"Did you zone out?" The voice whispered into her ear. She felt the warm breath tickled her ear and travel through her body until it turned into rings of shivers. Bringing her back from whatever thoughts had pulled her away from her surroundings. The thoughts left her though as the warm arm around her gave her shoulder a squeeze. It belonged to Armando "Nines" Rodriguez. Sitting across from them was Charlie along with Candy. Candy was this month's model as Skye started to refer to Charlie's rotating girlfriends. Never to their face though. If they lasted four months without Charlie getting bored, then that was a feat.

"Yeah, sorry," Skye said to Nines. Turning her head and giving him a small smile. She had received confirmation that she was accepted into WASP. That was about six days ago, and tomorrow she would be boarding a plane to head to training. It was happening very fast and it made her nervous. Nines was still waiting to see if he was getting into the army with Charlie. They had applied over a month ago though at this point and had not heard anything back.

"I can't believe you are going to learn to fly planes. That is very cool." Candy started to say, then continued it with, "I could never leave my man to do something like that." And there was the jab. It always followed. Skye smiled, wanting to add that maybe if she were more confident in her relationship then she would not have to worry about such a thing, but instead refrained. Her relationship was not going to be discussed with anyone other than Nines, and yes, they had spoken about her flying in great detail. The opportunity, excitement, sex appeal, and paychecks outweighed the possibility of death. Plus, if she did crash and died there was life insurance that would be paid out to whoever she chooses. That person being Nines. They had even talked about getting married, but Skye found out that she was not going to be accepted if she were married. Seemed strange, but they would rather sacrifice a woman who was unmarried and childless she guessed.

"She is going to do great, and our life will be waiting when she returns," Nines said to Candy. He apparently was not going to let the jab go. This had been happening most of the night and even Charlie was getting sick of it. The music turned up slightly as some couples started to enter the dance floor. Skye leaned over and gave Nines a kiss on the cheek before standing up out of the booth.

"Come on. Let's go dance." Skye said to him. Holding her hand out. Nines hated dancing, but he also did not like this month's model, so he took her hand. This gave Charlie enough of a clue to find another or get this girl under control. Skye led him out onto the dance floor where some big band swing music was playing. It didn't matter what song it was or by who since it was all starting to sound the same. They joined the throng of bodies already assembled on the dance floor and Skye turned towards Nines.

His hand went to her waist while her own rested on his bicep. Giving the sexy muscle a gentle squeeze. They then clasped their opposite hands together. The common dancing at the time was swing, and in truth, neither Skye nor Nines were very good at it. They agreed that it was just not for them after Skye landed on her ass a few times when Nines dod not catches her, or Nines having to soak his feet after Skye stepped on them with heels while dancing. Other couples would literally throw their partners around like sacks of flour and catch them. They were mediocre with their foot movements though. Skye would kick a heel out gracefully when they turned together and match his own steps. Overall, their own dancing was very mellow when compared with the others on the dance floor.

"You know… If you want to leave and do something involving less clothing I wouldn't object." Nines whispered to her as he leaned in. That voice sending shivers down her spine as his hand squeezed her waist again. They heard a laughing shriek. Looking over they saw Charlie throwing Candy over his shoulder. Showing off some of the more complex dance moves that they would never care to learn.

"Let's do it," Skye said back to him. Nines's eyes lit up as he apparently had not expected her to agree with him.

"Go ahead and get your coat. I'll let Charlie know." Nines said, kissing the side of her head. Skye nodded and walked over to the coat rack. She had been wearing a teal pleated skirt that came just below her knee and a plain black turtleneck. Her shoes were a pair of oxford booties. The clothing looked expensive, but in reality, Skye had made them herself since the cost of the fabric was more affordable lately. She took her rain jacket off the rack and put it over her shoulders and grabbed Nines's coat as well as she waited for him by the door.

Skye watched as he walked up to Charlie to let him know that they were leaving. He also took his wallet out and gave Charlie some cash for their drinks. Skye had only a few sips of her drink before she gave the rest to Nines. He came over and joined her at the door as she held his coat up for him to slide his arms into. Once he was ready, she took his arms and they walked outside into the night air.

It was a warm summer night, but it was raining. Luckily, the rain was very warm as well as it pelted against her skin. She had wrapped her arm around his upper arm as they walked. They were heading back towards the bridge where they shared a tent now. Unfortunately having an apartment was still very expensive, and work was very hard to come by due to being on the edge of the great depression and world war two. They were almost at the edge of the bridge, just before they would have to start crossing the endless railroad tracks when Nines stopped. Turning to Skye and bringing a hand up to her cheek.

He didn't say anything, but instead leaned down and kissed the droplets of rain from her lips. His smile appeared in the movement. His other hand came up and brushed a few wet curls from her face. His tongue started to sweep along her lower lip and Skye opened, beckoning him inside as their need for each other increased. This could be the last time they saw one another, and neither wanted to admit that.

He broke the kiss first and started to trail kisses down her jaw, neck, and the curve of her shoulder. Even if the shirt was currently in the way. His hands flexed around her lower back, pulling her in more and holding her in place as a moan left her lips and traveled into his ears. There was just something so heavenly about a kiss in the rain. It is that burst of love that is expressed, not caring if the water soaks through to chill the skin. It is a connection that shows the strength of the feeling, the mutual need. It is a rebellion against the elements.

She felt that same hand on her back, running a few fingers down her spine and back up again. Pulling her into the cool body as the scent of dirt and blood filled her senses. She felt herself opening her eyes to see Nines was already awake for the night. His eyes were still closed, and a hand rested limply against his chest as he just… rested. Something she had not seen him do in months. It was peaceful to see him in such a state. She wanted to keep him here, surrounded by silence and relaxed in their tangled limbs.

All good things came to an end though. Her phone started to thunder from across the room. The ringer and vibrations going off like an angry rattlesnake, intent on waking them. Skye through the blankets from her and got up. Crossing the room to see the time on the front of the flip phone. It was nearly nine now. The sun would be setting completely in just seventeen minutes according to her phone. Skye flipped the blue phone open and pressed it to her ear.

