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MAGE20 - A Moon So Red


MAGE20 ST

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In the morning the cabal met with the house's maintenance director Levi LaFlure, an older black man with a pronounced Cajun accent. They discussed the decor and design of the main hall and the offices. Once that was settled the mages went about their business. It will take about a month and a half for the renovations to be completed in the Cabal Hall

The next a couple of days are spent locating and surveying the two smaller nodes both of which were located in different cemeteries as well as the last old node the chantry had once been connected to.

Once that was done they cabal settled into a routine.

The chantry made very few demands on their time since none of the mages were instructors or filled any of the various offices the House had for running the day to day operations. Each mage was pretty much free to do their own thing. Of the five mages left in their little Cabal only Triessa found her self having much to do in a n official capacity at the House sitting in on meeting and such.

The New Deacon took a liking to the carefree mage and had her accompany her on several of the houses official outings, visiting with the Covenant and with the Cathedral and some of the other local Chantries.

The rest had plenty of time to pursue their own activities of study or what have you.

Since both Cade and Kaitlin had their own homes the two of them were often away from The Astrarium House.

Kaitlin became the unofficial Liaison with the werewolves due to her growing relationship with Terrance who was something of a party animal.

Cade when not at the House dabbling with his magical gun and bullets or other wonders he sought to create started doing his old job as a private detective.

The twins while living at the House also fell back into their old living routine of street performing and sometimes even accompanied Kaitlin and Terrance on nights out in the French Quarter .

On these nights out clubbing sometimes Naomi showed up usually accompanied by a tall light skinned black woman named Alice with a true french accent. That the two were together was apparent but when at these little get together's Naomi tended to ignore the woman and spent a lot of time flirting with Genevieve. Other werewolves sometimes joined them on these nights out.

It was early September on one of these nights in the French Quarter. Kaitlin and Terrance were on the Dance floor at the famous Blue Nile club on Frenchman street. Jacques and Genevieve were nursing drinks with Triessa and a couple of other werewolves from Terrance's pack, Tamera and Jason.

The music is loud and live, Water Seed is performing. This is Triessa's first time out with the rest of the Cabal and Jason the werewolf is shamlessly trying to hit on her.

On the dance floor Terrance is shimming close to Kaitlin when suddenly his eys flash yellow and he stiffens missing a beat.

At the table Jason and Tamera both go silent and turn to glare at the entrance of the club, Tamera actually shifts into her near human form before shifting back when Jason puts a hand on her arm.

Across the club three people young, fit, pretty, dressed very expensively are making their way toward the table where the mages and werewolves sit. The one in the lead is a woman around 25 or 26 you would guess, she is flanked by two men who are obviously body guards. The crowd seems to magically part before them allowing them to pass with ease. The werewolves are tense ready to spring.

The woman and her two hardcore eye candy bodyguards stop at the table. The music seems to fade around the gathering though no one else in the club notices.

The woman puts her hands on her hips and grins at the two Garou. “Didn't expect to see you here Jason. Are these the Pottermore's?”


 

Across town Cade is doing research on a case he had taken. A mundane runaway but then this is New Orleans  nothing here is ever as mundane as it may first seem. The rest of the Cabal were out Partying, they had invited him but he had begged off. They were all so young and full the desire to live life while he was stuck in the shadows. He heard a car and saw lights flash across the curtained window. His office was at the front of the house so he could conduct business without letting clients into his privacy.

He left his desk and looked out onto the curved well lit driveway now filled with a black Escalade. As he watched a man got out of the passenger side of the large SUV. He straightens his coat, the man was thin and well dressed in an expensive suit. Once the man was finished adjusting his suit coat he looked straight at Cade, then started up the walk toward the front door of the house not the office entrance where Cade knew the man knew he was.

Cade hadn't been sure until the man had stared walking but now it was unmistakable to his trained and experienced eye.

The man was a vampire.

Spoiler

Alice  Alice.jpg

JasonJason Tolliver.jpg

Tamera Tammara Ridley.jpg

 

Pennyb9b97f6555ed551b8c38f84bf3465d17.jpg

Mechaem 16-titus-welliver-silo.w190.h190.2x.png

 


 

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Cade's gaze narrowed, and he had trouble getting his scowl into a somewhat friendlier frow as he moved to the house entrance.  Normally one would never gain entrance here, but there was something about the way this vampire moved, He'd indulge him.  He was armed, a precaution one took in his line of work, when answering the door at your home/office.  "Good Evening.  I wasn't expecting any guests tonight, but please Come inside, I'm certain you've something you wish to discuss with me, else you'd not be here like this."   He was alert for any chance that they were not alone, and bringing him inside would at least give him some chance in a one on one battle, should such be needed.   Cade's voice, while saying a polite greeting, were colder than the arctic glaciers.   Were it not for just how odd this was, he'd have never made such an offer.   Vampires had certain rules to obey, regarding hospitality, guidelines perhaps, as opposed to ironclad laws, but from the manner of his dress, the look in those bright eyes, and how confidence and superiority radiated from this Vampire, he was fairly certain that provided he remained Civil, the Vampire would do the same.

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At Maison Blanc

The Vampire had been about to ring the bell when Cade opened the door and invited him inside. He looked back at the SUV and nodded at the man in the drivers seat  <wait> he sent the thought as he stepped across the mage's threshold.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Alistair, my  name is Mechaem, I'm a fan of your work," He smiles and looks around the foyer, "you have a very nice home. I'll get right to the point. I am here at the behest of my sire Valadislav Radu, who would like to invite you to his private club, Locul Pacii. He would like to discuss a business matter with you and your companions."

