The group of fashionably dressed poets and artists had assembled once more in Isaac's abode, looking as moody and tortured as ever. Only Ginger kept a smile on her face, an attempt to lighten the atmosphere perhaps, though her teeth sadly did not glow and so her efforts were wasted.

"They were taken from outside my club!" Ash snarled. "Now the place is crawling with hunters, I had to sneak away. Although I'm not sure a confrontation with them really would bother me, perhaps I can end it all with them in a blaze of glory."

"Or just wind up with a messy end becoming a literal pile of ash," Kent sneered.

"Ash," Isaac looked at him with a tender gold gaze.

Ash stared back coldly. "What's the point?" he lamented. "I'm a star reduced to running a club and now even that is under threat."

"What was her name?" V.V queried curiously. "Were there any clues?"

Ash shrugged carelessly, putting on his usual air of contempt. "Her friends say she disappeared behind the club, down an alleyway, they don't know how and they didn't see anyone near the area or find any trace of her. They said she was too drunk to have wandered far on her own but who knows?"

Ah now why did this sound familiar? "Maybe Peter Pan took her?" I suggested. "Hmmm forever young and he can fly, is he Kindred? He is isn't he? Can I go to Neverland then?" I squealed excitedly.

I got the usual eye roll from Alex, whose gaze I been avoiding until now, the typical dismissive glower from V.V and the 'what the Hell is wrong with you' glance from Kent. Ash was looking at me suspiciously though, now what was firespawn going to accuse me of this time? Trading thimbles for shadows? Imploring fairies to kidnap girls? Ah was Tink one of the fey that whispered to me then? Yes that would make sense, perhaps it was what they wanted me to do, to find Peter and fly to Neverland and fight pirates.

"Her name was Wendy," Ash stated flatly, "but how could you know that?" Everyone was looking at me questioningly now.

"Will I get a million dollars if I answer?" I queried hopefully.

"Ariadne what do you know?" Isaac demanded softly.

"Down a sewer, taken, too quick for me," I mused.

"Nosferatu," V.V muttered with disgust.

"Must be," Alex was quick to agree, "what self respecting Toreador would go down a sewer?"

"One trying to throw the dogs off the scent," I suggested merrily with a smile.

Kent shuddered. "Wouldn't be worth it," he commented sincerely. "All that filth, the stench, the rats and worse, you might run into those ugly bastards."

"Either way the Nosferatu must know something if our killer entered their domain," V.V said confidently.

"Unless it was a once off retreat to avoid being spotted by Kindred," Kent retorted as he flickered his grey gaze over at me and then Ash. "Perhaps they sensed Ariadne or Ash nearby, panicked and fled down a sewer."

"Can't be one of us then," Alex said with fresh conviction, "we're known for our speed, not our hiding."

"A false trail set," I remarked gleefully, "a cunning foe, a trickster with a grudge for Nosferatu?"

Isaac looked at me carefully and made a 'hmm' sound before speaking. "Well Hollywood has been searched and no one's found any mad Toreadors or any mad Kindred for that matter."

"Even King's Way was clean," Alex muttered. "Such a trek to get up there."

"Hardly for one of us, lazy," Kent scorned him.

"So either our killer is very good at hiding or they must have their domain in the only place we haven't looked," Isaac commented, "the sewers."

I giggled as the Toreadors shuddered at the thought of their precious hair and clothes becoming stained in the sewers. Such prim things these Kindred were, they missed out on so much in their attempt to stay clean. Down there were rat kings, goblins, lost ninja treasure and the lost trail of the Pied Piper and his kidnapped brood, the sewers were a maze that put Jareth's kingdom to shame, Ali Baba's cave was probably down there somewhere and if one went deep enough, perhaps they might find an entrance to Atlantis. I trembled with excitement when one of my voices reminded me of the rose. The deliberate mark of the Toreador. "Why would the Toreador leave his mark on the body?" I wondered aloud. "They want us to know their clan and yet now they want to deceive us with parlour tricks beneath sewer rims."

"Or the rose was the trick," Alex suggested, "to fool us into thinking that the killer was a Toreador when it's a crafty Nosferatu after all."

