I awoke as the sun went down and found myself Kentless. I rose from the bed and went to the windows, flinching slightly as I looked out at the crimson tinged rays of the dying sun and let them singe my flesh. Had the poor artist become ash, caught up in seduction to the point of losing sanctuary or had he simply taken roost elsewhere? I frowned and shrank away from the window, why did the creative rebel slink away from my presence? Had one of my personas annoyed him? Perhaps it was his scarf I had stolen and turned into a pirate bandana or maybe he was still huffing over having lost I Spy to me. My voices and I pondered the potential slights as I slipped out of the room and into the cool corridor. The fleet footed god was home, I could hear his heavy, quick gasps through the door as I strode past, coupled with the feigned, high pitched groans of a red dressed hooker.
The hunter of chocolate coated coconut and other strange delights was at home too, murmuring to some unseen voice. Ah a kindred spirit perhaps? I considered it as I continued down the corridor slowly, giving the sun time to set. When I exited out to the murky, brown skies and grey streets dusk was just beginning and Apollo was all but gone. Drink, blood, nourishment. The voices demanded I satisfy my carnal needs before considering anything else. I started to walk, glimpsing about at the passersby, grinning when they looked back as I wondered who would offer the sweetest nectar.
There was music in the air, shaking through its stone holdings, the sirens of rock calling out to me and the many youthful Goths, punks, emos and rockers who wandered towards the crazed building that sent out the call. We were but moths to a flame, drifting forwards to this club, wanting to resist and yet wanting to satisfy our curiosity, learn what was within. Madness, memories, a voice warned. I ignored it though, tempted by the silky call from one within who was caught in the same web I was. Ah what secrets we could trade, she would give me clarity, she would give me warmth and softness, help heal the emptiness Isaac had left.
Isaac, ah my Baron, so far away, my minds were unstable without him, they needed his firm but tender leash to rein them in. I was dancing too close to oblivion without him, the urge to just give into it all and lose...lose what? Myself or myselves? Ah there was something there, something that held us back, kept us tethered to this cold, dark world.
I stepped through the doors and all my senses were attacked. Hearts pounded loudly in here, almost in rhythm to the loud roar of the guitar and shriek of the sirens, blood raced through veins wildly, tinted with alcohol and spurred on my adrenaline. I felt dizzy, I was thirsty, yes solve that problem first and then the mystery of the mad. I staggered to the bar and caught the nonplussed gaze of its large, fat and bald guard. A Cyclops that had found an extra eye, yes but of course there would be supernatural guards in this disturbing haven.
"Get something for you chief?" he growled at me.
"Ah you are painted," I marvelled at the dark swirls that covered half his face, his chest, his shoulders and arms. "Symbols to ward off the evil doers yes? Do they cover all your body or were you perhaps held back by your heel when dipped in these paints?"
"What? Are you serious?" he snapped at me. "Look I don't know what is you're after but I don't think we sell it here, in fact I know we don't."
"Ah," I said knowingly with a nod, "so they give you foresight, such a gift." A growl ran through my stomach and I turned from him, I wanted something more pleasant to drink from. My gaze lingered on a redhead frowning at her phone. I wandered over to her slowly and waited until she looked up from the phone, finally noticing my stare.
"Can I help you?" There was a hint of annoyance in her youthful voice.
"The doctor cancelled your appointment?" I queried curiously. "A shame, for him perhaps, you're too lovely to be left alone for too long. A rare beauty in an otherwise grim place."
She looked at me in puzzlement, her green gaze softening slightly at my words. "How do you know about Malcolm?" she queried softly, with a slight edge to her voice.
"The name of the betrayer matters not," I commented dismissively. "His loss, my fortuitous gain, and I count myself as lucky as a leprechaun to be melding words with you."
"Hmm..." I could see the spark in her eyes that hinted at contemplation. Yes the doctor had wounded her terribly, how strange for one meant to be a healer.
I leaned close to her, letting my undead powers tinge my words with a seduction she could not resist. It would not matter what I said she would come to me. "Let us meld something more," I murmured.