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At The Blue Nile Club

Kaitlin had been enjoying her time in New Orleans the last few months, much of it in Terrance's company. Pascal was suspecting something, but hadn't challenged her on it, for which Kaitlin was grateful. She liked her little cop, but had a lot more in common with Terrance and could speak with him about things she just couldn't with Pascal. And to be totally honest, Terrance was a better match for her physically, though that didn't mean she didn't enjoy overpowering Pascal and he didn't seem to mind much either. Still, she couldn't imagine what people would say if she brought Terrance back to Dubois, Wyoming.

She rather liked the werewolves, overall, even if some of them were still standoffish or utter dicks. Then again, so were some Mages. She had learned more about them, to better connect with Terrance and serve as a liaison between the Chantry and the Werewolves, and to better understand what was going on with Billy. She hadn't seen him much, but from what she overheard, he was starting to adapt.

Kaitlin was grinding hard against Terrance on the dance floor of the Blue Nile Club when she felt him stiffen abruptly, his hand pulling tight against her firm waist in a way that had nothing to do with fun or desire. An annoyed scowl on her lips, she glanced over her shoulder and saw that Terrance's eyes had gone a yellow brighter than her now natural, if unusual, amber. Following his gaze, she noted immediately who he was looking at.

They were far from hard on the eyes and moved like predators, if not in the same way as the werewolves or she herself did. Pressed close against her back, Kaitlin could feel how tense Terrance was and his wariness was starting to put her on edge. Staying to the dance floor, she moved them so they were flanking the woman and her protective eye candy as they approached their table. Kaitlin's sharp ears caught the comment about 'Pottermores' and she frowned - she didn't like the term, personally and she narrowed her eyes as she shifted her gaze to look upon the woman's and her flunkies auras.

"Who the fuck are they?" Kaitlin muttered to Terrance through tight lips.

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At the Blue Nile Club

On the Dance Floor

Terrance shifted position pulling Kaitlin tight against him. There was nothing sexual in the move it was more protective. Kailin saw him sniff the air and noticed that his canine teeth had gotten longer.

"Leeches"

One word filled with utter loathing and disdain. "What you call vampires," he whispered into her ear, "this could get nasty, there's a fourth over there watching you and me."

At the Table

Tamera growls and tenses, "Leeches," she hisses through gritted teeth, her rage barely contained.

"Leeches," asked Triessa?

"Vampires, Triessa," Jason interrupted, "what are doing here Penny?"

"Gawd Jason, you know we don't like those names. We aren't here to fight, just to invite."

Penny the dark haired woman smiles at Triessa and Genevieve, looking them over appreciatively, then she frowns and looks down at her own somewhat flat chest.

"What is it with you mages and big tits? Makes a girl self conscious."

 

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"I see. I take it by your tone that he has sent others to extend this invitation to them as well.  I cannot speak for the others, but I'm willing to meet your sire.  I have heard of him, but I confess I don't know much about him, it seems there are few that do.  In the interests of good business, as well as the fragile peace we currently enjoy,  I accept your invitation."

He looked at him to gauge his reaction, if he knew of Cade, then he knew of his intense distaste for Vampires.  Still, there was something to be said for catching others off guard.

"Will my current state of dress be acceptable, or should I change into something more formal?"

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Mechaem inclines his head a bit as he looks over Cade's clothes.

"Your clothes are fine, he isn't bringing you in for your fashion sense. I'll wait for you in the car," with a polite nod he leaves the house and goes to the SUV and waits.

Cade watches as the vampire gets in the passenger side then goes and grabs a few things before locking up and joining his mortal enemies.

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Over the intervening couple of months the twins gradually opened up more to the rest of the cabal, talking of some of their adventures on the road and life in general, even inviting them to performances. The twins were fairly quiet in general, though spoke with a honeyed tongue when they so chose. With they way they talked and a look they both had in their eyes, others just seemed to naturally want to take care of them. This not only garnered them everything from free food, drinks and general aid from strangers, but also seemed to award them the benefit of the doubt as they seemed innocent and trustworthy to those they met.

Genevieve's performances were the big surprise though. The normally rather quiet, innocent girl would stand on a stage in some dark club and would sing with the most beautiful, clear and soulful voice. Listeners could hear and even feel the hurt, loss, angst, love, joy, sadness and so on in her voice. Her tone was sultry, with just a bit of gravel at times, but could also ring with a crystal clarity and beauty when she desired. Even the loudest streets, and most crowded clubs would quiet down when she would sing, all eyes and ears on her, as she held the audience in the palm of her hand.  

In general she favored more blues-y, soulful songs, virtually all of them original compositions, accompanied by her competent, though far from masterful, playing on her old, beat-up, acoustic guitar. Describing the old, off-brand, guitar as "well used" was an understatement. The finish was worn away badly anywhere hands would commonly touch and the surface was pot marked with small nicks, dents and scratches. The case she kept the guitar in was no better, looking as if it had been through hell, with several stickers expertly used to shore up cracks in the outer shell.

Genevieve did not mind spending time with the werewolves in general. To her, they were still people, more or less, just with bad.. really bad... murderous even.. tempers. She was not one to pull that side out of them though, and having friends like that certainly never hurt. She had noticed Naomi showing up at her performances, accompanied by Alice, and all the flirting attention the werewolf alpha gave the mage, to the degree of virtually ignoring Alice, even though they seemed to be a pair. Unfortunately for Naomi, she was on good terms with Genevieve after how Naomi had spoken to her in that rundown apartment, though Genevieve would never let that on. Relations with the werewolves was important, so Genevieve flirted back and strung Naomi along expertly, just like had so many other marks of the course of her life.

The entrance of the woman and her bodyguards, and the werewolves' reaction to them, certainly caught her interest. She casually watched the woman approach and quirked an eyebrow at Penny's question.

