Slithering Out For the Night (open)

[Serpentis]

It was a dark stormy night, wind was beating New York City to a messy pulp. Everything in the streets, including homeless people, was flying around helter-skelter. A storm this huge was unprecedented, and most sane people were indoors battening down the hatches. Unfortunately for those who weren't at home, this was exactly the kind of day that Serpentis loved to venture out.

The club was nearly dead, or rather empty of undead or alive people as the weather was nothing to bat an eyelash at. A dark patch of shadows slithered through the door, forming a pool of dark liquid that was similar to water. It formed a perfect circle, clear and undisturbed, like a black mirror. The pool shimmered once, then rose up forming a perfect cylinder of pure blackness. It started to form a man, like a medium of clay sculpting itself into a perfect sculpture. The sculpture had tan skin, no hair, and wore a smile that could melt hearts. The man there was dressed in a black business suit, with Egyptian cuff links, and a dark purple tie with an all seeing eye in gold. He had a perfect cane inscribed with mystic symbols all over it, with a gold cobra hand grip.

He walked through the sparse crowd, they parting for the ancient vampire respectfully. He took a seat at the bar and waited to see where the bar tender was. Until then, he was content to smile and observe the crowd. He loved people watching, he loved inclement weather, and he was in a good mood tonight.

[Kiala]

Ziva had been entertaining her guest, mostly kindred, a few of they're ghouls and a smattering of kine. She was dressed in black slacks and a tight finely threaded blood red shirt. Her boots were made of black leather and had three inch heals. Though not obvious she was carrying a gun and several knives about her person, obscured by obfuscate.s. Her dark brown hair was loose and flowed down her back

. She had already fed on a couple of the kine, afterowrds she poured some liquor in there mouths and and had them served enough drinks be seem drunk. She was always carefull with sucj things, not wanting to give anyone the thought Kindred spent time here. She looked toward the stairs of the VIP floor were a large gangral stood guard. Payed both in blood and in cash, it was a good place for kindred to work.

The rules of Elysium applied here. No fighting, and the masquerade was to be maintaned within her walls at all times. She allowed for very little leniancy on such maters. So it was understandable that she was highty annoyed when a kindred materialized from shadows right in the middle of her bar. She motioned to several of her kindred employees to alter kine memories, the other option was if they could not..then kill them. This would be left up t the lasambra, who could not be seen on vidio. The bar maid, one of Ziva's own ghoul's looked at Ziva whom shook her head slightly, and pointed toward the stairs leading up to the VIP area. The ghoul indicated the stairs to the kindred, emphisizing 'walk'. At the top of the stairs the gangrel bouncer pointed to were Ziva stood by a private booth. There were two glasses and a bottle of wine waiting. The look she gave the anciant one was not an overtly friendly one...nor was it particulary threatning. It seemed more a anoyed look than anything else.

As Serpantis aproached Ziva was already filling both glasses, the scent of blood easily caught by any kindred nose.-"I know not who you are...but within my halls, you will observe the masquerade...and believe me old one, I am not one to be triffled with"-She said even as she handed Serpantis his glass of perfectly distilled blood wine.

[Raylexing]

Amar walked into the bar, holding his tie to prevent it from slapping himself in the face. He was wearing a blue and white striped buttoned shirt with a blue tie, along with jeans and a pair of blue tennis shoes. He grumbled something about outdoor parties being a terrible idea as he looked around the room. The party that he was on his way toward was now cancelled due to the poor weather. Amar was hoping to feed there, so instead he decided to make his way to one of the many clubs of New York, of which he found The Edge.

Once inside, he found it to be a happening place, except that the bottom floor was inhabited by only a few kine dancing on the floor. He saw stairs leading to another floor and thought that maybe there were more people upstairs. With club music blaring, he approached the Brujah clad in the black suit with dark sunglasses who appeared to be guarding the stairwell. “Membership, please,” the Brujah inquired. Amar replied “Oh, alright. I think I have my membership card right here,” as he pulled out his wallet and retrieved a crisp twenty dollar bill from its contents. The Brujah looked to his left and right before taking the money. “Alrighty then, welcome back stranger,” said the seemingly pleased Brujah as he stepped aside.