She closed her eyes slightly and nodded. I gripped her close and sank my fangs into her neck, must try to be...hmm how did Ash put it? Not so damn fucking obvious, yes that was his colourful expression. Must be more subtle, can't anger the masked Camarilla, LaCroix was already unhappy with me, best not give my dear jester an excuse.
This club, Sarah wasn't fond of it but there was nowhere better to go in Santa Monica. She had come here often, lingered through the night like a bad smell hoping to catch the attention of a wannabe pooch boy with strange hair. Ah I thought I understood, Sarah wanted to put a lead on that boy's collar, and have him by her side. Samantha had laughed at it, told her it was pointless but she had come out anyway. Come here...yes we had been here, me, Sarah, Samantha, Moon Boy, Alex, what a busy night. And another, yes another! That pretty smile, those gentle, mad eyes, Sarah had wanted to look like her, except for those eyes. He had gone with her, the handsome Goth, and Sarah had given up then, just in time for Xander or had it been Alex? I groaned, I did not want to know, these memories were too frequent, they created bad dreams, nightmares Isaac was not here to soothe away.
I pulled back violently enough to rip the bite marks into a large, lethal hole. "No more turning you Paige," I murmured softly. Send her out. Yes, a good idea from the helpful voices, it would not do to have a corpse on the floor. I held her blurred green gaze. "Go out lost kitten, run and find mama cat down an alleyway."
"Meow!" Her eyes widened in confusion, her shoulders shot up and she let an animalistic hiss. "Meow!" She turned and fled from the club oblivious to the blood gushing from her neck. I savoured the last of it, glad to be rid of Sarah and back to the insane reality of this club.
"What do we have here?" The voice sounded like an angel's, one with soft white wings and a bloody knife in hand. I turned to face the speaker; it was a trick, a creature of one very deceptive, beautiful image. Ah Kindred in more ways than one, this one could hear the voices. "Oh duckling it's you!" she remarked excitedly. She was a mad eyed beauty, lips as red as the rose, skin as white as snow, hair as golden as a dead chick's feathers and eyes smudged like a raccoon's. She gave me an alluring smile. "I haven't frightened you have I?" she queried with concern. "It has been a while since your last visit, did I scare you off?"
My last visit, when had that been? Hmm had it been mine or Sarah's? Ah the dear Prince, he had not sent me here I did not think and I had been on invisible leash at the start, obeying his whims, yes fetch good dog, get the bone. Although he had wanted me to come sooner, yes business with the fleet footed god but someone other minion had taken care of that whilst I was off looking in ovens for a corpse with peppers and fur, a delicious but odd combination though sadly one I had never tried. There was a flash of the goth boy again, that dark Mohawk, a ripped black shirt, baggy trousers, spikes coating his neck, ah Sarah did so want the strange rebel. He was in my art class. My art class? No hush now Sarah I am not you! I am the many, the legion, the numerous voices of the Malkavians, a vessel for the first of us... I staggered slightly.
"Duckling you look pale." She had her slender hands on her hips and was leaning close to me, her ample chest stretched outwards showing a teasing flash of blood silk holding back her breasts. I met her pallid grey eyes and felt an odd soothing. It was almost smothering, controlling in a fashion and yet familiar, this daughter of Janus understood turmoil, she knew what it was to be caught between identities and to fight down the voices even when it came to mundane things like choosing a Kine for dessert or a new shirt or which bird to turn into a football.
I grinned back at her, it was good to be with someone who heard the whispers, nice to find such an attractive and welcoming Kindred. "Do you have a name my bright eyed beauty?" I queried curiously. I should have remembered it, no Sarah should have, silly forgetful pest, ah perhaps she'd simply put away in a drawer and left it there burrowed beneath underwear.
The blonde gave me a woeful eyed pout. "How have you forgotten little old me?" She gave a soft giggle. "Well I suppose we were never formally introduced before but still I thought you would have been begging for my name but for revenge or seduction, who could tell? Well duckling, I'm the finger down your spine when all the lights are out. I'm the name on all the men's room walls-"
"I've got a giant dick?" I wondered aloud.