I did not think so, in the hat man's mind it had been an exquisite work of beauty amongst the gore with extreme attention to detail, the kind only an artist would possess and whilst perhaps some Nosferatu might have been an artist in life, only a Toreador would possess the discipline to sit and carve such detailed work onto someone's flesh.

"That would seem more likely, that or you imagined the whole thing," Ash sneered at me, "and led us on a wild goose chase."

"Goose chase? Where is this goose? Why haven't we caught it yet?" I demanded. "Is it the golden goose? Can we take its golden eggs or will people stick to its feathers?"

"Oh Malk," Kent groaned, "you really are mad. You probably did imagine the rose." He looked to Isaac imploringly. "So, are we to search the sewers then? You know how difficult that will be."

"I can't," Ash spoke up quickly, "the hunters are already suspicious of me, if I try to leave my club again, especially to go down a sewer of all things, then they will be convinced."

"Oh but I thought you were ready to go down in a blaze of glory?" Alex taunted him.

"It would be fitting for you dead phoenix," I enthused.

"Ash is right," V.V spoke up, "the hunters are in my club too, it is becoming difficult to escape them without detection and I fear all they are doing in eliminating their suspects and drawing the net closer."

"Well if these killings don't stop then the hunters will only grow more numerous and more eager to take action," Ginger Swan pointed out with a stern glance about the room.

"Will the pretty swan glide down the sewers?" I queried curiously. "You could probably swim better down there than the others."

Isaac gave me a glower and frowned, I merely smiled back at him. I thought it was a valid point, swans were strong swimmers and there was a lot of water in the sewers, murky water with kelpies lurking underneath ready to pull unsuspecting Kindred down for dinner. "We will all go," he ordered, "if it is the Nosferatu at work then they must learn that the Baron of Hollywood is not one to be trifled with so easily."

"It's too dangerous," V.V whined, "and filthy, and who will look after things here if we all go underground?"

"It's probably what the Nosferatu want," Kent reasoned, "it could be a trap. What if they and the Prince are in cahoots, what if they did take the Ventrue on his majesty's orders so that the Anarchs could be framed and blamed for it? I agree Isaac that the sewers need to be investigated, especially if the most recent victim was taken into them but we can't all go."

"Are you volunteering?" Alex queried brightly.

"How about you two go?" Ginger suggested. "You are a formidable pair and some teamwork might suit you."

Both of them scowled at the blonde whilst I had to privately agree with her, loathe as I was to. Alex and Kent were cute together and so very amusing.

"I like that plan," V.V agreed with a wide smile and a chuckle.

Ash nodded as well. "Me too, you two go and V.V and I will continue to watch the streets."

"I thought you were occupied with hunters in your club?" Alex questioned dryly. "Couldn't risk leaving and all that?"

Ash maintained a cool expression as he answered calmly, "well yes but it is club goers who are the most likely to become victims, they are vulnerable and out at night."

"He's right," V.V said cheerfully, immune to Alex and Kent's heavy scowls.

"I will see you both rewarded for it," Isaac promised.

"There's no killer with the sewer rats," I murmured, "well no artistic killer, Ventrue maybe but no rose petals."

"Well since you can't suggest any other path to follow it's the best we can do," Ash snapped at me. "Though I think you're wrong about the killer being a Toreador, in fact I think you still warrant suspicion. It was probably you who made the Ventrue disappear on LaCroix's orders."

"Ash," Isaac spoke up warningly, "that is enough."

Ash shrugged. "Well I am returning to what is left of my club though my patrons are fewer now, there is so little left for me to enjoy." He turned in his usual dramatic manner and headed out the door.

"I'm going to feed," I decided. The night was growing late and I was growing thirstier, I had supped briefly on a young male's neck with Isaac earlier in the night but that seemed like nights ago now. Besides, I had grown bored with the conversation and the Toreadors' blindness, they were simply to proud to think so lowly of one of their own. Silly peacocks, even dearest Isaac was happier to accuse the ugly sewage masters than one maddened artist.

"Do be careful about it," Kent drawled.

"Do you want company?" Alex asked.