"Hello?" She said. Sleep still filling her voice since she had been suddenly awoken. Even the system was leaving her alone so far. It apparently too tired itself.

"Skye, I'm going to be guarding your door soon. Are you up?" Damsel asked her. The brujah already sounded annoyed on the phone.

"Yeah," Skye answered. Rubbing her eyes and glancing over to the bed. Nines had rolled over and was now was facing her. His blue eyes watching her movements carefully. Like a bear to salmon.

"Give me Nines." Damsel demanded. Skye didn't hesitate as she crossed the room and got back into bed. Handing Nines the phone and pulling the blankets over herself. They had to get up, but a few more minutes of nuzzling against the brujah wouldn't hurt. He stayed on his side as he held the phone up to his ear. Skye closed her eyes and rested her head under his chin. His free hand returned to her back, running up and down her lower spine.

"Evening," Nines said to her. Sleep still in his voice.

"You still in bed?" Damsel asked him over the phone. Loud enough that Skye could hear the full conversation.

"Yeah. It's still light outside." Nines countered. Not even glancing at the window. A bit of light was being allowed in through the cracks in the curtains. They were deflected towards the walls though and did not touch them at all.

"Isaac is going to come to see you, so be ready. Probably wants something for keeping Skye safe over the last few weeks." She warned him. Damsel did not know about the hunters of course, but Nines did, and he was not happy. It would probably be the same aggressive exchange of words that he had given Skelter when he sent her into Confessions.

"I'll keep that in mind. I'll see you soon Damsel." Nines said. They both said their goodbyes and Nines closed the phone. Reaching over Skye and putting it next to her pillow before pulling her in even more to mold her body against his own.

"We have to get up." Skye murmured into his chest. This received a kiss to the top of her head instead.

"Just another five minutes," Nines said back to her. Exactly four minutes later Skye's phone started to ring again. Nines reached over and grabbed it before flipping it open and pressing it to his ear.

"Hello?" He said. Skye could hear the slight annoyance in his voice now. He had been back for less than a day and was already being thrown into the politics of being a baron.

"Nines? Well, that answers my question. I just heard that Stone killed you and that was the reason for the blood hunt for the kid." Tony said on the other line. Skye could also hear faint tapping like he was typing on a keyboard.

"Where is he now?" Skye asked Nines who repeated the question to Tony. Tony just laughed.

"Somehow he is making his way through Santa Monica. The Camarilla is giving him a hard time. Looks like he is making his way towards a taxi. Tough kid. He left early, the sun hasn't even fully set." Tony said back to them. He would be there in about thirty minutes then. Skye untangled herself from Nines and got up. Heading into the bathroom to splash water on her face as they spoke. She then looked into the mirror and started to style her hair before quickly giving up and wrapping it into a bun on her and securing with two hair elastics. When she came out of the room Nines was sitting on the edge of the bed. She turned the lamp on in the room before going over to him. His face was looking better but had still not completely healed. He took one of her hands and kissed her knuckles.

"I love you," Skye said to him first. Gaining a small smile from him.

"I love you too. Four weeks of the isolation really showed me how much… I missed you." Nines said to her as he brought her down for a quick kiss. A knock came on the door which had them break apart.

"Go ahead and get dressed," Skye told him as she crossed the room. Before Nines could protest her obvious lack of a bra, she opened the door to see Damsel there.

"Oh good. You both finally woke up." Damsel said. Nines simply laughed at this. Damsel started to watch the door as they changed. Skye replaced his bandages again then got herself dressed. Nines choose a simple pair of jeans, a white tank top, and a short-sleeved collared shirt to go over that which he left opened per his usual fashion. His necklaces were also on his neck.

Skye went with a pair of black jeans and a white off the shoulder long sleeve top. She was in the bathroom putting on some simple makeup when she heard the knock at the door. Nines opened it and Skye knew who it was by the first thing that Nines said to him.

"Rumor on the street is that you killed me," Nines said with a slight laugh, followed by an apology for not being able to clear his name. Skye continued to do her hair and makeup as they spoke. She was glad she had shut the door to the bathroom so now she could hide from Stone. Not that she didn't like him, she admired the young ventrue, especially with everything he had accomplished in such a short time. Skye both did not wish to interrupt or say anything to the Ventrue that may sway his final decision.

"How did you get away from that wolf?" Christopher Stone questioned.

"Can't say I got out without a scratch. Helluva brawl though." Nines said.

"Well shit," Chris said. Probably noticing the wolf on the table for the first time.

"We don't time to swap war stories. We were set up, kid, and the list of suspects is short. Either LaCroix, Xiao, or both." Nines said to the Ventrue.

"Xiao told me that LaCroix came to her for an alliance," Chris said.

"So, he wanted an alliance with me because his other one failed. That's twice for trying to get me killed and it is not going to end there. It's us or them, you got a preference?" Nines asked. Skye could hear the tone in his voice that he would never hear. The one that made him such a great leader. The same one that had been refined at such a young age. Skye started to slide the mascara wand through her eyelashes to blacken them. The system started to speak so she missed part of their conversation.

…sheriff shapeshifter…

…Asian shapeshifter…

"So, I'm doing this alone?" Chris challenged the Brujah.

"We will be doing crowd control in the streets. Hollywood is secure, but currently, that's our only territory. I wish I could be fighting at your side. This one's for LA, Kid… no pressure." Nines responded.

"I'll keep that in mind." Skye heard the Ventrue say before the door opened again and closed behind him. Skye counted to ten before she finally opened the bathroom door and walked out. Nines was still looking at the door but turned she heard Skye. She watched his blue eyes roam over her body before settling on her face. A single knock at the door and Damsel walked into the room.

"That guy is such a prick." Damsel said, leaving the door open.

"I like the kid." Nines started to say until Skye laughed at this before adding.

"Lier."