Her smirk widened and she let out a loud, happy laugh. "Oh my, do you sweetling? That can't be right but it's okay if you do, you're still cute to me."
I shook my head slowly and wondered why I had stumbled into this place again. Something was lost, something needed, something, someone, prey, the blood thirst, the collared goth, Alex, Xander, Moon Boy. Let it go, let her back in, let her control for once, she'd played quiet too long, this was her body too, share with Sarah, share...
"Too much going on in your head," the blonde whispered, "it wasn't so bad when you first came here. Ah but you're one of us now, into the chaos with the rest of us." She giggled again. "If you want I can soothe the hurt, let me kiss it better duckling."
Oh it was tempting, yes she was very alluring, ah so perfectly formed, long legs, large breasts, glossy hair, those plump lips but I, I didn't go for that, hmm but perhaps some of the other voices did? Certainly two did not want to resist. Oh but there was another, someone dear, someone older, more masculine, couldn't forget him.
The blonde frowned. "A Baron? I know a Baron," her frown deepened, "they're no fun sweetheart, trust me." I wanted to, she was the first to hear the voices, she would understand the predicament of Sarah, the little wretch's attempts to take control, she was so strong here. The blonde leaned closer to me, pressing her lips against my left ear. "You could still win the Chase you know, I may have won last time but he still runs. Maybe you should let Sarah have Chase."
Chase. With that one name came an invasion, images, words, names, memories, thoughts, dreams, nightmares. Let her in, cast out the voices, end the madness, and leave the darkness. Caught on a web, struggling, ah so many other flies, the daughters of Janus were there too, all of us screaming along this web, calling to each other, repeating and warning of the words of a large spider somewhere unseen in the middle. Fear, piss inducing terror raced through Sarah, through me. No more, she wanted it stop. This club, this night.
"What if it never happened? What if this was all just a long nightmare? Yes, still here, still in the club, a hallucination, no vampires, no Alexander, nonsense."
Ah but it seemed like peace would come with that idea. Oh Sarah you vixen, peace, calmness, a trap, a trick, an attempt to drown the voices and I, to end us! Oh Alex, had he faced such suffering with Xander?
"Chase still wants you Sarah, he has always thought about you, well," a giggle, "except when he's in the bedroom, I'm afraid I'm just too much of a distraction. Don't be mad though, I'm hard to resist, when I pout, the whole world tries to make me smile."
I looked at her, beautiful siren, such pleasing words trying to pull me to oblivion.
"Let your mind go, give Sarah a chance." She looked hard at me then and her image wavered, giving way to butterflies. No they were fairies, small glittering ones with silver tinged purple wings. Not the same as the Hollywood ones with their green and gold wings but similar I supposed. Yes how pretty they were, comforting. They began to fade giving way to darkness.
My head was pounding and my throat felt dry. I opened my eyes and found myself on a dark red barstool, perched against the bar at an awkward angle that had caused an ache in my spine. I sat up slowly, there was loud rock music blasting through my ears and flashing neon green and red strobe lights distracting my eyes. Club Asylum, that was where I was but how long had I been here and what time was it?
The barman was giving me a scowl, hmm grown impatient with me? "Do you need a drink?" he growled.
I shook my head as I pushed myself onto the floor, alcohol would not be a good idea. I needed out of here, out to the quiet, calmer streets where I could think. What had happened? It felt like there was a large blank in my mind. Dancing with the fairies... I shook that strange image from my head the moment it appeared. Time to get a grip, time to go. I hurried to the doors, pushing them open hard and found myself colliding with someone.
Ice cold hands gripped me tightly sending a prick of alarm through me. Honey tongued poet. Who was that? Where had that information come from? I looked up at him in surprise and found a bemused grey stare looking back. "So this is where you've been Malk," he addressed me chirpily, with just a touch of scorn, "dancing the night away when you should be doing his highness' business, and what was that again?"