When Amar walked up the stairs, he was greeted to the VIP room. Immediately the intoxicating smell of blood filled his nostrils, and Amar was determined to know where it originated from. Following his nose, he saw a man dressed sharply in a black suit with a purple tie and an ornate walking cane. This gentleman seemed to be conversing with the bartender. As he made his way over to the two figures, he was greeted with menacing stares from a few of the other Assamites playing pool. One in particular took time from his game to stand in Amar’s path. Amar told the man politely, “Excuse me sir,” implying that he was being very rude by standing in his way. This Assamite responded in Urdu by asking, “کیا مجھے معلوم ہے کہ اپ کے دوست ہے?” (Do I know you, friend?) Amar responded in English by telling the man, “Look, I mean you no harm; this is a friendly place. And it would be better for both of us if you did not know me,” with a serious look on his face. The Assamite growled at him as he stepped aside, snarling “it’s not worth taking the time away from pool to deal with ya anyway,” as he sunk the 4 ball into a side pocket. After clearing the way, Amar went over to the two figures to see what that delightfully smelling drink was. Upon getting closer, however, it appeared that they were seated at a private table. The smell was overwhelming, but Amar controlled himself and had a seat at a vacant table, patiently waiting for them to finish their business.

[Serpentis]

Serpentis took the glass with a nod and a wink

"Oh, terribly sorry old girl....this new masquerade fad is a little lost on me, but I'll be more...discreet." he smirked

"So then, whats happening around here? Anything worth this old-timer's attention?"

He sipped the drink, it was cool to his lips. He swirled the drink around in his mouth, savoring the taste. He loved the drink, blood, even after thousands of years it still held its potence in his taste. He mulled things over slightly, looking over the young vampire, he was interested in any mortals that were lurking around here....he was feeling altruistic again, and was game for a good match of chess against anyone or anything. His sense of danger was nil, but he had come out of torpor recently because his keen senses had felt the tremor of some sort of game starting...one with pawns....and he did so love games like these.

"Any news or perhaps any interesting mortals?" he inquired.

He usually had no tolerance for this masquerade that the younger vampires insisted on, he thought that the rules of not-being-seen were inherent in good sense and all those who didn't have the good sense to not be seen, would be snuffed out like a candle in the darkness. He didn't pity the stupid, the dull, or the weak. If you were weak, you would become strong by your will alone, if you didn't you would die. It was that simple....at least to Serpentis.

[Kiala]

"The Masquerade will be observed as will the rules of Elysium, Those that try my patiance...rarely last another moonrise...two if they are lucky."--she looks pointedly at Serpantis--"also, I prefer to know the names of my patrons. I am Ziva, and this ofcourse is my club"

She glances at the young looking kindred who walks up the stairs and knew him to be of her own clan. It did not bother her, several Assamites came here, many worked for her. She motioned for one of the ghouls to see to his needs. She did not serve many guest. She returned her attention to Serpantis--"Kine do not concern me much, except for feeding. If you find one interesting, then feel free...but none are to be killed on this primasis. If you wish to drain one, take them eslewhere."

Ziva drained her glass of bloodwine, and set the glass down.--"You can see this club does well. It is because I allow no violence within my walls". Ziva stands and leans on a near by rail--"there is much to intrest a kindred, even those old like ourselves. I take it you have not long been out of torpor?"

Ziva watched those bellow, men and women dancing on the floor, all enjoying there life...how brief it would be compared to hers and those like her.

[Serpentis]

Serpentis sniffed at her veiled threat.

"I have lasted ages, young one. You would not be the first nor the last in failing to kill me." he said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

He smirked thinking over her threats, any attempt to destroy his body would succeed but not be very helpful as his heart was elsewhere, hidden amongst the ancient egyptian dead. He alone had invoked the high ritual of the Setites to displace one's heart and it had given him some measure of relaxation when it came to assassination plots.

"My name is Serpentis and I am from the old sands of Egypt. I have seen this masquerade and I find myself too busy to be bothered by such rules. I will do what I please, and when I please..." he smirked at her "Though, you are not stupid, so you will not think that i have lasted this long without adhering to some of those rules."

He drained his glass and joined her looking down at the mortals.

"Yes you are correct in your diagnosis of me, I have just recently awakened actually, tonight being one of my strengthening days so that I can start moving about in this new world full of technological wonders....thought I must confess. In my five thousand years of life, I have watched these animals....these humans....and not once does their behavior as a whole change. They are like insects to kindred. Not in power mind you but in habits, they feed, they mate, they die, the cycle goes onward and eternally. Humans will continue to waste what time they have on this earth because it is in wasting it that they forget how little time they have. I admire them in a way, they persevere through a world of darkness so deep that they cannot fathom it and yet they still have hope....something that is so difficult for elder kindred to hold onto....comes naturally to them."

he said softly.

"I have spent many years thinking this over....and it is as close to paradox as I can get....they have what we want, and we have what they want, yet neither can have both."

[Raylexing]

Amar sat at a lone table and was greeted by a fellow dressed in uniform who asked what Amar would like. Amar replied by saying that he'd take whatever that gentleman over there, pointing at the man in the black suit with the purple tie, was having. The man replied with a "Right away sir" and was off the fetch the drink. As the worker left, Amar stared vacantly around the club. Sitting by himself was no fun; he was expecting to party tonight. So Amar started to scan the room for some hotties to share a drink with. If he was lucky, which he always was with the ladies, she might even take this literally and let him feed.