"Okay, I like him enough to try to warn him about a useless sarcophagus." Nines corrected. "I figured that might be enough of a hint."

"Yeah, I guess so. He is very useful. Helped me with that issue with the CDC." Damsel said. A short time later the door to their room was closed again and Damsel stood guard.

Skye had given Nines more blood packs to drink. When she took his bandages off again most of his wounds were now closed. A live feeding would pretty much have him completely healed by the end of the night. He was currently sitting on the dresser after having a quick shower to wash the dirt and grime from his body from the previous night. He had redressed into the same clothing as Skye packed their backpack with essentials. Vampires did not like guns since they were loud and always drew attention, but Nines always carried a handgun just in case. She also bought two grenades for him which were sitting on the bed as she went over the inventory. Making sure they had everything before they went downtown to take back their territory.

She was bent over the bed when she felt a pair of hands wrap themselves around her hips and press her rear into a set of male hips. The slightly stiffened member pressing into her ass told her that someone was feeling better. She then felt the person bend over her until his lips were at her ear, leaving gentle kisses. The weight of him made her put both of her hands down on the bed to leverage herself. She could smell the blood on his breath and knew that the excitement of feeding, even from a bag, and the lack of sex in over a week was driving the passionate brujah into his own form of insanity. He didn't say anything for a few seconds, but instead just slid his hands over her body.

"Later… we have quite a lot of catching up to do." He whispered into her ear. His hands sliding up her shirt to grip her waist. She purposely rolled her ass against his cock, getting a hiss from the man behind her, followed by a chuckle. Who had control of who again?

"I hope that's a promise, Armando." Skye challenged. She could feel the smirk against the back of her neck as he laid a kiss there. A knock came to the door and he stood up. Slapping her ass before heading towards the door. The door opened and Isaac strolled in. His eyes went first to Nines, then Skye, then settled on the werewolf. She stood up straight and finished packing the bag, zipping it completely closed.

"Evening Nines, Skye," Isaac said to them both. Nines returned the greeting and Skye simply nodded, noticing that Isaac's eyes lingered on her for a moment too long.

"Before you leave, I need to talk to you." Isaac told Nines before adding rather bluntly, "Alone."

"Skye, go ahead and make sure everyone is ready to leave." Nines told her. Skye nodded and flung the backpack over her shoulder before heading out of the room. Being sure to close the door behind her. Damsel was still waiting outside. She rose an eyebrow at Skye leaving. Skye didn't say anything though and instead motioned for Damsel to stay there. She didn't want to say anything just in case the two men could hear her.

Skye walked down the walkway and down the stairs before knocking on Skelter's room. The room opened to not only Skelter but also eight other people from mixed clans. In the center of the room were weapons that were laid out. Mostly guns, ammunition, and swords for those who were completely against guns altogether.

"Hey, Skye. Come in." Skelter said from his kneeling position on the ground. She walked in and the door closed behind her. One of the ghouls that were standing in the corner now had done this.

"Almost ready?" Skye said simply to the group. There were several nods around the room. Another knock came to the door and the ghoul opened it. Outside were Phoebe and Marcus joining them. Phoebe greeted everyone and walked over to Skye.

"You look great," Phoebe said. The last time they saw each other Skye had just had her ass handed to her by Stephen Wilson. Correction, mostly his brute since the Ventrue wouldn't do his own dirty work. It was the same week that Phoebe learned that Skye was a Malkavian and not a Brujah like she assumed. Skye knew that Phoebe mentioning that her appearance was good and normal was a nice way of saying that she did not look insane like one would expect. It would take time for Phoebe to get used to the idea. Therefore Skye responded simply and straight to the point.

"Thank you. You look great yourself." Marcus went to the center of the room and choose his own weapons, handing Phoebe a handgun. There was another knock on the door and Nines let himself in. Skye could tell by his facial expression that he was annoyed, but he was able to fix it before speaking with the group.

"Are we ready to take back the downtown?" His voice was calm, but the tones in it started to excite the small crowd in front of them. Her ice-blue eyes fell on everyone in the room. The gangrels were starting to enlarge their claws. The brujah were tensing their muscles. The Toreadors were concentrating their energy to speed through the streets. Then there was the lone malkavian who would be hiding until she needed to stabilize someone… anyone. That was her role. Stay out of danger unless needed, feed information to Nines, and stop unlife threatening wounds when she could.

There were a series of fuck yeah and grunts from the small crowd. Nines then started to go over the battle plans. Everyone in the room oversaw a smaller group. This included Marcus who had been to war in the middle east, even though he was the youngest kindred there. Skye leaned against the wall as Skelter, Damsel, and Nines went around the room. They were checking gear, confirming intel, and overall just preparing.

…the shapeshifter falls…

"Nines," Skye said to the crowd. Several people turning their heads to look at the now known Malkavian. Nines turned as well, stopping his conversation completely. "It's time. Ming Xiao fell." The room was silent as the words left her mouth. There were several smiles in the room though since this was great news. It was seen as an act of overdue revenge for Jeremy MacNeil's death all those months ago. This also told Skye that Christopher Stone would be on his way to LaCroix now.

"Well, let's fucking do this then." It was Damsel who spoke. Several people laughed at the redhead since the room was just ready to leave and start fighting. This group had been told to be on the defensive for the last month, so going on the offensive was exciting for the group. A few last words from Nines and everyone filed out of the room. Skye tossed Nines the keys to the car as she walked around to the passenger side putting the backpack on the floor before getting in herself. Nines turned the car on, and she could not help but notice the smile on his face as he did so.

Several other cars left the parking lot before them, but Nines hit the road after several minutes of waiting for a turn. He was holding her hand as he shifted the car. Skye could feel the vibrations of the shifter in her palm each time he dropped or went up in gear. They drove in relative silence before Nines spoke up first.

"Isaac felt the need to warn me about you," Nines said to her. A slight chuckle in his voice. "Apparently you not only forced his child to leave town but to also give you his car."