Malk? Highness? "You've got me confused," I muttered.
"Oh ha ha," he said dryly, "you're always confused. Come on, why did La Croix send you here?"
"I'm not who you think I am," I said more firmly, "I don't know you and I don't know La Croix." Lying jester, no one knows him. I shook my head, ridding myself of that voice, it seemed louder, I couldn't let it win.
He frowned and gave me a scolding shake. "Quit it with the games, come on, I came all this way with you, you can trust me."
Trust no one, except the voices, safer with just the voices. I shuddered and oscillated my head. "Look I don't know you, seriously, let me go!" I raised my voice an octave deliberately to attract attention. To my relief a few passersby glanced our way curiously.
The man glanced about us and gave me a glower. "Very funny," he said sardonically, "but come on, getting the Kine involved? A little immature and risky, don't want to be upsetting the Cammy prince again, do you?"
Cammy prince? What on earth was this guy talking about? Was he on drugs? "I said get off me!" I kicked out with one foot and met the soft flesh between his legs. It had the desired result; he gave a howl of pain and released me. I shoved him off and ran for it. Home, I should go home but where was that? Strange, a thrill of horror raced through me as I realised I seemed to have an odd sort of amnesia. Where was home? 508, the numbers sang through my head, sanctuary, safety above the pawnmaster. Pawnmaster? Pawnshop? I ran down an alleyway, it was not far from here. I passed a door saying Blood Bank and paused for a moment as a strange urge filled me. I was thirsty; it was a small ache inside me but a persistent one. I ignored it and prepared to keep running when a shout alerted me to my pursuer. "Ariadne get back here!" I turned to look and gasped when an unnatural blur approached. It was too fast, it wasn't possible! I pushed against the door and flung myself in; there would be people here, safety!
Without thinking I hurried down the metal steps and then down a blue grey corridor lit with flickering, long, thin, white bulbs that badly needed dusted and changed. I paused at a wooden door and tugged at the handle uselessly, it was locked!
"Can I help you?" I followed the source of the voice to a window with a mesh net guarding it, a slit box near the bottom to let voices travel in and out and a gap at the bottom presumably for goods or cash. A sudden hunger filled me as the strong scent of blood rushed at my nostrils and made me dizzy, it was so strong, so tempting, it called out to me, making me almost salivate. I was glad when the man behind the glass' voice pulled me out of my disgusting thoughts and back to reality. "You next up for the needle? Hmm?" His voice was thick with sarcasm and his wide, blue eyes looked at me unconvincingly. I was a little alarmed by the hard glimmer in them, it made him look unstable.
"I need help," I babbled out before he could say anymore, "please I'm being chased."
"Chased?" he sneered followed by a laugh. "Hunters hmm, that it Betty? Well tough luck, you deal with that shit yourself." His lips parted and he gave me a wide, unsavoury smile.
"What? No!" I retorted as I looked up the corridor anxiously. There was no one there, yet. "It's some guy, he thinks I'm someone else and he won't leave me alone, please help me!"
He gave another laugh. "I'm not buying it Betty, I know what you are."
"Betty? Who's Betty? Look please, my name is Sarah, help me!" Could be Betty, one of us could be, so many voices, why did only two get named?
"Hmm." He looked contemplative for a moment, at least I hoped so, it was hard to tell with the way his eyes rolled about in their sockets. "Well normally it's employees only, rules of the queen bitch herself but you do seem troubled." He pressed a button somewhere beneath the window. "Door's opened," he said coolly.
"Thank you." I hurried to the door and pushed it open finding myself in another room. I heard a door open to my right and the receptionist appeared. He looked only a little older than me, dressed in plain, blue scrubs he had a handsome face although the odd sparkling in his large, dark blue eyes ruined it a little. His lips were big, a little too big for my liking and his golden hair hung straight to his shoulders, his fringe parted at either side. I thought it was surely against protocol but then that wasn't up to me. Besides, this was Santa Monica; the wild surfer hair was the in thing. "This way," he said calmly.
