TotR 2

Saturday, December 1st, 2001

Edison, NJ 4:57 a.m.

Chapter 1: Redemption

Garan awoke to the sound of the telephone ringing. He gently moved Crystal, who was already sleeping peacefully with her arm wrapped around his chest. Christ, who is calling me right before dawn? He got up and walked around the bed to grab the black cordless phone off the nightstand. "Hello?"

"Garan! I've got interesting news for you!"

"What is it Gerard? Shouldn't you be going to sleep now?"

"Well this couldn't wait. One of my connections informed me that there are two strange kindred in town. They are searching for a female kindred for some reason unknown. Do you think it's Crystal they're after?"

"I doubt it, but I'll investigate tonight. Meet me at my shop at 8 p.m. I'll need some time to feed before we go."

"Ok, I'll be there."

"Oh, and don't tell anyone, I don't want to worry Crystal if not necessary."

"Got it. Alright then, goodbye."

Garan hung up the phone and placed it back on its receiver.

Hmm…I thought this was over after Paul died. Maybe it's not. It's been quiet here the past few months. Crystal has forgotten about what happened that fateful day.

Garan walked back over to the bed and sat next to Crystal as she slept. He looked at her and smiled as he stroked her long wavy auburn locks. What secrets do you hold my lovely one? he thought to himself as he lay down next to her again and drifted off.

They awoke at sunset. Crystal sat up and looked at Garan. "I've been having strange dreams lately…like things from past lives. It's very weird, so vivid."

"My sweet Crystal, you need not worry about it. They're just dreams."

"I'd prefer if you'd call me by Lydian in private." She said with a sly grin, "And I'll call you Gareth."

"As you wish." He answered.

She threw a pillow at his head, which he blocked, and stuck her tongue out at him. "Don't patronize me."

"I'm not. I need to go out and attend to something important. Are you going to stay here?"

"What is it now? The prince needs his lackeys again? I guess so. I might go out to get a bite to eat though." She giggled.

"Ok, I'll be back as soon as I can. I love you."

"I love you too." she said as he bent over and kissed her.

Garan exited his estate and sat in the white 2002 Mercedes Benz E-class that he had decided to purchase after Paul destroyed the engine in his Pathfinder. He had all the windows tinted dark limo black so he could travel during the daytime when necessary.

Garan started the car and sped out of the driveway.

Garan arrived at his scuba shop at 7:54; Gerard was already there waiting in the parking lot. He approached Garan's car, opened the passenger side door, and got in. "Long time no see Garan. I've had members of the Nosferatu clan spying on these two kindred for me. We can go find out who they are and what they want here."

"Ok, so where to?"

"They are staying at the Edison Motor Inn."

"Alright, let's go." Garan pulled out of the lot and raced away. They arrived at the motel; it was a dilapidated u-shaped building, there were only about 7 rooms total.

Gerard laughed. "So I guess they are cheap?"

They parked and stepped out of the car. Garan scanned the inhabitants of the motel for their life signs. "Aha! They are in room number four."

The two Toreador strode up to the door reading #4 and knocked loudly. The door opened a crack and a blue eye peeked out. "What do you want?" he asked. "We wish to speak with you." Garan told him. The door opened, and they stepped into the room. The individual that was sitting in the chair in front of the table stood up next to the one that opened the door.

One was about 6'1, dressed in simple jeans and a blue polo shirt with a black leather bomber jacket. He had hazel eyes, short reddish brown hair, and a mustache with a goatee. The one standing next to him, the one that had opened the door, was slightly shorter; he had dark brown hair maybe 3 inches long, blue eyes, and long muttonchops. He wore jeans and a black sweater.

The taller one introduced himself, "My name is John, and this is my lackey Denis." Denis gave him an indignant look. "I am not your lackey." John looked at him and said, "Yes you are, shut up." He then turned back to them. "We are Giovanni."

Garan looked at him suspiciously. "You are of an independent clan then. What are you doing in this town?"

"That is a reasonable question, but respectfully, I can not answer it."

"And why not?"

"Quite frankly it is none of your business, and I hold no loyalty to any member of the Camarilla."

"Fair enough…but if I find out you are working for the Sabbat I will personally hunt you down myself and gorge on your blood."

"Do you greet all your visitors so sweetly?" John said with a sarcastic grin.

"No. This is special, just for you."

"Aww, I'm touched. Let's go Denis, we've got things to do." John grabbed the laptop that sat on the table and quickly headed for the door. He walked over to an old silver 1983 DeLorean sitting in the lot and got in. Denis got in the passenger side and they left, leaving Garan and Gerard standing there in the doorway.

"So, what do you think?" Garan asked.

"Personally, I wouldn't trust them. They are Giovanni after all. Their clan holds many secrets."

"What are those two after? We need to find out."

"I will continue to spy upon them, but there is no way to make them talk."

"That is true, yet I have a feeling they have been searching for Crystal. I don't want to alarm her though…"

Meanwhile, Crystal sat at home with Chi-Chi her little black Chihuahua, extremely bored with the television; she decided to give Danielle and Marc a call since she hadn't seen either of them for quite some time now. "Hello!" the voice on the other end answered.

"Hi Marc! It's been awhile. How are you and Danielle?"

