The night. People always write about the night as something mysterious and mystical. The day has truths and light, the night has secrets and darkness. Well in Chinatown it probably has all that too but right now, on this evening, there are also flickering, red, neon lights, the smell of takeaway mingled with rotted fish and sweet herbs, the squawking of chickens coupled with the nonstop rush of traffic, and the endless chatter of a varied public mingling through stores and clubs. The day crowd hasn't quite given way to the night crowd yet. The schoolgirls are only just beginning to swap their pleated skirts for leather and their school books for cigarettes and fake ids. The vampires are only just beginning to waken.

There was an ever increasing odour of blood. It drew me back to the reality of the room I loitered in. I wanted to see the moon, I missed the moon but there were too many lights dancing outside the dirty window to see her and I feared what might look back in if I looked out too often.

I felt the Kindred stir. Who would be quickest? They were coming, answering to the evening call of the blood. Up the stairs in a blur to devour me. Yes, come, tear this one apart and free the minds from the shackles of the flesh. There's plenty for all. Can't resist the call of the crimson nectar when it comes first thing in the night.

I lay back with a smile and stretched out my wrists in waiting. Come, end it, end the fragile mortality, finish the madness and free me, us, him. The spider demands freedom from the child's web. The mad master screams for this one's death, a sacrifice for his liberty. He doesn't want it but captivity has made him crazier than ever. I understand that, imprisonment for with the Tzimisce did little for my sanity.

The door burst open and in they came. I felt a rush of air as the circled me with their shared unnatural speed. Everyone was here for supper except the wolf master and poor brother, no speed for the feral clan. Well they shouldn't witness this one's fate. The arrivals were still, exchanging glares as they challenged one another for the bloody bounty.

I watched as Kent came first before Isaac flung him back hard into a wall. Damsel tried to take advantage and sneak to me from behind the baron but he was too quick for her. The redhead went into another wall with a vicious snarl of protest. Isaac moved too swiftly for them and within a second his face was pressed close to mine- golden eyes hungering, searching, and lusting.

"Jesus Christ!" Kent exclaimed. "Isaac don't!"

The baron paused and to my frustration the hunger slipped away and all I saw was sorrow in his honeyed gaze. I scowled back at him before sitting up and thrusting my wrists out to him with a scream. "Take it! Take it all! Take it now!"

Isaac looked back at me with horror before he withdrew from my bloody stains with a shudder. "Ariadne what did you do?" he demanded.

"We need free! Too many voices trapped in one body! It hurts my head! We need out! He needs out!" I shouted back as I continued to shake my wrists at him sending bloody droplets all over the floor.

Damsel moved to me again but Rob's strong hands reached out and snatched her back from behind as he charged into the room. "NO!" he roared at her as his eyes blazed and his fangs arched just above her head warningly.

The redhead hissed and struggled in his grasp briefly before she shook her head and recoiled into his chest. "Sorry," she whispered as she winced, "but it's a strong smell."

"I know," Rob muttered as he turned his disapproving gaze upon me. "Sarah what the hell did you do to yourself?"

"The voices want released, a human cannot hold them," I murmured. "The spiders wants the old children awake, he tried to feed them with this one, two birds, no," I smiled and shook my head, "four chained birds and this one with broken wings, five birds and one bloody stone. The spider needs free of his mortal child's bonds."

"What spider?" Isaac demanded in frustration. "What birds? Who do you mean?" His eyes purposely avoided my wrists and kept their stare on my pallid face instead.

I smiled back hatefully before raising my wrists to smear the blood about my face.

They all hissed then, too close to the edge with their thirst.

"Where the fuck is Romero?" Kent demanded. He was on his feet once more, not a hair out of place as he hung back against the wall, grey eyes dancing from me to Isaac to Rob.

"My head hurt and hurt and hurt, it's cracking you see and it will split to let the voices out," I babbled. "He locked the door, must stay in while he gets tablets for the pain but the head won't stop swelling, the voices will make it burst."

"You exploited his concern for you," Isaac remarked disapprovingly as he arched a greyish-brown eyebrow.