Danger. It was not so much an instinct as a literal cry in my head. I thought that perhaps the man had arrived and was coming for me but I felt that was wrong. No, this weird blonde who had started walking away, could it be him? No, he had opened the door for me, he was granting me safety. I followed after him.
He opened a door and entered another room. I followed after him and the stench of blood attacked me again. It was too strong, too enticing, I wanted to lick it off the floor! I fell to my knees and found my tongue stretching out to the aged blood spatters before I could help myself. Watch out! It was too late; the blow came to the back of my skull before I could stop it. There was a flash of pain and a flicker of red and then nothing.
Pain. It was in me, all around me. Something was sucking at me, robbing me of my nectar, pulling it from my veins without my permission. I stirred with a groan and found the blonde I had been so foolish to trust leering at me with a mad, wide smile. "It's always good to have an extra donor," he mocked. "Stupid vampire, did you really think I didn't know what you were? You're all the same, think no one can guess. I bet you're trouble, the queen bitch would probably thank me for this but who needs her thanks." He laughed and looked to someone on my left. "Look bitch, I brought you company." He snickered before striding out of the room calmly.
I cursed after him, spitting into the air in vain before I struggled with my bonds. I was strapped down on a chair, my wrists firmly cuffed down on the armrests and my feet on the footrests with thick, metal cuffs. There was a strange device attached to the side of the chair, a long, steel arm that ended in an umbrella of spikes, which were currently sunk into my arms, two on each one, the middle of the device hovering just above my waist. I could see my blood travelling up these spikes and followed them; they went through clear tubes and into blood bags. Was this how the donations came about then? They were stolen?
"Hunger...I need it...A drop of it on my tongue, sliding down my throat, the hot flash in my brain lighting up my body..." These odd murmurings came from my companion. I looked over and saw a pretty, pale redhead strapped to a chair like my own, being drained of blood just like me.
"Who are you?" I called out to her. How long had she been here, how long had he made her suffer?
"Huh?" She gave a groan and shook her head.
"Who are you?" I repeated. "And how long have you been here?" I was starting to feel faint and the smell of blood was making me feel thirsty again, almost to the point of nausea.
She looked over at me at last with a dazed olive green gaze. She had a freckled face and dark brows that suggested her golden red bob was not entirely natural. She was wearing a sleeveless, tye-dye boob tube and skinny jeans that helped show off her svelte figure; I suspected she was one of the many beach babes that hung around town. "Lily," she rasped out, "I'm Lily. I don't know how many nights it's been, too many, I was thirsty, so thirsty, I didn't understand." She tensed up slightly and gave me a worried look. "You probably wouldn't either."
Oh but I did for I felt that thirst now, it was burning through my throat, roaring from my stomach up through my body demanding to be sated but what with? With blood? I shuddered in revulsion, that was not natural; I was simply dizzy that was all, the blood loss, yes that was why I needed blood because it was being taken from me, that made sense.
"Who is he?" I demanded. "How is he getting away with this?"
"Vandal," she growled out, "that's his name. No one comes here except his helper and he's in on it. He keeps this place pretty secure..." She gave another moan and her head dipped. "I feel so weak, just a sip, that's all I need, I can smell it everywhere...blood." Oh poor little flower. Poor little me! Us! Sarah! Just Sarah, just me. I tried to take a deep breath but it just sent a painful shudder through my chest as if my lungs were no longer used to something as simple and natural and breathing. I ignored the sensation, I was panicking that was all, couldn't do that, had to focus, had to find a way to escape before the madman drained me completely.
Tick tock. Tick tock. Time's going by, need to think faster, tick tock the white rabbit's getting away, you'll be trapped forever Alice! I let out a feral scream, the voices, the endless voices! When had this started? Why? I couldn't remember, my parents, mother had always found me strange, it had made her cold and distant to me but father, he had said it was a phase, he had been gentle, oh naive father. I had tried to subdue it, to hide it and for a while, yes I had been successful for a while, kept them silent at the start of college, kept it from my friends. Now though, now they had come back.