"Great, she's sucking my dick right now! … Just kidding!"

"You ass!" She heard someone grab the handset from him.

"Hello? Crystal! Don't listen to him he is being an idiot."

"I knew he was joking. So what have you two been up to lately?"

"Nothing really, we've been spending most of our nights at home, just going out to eat hehe. Of course, taking care of Majin and Loki. You should see Loki! He got so big. Majin treats Loki like a kitten still though. It's cute."

"That must be so adorable." Crystal sighed, "I'm extremely bored right now. Garan left me here alone, to go do a job for the Prince supposedly. Ah, if only I could believe him. I love him so much, but he is still entirely too overprotective of me."

"I'm sure he is still afraid to lose you."

"I just don't feel comfortable talking to him sometimes. He is so damn intimidating. I wish he would lighten up and smile once in a while. I love his smile; it makes me happy when he's happy. It is bothering me that he lies to me to make me feel better. I would much rather know the truth."

"Haha, men never change, even after becoming kindred."

"True. Well, I will try to persuade Garan to go to the House of Eternity tomorrow night since we haven't seen you two for quite a while."

"Alright, that would be great. I'll save you a VIP table."

"Ok then, see you later. Bye for now!"

"Ok, bye bye!" Crystal hung up the phone and sat on the couch. She heard the door open and close and turned around to notice Garan walking in. "So how did things go?" she asked him as he plopped down next to her. "Not as I expected, but not bad either." He lay sideways and put his head in her lap. "I guess you're not going to tell me what you were doing huh?" she whined.

"I can't, I'm sorry."

"Gareth, do you trust me?" Garan sat up and gave her a strange look. "Of course, why would you ask such a question?"

"Nevermind…I want you to come with me to Eternity tonight. I talked to Danielle and she said she'll reserve a table for us."

"Sure, sounds good. Now we'd better get to sleep, dawn approaches."

Garan stood up, bent over and lifted her up in his arms. "Whoa!" she cried in shock. He grinned and carried her into the bedroom, gently placing her down on their bed. They drifted off to sleep snuggled up in each other's arms. At dusk they awoke. Crystal slipped into a long black strapless silk dress, with matching black heels, and checked her long reddish mane in the mirror. Garan put on black slacks with a black leather belt, black dress shoes, and a black button down shirt tucked in. Crystal eyed him, scrutinizing his outfit. "You need some color. Here, put on this light blue tie, it matches your eyes. Much better." He kissed her forehead and grabbed his car keys off the dresser as they headed out the door.

They entered the large glass foyer at the House of Eternity, showed their ids to the bouncer and walked straight to the back where Danielle was sitting with Marc. She saw them approaching and waved. Crystal ran ahead and hugged her. "Oh, I haven't seen you in so long!!!" she cried. Garan sauntered over to Marc's side of the table and greeted him with a handshake. "Long time no see man." Marc said.

"Yeah, it's been awhile. So how are you two? We haven't seen you much since that well…you know."

"Yeah…" Danielle motioned to the two extra chairs at the table. "Sit, sit!" Crystal and Garan both took seats across from Danielle and Marc. Crystal looked around amazed. "Wow, you redecorated the place!"

"Yes, I felt it necessary to update the look to my liking."

They sat upon mahogany chairs upholstered with indigo blue crushed velvet. The round tables had marble tops and sat on a single pedestal of mahogany; the carpeting at their feet was pitch black. An opalescent circular dance floor in the center of the room was bedecked with a huge Chinese dragon painted in the middle of it. Giant marble pillars were decorated with Chinese dragons and phoenixes bejeweled with rubies for eyes. The black tiled wall behind them held a single horizontal row of small cubes that were clear, filled with water, and each held a single black betta fish swimming around inside. Bright white light illuminated the cubes from behind. Wrought iron sconces adorned all of the walls, giving off a soft blue glow from the dark blue glass covers. On the far right wall was the bar, trimmed in blue neon lights. Danielle's paintings were hung all about the club.

"It's gorgeous! I love it!" Crystal gushed.

"Thank you." Danielle smiled. "Shall we go to the VIP section?"

"Yes, of course." Garan answered.

The group walked through a door in the back, entering a more lavishly decorated room, centered about a large marble fireplace. The face of the fireplace was carved with the same dragon and phoenix design that wrapped around the pillars in the main area, including the ruby eyes. There was a private mini bar at each Lucite table. The cylindrical base of each clear table was hollow, filled with water and small tropical fish. The chairs were red with a black lace overlay, and trimmed with Austrian crystals. This room was carpeted in black as well.

"Damn it! Why can't I find her?!" John cursed and slammed his fist against the table right next to his laptop, an Apple Powerbook. Denis stared at him and shook his head. "Dude, will you calm down?" The bright computer screen illuminated John's pale face in the dim room as he feverishly tapped away at the keys. "No, I can't understand why there isn't a trace of her existence left anymore. I tracked her all the way here, then suddenly all records of her just vanished? Someone is trying to hide her. I will find her, no matter what it takes." Denis collapsed into the reclining chair near the bed. "You shouldn't rely on that damned machine so much. We'll locate her the old fashioned way – espionage. The Camarilla must be keeping her for themselves."

"Fine, it's Bond time then." John said with a grin.

"Let's go."