"Bark for your master poet slut," I murmured, "down on your knees and enjoy the pain. The things the flesh moulders can make you do. He kept the voices quiet sweet, vile Valyrion, he overpowered them, too much screaming to hear them."

"Can I not silence them still?" Isaac queried woefully. He returned before me, crouched down and reached out one hand to stroke my blood smeared right cheek.

I shut my eyes and shuddered at his touch. "You soothed them once a long, long time ago but then the nightmares became real and the voices did too. Too long a Ghoul whore for the Sabbat, too long a mortal for the voices to invade, the mortal mind is too weak and they will not be silenced!" I felt the tears come with my words, slowly trickling down my cheeks to mix with the blood.

Isaac tried to wipe away a tear and his fingers became stained with my blood. He froze up with the gesture and withdrew his fingers slowly, looking to them with a disturbing hunger.

"Taste it," I begged him, "just a drop and then, if it pleases, have the rest and set the voices free."

My baron obeyed, licking at his two fingers slowly whilst the others watched on, transfixed in their longing.

I closed my eyes and sagged with relief, he had sampled it, and it was done. He could not resist the rest; the call was surely too close and too strong.

"This is quite a performance you have put on Ariadne," Isaac remarked calmly.

My eyes opened and I looked to him in surprise. He lowered his hand and looked back to me with only grief, no bloodlust.

Isaac gave me a pitying smile. "I have been around for a very long time," he said softly, "do you truly think I have not mastered the lure of the blood call? I have not frenzied in over eighty years and even the temptation of blood first thing in the evening is not going to sway me."

I shook my head woefully. "The voice wants the blood gone, he thinks it will free him from me and perhaps it will free me too."

The Baron made to pull me close but then his gaze fell on my bloodstains and he paused. The Toreador did not like the mess. "We'll clean you up," he said gently. "I'll get a towel." He was up and out of the room before I could respond, bypassing a curious Beckett in a blur.

Kent was quick to replace the Baron's spot. I smiled at the replacement; Kent was younger and weaker than the Baron. I smeared the blood about myself anew, rubbing it across my throat and chest before I soaked my face again. "I'm dirty Kent," I said with a grin, "help me be clean again."

Rob yelled and Damsel snarled as Kent obeyed. Damsel's bloodlust was too much for Rob and he could not release her to come and stop Kent. Kent's tongue moved round me rapidly, lapping up the blood promptly from my pale cheeks. It lingered over my throat slightly and I felt his fangs press against the skin before he resisted the urge to bite. He seized my right wrist in his hand, drawing it up before his face in a grasp tight enough to bruise before he lapped around it quickly.

The poet halted and tilted his head up slightly as he swallowed hard. His eyes remained grey as they looked my way eagerly as my blood ran down his exposed white throat. "Is that to your satisfaction?" he queried hoarsely. "Or shall I take more?"

"More," the voice answered through me. I felt so tired and heavy, too much had leaked out of me anyway. Unless the wolf master sought to replace it I had only a little to spare before a sable coma engulfed me.

Kent nodded as he released my wrist. He seized my left wrist and licked hard about it, cleaning the stains before sucking close at the wound. Only when he dropped it too did I realise that the bleeding had slowed.

My eyes narrowed in revulsion before I curled my hands into fists and slammed them hard against his chest. "You finish it! You finish it!" I shrieked at him.

Kent was still as I beat at his chest and wrinkled his $200 grey shirt. It did not last long; I was too weak and succumbed quickly to a dizzy spell. I slumped against him and he embraced me tightly. "It's alright," he murmured softly.

"It's not! It's not! I don't know how to make it stop! The Malkavian could control the voices but I can't! I can't! With Ariadne there was balance, sense in the madness, madness in the sense but no longer!"

Kent squeezed me gently before ruffling my dark hair. "It's only been a few days," he reminded me, "you must give it time Ari...Sarah."

"See!" I snapped. "You don't even know who I am!"

"You're who you have always been, it doesn't matter which name you choose to use, you are still you," I heard Isaac answer from somewhere nearby. Had he watched our dramatic scene?