"I'm not very good with Domination you know. Practice makes perfect." Skye said. Joking since many kindred got confused between Dementation and Domination. The two major mind traits that the Kindred held, but they had very different uses. Dementation was not meant to force or convince someone. Just drive them completely insane and in some cases force their own death due to the overwhelming voices telling them to.

"Very funny," Nines said with a smirk. He got onto the highway and right away switched to the fast lane so he could shift the car up higher. He was like a child with a new toy.

"What did you tell him? You'll control me better next time?" Skye asked him.

"Yeah, because a subservient housewife is what I need." He brought her hand up and kissed her knuckles. "I told him that he should mind his business, and sanctuary or not sending you into a club filled with hunters to save his child was both a stupid call and selfish. He tried to tell me that he didn't know about them, and I called his bullshit out."

"He probably didn't like that very much."

"No, but if we are going to work together pissing me off right off the bat is not the way to do that," Nines said to her. Dropping gears as he drove the car towards the exit.

"I'm glad you stood your ground. He used his presence to get me to agree. I was worried he would try it on you as well." Skye said to him as the lights from the downtown started to come into view. The city was so beautiful lit up at night.

"You didn't tell me that part. No wonder he mentioned that you seemed to be in less control. Fucking prick." Nines muttered the last part. "Once this is over, I'll find us a new apartment here downtown."

"Cost isn't an issue this time." Skye reminded him.

"That is so strange to hear…" Nines said to her. It was true too. They had been penniless all their lives. They were homeless for many years, not having their first apartment together until about six decades ago when they finally moved out of the warehouse. The entire time it was up to Nines to pay the rent and bills since Skye could be unstable. She was glad that for once they would maybe be able to live somewhat normal unlives. Knowing them as a couple though they would still choose to live frugally. Just because of their upbringing.

"It's strange getting used to," Skye added.

"Do you have any apartment requests this time?" Nines asked as he came to a stop at the end of the offramp. Waiting for another car to pass before going again.

"Something with a view of the city?"

"Okay Baby," Nines said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. He had asked the question, but Skye could tell he wasn't listening to her answer. They pulled into the downtown area and into the parking lot next to the Last Round. There were already several cars there from other anarchs who had arrived. Skye pulled her hand away to reach for the bag when Nines grabbed her hand back. Skye looked up into those blue eyes of his. "If this goes south, you get out of here." Nines told her.

"It won't," Skye told him. He pulled her closer in for a kiss, his free hand snaking around the back of her neck as he firmly held his lips on hers.

"If this goes south, leave and find Jack" Nines told her. It used to be to find Charlie before he turned into a pile of ash at the hands of hunters.

"I will." She replied to him. He smiled though, pressing his forehead against her own.

"I don't believe you," Nines said that smug smirk crossing his face.

"You shouldn't," Skye said, taking a breath before continuing, "I have to kill whoever ends your life first." Nines stared at Skye for several long moments. It was kind of odd in a way as if the two were locked in a silent argument that neither was going to back down from. Their eyes were battling each other.

"That's my girl," Nines said, kissing her again. Not innocently either. It was filled with warmth, fire, passion, and demand. He had given up this silent fight, but only to claim her lips as his own. Slowly the world started to fall away and there was only the man in the driver's seat. His hand knotted in her hair, his cool grip on her neck and a knock at the window… They both broke away and Skelter stood outside Nines's window. Pointing at his wrist before walking away. Nines could not help but chuckle, but Skye's cheeks would have been burning if blushing were possible.

"Fuck me," Skye muttered under her breath due to her embarrassment as she reached down and grabbed the backpack.

"Later," Nines promised as he opened the door, that damn smirk on his lips. Skye opened her own door, but Nines was there to open it the rest of the way. His hand reached down to take her own to help her from the low car. Skye knew he was really doing it to get a look at his surroundings. He glanced at her and Skye knew to start using Auspex. She did so and stepped out of the car, looking around herself. Inside the bar, there was a group of kindred with purple auras, ghouls with different colors, and a couple of smaller auras from rats both in the alley and inside the bar. Her gaze shot back to Nines just so she could establish a connection as she looked around the city. Finding no large groups of Kindred near the bar. This was good.

They walked inside where Nines was instantly greeted, with Skye an afterthought. She was fine with this since she was running reconnaissance currently, and she could not be interrupted. Within her mind Edmund, Jeanette, and several other Malkavians who had switched to the anarch movement after Skye uploaded her assault were feeding her information. This information included Camarilla whereabouts, current warehouses for their businesses, and the fact that LaCroix pulled back all the Ventrue under his control into the tower within the last hour. He was expecting his adopted fledgling to strike. What Skye didn't have eyes on was Chinatown.

Skye found a quiet place downstairs at the bar. It was just her and the barkeep there. It wasn't Ed, but a Brujah tonight. Ed was probably safely home since the bar was closed for a private event currently. She felt she had a pretty good list compiled and fed it to Nines upstairs. After a few minutes, she heard him giving orders, planning attacks, and the best places to strike that night. They were taking back downtown. Some Anarchs were also going to investigate the Hotel to make sure the Sabbatt were completely taken care of.

Her phone buzzed in her back pocket. She pulled it out to see a text from Jack.

"I have the best seat for the show." He said to her. It came in with an attempt at an early 2000's selfie of him with the mummy, sitting in chairs with beer cans around them. Half of Jack's face was cut off due to having to blindly take the picture since front facing cameras were not a thing… yet. She didn't respond since more information started to enter her mind in the place of her own thoughts.

After several more minutes passed, people started to filter out of the bar. Skye turned her body around and leaned back on the bar in time to see Damsel, Skelter, and Nines coming down the stairs. Damsel gave Skye a nod in acknowledgment before heading outside. Skelter and Nines stopped in front of her.

"That network you have is impressive," Skelter said. Noticing how detailed she had been able to organize the information. "It almost rivals the Nosferatu."