He found that there was a charming young kine with the Assamites playing pool before who went to a table to take a breather. Amar saw this as a good a chance as any as he went over to chat. After engaging in some small talk, the woman gave a chuckle and seemed to be having a good time, and the two talked back and forth. One of the Assamites, however, was staring daggers at Amar. Amar turned so that he wouldn't have to look at them as he continued his conversation with the young lady.

He was pretty close to the table that the other two vampires were at, and he could make out bits and pieces of their conversation. He heard the word "masquerade" at one point, along with the phrase "violence within my walls" later. Amar got a little nervous after hearing this, but tried to ignore that. Out of his peripheral he could see one of the other vampires heading toward his table at this time too. "Great, what the hell does he want?" Amar thought to himself as the worker finally brought him his drink.

[Kiala]

Ziva scowled at her fellow assamites, a dagger with a ruby on the hilt seemes to appear in her hand, a threatning look in her eye's. She speaks in her native Arabic-"I advise against violence brothers...I will not tolorate it within my walls"--. The Assamites suddenly seemed both worried and ashamed. They had provoked her anger, and it was never a good thing to provoke the anger of Ziva the 'Last Shadow'. She nodded to the younger assamite, obviously apriciative of his control over his temper. She summoned a ghoul over--"deliver a bottle of bloodwine to him...on the house..a two year old vintage will do nicely."

"It is always a good thing to make friends, they have they're uses."

She returns her attention to Serpantis--"Yes...they wish to live forever...and we wish to simply be alive again. Most of them will have something I never have..I was embraced before I bore any children..I would trade all this, all that I have made for that I think."

She sighed, and odd sound from one who has no need to breath. Her chest rose and fell as any mortals would, air moveing in and out. She took out a pack of camel minthols and lit one. For those not familiar wth kindred, or able to read auras, she seemed human. The knife was gone, and she smiled at several Kine who looked up at her and Serpantis.

[Serpentis]

Serpentis noted that, and logged it away for future manipulations or plans he had that involved the need for an assassin.

"I had that urge as well, to be a father...." he looked onward into the nightclub.

"But I too was sired before I could be a father...I tried to sate that desire...by siring a vampire but it was not the same and ended in tragedy...as most sirings do."

He remembered just for a second Imhotep, his beloved almost brother almost son. He saw her take out a cigarette, and he too produced one from his golden cigarette case. He smiled as the tobacco vapors filled his lungs and he exhaled a large amount of smoke, shaping it into a cobra with an outspread hood.

"So what brings you to the nightclub business?" he asked softly, changing the topic.

[Raylexing]

Amar was very grateful indeed that he had not provoked the Assamites. He wouldn’t have wanted to kick the crap out of them in front of the lovely lady, anyway. When the man came back again with a bottle, Amar was quite surprised. “This is on the house, sir. Sorry for the trouble.” Amar was quite please. “Oh not at all. That’s very considerate of your employer. Give her my regards, if you will,” Amar responded. The man bowed as he walked away.

The girl that Amar was talking with, who he now found out was named Sarah, was very impressed that Amar had been able to get a bottle on the house. She suggested that they enjoy the bottle later together at her apartment. Amar agreed that this was a fine idea. He was hoping to restock his "Gatorade" fridge supply of blood, though, so he flagged the server a final time. He felt bad calling him over again, but he didn't want to make another trip for blood. He asked the waiter if he would bring out another bottle of the same sort; he'd pay for this one, of course. The server obliged and went on his way.

While the two waited for the server to return, they talked for some more. Amar had seduced many women, and he was simply going through the motions. Because he was so adept at small talk, he was able to concentrate more fully on what else was going on around him. He picked up more of the conversation of the two now smoking in the corner. He made out the man saying “ended in tragedy...as most sirings do,” and that’s all he could hear clearly. Amar wondered what they were talking about. He also noticed that the pool playing gang was no longer giving him looks. Had the owner really spooked them that badly?

[Kiala]

Ziva watched the kine bellow with an air of detachment. She turns back to Serpantis and quircks a lop sided, rather charming grin--"I do this to make feeding easier. I enjoy the hunt, but sometimes the hunt can be as simple as being the seductress and fooling some dumb kine. Also, I have been running tavers since the mid eighteen hundreds, it is a good way for those that wish to do buisness with me to find me, and I enjoy it ofcourse".

Zivas attention was drawn to a young male kine arguing with the Brujah bouncer at the bottom of the stairs leading the 'Blood Lounge', the VIP section of the edge. Mike was quickly loosing his temper when another Brujah interceded. Ziva recognized her as a regular, but didnt know her name. She seemed to be quite fond of the color purple. The young kine walked off with the brujah, more than likely to wake with one hell of a headache and short a pint of blood.