"Pottermores? That's really cute. Hey. Do you sparkle?" she asked.

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The vampire named Penny Flinches back then smiles a huge grin revealing incredibly sharp fangs she is making no attempt to conceal. She points at Jacques coquetteishly, "for him, I'd sparkle, Dazzal, and do really amazing things. For you, not so much."

She laughs at her own joke then shakes her hands palms out in a warding off manner, "but much as I love where this witty banter is going, that is not why I am here."

Penny looks to the dance floor where Kaitlin and Terrance are lingering waiting to pounce should it be necessary.

"Aww such a cute couple," coos the smart-assed vampire, "look i'm just here to deliver an invitation and give a ride to those of you without fleas. The owner of Locul Pacii , Vlad Radu, the guy that help broker our little peace treaty. would like you all to join him for the evening."

She glances at the two werewolves sitting at the table, "not you two, y'all weren't invited to the treaty and your certainly not invited to the party."

 

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Triessa glances down at herself bemusedly. Big tits? She must mean Kaitlyn. Wow, being undead freed you from mortal concerns like death, but not from self-consciousness...seemed like kind of a gyp!

"Is this an 'invitation' invitation, or the kind of invitation where not showing up is going to be some kind of deathless vendetta?" she wants to know. "Because I'm not super-okay with just walking out on our friends here on a last-second invitation from another friend. What's going on here, Penny?"

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Penny tilts her head and gives Triessa a look that says "I'm a somebody, you are a nobody", as she holds out her hand to one of the other vampires who fills it with a cell phone, "Let me check on that."

Hitting speed dial she waits a second, "Yeah it's Penny Copper let me talk to your boss."

A few more seconds pass.

"Yeah i delivered your invitation, but the mage here wants to know if it's a real invitation that will get them in trouble if they blow us off or can they take a rain check? Seems they are worried about leaving their pets behind unattended."

She smirks at Triessa as she is listening to the reply then closes the call and hands the phone back without looking.

"Mr. Radu says that the Lupines were not invited not out of any desire to insult them," Her voice is laced with sarcasm, "But rather for their safety. He understands their...anger issues and didn't want to expose them to something that would set them off. He does say however that if you wish to include them you can bring one as long as you can keep it on it's leash. He will vouch for it's safety. But yeah it's important, you know Life or death, end of the world type shit, yada yada. So what do you say? Cars waiting."

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Triessa sighs at that and gives Jason and Tamera an apologetic smile.

"Guys, we will totally make this up to you but it looks like duty calls. If one of you wants to come, that's cool too. Totally up to you."

She looks at Jacques and Genevieve. "I'll go get Kaitlyn. Lets settle up here."

Then she gets up and strolls out over the dance floor to where the much bigger mage and her werewolf beau were swaying away.

This was, Triessa reflects, one of the more fucked-up things that had ever happened to her, in a life reasonably full of fucked-up things. She was about to cockblock a werewolf macking on a wizard in a nightclub. Was there a book in this?

"Hey guys," she said with a shrug. "Sorry, but I gotta cut in here."

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Kaitlin pulled her hard, amber eyes off the prissy bitch of a vampire and glanced down at Triessa, mildly amused she seemed a bit concerned that she was interrupting something. Though the buff mage and werewolf were making a pretense of swaying with the music, Triessa could easily see both were tense. Kaitlin's jaw was tight, Penny's snide bitchatude irritating the fuck out of her.

"No probs, Triessa, we heard," Kaitlin confirmed, shrugging reluctantly out of Terrance's embrace. "I'm ready to go, if we all agree that's what we should do."

"If you're going, I'm going too," Terrance growled. "She said one of us can go. I'm it."

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Genevieve could see where this was going, and some of it she did not like. She pulled out a pen and scribbled something on the inside of a folded napkin and slide it over to Tamera before excusing herself with a smile to catch up to Triessa.

She smiled softly and raises a hand just so toward the protective Terrance.

"I know you have good intentions, and we always appreciate backup, but this is a situation where it would probably be better you did not come. The invitation was for us, so any of you coming along, was grudgingly permitted. You being there is gonna be seen as a kind of rude and that we cannot handle our own shit. First impressions matter. 

You know us. We're all about peace and what is best for the city and people. We have a peace brokered with them too, and need to maintain it as well. Otherwise, you know we wouldn't care if you were there. Hell, we probably spend more time with you guys than our own. 

Your aid is appreciated, but sometimes you just gotta handle shit yourself. So don't worry. We got this." Genevieve said in her most soothing, heartfelt voice, holding out a fist, hoping for a (even grudgingly) fist-bump of acknowledgement and acceptance.

 

Spoiler

If Terrance relents...

Genevieve smiles and offers the werewolf a hug.

"It's cool man. We got this. We'll see you guys in a bit."

 

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At The Blue Nile Club

Tamera looked down at the not and frowned then kind of jumped in her seat

<This is just me I wanted to keep you guys aware of whats going on and this way the vampires won't know your along for the ride in a different way> Says Genevieve through the newly established mind ling with Tamera.

<Fuck this is weird. Bitch, you better not be digging around in my mind, but thanks. we'll follow along after y'all leave so we're close in case you need us.> Tamera nodded as she engaged in mindspeaking for the first time in her life.

19 hours ago, Genevieve DuFresne said:

She smiled softly and raises a hand just so toward the protective Terrance.

"I know you have good intentions, and we always appreciate backup, but this is a situation where it would probably be better you did not come. The invitation was for us, so any of you coming along, was grudgingly permitted. You being there is gonna be seen as a kind of rude and that we cannot handle our own shit. First impressions matter. 