"It is still a work in progress," Skye said humbly. It was true. Since sorting through the information her Sire passed to her, she had been able to exploit parts of the system that she could not previously fathom. It was more than being able to talk, that was just the part everyone else noticed right away. It also came with his theories and what he learned from his sire who had been driven mad enough to land herself in a modern insane asylum. Skye also learned through her own sire that she was in a direct line from the Plague-Bride. Her real name was forgotten, but inherently enough she was still alive. Not that she needed to connect to the network, so Skye had no way to find the woman. The rumor was that she had Malkav were in a relationship when he abandoned her. Breakups like that were hard to get over Skye imagined.

"I can't imagine how you're going to improve it from here," Skelter said. The Brujah behind the counter started to turn the lights off for the bar before grabbing the keys and walking around to the front. Skye hopped off the stool and picked the backpack up, tossing it over her shoulder. She had made sure to grab some of the blood packs from the fridge at the bar, so the bag was even heavier now.

"Blocking the madness from the younger members close to me had helped…" Skye said absentmindedly.

"Your what?" Nines asked her. Skelter had to raise an eyebrow at this as well.

"It's temporary," Skye assured them as they started to walk outside. Once outside the Brujah locked the Bar and handed the keys to Skelter.

"Are you extending yourself too far?" Nines asked her in an annoyed tone. Those around them might have assumed he was being an asshole to the redhead, but Skye could hear the concern knotted in his voice. The slight muscle twitches along his lips and eyes were what gave it away.

"We can talk about it later," Skye said to him, standing on tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek. She took a few steps away and with a slight wave of her hand, disappeared completely from their view. She felt the crawl from the shadows around her, pulling her into the darkness and shifting her into her surroundings as she moved down the street. The three Brujah sped past her using their supernatural speed to join the fighting ahead.

For Skye, there was not much fighting to be had. She carried a handgun just in case, but overall, the camarilla on the streets were spread so thin due to the blood hunt they were unprepared. They were quite easily taken out. She was currently in an alley, applying a pressure dressing and tourniquet to a Gangrel who had his arm ripped off just minutes prior. Skye guessed she was going to get the answer to her whether kindred grew limbs back. Once the bleeding was nearly stopped, she handed him a blood pack which he sucked down greedily. She checked the bag, getting a count of her supplies left before letting Edmund know. He was on the other side of the city doing what Skye was doing. She had shared knowledge with him about how to stabilize kindred.

Skye got up and walked out onto the streets, heading towards the LaCroix Foundation's skyscraper to head to the other side of the town. Using Auspex to get a sense of her surroundings. Purple was everywhere street side. Any humans including the gangs and prostitute that normally roamed the streets had disappeared completely for the night. This was due to the use of presence from numerous toreadors and brujah on the streets. The anarchs were smart enough to think of this and take care of the problem before it even was a problem. No political bullshit needed. She blinked a few times and allowed her vision to return to normal. It had been two hours now and she was tired.

"Well, look who it is." Skye felt a chill run up her spine as she turned. Looking into the green eyes of Stephen Wilson. He chuckled seeing the Malkavian standing there. Her white top had blood on it that did not belong to her body and her hair was disheveled. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mind to reach out to Nines through the blood bond. Hoping the fear, she felt in her heart could reach him. Stephen took a step towards her, and Skye matched him by taking a step back.

"It's over Wilson," Skye told him, emphasizing her next words with a sway of her hand. "Look around. This city is ours."

"Perhaps, but you won't get to see it." He told her. Skye could feel her body come to a complete stop as he took another step towards her. She felt her eyes widen more as his smile grew larger.

"What the-" Skye started to say as she felt the voices hammer her mind. He was using Presence to control and overload her emotions. In turn, this also extended to the system.

"You know, LaCroix came up with this idea in case he needed a backup plan to deal with your sire. Apparently, your hive minds don't do well when we control your emotions. It's too…" He trailed off as he got close to her, bending down so he was next to her ear. He took a breath in, taking in her scent before breathing out onto her neck. "overwhelming." She felt the array of goosebumps fly down her body as she attempted to connect her body with her mind. She just needed to move… She felt his hand snake up the side of her body. Cool fingers ran along her collar bone.

"The best part is I don't need to kill you. I just need you to bring him out." He whispered into her ear. Skye mentally cursed herself for reaching out through the bond. It was exactly what he wanted. To use her to get to Nines and end him. The Camarilla probably thought that cutting the head off the snake would scatter the LA Anarchs. It didn't work with Jeremy, and it certainly would not work now. She felt his hand pause on her as a chuckle left his throat. The cocking of a gun was also ringing through her ears.

"I'm here," Nines said to both of them. Skye felt the flooding of relief fill her body, but the upturn of Stephen Wilson's lip brought back that same concern. His hand wrapped around her neck and gripped hard. She could see Nines, just over the suited shoulder. The reflection of the gun barrel was also present.

"One wrong move and I'll snap her neck," Stephen warned Nines, turning his head slightly towards the barrel of the gun that Nines was pressing to his head. Skye glanced at Nines's eyes and he blinked slowly. She could not concentrate enough to establish a link with him but knew she needed to getaway. She needed to use the thin bloods discipline to turn her body into mist…

…How?... She felt her asking the thin-blooded malkavians that were apart of the system. There were two in LA currently, they would tell her. The information reached her brain and quickly the sensation of pinpricks ran over her skin. Except instead of deterioration into a mist, she moved… no teleported. Two feet back and out of his grasp. His fist completely closed as Stephen realized she had somehow moved using the metaphysical world that surrounded them. Skye blinked, she could see streams running through the streets that reminded her of the aurora borealis in their transparency and colors. It was gone quickly as a bullet left the gun Nines was holding. Going straight into the back of the Scourge's head. He turned to ash before he even hit the pavement.

She felt herself starring at Nines for several seconds as her mind came back. His own eyes were wide after witnessing her teleportation. That could wait until later though, it had to. There was no time to talk about this. His arms opened as she ran into them. Her arms wrapped around his neck as his hand wrapped into the back of her hair, holding her head against him. His other hand was on her lower back. He held her for several sweet moments. Allowing her to breathe his scent and rest her head into the crook of her neck.