"You can't make the spider stop; nothing makes it stop," I retorted hotly, "not even mortality."

"We've dealt with worse," Kent assured me.

"We defeated the burning child," Isaac recalled.

"I was thinking more of the time she decided to sneak to the sewers to paint pink bunnies all over Gary's sleeping quarters and swap all his clothes for petticoats," Kent murmured. "I really didn't think that sewer trash was going to let that go."

I smiled as I thought of that, yes I remembered the rat king, I had often had such fun with his ugly followers, playing video games in the sewers.

"Might I help undo some of this damage?" Beckett's droll voice rang out.

I turned to the right and stared up at him angrily. He stood as calm as ever with his right hand bare and extended out in offering. "No, no more foreign blood," I grumbled, "no more voices and masters."

"You need it young one, you've lost too much," Beckett retorted sternly.

I clenched tightly at Kent's shirt with both hands and sucked in a breath as I fought against the instinctive nature to obey Beckett. "Good," I answered stubbornly to Kent's shirt, "then the freedom will come."

"Kid don't be like that," Kent chided. "Much as I don't want you drinking any more blood of the furball variety Beckett's right, you do need it."

Beckett gave a low, scoffing grunt at the term 'furball'.

I continued to shake my head. "No! Never free, one collar for another, no freedom, I want to be left alone!"

Kent sighed before pushing me back slightly and giving me a tired smile. "It's barely moonup, little early for you to be such a pain in the ass hmm? How about we make a deal kid? You take the blood and promise to stop hurting yourself and we'll go to the park."

"Yeah, save the melodrama for the Toreadors," Rob grumbled.

"It's only temporary Ariadne," Isaac commented with a pleading look as he moved to stand beside Kent and just opposite Beckett. "Once your body is healed to the point that it can survive without a Kindred's blood then you can stop being a Ghoul. Of course that's only going to happen if you stop wounding yourself," he added sternly.

"The voice insists," I murmured, "cuts for silence, blood for liberty. Wake up the Aralu and please the spider, the first master for this lowly fly."

"Wake up the what?" Beckett queried sharply.

"Daddy called me mad," I murmured unhappily, "but daddy didn't know some of the voices were real."

"You said Aralu," Beckett remarked seriously, "why?"

"Why does she say anything?" Kent grumbled moodily. "Hurry up and make with the blood."

"What in the hell happened here?" Romero had returned.

I watched as Rob squared up to the zombie fighter immediately, poking him hard in the chest with one hand and a snarl. "You left her you fool and she cut herself!"

"Now Robert," Isaac chided, "Ariadne admitted she deceived Romero into thinking she was suffering so that he would get her aid."

Rob turned a furious glower on Isaac and shook his hands out as he snapped back, "it's Rob and she is Sarah! God damn it will you get it right you senile asshole!"

Kent snickered before he could help himself and made a point of keeping his stare down on me when Isaac's golden gaze fell on him disapprovingly.

Romero let out a weary sigh before setting down his paper bags and scratching his head with his right hand. "I'm not a babysitter," he commented to Rob dryly, "and she was crying in pain, if she faked it well shit I'm sorry but she put on a pretty believable performance."

"No deception," I murmured, "the voices make my head sore, too much noise sometimes and all that pushing, it's overcrowded."

"She will faint soon," Beckett pointed out, "so let's cease the delaying shall we?" He crouched before me, nipped his wrist and held it out beneath my chin.

I turned from him and burrowed my head into Kent with a whimper of protest.

"Stop being stubborn kid," Kent chided. "I'll let you feed the ducks if you drink the blood."

"Ducks?" Romero echoed curiously.

"I want geese," I grumbled into Kent, "they have the golden eggs and sometimes sticky feathers."

"Well sure, we'll feed the geese then," he muttered.

"Liar, there's no geese in that park," I retorted crossly. There was a ringing in my ears now and I knew my vision my dimming, though admittedly it was hard to tell given it was dark against Kent anyway.

"Shit what did you ask for then?" he snarled back angrily.

"There are probably plenty of geese around here somewhere," Damsel remarked tiredly.