You know us. We're all about peace and what is best for the city and people. We have a peace brokered with them too, and need to maintain it as well. Otherwise, you know we wouldn't care if you were there. Hell, we probably spend more time with you guys than our own. 

Your aid is appreciated, but sometimes you just gotta handle shit yourself. So don't worry. We got this." Genevieve said in her most soothing, heartfelt voice, holding out a fist, hoping for a (even grudgingly) fist-bump of acknowledgement and acceptance.

Terrance gave a questioning look to Kaitlin asking if he should stay or come with her.

She smiled at him and shook her head as she joined up with her fellow cabal Members and followed the vampires outside where a white stretch limo awaited them.

One of the body guards got intot he front of the limo while Penny and the mages occupied the back. The other two bodyguards got into a dark SUV which followed them. All of this was relayed to Tamera via the link.

Still inside the club Tamera filled Jason and Terrance in on what was going down and the three left the club as soon as the cars pulled out. Going into the shadows the three shifted to wolf form and using their keen sense followed the two cars.

Spoiler

The drive will not take long for either Cade with Meachaem or the rest of the Cabal with Penny. If you all wish to question your host you may do so. I will wait until tomorrow to post the Locul Paccii scene to give you all time.

 

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Kaitlin snorted at the ostentatious stretch limo the leeches led them to. But sliding into the plush leather seats, Kaitlin had to admit there was one thing she liked about the overly extravagant, if hardly practical, vehicle - she actually had all the leg room she wanted for once. So she took full advantage of it, stretching out her long, muscular legs while keeping a wary eye on the stuck-up vampire and her minions.

"So, I'm still pretty new to N'awlins," Kaitlin drawled at Penny. "I know 'bout the Treaty and stuff, but is there anything you can tell me - tell us - about Mr. Radu? Y'know, so we don't put a foot wrong and all that." She gave her a skeptical frown. "And maybe be a little less vague 'bout the End-Of-The-World junk? So we ain't coming at this cold."

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Penny just couldn't help but be obnoxious it was her nature, she sneered at Kaitlin's question as she pointedly looked out the limos side window watching the long car zoom past traffic. What the fuck, they could probably use their magic to find out more than she could ever reveal anyway.

"Sure, why not. Help yourselves to the bar," The haughty vampire paused thinking about where to begin. "Vladaslav Radu is old world, and i do mean old world. I don't know how much y'all know about the Kindred but i am sure y'all have tons of books and stuff to learn shit about clans and blood lines and politics. Yep just like y'all we have politics. There's two major parties in Kindred politics, The Camarilla," She points to herself, " we are the ones who don't want to cause waves want to blend in pretend we are human and all that. Then there are the Sabbat, they embrace the beast think Kindred should be the top dog, alpha predator of the universe. The two bodies have been at war for a long long time.

Radu used to be a big time muckity muck in the Sabbat back in eastern Europe a long time ago like a few hundred years long time ago. Then he dropped out of the scene, probably went into torpor but who knows.

He showed back up in the middle of the last century but he didn't want his old position of power which had been kept up by his childer. Instead he wanted to unite the Kindred as one but not to rule the world in Sabbatt fashion, but to make peace and live in harmony with humanity and everything else crawling in the shadows. 

That really didn't fly to well with the Sabbat hell it didn't even fly with his family, and well lets just say blood was spilt."

She pauses to see if they are still following her, she kind of likes the attention.

"When the dust settled Most of Radu's family were dust and he was exiled. His clan pulled a lot of strings to keep him from the final embrace but then those crazy fucks are like that.

Radu and his remaining followers came to America and settled down here. The Camarilla let him in because he declared that all he wanted was peaceful coexistence. He built his club Locul Pacii, the Place of Peace, and made it a sanctuary for anyone, supernatural or human.

Back then the Camarilla was the only party in town but after Katrina, the Sabbat spread their disease to our humid green wonderland.

When New Orleans was built it was done so by Kindred. You mages stole it from us. Up to Katrina, Kindrid and mages were pretty much at war here, well everywhere really I guess, , led by your' holier than thou wizards at the Cathedral.

After Katrina, when the Sabbat came Radu approached your group of mages at that crazy house of yours and they came up with the Covenant Peace Treaty.

Since then He has also managed to create a cease fire between the Camarilla and the Sabbat here.

But now something else has come to town something that threatens all of us if it gains hold.

That's why he asked for you guys."

 

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Cade sat in the back of the fancy SUV by himself. Aside from Mechaem the only other occupant of the vehicle was the driver, Cade's magic revealed that the driver was alive, most likely a ghoul, one of the blood bound servants of the vampires.

They made their way onto the highway and into town proper, the drive took about twenty minutes and the whole while Cade was sorely tempted to end this monsters unlife. Eventually the exited the highway and threaded the more narrow streets that bordered the french quarter. Eventually they pulled into a parking lot beside what looked like an old office building with storefront windows. The windows were frosted and Cade couldn't see inside. There was a set of double doors of the same frosted glass that had what looked like two bouncers guarding it. There were velvet ropes and poles showing where to stand in line but there was no line.

Mechaem made no move to get out, he had been still and silent the entire drive, now though, he spoke without turning.

“We will wait for the rest of your party so we don't have to do the introductions more than once. They shouldn't be long.”

Before Cade could ask what he had meant by party he spied a long white stretch limo pulling up to the front of the club. Mechaem said nothing just opened his door slid out and straightened his suit coat. Cade followed and as he closed his door the limo pulled away and he saw his cabal standing with a woman who was dressed elegantly but just seemed off. She was also another vampire. Cade scowled.

They joined the rest of the cabal and the new vampire, Mechaem Spoke as he stepped past the door bouncers.

“I am Mechaem, Senschale to Baron Radu, welcome to Locul Pacii, the Place of Peace. If you will follow me I will take you to your meeting.”