"Are you okay?" They both asked in unison. Neither answered as they pulled away for each other. His hands cupped her face as he looked over her body. She was covered in blood, dust and had a few claw marks on her upper arm, but overall was fine. Nines reopened the wound on his face, and she noticed that several of his deeper wounds she had bandaged earlier had bled through. Skye could not help but smile though as he kissed her forehead.

"You're beautiful." He told her.

…The jester will die…

…Stop Stone…

…Stop STONE…

…STOP STONE…

Her eyes glanced up to the tower then. Feeling such a strong pull she could not resist it. Nines released her body and followed her eyes up to the tower.

"We have to stop him," Skye said to Nines.

"What?" He said to her. Christopher Stone had been in the tower for nearly an hour.

"He is going to explode…" Skye said, taking a few steps back. The pull at the back of her head was getting stronger. She heard the ringing, the infernal ringing that always called her. She felt her vision started to gloss over. The edges darkening slightly as the system tore her mind apart. Except, in this case, it was being opened wider. Colorful patterns started to fill the edges of her vision, like an acid trip you would see in those old cartoons.

"Skye… Baby, come here." Nines said. His eyes were widening as he noticed her mental status rapidly changing.

"We need to assist." She felt his finger brush against her arm and took several steps back, out of his reach. Her eyes snapped down towards his own. The determination clear in her voice.

"You can't get there in time." Nines told her.

"What's going on?" Skelter said as he ran up to them. Noticing the stance that Nines was starting to take and how Skye was backing up. Nines held his hand up to stop Skelter from coming any closer. He himself was not sure what was going on and having everyone witness a possible event was not going to happen.

"Skye, we have work to do here," Nines said to her. Trying to distract both her and the network from the task it was attempting to complete.

"We have work elsewhere." Skye was arguing, except she did not feel it was her own voice. Not the words she wanted to use.

"Armando, the mind left this body is following," Skye said. Nines lunged forward at a supernatural speed, but Skye was quicker this time. The system took control of her mind, and she completely disappeared. Skye made her way towards the alley beside the LaCroix's Foundation building. Skye felt herself take a deep breath and close her eyes as her body ignited. A sensation of total weightlessness filled her entire body and her mind felt like it was surging through the unknown.

The best way Skye would describe what she felt was like being on a roller-coaster. The part where the car climbed to the top and waited for a few seconds as you question how the fuck your friend convinced you that it would be a good idea before it plummeted towards the ground. The sensation that your organs were both in your throat as you lifted slightly from the seat and floated there. She felt both nauseous and free. There was nothing, no voices, no light, no beast calling for more blood… just darkness. It was warm and cold at the same time as pins and needles crawled up and down her skin. She opened her eyes as the sound of stone skidding over stone filled her ears.

Her ice-blue eyes opened as her hand slapped down on the open hole at the top of the sarcophagus. Christopher Stone was sliding the key towards the keyhole and stopped at the redhead stood next to him. Her hand covering the hole and preventing him from opening the sarcophagus.

"Skye?" Christopher Stone said in alarm.

"Skye?! The fucking Malkavian?" LaCroix cried. Skye's eyes darted towards the window's where the older Ventrue Prince was holding his neck. Dark blood seeping through his fingers and dripping onto the floor.

"Malkavian?" Stone questioned before he looked down at her hand. "Move." Stone said, narrowing his eyes. Skye felt the Fledging attempt to dominate her mind. The prickling feeling running over her brain but being dispersed as quickly as it started as her own mental armies could disperse the discipline.

"This present is for him to unwrap," Skye said. Stone reached down and grabbed her wrist, bending her arm in a way that made her back away as he started to slide the heavy key towards the hole again. Skye felt the malkavian network serge as she moved forward again to block the hole with her other hand. This time finding the Ventrue's eyes and doing to him what he just tried to do to her.

"It would be funny if this present exploded," Skye said to him, low enough to force him to laugh. His hand released the Key and he backed up. The laughing taking over mind just long enough for Skye to pick up the key with both hands. She needed to use buff herself in order to even have the strength to pick it up and drop it on the floor.

"Who the fuck do you think you are you bitch?" LaCroix cursed at her. Probably for touching the key and making it into his penthouse unannounced. Well, and for probably being the Anarch name that slid across his desk along with Nines's over the last few months. The same name that the Prince would choose to ignore since she was just another brujah brat.

"Grout's brat," Skye told the blond man, narrowing her eyes. She was dragging the ley towards him before dropping it in front of the prince.

"And here I thought Wilson was following a rumor," LaCroix said as his hand reached out and touched the key.

"Long live the Prince of LA," Skye whispered before turning on her heel and grabbing Christopher Stone by his coat and pulling him out of the room. He was still in fits of laughter as she briskly walked out of the penthouse, down the stairs, and towards the elevators. There was one that still worked. Thank god, or Malkav. One of the two. It dinged, and the double doors opened. Skye got inside with Stone and pushed the ground floor button, harder than needed mind you.

The elevator started to move downwards as her mind started to connect with her body. The system had just used the network to completely teleport her physical body into that penthouse. She had never set foot in it so how… Grout had. The system used his memories to step through the madness network and into the room. Her back was to the Ventrue, but the laughing completely stopped. She turned slowly only for a hand to wraps its way around her neck and shove her back into the wall. How many men were going to grab choke her today?

"Do you know what you just fucking caused!" Stone growled into her face. He used his other hand to push her face to the side and into the cold metal of the elevator wall, so she couldn't get into his head. "You fucking bitch!" He yelled. Pulling her away from the wall, only to slam her back into it. Skye closed her eyes to brace against the pain at the back of her skull. He pulled her away from the wall again to get ready to slam her in again.

"It's filled with C4!" Skye told him. Stone froze. She felt the network of bones and tendons tense as his brain started to work out the situation.