"It's like I'm going to die," Lily groaned, "I'm so thirsty, it's calling to me! LET ME GO!"
I snapped to attention as a door opened and a man entered, I expected it to be Vandal come to mock us some more or take away the blood bags but it was someone else. I froze up, someone familiar but was why he here?
"A new recruit," he remarked curiously as he stopped and looked at me. His amber eyes widened slightly. Golden eyes, always golden eyes, they seduced me so easily, I knew someone else with golden eyes, his were brighter, not tainted with a brown hue like these, they were rich, they were full of intelligence and a guarded affection. "SS...Sarah?" he stuttered.
It felt like it had been ages, perhaps months but that couldn't be, could it? The start of college, a drunken fling, then another and another, I had wanted commitment but he had his studies. User! A flash of anger filled me, yes it had seemed that way, he had been kind, warm, funny and affectionate but he had spurned me all too quickly, abandoned me for his education, or so he claimed.
"Oh my god where have you been? Shit what are you doing here?" he cried out in alarm. He paused suddenly and gave both doors a guarded look before stepping up towards me. He was still handsome with that soft crop of golden brown hair that I had once loved to run my fingers through. Older than me, Phil was around twenty-four, a medic student judging by his blue scrubs he had obviously passed his degree and found a career. He was tall and toned, athletic; he had been a baseball and football player, giving up the former completely for his studies and keeping up the other only as a hobby. He had seemed like a wholesome boy next door, smart, safe and fun to be with. An act. Yes, I was beginning to realise that now as I looked back at him.
Bump. Bump. Bump. Bump. A heartbeat, a loud, fast, slightly spooked one, sending all that fresh, hot blood round and round. He came close to me and a wave of dizziness struck out at me as the scent and sound grew stronger. So close, I could see a blue artery racing up his neck, one tiny little prick that was all it would take.
"I thought you'd gone missing," he murmured.
"Did I?" I queried dryly.
"Right, you're here," he mumbled lamely. "But you haven't been here all this time," he pointed out. "I mean it's been months, everyone was worried, Samantha and your folks thought you were dead! And now Samantha's been missing a while, I mean it's nuts."
Samantha, she was dead but how did I know that? The thirst, it had been strong, overpowering, there was a flash of red, an image of a fresh corpse, one clad in black with tight, dark ringlets. Oh god, I swallowed hard. I felt so weak and lightheaded and so thirsty.
Lily let out a groan, and I glanced over at her. Her head was bowed, her hands and jaw clenched, she was aware of Phil and trying to ignore him, ignore the blood. The thought of it made me shudder, I needed it, needed that hot spark to jolt through me and give me energy, life, a power I could barely begin to describe. It was euphoric, it was better than sex, it was something not meant to be known by mortals, a dark gift, the taking of it was a sin and there was a price to pay. I shook my head violently; no I was not some kind of bloodsucker! It was the voices again, trying to trick me, trying to make me think these horrible things and turn me into something I wasn't!
"Get me out of here Phil," I begged.
"Er..." He looked at the door and I saw a trickle of nervous sweat slip down his neck. "You shouldn't know about this," he commented uneasily as he looked back at me with a wary yet sympathetic gold gaze.
"I won't tell," I assured him, "I won't."
"What about me?" Lily snapped. "LET ME GO!"
"I can't do that." Phil shook his head. "Not both of you."
I didn't know what to say, it would be wrong to leave the wallflower but it would be wronger to let myself suffer on her account. Phil made the decision for me by taking a ring of keys off his belt and reaching one out to my cuffs. "Vandal is going to kill me for this," he grumbled as he began to undo the cuffs.
"Maybe but my ghost will drive you mad if you don't," I hissed at him.
He paused for a moment to give me a dubious look and I grinned back at him promisingly.
"LET ME GO! LET ME GO! The thirst...it's killing me!" Lily screamed. "I need a taste!"