He didn't pause just led them into the club. He also did not acknowledge Penny in any way shape or form.

The groups filed in after him.

“Baron,” whispered Triessa?

“I told you he was old world,” snorted Penny derisively as she rolled her eyes at Mechaem's back.

The large vampire ignored Penny and led them into the club proper.

The club was surprisingly modern but there were some classical throwbacks in the art and the huge oak bar which took up most of one side of the large warehouse sized room. The bar was lined with stainless steel tall backed stools that looked surprisingly comfortable. Along the other sidewall was a long upholstered bench, there were short solid square tables also of stainless steel with onyx tops set at intervals with cushioned backless loveseats facing the bench. The loveseats could seat two comfortably, three intimately. The plush upholstery on the bench and the loveseats was light blue.

In the center of the large space was a dance floor that could hold and 20 couples more if they didn't mind rubbing against one another. The dance floor was raised about half a foot above the main floor and at the back of the dance floor was a second small raised platform where a small live band could set up.

Filling the rest of the empty space were tall onyx and stainless tables designed for standing at.

At the back of the club were the rest rooms and swinging doors which led into a hallway that led to the kitchens. On either side of the back of the room there were two sweeping curved stairways which lead to a private observation balcony. The lighting in the club was subdued and filtered giving everything a blue cast. The music was also not loud unless you were on the dance floor so talking was not difficult.the style playing as the cabal made it's way through the club was modern house music common in the clubs of the city. Neither special nor offensive.

The patrons were not numerous and although many watched the mages pass through none seemed overly interested or concerned.

For the mages part they were able, through the use of their magick, to determine that there was a mix of Vampire and human in clientele.

Mecham led them to the back of the club and up to the observation deck where the furnishings were more comfortable, classical, and obviously expensive. There were three Vampires, two male, one female, seated around a table with drinks sitting in front of each.

Mechaem gave a polite bow of his head to the man sitting in the middle then he introduced the mages to the three vampires.

“Allow me to introduce your host, The Baron Vladislav Radu, Owner of this premises.”

he indicated the fair haired aristocratic man sitting in the middle between the other man and the woman.

“And this,” Mechaem indicates the darker man with Mediterranean features, “is Andreas Kasiloukis, The representative of the Sabbat in the city.”

The dark haired man raises his glass whiskey with a nod.

“And last but certainly not least, Madam Juliet Benet,” he gives the attractive woman who looks to be in her early forties a slight bow, “The Prince of New Orleans.”

“Haha,” the woman giggles as she raises a glass of wine, “now Mechaem you know I don't like to be called prince.”

“You would rather queen I suppose,” injects the Sabbat vampire.

The two glare at each other.

Radu stands and two waiters bring champagne for everyone. “Welcome, my friends to this Place of Peace,” he says as much to the two vampires as to the mages.

Spoiler

Radu  Radu.jpg

 

Andreas   Andreas.jpg

Juliet  Juliet.jpg

 

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Cade steeled himself, resisting the urge to change the illumination in the room to pure sunlight.  He could decapitate the local Vampire courts with a single stroke.  Still the war that would inevitably come, and the fact that his friends wouldn't live through it was something that helped him not do it.   Aside from that, who could tell who would rise up in place of these, once they were gone.

as the leader of the Cabal, it would fall to Triessa to speak for them, and It was his silent hope that those with the ability would forge a mental link so they could communicate effortlessly.   Still he also knew Vampires did have the ability to sense some effects, So even that could be compromised.

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The whole placed reeked of a prepared hunting ground, the name, the decor, the ambiance all serving to put the vampires' prey at ease, even eager to serve themselves up. Kaitlin was willing to bet there were back rooms well suited for feeding and probably for disposing of bodies for all she knew. It wasn't a club she would have frequented in any case, but she made a special note to not to specifically.

She didn't know what all Vampires could do, though she knew they had access to a variety of powers, of which superhuman strength and speed and terrible claws were quick common. She nodded politely towards Radu in response to his greeting and accepted a flute of champagne she had no intention of drinking. Instead, she began pulling upon her chi, in preparation of enhancing her own greater than human capabilities. Just in case.

"Thank you, um, Baron Radu, for the invitation. But I gotta say, we sure are interested in the reason for it," Kaitlin said, cutting a skeptical glance towards Penny. "All we know is that the reason is supposedly... dire."

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The rest of the mages stood silent.

Radu nodded slightly, "Titles are not necessary this evening I think. Please be seated and we will get to the crux of the matter."

 Radu remains standing, Penny moves to the side of the lounge by the Prince..princess, whatever she is supposed to be called. Mechaem nods at Radu and leaves going back down the stairs they way they had come. Every one else finds a seat.

“Yes, The reason we have asked you to come is one of need. Let me give some back ground.

My kind, the Kindred, what you call vampires, and yours, the mages have fought over New Orleans since it's founding , in truth have fought for as long as we have known of each other.

After Katrina, the camarilla and the mages agreed to a peace treaty, we call the covenant, it has held now for eleven years. At the same Time The camarilla and their rivals the Sabbat also agreed to a peace here in the city and they agreed to abide by the terms of the covenant even though they are not signatories.

There has been peace,” he gives Cade a small smile, “for the most part between our peoples.

That peace is at risk.

In the last few years as the city has recovered a new faction of mortals as been moving into the city. Hispanics. Mostly of Puerto Rican and Cuban ancestry and a growing number from Mexico proper. This increase of about 3 percent of the total population doesn't seem like much but the numbers are misleading.

In the last three to four years the population growth has double invisibly from the immigration of undocumented persons, the vast majority of which are Mexican and associated with gangs.