I looked to him and shook my head, after Samantha I did not think I wanted to hunt with the redhead for a while. I still could not recall how I had left his side and gone to murder poor misguided Sam but I remembered his words, his warning of the Masquerade, he had planted the idea in me though much as I racked about my minds looking for pot and seed I could not find them.

Alex looked dismayed and hurt shone in his green eyes, it was a slight he would recover from though.

"Watch out for overgrown pet crocodiles and mutant goldfish," I warned them both happily before escaping into a cool Hollywood night.

I went to the Red Spot first, hoping to lure some shopper away but their minds were too foggy for my Dementation to penetrate and when I caused one to hallucinate bunnies he did not seem disturbed by it. I frowned, sometimes I enjoyed competing with their already riddled minds but tonight I was feeling lazy. I contemplated going to The Asp Hole to bug Ash but considered after last night's disappearance that the customers there would probably be fewer. The Vesuvius would probably have more Kine to choose from but I usually got thrown out of there for trying to play in the lava and the dancers never wanted to do any fun dance moves like the conga or the Macarena.

So I wandered, not far, pausing outside that delightful Italian restaurant. I lingered near, waiting patiently for some rich customer to leave so that I could satiate on their warm, pulsing blood. People who had recently dined and drank always tasted better, their blood was somehow more energetic even though they were relaxed, and it was flavoured with richness, tingled with the sugars and spices they had savoured.

As I waited my eyes were drawn to the towering Chinese theatre across from me. It had been abandoned for a while now, its formidable, gold gates and red circle and gold sun patterned walls a deterrent to the Kine but not to sweet old me. The theatre was an uncomfortable point of topic for Isaac, he had grumbled about some unwanted mischief within it and some limbs lost on account of it but he refused to go into details alas. I wondered if perhaps I might find a box of limbs within, and maybe something more. It was enough of a deterrent to keep most Kindred away but naturally that just encouraged my curiosity and I found myself creeping towards it.

I wrapped my fingers about the golden bars and leaned close, peering up at the dark building with its curved jade rooftops, red columns and neglected, dying trees. The single visible window had a faint glow coming from it, though it was hard to see beneath the strands of wild ivy. Perhaps a fire demon within or maybe a pixie? I grinned and slinked off round the side, this was certainly enough to interest at least three of minds.

Of course I had considered exploring it before but been ordered away by Isaac and cautioned by Alex, who had muttered something about 'those damn Tremere', was magic at work here then? Spells, potions and warlocks? Was I witnessing the glow of the vapours of a cauldron? How delightful! I looked along the wall for a gap I could slink through or a foothold and was delighted when I found a chip near the back, enough for my foot to step into, with another above for a hand to grasp. So with effort I boosted myself onto the top of the wall, then hurried along it, springing on the roof lithely like a magnificent cat burglar.

"Meow!" I purred enthusiastically before I attempted to manoeuvre down. Then all grace was lost as I slipped on a loose tile and tumbled down the roof, falling through the window with an impressive crash. Glass shattered loudly on the floor and I barely had time to right myself on the balcony I had landed upon before a loud thud told me I was not alone.

There, just below was a mighty giant of stone with a monkey face, and a helmet with long ears and spikes. Fancy having to carve ears into your helmet, was it compensating for something?

"Who trespasses?" it snarled. "Invader I will crush you!" It turned its head up towards me, proving that apparently stone did have a sense of smell. It just proved that my pet rock did have feelings after all, just as I had always claimed.

I stood up and dusted myself down before looking at the towering behemoth, was this a gargoyle then? But where were its wings? This thing was dressed in samurai armour made of stone, a welcome sight but somehow disappointing. "Er I come in peace?" I called backed quietly. This guy looked a little big to be challenging and a three legged crow who had taken up residence in the rafters cawed a warning at me.

"Peace? You kind does not know peace! Always scheming, lying, you are a curse on this earth!" He swung his fist and I found myself crashing to the floor as half of the balcony was obliterated beneath me. I mustered all of my Obfuscating strength as I struggled out from the splinters and rubble just as the fist came down again, missing me by inches but ruining my failed attempt to hide.

"I swear I've no qualms with you stony!" I tried to reassure him. "I'm just an innocent explorer! A theatre lover like you, can't we be friends?"

