppose I don't."
They managed to find a table and Fi found herself across the table
from someone who was studying her carefully. Kayn knew there was
something he'd sensed earlier and also the other day in the bar. It
had something to do with why she was somewhat creeped out with him he
was sure. Silently he sniffed the air around her once more, rolling it
over in his mind until it finally clicked.
"Meow?" he murmured, a sly grin creeping over his face.
"What was that, sorry?" Fi asked, snapping out of the momentary
daydream she'd been in.
"I was asking what you'd prefer," Kayn replied, still grinning. "We
ARE at a coffee shop after all."
Fi blinked several times. Was her imagination playing tricks on her
or had he just MEOWED? She shook her head, as though to shake loose
the last of the insane ideas that seemed to generate around this man,
and managed a smile. "I'll have a cafe au lait," she said, thankful
for the conversation to ****ft to normal ground - if indeed it had ever
truly ****fted off - and when a slight rumble of her belly completed
her embarrassment, "and a muffin, please."
While she waited, red-faced, for the asked for sustenance, her nervous
hands crumpled a napkin into a ball. Unaware, her eyes followed Kayn
as he got up to place their order. She felt her nerves ease as soon
as he stepped away from the table and shook her head, momentarily
amused by her own idiocy. Maybe Kysen WAS right and she was too
uptight if a simple cup of coffee set her nerves to twitching. Idly,
she began to bat the crumpled ball of napkin between her hands across
the table and watched the people in the shop, feeling more relaxed
than she had been all day.
Kayn ordered for the both of them and stood at the counter idly gazing
at his companion out of the corner of his eye. He watched her playing
with the napkin and smiled. Oh yes he'd been right in his *****sment;
there was definitely something feline about her.
He speculated for a moment that she might be a shape ****fter who
hadn't discovered their other shape yet, but then dismissed the idea.
She didn't feel like a ****fter, nor smell like one. Possession?
Perhaps...after all there were many forms of possession and not all of
them were as bad as the stories made out.
Still, it was curious that she seemed to have such a bad reaction to
him. He wondered if it were subconscious or not; certainly seemed that
way. However, the REALLY interesting part, the part that had caught
his attention in the first place, was that she had a similar smell to
the one he'd sensed in that letter. Not the same, but similar; the
scent of youth and blood and death mixed with some kind of
supernatural magic.
Grinning, he picked up his order and made his way back to the table.
This trip looked like turning out much more interesting than it had
promised to be.
As her companion sat back down, setting her drink and muffin in front
of her, Fi could feel the tension returning. She managed a smile and
a murmured "thank you", but inside she frowned, trying to analyze this
sudden nervousness.
It wasn't the usual subliminal "this is a bad guy" instinct she'd
trained herself too, living in the big city for so long, but something
about her spooked her. She tried to identify what, but all her brain
provided her for an answer was a mental picture of DOG. She sighed,
and gave it up as a lost cause. A drunken first impression,
irrational and useless - best to smother as well as she could.
Realizing suddenly that she had sat silent all this time, she glanced
upward and smiled. Her skin prickled with the awareness that he had
watched her intently while she sat and thought. With an apologetic
shrug she murmured a suitable half-true explanation. "Sorry. Rough
case, it keeps nagging at me."
She wasn't even subliminally aware of the purr at the back of her
brain, but she felt herself able to ignore the chant of "dog, dog,
dog" that her animal brain was providing and make proper conversation.
"So," she said with her first genuine smile of the encounter, "I've
told you where I work, but I don't know the same of you. Or even your
name."
"I suppose I haven't," he replied with a grin. "Most people call me
Kayn. As for work... " he paused thoughtfully for a moment. "I suppose
you could say I'm somewhat of a benefactor."
"Benefactor?"
"Yes, I manage several charities and the like." He shrugged. "It may
not sound much, but I get to help what I feel is in need." He winked
at her. "And I don't have a boss."
Fi managed a smile, taking a sip of her coffee as she did so. Kayn sat
back in his chair and did the same, lounging with a curious ease, as
if he were used to it. He knew she realised he was studying her, but
he didn't stop doing it. The smell of blood on her was too noticeable
for his sensitive nose to ignore.
"So, from what I read in the papers, this case you're working on seems
pretty nasty," Kayn opined, his eyes leaving her for a moment to
survey around them. "Very messy, not much for the coroner to pick
up... or the undertaker to piece back together." His eyes slid
sideways and caught hers in his gaze. "Some people say the pavement
was stained so red, they couldn't clean it off."
He watched her jump slightly, placing her cup down in its saucer
slowly. Clearly she was thinking of the crime scenes she had visited
and how much they had disturbed her. Which was a good thing; if she
took it as simply blaise, she might not survive what he felt was
coming.
"Yes, they've been... pretty bad," she replied softly. "And we still
have no idea who might be doing it." She blinked, as if wondering why
she was saying what she was. "Of course, I can't reveal details of the
case."
"Of course not," Kayn said with a slight wave of his hand. "It's not
like I'm a journalist looking for a some sordid details to splash over
the front page." He hissed softly with displeasure and looked away.
"Those vultures make me sick." He picked up his cup and drained the
last of his coffee in one pull. "However," he continued, placing the
cup down just as gently as she had hers, "who are the real vultures?