New Orleans has always had it criminal element, there has always been a large investment in this area from the Mafia, and to be honest, we Kindred have always been involved in these endeavors as well. We are often forced to operated in the shadows and behind the scenes. It is just the truth of the matter.”

Andreas shifts uncomfortably in his seat, “Can you just get to the heart of the matter, please?”

“As you wish,” smiles Radu pleasantly.

“These gangs are not united representing the Latin Kings, the Mexican Mafia, MS13, and many others. They have wormed they're way into the criminal enterprises of the city in a big way and threatened the balance....”

“Enough!” Andreas slams his hand down on the table. “You dance around this like you are wooing them,” He looks at the mages directly.”My people are involved in the same activities as these animals. Yes we are in the drug trade the sex trade we have to make money to survive and yes the Latino's have hurt us so we went after them. We thought they were just mortals but we were wrong.

A pack of ..enforcers were sent to teach these upstarts a lesson to send a message. All but one were sent to their final embrace. And he is... torpor is not even the proper word for it. When we found them there were dead all over it looked like a war zone. The gang members were fueled by Vitae, by blood of vampires but a blood so tainted when the one who survived drank from one of the still living ghouls the blood sent him into convulsions, his body twisted became hideous like a Nosferatu, and he went into a sort of torpor.” Andreas drained his glass and stared at it quietly.

A slight smile played across Juliet's lips at her rivals discomfort and distress.


 


 

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"So...this is the end of the world thing you wanted us to help with?" Triessa asks. "You're getting some competition from down south in your drug and sex trade gigs, and they have some weird kind of vampire blood...and that's all?"

"This sounds like kind of the definition of 'internal dispute' to me. We don't have a mutual defense pact, right? It's more like a nonaggression pact. I mean don't get me wrong...I'm not super thrilled those things are happening around here, but from the point of view of people on the street, what makes their gangs worse than yours?"

 

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Penny giggles a little but stifles it when Juliet looks back at her.

"Triessa, may I call you Triessa, such a pretty name," The elegant attractive vampire gives Tri a charming smile full of promises, "It's the blood darling.

Andreas and his batch were stumped, and some of the Camarilla Kindred who dabble in that sort of low culture have been affected as well. So when it came to my attention I sent some of my own investigators to suss things out."

The undead woman speaks with a sultry sensuous voice there is a slight accent, probably European, but it is well hidden by her perfect English.

"What we found we shared with my counterpart. These super ghouls if you will are from different gangs but we found that all of them bare a tattoo that is pretty much identical."

Juliet waves a hand at Penny, who opens her handbag and pulls a folded paper out, she unfolds it and hands it to the older vampire. Juliet doesn't look at it merely slides it across the table to Triessa.

ShaitanSymbol.jpg

The paper is a scan of a human torso from the back. The body is heavily tattooed but this is circled making it easy to see. there is a blow up of the tattoo along side the picture of the body.

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Triessa looks at it, shrugs, and passes the picture to Cade.

"So what you're implying is that someone's selling some kind of doped-up vampire blood to these gangs, and they're using it like a super steroid? It sounds to me like the next move is to find out who this is and move on wherever they're producing it...and still waiting for the part where it's our problem."

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"It's the crest of Shaitan."  He looked at the three Vampire leaders and his eyes narrowed.  Alot was starting to fit, the murders, the Door, the pictures they'd gotten, it was all connected to this.   "It's decidedly bad news."   He knew "Alot" about vampires, enough to definitely make himself a threat, moreso than he generally was.   

He'd gauge their reactions before he said anymore on it.

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Radu raised an eyebrow, "Very astute, Mr. Alistair, very astute."

Cade passes the photo around so the other mages can see it.

Juliet continues,"Since you know what the symbol is let me tell you a little story you probably don't know."

Andreas gives her a dark look but says nothing.

"What i am going to tell you is privileged information not to be shared with any others. There is a blood line of the Kindred called Baali. it is ancient and even in Kindred circles it is evil.

Shaitan is the title of the one who rules the Baali. They are demon worshipers. There have been many shaitan over the ages but they are not the Shaitan and none of those dared use that symbol.

Today we have mortals in this city who bear that symbol and who are infused with vitae, the life blood of the Kindred, but it is a vitae which has been corrupted, which poisons any Kindred who tastes it. It is vitae that has been tainted with the blood of a Demon."

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"And so you come to us.  Now, the Kindred presence within the city isn't small my any means.  This is certainly something that would normally be viewed as an internal matter.  Knowing that, well, you know more than you're telling us, because I cannot imagine it's easy for any of you to look outside for aid.  I am somewhat intrigued, in as much as mere ghouls were able to match the power of your investigators, who were at the very least, actual Kindred.   That curiosity isn't enough to make me get involved though."

Those who knew his history knew this was a show of self control for Cade.  Demon worshiping vampires wasn't something new, and to be honest, they were abit worse in his opinion than the garden variety, but he certainly wasn't going to just jump when the bloodsuckers called and do their bidding.   He'd only come tonight because of the Truce.   "We can dance around the issue at hand awhile longer, but I think it best that we come to the crux of this meeting; What exactly are you asking us to do?"

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Kaitlin glanced at the photo, but it didn't mean anything more to her than it did to Triessa. It was just some sort of skull tattoo to her. She didn't know much about vampires besides the bits she picked up from Cade, enough to know that the Camarilla were the 'civilized' ones and the Sabbat were the 'monsters' but so far, she rather appreciated the Sabbat representative's directness.

Which didn't make the situation make any more sense to her. Demons now? Demon-vampires and Demon-ghouls?! She was just a physically-aspected Mage from a tiny town in rural Wyoming. She'd known something of lycanthropes - insofar that they existed, at least - but It was still astonishing to her that it seemed every myth of things that go bump in the night was turning out to be real in some fashion.