"None living I'm sure," Beckett retorted dryly.

"Really helpful you two, honestly, I don't know what we'd do without you pair," Kent sneered sarcastically.

"Hey I was trying to help!" Damsel protested. "The mangy dog is the one who said they were dead!"

Beckett's red eyes flashed with anger at Damsel's words though he did not protest them. "Young one you are close to a faint, I can sense it," he scolded as he frowned at me. "The blood is only temporary, now drink."

I turned obediently, ready to be the good Ghoul yet again and wavered towards the pallid limb. "No!" I snapped as I shut my eyes and recoiled. "No more control, please!" My eyes leaked again and I scowled, they needed better plumbing.

"It's a small price to pay to keep you alive and healing," Isaac remarked quietly, "and Beckett's control will be limited."

"I have already said I do not seek to be your master," Beckett chimed up. "I only gave you my blood to keep you from the grave, not to control you."

"Alright, alright," Kent interrupted. He gripped my head with one hand and tilted it up so that I was facing him. "I know what you want kid." He grinned down at me proudly with a glimmer of mischief in his dove grey eyes. "There's a sandpit at the park, you want to build sandcastles?"

I opened my mouth to say 'no' but my tongue betrayed me and no sound came out. I narrowed my eyes as I felt them fill with rage and then I scowled. Finally I cursed and tried to jerk back from the dark haired Toreador but alas he was quicker and had me restrained. It made me miss my vampire strength; I was at a terrible advantage as a Kine amongst Kindred. "That's not fair!" I protested. "My main weakness! No, not fair! You don't even have a bucket!"

"I can get one," Kent retorted stubbornly as he sneered down at me. "Anything to end this nonsense. Now, it's settled, you take Beckett's blood or there are no sandcastles."

"She's not four," Rob scolded.

I turned away from Kent though his grasp remained upon my shoulders. I looked instead to Beckett's still waiting limb and sighed. "Fine, I'll drink the blood," I gave in.

Beckett held his wrist up to my lips and I tentatively stuck out my tongue to his wound with a shudder. Of course once I tasted it I couldn't resist it was so sweet and seductive. It drew me in against my will and once more I was a slave to the vampire blood. Beckett pulled back after a couple of minutes and patted me on the head almost as an afterthought. "You did well," he praised quietly. At his words I felt a prickle of pride though I tried to ignore it, certain it was only a sign of his growing control over me.

Kent released me at last and helped me to my feet. I wanted to shake off his help but I was wobbly as I rose and didn't yet have the strength to push him away.

"There'd better be sandcastles and ducks," I growled at him.

Kent sighed dramatically in answer before rolling his eyes. "Sure kid," he answered reluctantly, "but first I've got to feed, in fact I'm certain we all do."

"Not me," Rob snarled, "I'm not leaving her alone."

"I'd like to say she won't be alone but I feel I'm just walking into an obvious trap with that one," Romero grumbled.

"You mean because I might say that you left her alone and she damn near died?" Rob retorted heatedly. "Because you did!"

"Yeah, something like that," Romero retorted bitingly, still unflinching despite Rob's close proximity to him.

"It wasn't his fault Rob," I said sincerely, "my headaches were awful and I did beg him for help."

"He should've known better than to leave," Rob grunted back but his voice was quieter now.

"You didn't hear my screams of agony or see the tears," I pointed out softly.

Rob glanced over at me with worry and shook his head. "Shit Sarah you're human again why can't you just..." He trailed off, uncertain what to say.

"Be normal?" I suggested quietly. "I wish I could Rob but I've never been a normal human."

"Nor should you be," Isaac remarked sternly, "your abnormality is part of your charm. Now, those bloodstains."

I finally noticed the damp cloth in his right hand and broke from Kent to walk up to Isaac. I stood still and allowed Isaac to scrub me clean. He was quick but gentle, offering an approving murmur as he noted how my wounds had already started to heal. "Don't do it again," he pleaded as he dabbed the cloth on my nose.

"I'll try," I promised, "but it is the strongest voice that gets obeyed."