"How do you know?" The Ventrue growled, bringing his face close to her own.

"The voices," Skye said. Lying, but only partly. His hand released her neck and he walked to the other side of the elevator, punching the side as it came to a stop. The elevator dinged and the door slid open to the first floor.

"Fucking lunatics," Chris muttered before walking out with his hands in his pockets. Skye followed him out of the building. It was silent as they left. Stepping into a city where no cars were running, piles of ash were in the streets and a cool breeze ran through the air. Ticking her skin as it kept moving through the building. It was calm… then there was an enormous explosion.

It was as though a fist of orange flame had punched its way out of the penthouse above their heads. Windows shattered as glass, steel, and wood particles showered down in a deadly rainfall. It looked beautiful as it fell through the air before slowly slicing at their skin. Alarms started to sound around them in a deafening wail. A hand wrapped around her wrist as she was yanked away from the debris, taking her down the street. Humans started to come out of the apartments in the surrounding area after having their window's broken and being woken up from the explosion

They made it in front of Club Royale before Chris stopped pulling her and turned around. He looked down at the woman, his mouth turning into a smile.

"I…" The ventrue started before he was interrupted.

"Skyler."

Her head spun around to see Nines jogging up. Behind him were Skelter and another two anarchs. Skye could see the ferocity in Nines's eyes as he walked right up to them. His posture and muscles were tense, and Chris apparently noticed this too.

"Maybe you should calm down," Chris said, pulling Skye behind him and blocking the path for Nines. This did not help though since it only served to piss Nines off more. Especially since he just found them, and Chris's hands were on her.

"Stone. Move." Nines said forcibly. Crossing his arms over his chest. Even Skye was slightly intimated by this.

"So, you can hurt her?" Stone said. Ironically, he had just had his hands around her throat.

"Move or" Nines started to say when the Malkavian interrupted by simply walking around her adorable fledgling bodyguard. She walked right up to Nines and give him a kiss on the cheek. Oh, he was pissed off with her, but fighting in front of everyone was not his style. His eyes grew gentle he was looked at her and his hand rested on her cheek. He was probably looking at all the pinprick wounds from the glass that had fallen on them.

"I'm okay," Skye told him. She reached up and took the hand on her cheek and kissed his knuckles. Her eyes went back up to Nines's, but he was watching Stone intently. His mouth of moving, but there was no sound. Skye opened her mouth to say something when she found she could not find the words. In fact, her entire mind had gone blank. No voices, no thoughts, and she could not seem to feel her fingers. She looked up to Nines and widened her eyes. Begging him to look at her. He did, with those oceans he called eyes. She saw his mouth move, watched him form words. All the blood in her body seemed to completely still as her body started to sway. She saw Nines react by reaching for her, then nothing.

Lights out.

.

.

.

You know that feeling when your driving and somehow you got to the destination with no knowledge of the entire ride? That was how Skye felt as her eyes opened and there was nothing but light. A stark whiteness surrounding her. Almost like the old cartoons when the characters would end up in a white void. She was laying on her back and looking up. Closing her eyes slowly then reopening them. Nope, still there. From her right, she started to hear a slow and steady clap. Her head turned towards the noise to see Dr. Alastair Grout standing in the area.

"You somehow figured it out." Dr. Grout started to say. Skye pushed off the ground if you could call it that. It looked no different from everything else. She also noticed she did not have a shadow. That was interesting.

"Figured what out?" Skye asked, standing properly.

"The entire point of being malkavian is to surpass the limitations of reality," Grout explained as he walked up to her. The heels from his boots echoed the sound outreaching into the unknown around them.

"By being able to teleport you mean?" Skye questioned, resting her hands at her side as her ice blue eyes followed him. The lack of trust evident in her body language through stiffened back and shoulders.

"Yes. That is the beginning." Grout said to her. Looking her up and down slowly before brushing past her. "Are you ready?"

"For what?"

"Come." He said to her. Not a direct order, but one none the less. She watched as he took a few steps ahead of her. She turned on her boot heel and started to follow him. They both walked just a few feet before Grout disappeared. Skye stopped and rose her eyebrow. She was alone in the white plains, so she did the only thing that made sense, walked forward more. Her surroundings changed and the smell of fire filled her nostrils. The sound of wind brushed past her and entered her ears. The whooshing loud enough to force her heads up to cover her ears. When her surroundings finished materializing, she realized she was standing on a plane. No, not a plane, the plane. It was going down.

She was standing in the back of the plane; the soldiers lined the walls on either side. Towards the front, she knew the door would be locked. That was where she was flying the plane currently. Bullets hit the side of the hull, and a few made it through and into the bodies of the soldiers. Their screams filled her ears. Her eyes darted around. Men were holding their bullets wounds, covering their mouths from the smoke and there was no grout. They needed to get off the plane. Why didn't a single one of them stand to open the plane and put on a parachute?

It was obvious, there was too much smoke filling the cabin. Her own lack of functioning lungs felt like they were burning just watching the men struggle to get a breath in.

Skye turned and jogged down the length of the plane. Towards the back of the plane. Skye remembered the schematics of the plane due to the extensive time spent in school. The C-47 was a smaller transport plane, and the door was towards the back. She went to the door and started to undo the latch. She needed to get the smoke out of the main cabin, then thought better of just pushing the door open. The suction would rip her for the plane. She turned, catching a glimpse of one young man working his way towards the back of the plane with her.

"If you're back here, who the hell is flying the plane!?" He questioned, looking her clothing up and down before settling back on her face.

"We need to get off the plane. It's going to crash." Skye said as she tethered herself to the railing next to the door. It would hurt, but hopefully, she would not be sucked out. The young man turned, grabbing the rail himself, and started to yell into the plane towards the other men. Some of which had passed out. He also started to pull on a parachute and secure it to himself. What he said exactly Skye could not tell due to the whipping winds filling her ears as she pushed the door completely open. As she predicted the suction jerked her body forward into the steel doorway of the plane. If she were human, a few ribs most certainly would have shattered. Luckily, the smoke was also sucked out. She pulled herself back into the plane and took a breath while leaning against the wall.