Ziva took a long draw off her cigarette and summoned over one of her ghouls--"Ask the young assamite to come join me for a moment...tell him I 'insist'"

"Ofcourse Miss Ziva"--the ghoul went over to where Amar was bussy flirting up the young ghoul...Sarah, a member of Zivas personal herd. Amar had peeked her intrest and she was already concidering giving the young Assamite a job, and ofcourse, blood binding him.

[Serpentis]

Serpentis smirked

"Of course, business as usual..." he muttered

He watched the younger assamite, wondering if the little one knew what he was getting into.

"You have a keen eye for tools for an assamite." he smirked playfully jabbing her with his elbow

"one might think you were up to something...then again unlife is rarely fun if you aren't up to something."

He thought back to his head ghoul and how she was indeed probably up to something, though he didn't really care.

"Perhaps you'd enlighten an old crusty vampire such as myself as to who is who in this new age of cell phones and sabbat gangs?" he laughed

"I need to know how to brief my security chief Annike, so that she can arm herself and my security team."

He checked his own gun, the silver bullets locked firmly in their slots.

"When I last woke it was the Garou who were the most permanent threat to our kindred, has that changed?"

[Raylexing]

Amar was chatting it up with Sarah when their server came back. Upon bringing another bottle out, Amar spoke with him for a bit. He felt bad for calling him over so many times, so he felt like being friendly and talking to him. Amar figured he was bored anyway and would have liked a friendly customer. Through the chat, Amar learned only his name, Billy. Billy informed Amar that the owner wished to speak with him. Intrigued at what she could possibly want, he thanked the man and got up with anticipation. Sarah asked if he thought it would be alright if she went along, and Amar figured it would.

So the two got up from their table, leaving the wine bottles there. If everyone was really that intimidated by the owner then those bottles wouldn't be going anywhere. Amar walked a few paces with the girl close by as he greeted the two standing near the rail with a hearty hello. "Hello lady and gentleman. My name is Amar. A pleasure to meet you," he said as he half-bowed. "I hope you do not mind that I brought this beauty with me," he added, motioning to Sarah and waiting for a response from the owner.

[Kiala]

Ziva moved out of the way of Serpantis' elbow, prefering not to be touched. She nodded at him and began explaining things as they stood in New York City. She spoke of whom the prince was, and the primogen. There was an uneasey truce with the Lupines, she even pointed out two in the club that night. --"The Sabat is the current concern of the Camorilla"--Ziva explained as she put out her cigarette.

Ziva looked Serpantis in the eye, her gaze very serious--"I would advise you to make your way to the Empire State Building and present yourself to Prince Julian. It is recomended, some would say required. He rules this city and there is litte that you can do without his permission. He practicaly runs the entire state."--Ziva smirks--"and when you drop by, tell him I said hello"

Ziva's attention was drawn back to Amar as he aproaches --"hello young one"--she nods her head to the younger Assamite and then her attention is drawn the young woman with him--"Hellow Sarah, and how are this evening my dead?"

"I am well Ms. Ziva, thank you for asking...I trust I am not in any trouble?"

"Ofcourse not my dear, you were merely entertaining our guest."--She kisses Sarah once on each cheek and smiles at her. Ziva turns her attention to Amar--"I am not one to beat around the bush. You controlled your temper rather well just now, you could have easily fought, but did not. I could use someone with your level headedness, I would like to offer you a job"

[zamara]

Annike Van Leeuwenhoek parked and slid out of her silver Lamborghini. Yes, she could have gotten the driver to take her, but she preferred to drive herself. A feeling of power for the woman who couldn’t even have owned property in the time of her birth. She loved going hard and fast—in this, as well as in other things.

Taking care not to let the rain splatter her Givenchy blouse (her Jimmy Choo boots were already ruined), she folded her umbrella and entered the club. She met with a sorry sight – only a few straggly kine had braved the weather to dance tonight.

Annike sighed. Was this really where Serpentis had just summoned her? This pathetic place? She scanned the room and saw a lone bouncer (ah, a kindred – Brujah, to be exact) and sashayed over.

“Hello, my dear—Can you find a place for these?” she asked, pressing her jacket and soggy umbrella into his hands before he had a chance to react. She glowed with Presence as the Brujah fumbled with her things. “Oh, and for your trouble,” she added, putting a twenty dollar bill in the lapel of his jacket before she went upstairs.

Sure enough, Serpentis was waiting upstairs. This was apparently where the “real” party was—though she had seen far better in her seven centuries of life. Far far better.

She walked over to Serpentis (she’d earned the right to approach him directly rather than be waved over like a dog), casting a disinterested glance at the young vampire woman (and the practically infantile vampire man) next to him.

“So, my lord,” she purred. “What do you need?”