She opened her mouth to ask something, but closed it without saying a word, not wanting to reveal her ignorance in front of the leeches, at least not in this matter. Like the others, this looked liked an internal to her from what she'd heard, unless these Baali were a concrete danger to the city instead of just a danger to the leeches' criminal enterprises.

Kaitlin folded her hard, muscled arms and shifted her weight from one foot to the other, trying to affect a wise silence as she listened to the responses to her cabal-mates inquiries.

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The Prince studied the mages for a moment as if weighing important matters.

Suddenly Andreas the Sabbat leader huffed noisily, "Dammit we are wasting time. The affected gangsmen are stronger and tougher than those we would employ against them, more over, we," he sweeps his arm to indicate the other vampire, "cannot risk rooting them out ourselves..."

"Not because we do not wish to be hurt," said Juliet annoyance clear in her tone, "but because the risk is too great. Penny."

At the sound of her name Penny picks up a laptop and sashays over to the table she flicks some keys with her extremely long bright red nails and sets it down.

On the screen for all to see is a video of a room. it looks like a doctors examination room complete with a medical bed. on the bed is a form roughly man sized but bulkier and its face is hideous. it's face has human and of all thing bat like characteristics. It looks dead.

"This is the survivor of the first encounter. As you can see he is no longer anything resembling a human being. right now he isin torpor. This is a stae of deep deep sleep the Kindred undergo from time to time," Explaines Juliet.

On the screen two men enter the room and go about caregiver duties. As the two men are working they are oblivious tot he sick vampires beginning to move although the camera catches the movement.

Suddenly the sick vampire explodes from his resting position and in a matter of second the two men are literaly torm apart then the room is filled with incredibly bright light and fire. the monster wriths and screams in pain before the lens on the camera cracks and the picture goes black."

"Keep watching," says Penny, as the pictures comes back showingn the monster on the bed again just as it's attack begins, "This is at one tenth the speed."

The video shows the horrendous attack of the monster in slow motion. at that speed they can clearly see the monster.

600017429_30b73f06-638a-45c2-a142-4e572720be99-luma-underworld-header.jpg

"Everyone of the kindred who have been exposed to the blood of these gang members, is in torpor and turning into one of these...things. That is why we need you. To end the threat the gangs pose to all of us yourselves included, and to find the source of they're corrupted blood," comes the voice of Radu as he finishes the explanation.

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Triessa chewed her bottom lip for a second, then said, "Look, this is kind of a big deal you're asking for. It's not just about us, this is changing the whole pact thing between the vampires and chantry. I don't think we can just decide that on our own."

She looked at Cade and the others. "Can we?"

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"No it's just you," came a tiny voice from a dark corner of the balcony. It could have been a womans voice or a child and something about it sent shivers down spines that almost never knew fear.

Everyone except Radu looks toward the origin of the voice, the other vampires seemingly as surprised as the humans.

There in the dark corner, was the silhouette of a small figure hunched over a table. The shadows seem to receed into the blue lighting of the club revealing a girl who looked to be in her mid to late teens. her dress distinctly old fashioned as was her over all look. she was playing with cards.

"The cards only showed me you and your friends, and the cards never lie," She looks up directly at Genevieve and Jacques, " do they?"

Spoiler

13c4f6e11e870ad5a615f406b2c26d8a.jpg  The vampire in the shadows.

 

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Genevieve looked at the anachronistic woman and thought about her question. She could give one of several answers, all which were true in their own way, but made a decision on how to play this situation.

"The cards do not lie, but they can be vague and misleading." Genevieve replied as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a boxed deck of cards.

The box was wold a worn, mended with taps in several places and so well-used that the thin cardboard was closer to cloth now. 

"And they are often up to interpretation, which can further muddle the truths they reveal. " Genevieve added as she tilted the box so that it only one corner touched the table and the corner on the opposite end of the box was under her finger as she gave the box a spin under her fingertip.

"That's not what has happened here though... for a multitude of reasons." she half-grinned.

"Anyways.. This is not changing the pact. It still exists. This is something else. You have come to our cabal help, not the House. So we, as a cabal, can choose to help or not, all on our own. And if we decide to help, then I am certain our kindred friends here will be most appreciative." Genevieve stated as she let the deck of cards flop on the table and lifted both hands, collecting her long hair in both hands and pulling it back over her shoulders.

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Kaitlin had the acute senses of a predator, so she was completely surprised by the voice coming from the shadowy corner. She barely restrained herself to a sharp stare like the others rather than reacting instinctively and trying to kick the pale girl-woman's head off her shoulders. Creepy, Kaitlin though with a faint shudder.

Despite skill with the Sphere of Time, Kaitlin found prognostication as very suspect - at best, it simply let you sense and gauge possibilities. That said, she certainly didn't like the thought of more of the Leeches turning into those... things. It was damn fast. Still, while finding and disrupting the source of this demon blood would benefit them all, it really looked to her that they would be the ones taking all the risk, especially since it seemed only the Vamps were susceptible to being transformed by said blood.

Kaitlin glanced at her Cabal-mates, then thought over the mental link that Genevieve had set up going into the meeting, <Okay, so this is a threat to all of us, but we're the ones taking the risk while the Vamps avoid getting mutated and losing their minds. What are they going to offer, or what concessions are they going to make?>

Cade knew more about Vampires than they did, while Genevieve was the better negotiator and had one of the Vampires addressing her directly, even if it was a creepy-ass one. So she would let them ask the question of recompense, if they thought it appropriate.

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A little child like giggle escapes the tiny figure as she flips another card onto the table, “No cat-girl, there is only one future, just as there is only one past and one now. What you do is make possibilities. As for helping you that is what i am doing now.”