"You need to jump now!" Skye screamed towards the men, some of which were fastening their unconscious friends to themselves to share the parachute. These men had trained together, no one was going to be left behind. One by one they started to jump. She looked out, seeing the white clouds of the parachutes start to open as they neared the ground. It was just her and the young man left who ended up staying to help offload the plane. Her eyes looked up to see Grout standing there instead, slow clapping. She blinked once and the plane, wind, smoke, and excessive noise was gone. Only the whiteness was there.

"What was that?" Skye asked, no she snapped. She felt the stress from the event still in her veins.

"That my dear, was you overcoming one of your past traumas." Grout started to say.

"I don't understand," Skye replied, slightly calmer this time.

"You saved those men."

"I did this time." Skye started to counter before getting cut off.

"You did back then too." Grout stand, crossing his arms behind his back. Skye rose an eyebrow as it started to dawn on her.

"Are you telling me that what just happened, happened back then too?" She asked. Her mind started to race, what about the documents. Each of the names was read in court, those of which who died on the plane crash. "This does not make sense."

"Breaking from reality rarely does," Grout said to her. What he essentially was explaining was some sort of time travel, a parallel universe with multiple clones of herself. It was enough to make her head spin, and that it did. She started to feel nauseous. He turned again and started to walk.

"We aren't finished," Skye said to him, snapping again as her hand reached out to grab him. She did just that but was pulled into another past event. This time she was in the trenches, the voices around her were screaming… in German. The claws of a man dug into her shoulder and started to scream while pointing down. She had no idea what the man was saying, but her eyes followed his hand down to see the gun resting on the side of the dirt trench. The body of another laying beside it with a bullet in his forehead. She looked back and nodded, hoping this was a universal sign that she understood. The man accepted this and started to walk down the line. She reached down and noticed immediately that were hands were not her own pale thin fingers, but more masculine.

"What the-" She started to mutter, then realized that speaking English here might not be the best idea at that moment given her surreal surroundings. Her hand gripped the gun and started to pick it up. The weight of it bared into on her shoulder as she pulled it up. Catching her reflection in the barrel. She was a man, with blond hair but the same blue eyes. Must have been around eighteen or younger if she guessed. The same man who had given her the order before returned, pushing her shoulder roughly until she hit the dirt wall in front of her. The voice started to scream again, pointing at the wall.

Skye did not know how to shoot a gun, so like the movies, she pointed it towards the enemy and looked through the scope. At once she saw two eyes looking back at her. Eyes of green. He was peering over the wall. She felt her finger hover on the trigger, unable to bring herself to end this man's life, even if he had stolen a piece of hers.

This was the man who raped her. She told herself over and over. Reminding herself that he was not a man to be forgiven so easily. Or was he? She watched suddenly as blood spurted through his forehead as a bullet made its way through. There was a chuckle from a few men down as Skye pulled herself away from the gun just enough to look at the man who killed her rapist.

At the same moment, a searing pain went through her own head and her hands shot up to where a hole was now in her skull. She stumbled back and closed her eyes as the pain started to fire off through her body. Traveling down into a numbness that seemed to tingle to her fingertips. When her eyes opened again, she was once again in the white room. Her hand was still holding her head as the pain started to fade.

"Enough!" She screamed, turning to find Grout. Hands clasped behind his back. "If you are going to make me relive past events, bring me to when Armando's brother died. We can get him the medication he needed." Skye asked. She realized that there was a lot more she could have asked for. The night Jay was killed by the gang. Or when her parent's car crashed. But no. Correcting that memory for the love of her life was more important.

"The only way to get through your mental illness is to confront it. If only I could do this with all of my patients." Grout said, ignoring her obviously. Skye felt her eyes widen at the realization. This was a new version of his old fashion methods of counseling. It was the same crap that he did with her years ago.

"I'm not your patient anymore," Skye said, pulling her hand down. No blood. Good.

"You need me," Grout replied to her. His voice even, monotone… eerier. It was deeper than normal. This individual just slipped. This was not Grout. She watched as the face she recognized of the old psychologist started to contort. Jaw overextending its limits, eyes widening, bones moving under flesh and the light. The bright light that seemed to burn into her retinas. She had to put her hand over her eyes to block the light even from penetrating through her eyelid.

"You need us." A small voice said. When her eyes opened and adjusted, she was surrounded by girls. Young girls, nearly a dozen. They all appeared the same, wavy brown hair, simple white dresses, and barefooted. The remarkable feature other than them all looking the same was their eyes. Glowing in that same dull light that had nearly blinded her moments ago.

Her head was spinning, what the actual fuck was going on.

"I don't understand." Skye finally said.

"You are uneducated, unskilled, and of no interesting lineage." The girl spoke. As she spoke, the girls behind her would start to speak as well. Making their voices a chorus. "Yet," They continued, "We can not help but watch you navigate this network and figure out some loopholes. It has been some time since one of our children caught our eye."

Fuck.

"Malkav?" Skye felt herself ask. Feeling the words escape her lips in a whisper.

"We share with you a fragment, from words lost long ago. Do not take these words for granted." The small girls said, a smirk caressing their fair faces. Skye was not given the chance to reply before each of the girls started to speak a single word at a time as the words entered the empty space their shared.

…I dance the dance of the fool…

…And pray you find me mad…

…For if you lay hands upon the root…

…You'll know me without illusion…

…And find me guilty of the truth…

The words echoed in her mind, becoming mingled within the system that she had come to know. It also seemed to give her a sense of importance. Being trusted with something so precious as these words. If she were being honest, she did not feel like she deserved to be the keeper for these words.

"You have your questions," The girls started to say, "We do not have time to answer them. Wake and return to your physical world. We will be watching." And with that she was able to open her eyes to see the oceans.

.

.

.

Thank you everyone for your lovely comments! They really make my day!