"Well let it be my voice," he begged, "let it silence the other voices again." He leaned down and kissed me tenderly on the lips.

I closed my eyes and welcomed the kiss, leaning up to respond as he wrapped one hand about my waist. I felt a rush of warmth and joy with the gesture as I recalled the many tender moments between the baron and I.

He pulled back and said, "right we need to feed, you'll be safe with Romero."

I nodded. "Yes, I'll wait for the sandcastles," I assured. "Oh perhaps the fishy might be lingering in the pond with the ducks!" I exclaimed brightly.

"The fishy? Why the hell would one fish be different to the others?" Damsel pondered wearily. "The pond is probably full of fish."

"Why must you ask?" Kent groaned as he threw his head up in the air dramatically. "Now we're probably going to get a long story about fairies seeking their lost prince who's been turned into a fish or some shit."

"Tis the junior samurai seeking revenge for her master actually," I retorted with a grin, "the fairies' prince is actually a frog but he might be there too!"

"That would be a very crowded pond," Beckett murmured sardonically with a slight smirk.

"The junior samurai," Kent repeated as his gaze narrowed in suspicion. "Wait a minute." He pointed at me accusingly. "Where were you today?" he demanded. He whirled round to glower at Romero. "Where did you take her for lunch?"

Romero let out a laboured sigh. "Trying to keep zombies from chewing my brains out was definitely easier than this," he grumbled. "She wanted noodles Kent and she got them from a schoolgirl with a sword who apparently is here to kill a demon that killed her master."

"She thinks I'm a demon!" Kent snapped. "I warned you about her!"

"You are a demon," Romero mocked, "and she already assured us she has no interest in you providing you don't threaten to shoot her," he added pointedly.

"She had a frigging samurai sword!" Kent retorted as he clapped a hand against his chest dramatically. "I was merely defending myself!"

"We're friends now!" I chirped up. "If I find the fishy one she will help me."

"Help you with what?" Kent demanded. "No wait," he protested with a wave of his right hand, "forget I asked, it's not going to make sense anyway. Shit I'm too hungry for this, we'll talk about it later." He pointed at Romero once more with an accusing glare. "Bad Ghoul!" he scolded with a wag of finger.

Romero rewarded Kent by sticking his middle finger up at him. "As always, fuck you Kent," he retorted calmly.

Isaac sighed this time. "Please try to be more eloquent with yours swears," he pleaded, "it does little for my reputation."

Romero shrugged. "Please go forth and fuck thyself Kent," he suggested wryly with a taunting twinkle in his olive eyes.

Damsel and I both giggled whilst Kent fumed and Isaac just stared up at the ceiling in despair.

Isaac's stare returned to me once more. "We won't be long," he assured.

I nodded back reassuringly. "I'll be good for the sandcastles," I promised.

Isaac and Kent departed first. Beckett looked at me warningly and said, "do behave yourself young one." With those words he left, deliberately ignoring the scowl Rob offered him.

"Come on Rob she'll be okay," Damsel said as she tugged on Rob's hand.

Rob gave Romero another glare before allowing the Brujah to tug him outside.

"Peace at last," Romero mused as he shut the door. "So, do you need the painkillers or has Beckett's blood done its job?"

"The pain has eased with the crimson nectar," I assured.

"Good." Romero picked up the paper bags and headed towards the kitchen with them.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. "It's hard dealing with the voices in this human shell."

"I know kitten," Romero answered calmly, "but you've got to try." He halted and looked at me with a guilty expression. "Is it because I told you to fight the blood control?"

My eyes widened and I shook my head in hasty protest. "No! This was the doing of the master on the web; he believes he will have freedom in my final death. Don't blame yourself. It gets hard with the voices, overcrowded and confusing, too many masters and not enough minions. It was easier when I was a part of the web, more string to carry the burden."

Romero nodded though I could tell he didn't really understand.

"Will you come to build sandcastles?" I queried hopefully.

He cracked a small smile at this. "Of course kitten, I wouldn't miss it for the world and we both know Kent's shit at it, you'll need me there.

I smiled and nodded back happily.