"Friends with abominations? No such thing! Do not act like this is the first time you've come here! That scent, this place is full of it, Kindred always sneaking in here, underlings of the Tremere sent to destroy me! I've caught you now though!"

"Well that is interesting," I murmured, "because this really is my first visit. Hmm perhaps you speak of the limbless ones?"

"What? The minions before, the pretty smelling ones? No you are different, that scent of yours is poisonous, it lingers in the back rooms, you hide there where I cannot get through! Deceivers, trying to set a trap for me!" He swung for me again and I jumped back. He was quick though, I looked to the front doors that lay behind him and wondered if I could make it through to them, would they even be open? He charged with a roar and I turned and fled, backwards it was then. Ah there, a single door, human sized mercifully! I raced towards it, whilst pondering what it was gargoyles were weak to- sunlight, water? Hmm, wasn't that green faced witches?

I ran to the right side of the stairs and forced myself into the door, not trusting it to be unlocked. I hit it with a painful bang but thankfully it gave way. I found myself flying forward as the gargoyle's stone head followed after me, cracking the wall, shattering the doorframe and sending me past cobwebbed chairs and a dusty floor. I landed with a grunt and then stood up once more, turning back to smile at the red eyed head that struggled to free itself.

"Sorry stony!" I called back before looking ahead to the forgotten wooden stage. My, my, this was a big place. I wondered what might be hidden through those doors behind the stage and underneath it, perhaps some forgotten scripts and costumes? Oh what fun I could have playing dress-up! I ran up the formerly red carpet, wary of the eyes of the golden dragons on the walls watching me, somehow I just knew they came to life.

It was beautiful in a decrepit way with gold and crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, dragons and phoenixes patterning the seats, motifs of Chinese warriors and women upon the walls mixed in with tigers and long tailed birds. Of course the paint was faded and chipped and I wondered if perhaps I was eyeing the memory of it rather than reality, ah well memories were sometimes better. Of course Sarah Grey was an exception that, an art student in Santa Monica, friend of Samantha, best to ignore her, best to leave her dead, and yet she was always there nagging in one mind or another.

I climbed over scratched railings and onto the stage. "And then the moon, like to a silver bow New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night," I called out loudly, giggling as my voice echoed through the empty theatre. Ah I would have made a grand performer! I looked to the seats where curious fey watched me from and bowed to them before turning and running to a door on the left.

I wandered through several corridors of dressing rooms and prop rooms but found only empty rails, cracked mirrors, broken brushes and just one forgotten hat, a dusty, green Robin Hood styled affair, which I promptly placed onto my head. I smiled and greeted the rodents and insects I passed as I wandered back and forth, filling with dismay and disappointment. I finally found a locked door leading downstairs and made short work of its rusted lock with my trusting lock pick and clever negotiating with the imp who lived inside.

At last the door swung open to a dark and dusty room and low moans met my curious ears. Ah there was the scent of blood in the air, fresh, warm blood, sweet nectar, longed for life giving liquid but where was the source? I let out a low growl of hunger and scanned the room, searching for the answer. I sniffed the air, followed the faint, enticing whiffs, down, down, ah a trapdoor but of course! This was the theatre! Hmm perhaps a bloodied phantom dwelled down there? I was quieter and more careful with this lock, best not to frighten the poor phantom. It unhooked easily and I lifted it up silently. The scent grew stronger, my vision turned red, I had neglected my feeding for too long, so I charged blindly down with a snarl of hunger.

Ah Kine and Kindred mixed together, cries of pain and alarm, a fist in the darkness, a snarl, blood, blood, blood, blood.

"Irritating foresight," the maddened snarl in a voice that was almost familiar.

My vision flickered between red and black.

'And then the moon, like to a silver bow
New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night' quote courtsey of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare.

Apologies this chapte has taken so long, I did it all today, just had to keep going with it until it was finished. Been busy editing other stories and other stuff, but I shall try harder to update sooner. Anyway, almost ready to reveal the killer woo! Perhaps it's a surprise, perhaps not, I'm hoping there will be some surprise with the revelations! Getting quite fond of writing Alex and Kent, they make quite the funny pair for me. Got to have some more broody Ash, I always had a soft spot for him in the game.