Radu drifts toward the table motioning for the vampires and humans to join him, “This is Carmilla, she is...gifted.” She smiles up at Radu before turning back to her cards.

The mages and vampires now stand in a semi circle around the table with the small vampire. She is laying out her cards not in a traditional tarot cross but rather in what appears to be some sort of solitaire form. The cards are also not the expected tarot card, instead she is shuffling and pulling various types of sports and collectable card game cards. There are cards form the games Magic, Pokemon, Hearthstone, as well as cards representing sports figures from baseball, basketball, and football, both American and soccer.

Kaitlin is a bit shocked at the girls statement, “Did you just read my mind,” asks Kaitlin defensively?

“Me? No silly,” Carmilla giggles again, “I can't read minds.”

She turns her eyes up to Kaitlin, who can see that they are a pale opalescent green, “But my master can and he talks to me.”

Heads turn to Radu with looks both questioning and accusatory but he just shakes his head slightly and nod back to the little girl vampire.

She flips a couple of more cards the turns her attention back Triessa.

“You will not be alon you will have you're'  friends,” she points at Kaitlin, “her puppy dogs,” then her finger moves to Cade, “and his.”

She flips the last card and abruptly stands up, she is about 4'7 or 8” lending her an even more childlike appearance except that now that she is standing, her body reveals a woman's well developed curves just in a tiny form.

“The pandillaros know what the blood does to us, that it releases the beast, turns us into the vrykolakas. The vampire-demons have destroyed many civilizations throughout history and this is the goal of the pandillaros' master, to destroy this civiliztion. He has set the the pandillaros to hunt the kindred here in this place.”

Cade shakes his head, “If this is true then why have we never heard of these things before, I mean I have heard the name before it's was the Greek word for vampires, or werewolves the myths contradict on that, so if they are real and if they are so dangerous why didn't they overrun the world?”

“They died, silly.

In the ancient times they could not spread far enough, fast enough, to overcome they're hunger. Those that tried burned when they were caught by the sun, and vrykolakas burn very well. Those that did not try to leave there place starved, unlike kindred, the vrykolakas must feed they cannot enter torpor. Feed or die. Once all the humans were gone the would turn on the beasts, once those were gone, they would turn on each other until only one was left and that one would either starve or burn as it tried to find food.”

Kaitlin noticed that the vampires seemed doubtful about what the girl was saying as if they were hearing it for the first time as well. “How do you know all of this?”

Carmilla giggled, “I told you, my master talks to me and he talks to the pandillaros' master too. They play senet together, the same game even, for over 5000 years. They're master told my master and he told me so I could tell you.

And now you must save the world

stop the pandillarosor we all die.”

She smiles again.

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"Um, right," the powerfully athletic young woman muttered.

Kaitlin eyed the girl uneasily despite standing a foot and a half taller and having an advantage of over a hundred pounds of unnaturally dense muscle, having never been practiced at concealing her emotions. She glanced around, despite knowing there would be no sign of Carmilla's master, she couldn't help it. She really didn't like the idea of the... whatever it was reading her thoughts, she didn't like the idea of anyone reading her thoughts.

The other vampires staring at Carmilla doubtfully did nothing to put her at ease either.

Having seen the video of the Vrykolaka in action, she could well understand the vampires having to keep their distance as they would just spread the infection of the vampire-demons even faster. I'll have to make a concerted effort up channel my personal enhancement rituals each morning to have a chance going toe-to-toe with these things. And as Carmilla had said, she was Terrence and company would help. But still, some judicious questioning back at the Chantry might be in order. Who knew what Lore some of the other Mages had picked up over the decades or centuries?

"Do these Vrykolakas have any other major weaknesses we should know about besides the sun?" Kaitlin asked the gathered Lee- vampires in general. "Whether known or rumoured, anything that'll give us an edge?" She jerked a thumb at Carmilla. "And who the Hell is her master and the master of the pandillaros?" Kaitlin turned and glowered down at the smiling, uncanny girl-vamp. "Who the Hell is your master?"

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The little girl scrunches her nose and hisses at Kaitlin, pushing her chair back, her fingers becoming claws and her fangs growing to almost 2 inches in length. She looks poised to leap at Kaitlin for about a second. Then, just as suddenly, she looks normal, her chair still in place, hands calmly holding her cards.

Kaitlin is completely unable to determine if what she had just seen was real or not and from the looks on the paler than usual vampires around her she thinks that they are uncertain as well.

"Silly mortal, my master is God, who else could it be." The simple statement made in a sing song child's voice sent chills down the spine

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Cade who'd remained quiet until now, spoke.  "Well, Lots of entities actually, but for now let's put off that particular discussion.   We have a matter at hand.  You want us to stop this before it becomes an epidemic.   So I'll ask since no one else will.  What are you offering us, to do this favor for you?"   You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed.   "Blunt perhaps, but time is a factor it seems.  Don't say "The good of the city, the Accords, or anything of that nature."   They are a problem, but if this was the other way around, if we had come to you with this problem, you would ask something of us to aid us."  His discomfort in the presence of so many leeches was fairly evident.  This had already drug on too long.

 

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Radu crosses his arms and faces Cade.

"We offer you nothing. You would not be here if it were not for Carmilla. She has seen this in the cards. You and yours will find the source of the Vrykolakas and you will defeat it. We only brought you here to inform you that for you in this matter we will consider those assembled here as members of our clans and sects. We will give you what aid we can without exposing our selves to the vrykolakas, and will not take vengeance for any kindred you must destroy to end the plague."

Juliet reaches out and touches Cade's arm to get his attention. "But we would not want you to think us ungrateful. What is it you desire Mr. Alistair?"

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