Phil hastened with the cuffs. "All this noise," he muttered, "it's going to draw attention." Click the last cuff was undone and the tubes where removed and I was free at last. Phil stepped back as I stood up tentatively. His heartbeats were a drum in my ear, almost to the point of bursting my eardrums. I could smell the salty tang of his blood, almost taste it, I was dangerous close...close to what though? I clutched my head with both hands. "I need out of here," I snarled, "before death's shadow falls on you."
"Ww what? Sarah what are you talking about?" Phil looked at me with worry. "You must be weak from the blood loss, look follow me, I'll sneak you past Vandal and up to the Blood Clinic. We'll get you blood there and make it right."
"Oh you barter in all types of the blood then," I mused, "well I'm not picky." I staggered slightly overwhelmed by thirst.
"Wait you're leaving me here?" Lily snapped.
Danger. I sensed it, the other captor, the mad one, he was close. "No time wallflower," I commented mournfully, "no time." I looked to Phil and he gave another look at the main door before gesturing to me with one hand. He hurried through a side door and I followed, shutting it behind me. He hurried down a corridor then through another door into an empty room with numerous cupboards, pills bottles and a computer. We moved through another door, down a corridor and then finally through one last door that brought us back to the corridor Vandal had been guarding. "Wait," commanded me. He strode on calmly and paused to look at Vandal's window. He looked back at me and hissed, "he's gone, hurry up!"
"Like a cheetah on roller-skates," I commented calmly before running up to Phil. He led the way upstairs, bypassing the door I had come through, instead guiding me up to the main part of the building. Bloodbloodbloodblood. I stumbled back, no this was too tempting, I could not go up here. The man in masks, the man in masks, violation, damnation. Lose control Sarah, let us feed, let us back. I turned and head back to the door I could through, better to risk the blur than taking someone's blood. I staggered back outside to a drizzly, dark alleyway with a single light for comfort.
I had to get out of here. Prawns and pearls and all treasures. I swallowed hard, gritted my teeth and tried once more to banish the voice. Still something compelled me on to the pawnshop and so I started running in that direction.
It felt like I had been running for hours before the pawnshop loomed in sight and all the time my head had pounded, a large ache had filled my stomach and dizzy spells had come over me. I was so weak, so thirsty. Perhaps I just needed some food or water, surely that would help me. I kept going down the alleyway beside the pawnshop, taking care to avoid the hobo than reeked of drink.
"Hey lady spare some change," he called to me hopefully with a glazed look. I ignored him and kept going, pushing open the door at the side of the building granting me dryness, safety and light. I paused and glanced at the steel mailboxes to my left. My moment of hesitation cost me and I found myself seized from behind. Before I could scream a hand clamped over my mouth as another tightened my arms to my sides.
I found this chapter hard to stop writing I got so into it. Comment at the bottom this time because I didn't want to leave any spoilers before you guys had read this. I know this chapter is confusing, it's intentional and will be explained throughout the story, which is why I don't want to give away too much here. I've probably taken some liberties with the Malkavians, I did read up on them extensively on numerous websites but in the end I want to do my own thing for this fic but basically my understanding is that they are linked via the Malkavian Cobweb so if one is more powerful than the other they could influence the other deliberately or unintentionally.
Also had to get Phil in there, he's so unloved probably because his role is short and sweet and he even seems to change voices (from when you talk to him to when he intrudes on you freeing Lily). I gather that he was in on Vandal's business from the game from him talking about the 'special sauce' and Vandal saying his copilot was gone and that it's the same guy that you talk to that Lily kills despite the voice change from him calling himself Phil and Vandal saying 'there's one less Phil in the world', although in someone's version it did say Bill... Regardless it's the same guy here. I know the real Santa Monica is probably huge but in game it's not so much so I guess that's why Sarah knows everyone and they know her, she's from here and she went to college here until Alexander changed all that.
Any queries or comments do let me know, it's appreciated but like I said, with regards to this new plotpoint it's going to be ongoing and revealed over time. Also, I did a replay of Bloodlines with a new patch and noted the Malkavian whispers for the first time, so I'm trying to include that more and I do direct quotes from the game to link it up better and get a better feel for the characters when I'm writing about them.