The people who publish such trash, or the people that read it?"
"Hard to say," Fi replied, taking a small bite of her muffin and
chewing it with some relish. "Perhaps it's human nature to be
fascinated by such shocking images."
"Humans sure haven't changed much," Kayn muttered under his breath,
flicking his hair back with one finger. "Always fascinated by blood
and violence..." he caught her eyes once more. "This case especially.
There's something tainted in the air."
"What do you mean exactly?" Fi frowned, a confused look on her face,
as if wondering what the hell he was on about. Kayn smiled at her.
"Just a feeling I get from time to time. Have you not noticed it
yourself? Something distinctly... wrong about these murders?" He
studied her closely, wondering if she really knew what she was
involved with. "I suppose its hard to explain but... " He chuckled
softly. "You could say I have a 'nose' for these things."
Fi stiffened slightly, careful to mask it from her seemingly
hyperobservant companion. How strange that his feeling should so
match Kysen's assertion that these were the work of "her" bad guy.
Even as she managed a smile in response to Kayn's chuckle, a part of
her brain wondered if there was something she could test for that
might prove - well, prove Kysen wrong, of course, but just on the
off-chance.... "A nose, hmm?" she asked, lightly teasing. "So you
sort of sniff out bad guys like some kind of super bloodhound?"
"That's a very... interesting way of putting it," Kayn replied with a
laugh. "Not exactly what I would have described it as, but each to
their own." He signaled the waitress for the bill, sensing that now
might be a good time to part their ways. He could always play with her
again sometime and if his instincts were correct, that wouldn't be too
far off. "Now, I gather you have to get back to your work? I wouldn't
want to keep you from catching the bad guys, now would I?"
"Uh, yeah," Fi said, glancing down at her watch with some
consternation. "I didn't realize the time."
"I apologize for keeping you so long," Kayn apologized, leaving a
generous tip and an appreciative wink for the waitress. "Far from
being delinquent, I actually have a meeting I should be attending." He
grinned. "Can't have the other board members get too enthusiastic in
my absence."
"It's ok," Fi replied, standing up and absently bru****ng some dust off
her top. He looked over at Kayn and hesitated. "I...gather I'll see
you around sometime?"
"Oh I don't doubt it," Kayn replied, shrugging his coat over his
shoulders and flicking his hair over the back of it. "New York is a
big city, but you have a tendency to run into people." He inclined his
head towards her in a half bow. "Nice talking to you Miss Police
Woman. Do take care who you run into next time." And with that, he
turned and weaved his way through the tables before strolling off down
the street without a backwards glance, leaving Fi standing there alone
and wondering what that had all been about.
_________________________________________________________
Submitted by:
Michael as Kayn
and
Katrina as Fionula
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Message: 2
Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2004 18:29:16 -0700
From: "Katrina Gischer" <kgischer@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [WW-Vamp] Help, I Need Someone...
Scene: Victory Cemetery, Night 8
[snip]
Jorge paused, waiting in the darkness as they approached. Circling
around the tomb he was hiding behind, he came up behind the first. A
sharp blow sent her crumpling to the ground, and alarming her
companion.
Geli turned quickly to see a withering corpse standing over Ann, a
chunk of granite in his hand. He peered at her with dim, pin-prick
eyes in a weathered, shrunken face. A tongue glided over his lips.
"Now then, sweetie, what say you and I get to know each other, up and
close like." He grinned, stalking towards her.
[end snip]
Thoughts of what was said to have happened to a Giovanni in this very
place flooded Geli's mind and she took a step back. Normally, in a
Camarilla town - such as New Orleans, or San Francisco where she'd
been Embraced - an assailant such as this whose aura glowed clear as
Kindred would be ever so slightly reassuring. After all, Camarilla
didn't engage in diablerie - at least not out in the open like this
where they could get found out....
This Kindred's aura though was riddled with the evidence of his crime
- hell, THAT much evidence suggested multiple crimes. Mind you, it
proved nothing. He could be a Sewer Rat, after all....but the
location was suggestive.
His face split in a further leering grin as he matched his step to her
retreat. "Come on, pretty. This won't take long."
Geli stopped her retreat as she realized it only served to make this a
real Hunt. The threat of violence hung in the air and she was only too
aware that if she couldn't talk this guy out of it, she was going to
join Tony Giovanni in a pile of ash. "You really ought to
reconsider," she started.
The creature only grinned further and took another step, closing the
distance. Geli cursed inwardly. Dammit, Herr Professor would have
had this worm on the ground by now with nothing more than words and a
sharp glance. Dimly, she recalled his tone of voice, the posture....
surely, if he could do it SHE could. Her back straightened and her
accent deepened, and the tone of command was sharp.
"Last warning," she snapped. "Try and kill yet another vampire in
this town and the Prince will know about it before your teeth hit my
neck."
She could see the creature pause and she took the op****tunity to make
good her threat. The strands of the web twitched and she knew that if
she fell, some one or other of her clan would alert the Prince. Cold
comfort, really, but at least it was SOMETHING.
Letting her fangs slide down - if this slime went for her, he'd at
least have to work for it - she waited to see what would happen.
________________________________
Submitted by:
Katrina aka Geli
NRPG: TAG, anyone. Really, really, ANYONE. Did I mention...
"help"???
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