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Not with a bang, but a whimper. [07 Jul 2008|10:10pm] birthright_npc Epilogue for Jackson Donnelly, Ray Dresden, and Delilah. The end began with a Mexican Standoff. It was Jackson who drew first, on Delilah, who, in turn, endangered Ray, who, of course, threw the situation into deadlock. Stake. Circumstance. Broadsword. These were the weapons at hand, respectively. ( In this last of meeting places ) Subject and cut text from T.S. Eliot's The Hollow Men Reply

Good-Bye and Good Luck [07 Jul 2008|06:36pm] ex_first_bor754 The wheels had been set in motion. Julie had given her notice to Nyx as soon as she came back from her hike into the mountains, not that it would have a huge impact on the bar. The past few weeks business had been terrible anyway, people had been staying close to home and could buy their own liquor cheaper elsewhere. It might even be better for the Lighthouse that she was leaving, Nyx and Jo wouldn't have a 'freak' working for them anymore as far as the public was concerned. After a much needed shower, the werewolf dug her old duffle bag and backpack out of the closet and tossed them on the bed. She needed to sort through all her things and decide what was staying behind and what was coming with her. The furnishings had mostly come with the room, so she didn't need to worry about them at least. ( Unforgettable ) He put both arms around her and pulled her into a hug, forgetting that he was sweaty and gross and kind of heartbroken. His chin came to rest on the top of Julie's head, and he closed his eyes and just let himself breathe. He still hated good-byes, but maybe this one didn't have to be for always. "Don't forget me, okay?" "Never." She returned the hug, wrapping her arms around him, not caring that he was sweaty and gross, his scent was all Connor. "You're unforgettable." Reply

A Toast [07 Jul 2008|11:27am] corbett_renfroe There were worse ways to spend the day in Cleveland. Granted, being stranded at Cleveland Hopkins International wasn’t ideal, but Corbett never really cared for trying to fly in stormy weather anyway. His cross-continental flight to London would likely be postponed until the following day if Mother Nature had her way, so the Watcher decided to make the best of it. Thankfully, there was no shortage of bars and tiny pubs in the airport, so Corbett settled in for a pint while watching the Wimbledon men’s final on the television. Corbett only went to the All-England Club once in his life – in 1981, when John McEnroe finally beat Bjorn Borg. Tennis had never been a large fancy of Corbett’s – he’d always been more of a soccer fan – but he knew even then he was witnessing history. Even if one of the bloody Americans won. ( Attention all passengers ) Reply

Human Rights [07 Jul 2008|12:37am] jill_at_law ( Washington, D.C. ) Reply

Hard Decisions [06 Jul 2008|07:23pm] hipcat Julie wiped her brow as she reached the ridge of Doherty Mountain and looked down over Searchlight in the morning sunlight. She'd left town in the pre-dawn, when the light of the sun was just beginning to show above the eastern horizon, to avoid any of the locals seeing her and get up to the mountain to think before it became too warm. Thinking was something she desperately needed to do. ( Pondering ) Reply

The Only Decent Thing [06 Jul 2008|03:10pm] vamp_watcher Grace had bought a couple of dozen books for Cory, along with a handheld video game and some separate cartridges to go with it, things to keep him occupied and quiet, after she removed him from Child Protective Services' care. She might know jack about child-rearing and care even less, but she knew you had to keep kids busy or else they got loud and whiny. The last thing she'd needed at the start of this caper was for someone to start questioning why she had a seven-year-old boy in her hotel suite with her. ( Going Home ) The vampire watched the red light she was sitting at, waiting impatiently for it to change, and if she wiped at her eyes before continuing on her journey, it was a thing she'd never admit to anyone. Like she needed a kid tagging after her for fuck knew how long. She did get tired of wanting things she couldn't have, though. Things like family. Reply

Here's To the Insanity [03 Jul 2008|10:15pm] corbett_renfroe Corbett really should’ve left by now, but for some reason, he just couldn’t bring himself to do so. Maybe it was some connection he felt to the place since he’d finally found closure with Teresa and a new Slayer in Faith. Or perhaps it was the fact that things were so out-of-whack right now the Watcher thought he might be of use should someone ask. Thing was, no one was asking. And even if they did, Corbett had no guarantee he’d be able to offer anything more than an “Oh, dear” or a “Bloody hell.” Corbett had been around long enough to know a Watcher’s job description went a little more in-depth than that. He wandered into the Lighthouse, not necessarily for a bite to eat or a drink – though a pint sounded splendid at the moment. He found Mallory sitting at the bar and smiled to himself as he approached. The Watcher mounted one of the stools, flagging down the bartender. The place was dead. Not entirely unexpected, given the late hour and the madness surrounding the world. “’Ello,” he offered after ordering a drink. ( What a jackass ) Mallory stepped out of the bar into the last of the day's sun, peering around suspiciously for anything that even remotely looked like a van from a television station. But the coast was clear, and so she tromped across the broken asphalt of the parking lot on her way home. Calls to make, plans to consider, things to do. The world was changing again. Reply

Safe House? [03 Jul 2008|06:49pm] mallory_quinn "C'mon, its only a few more steps, we're almost there..." The drive back to Searchlight had taken place in a sort of daze, and Mallory had only thought of getting a blanket out of the back of the truck to drape around Julie's bare shoulders once they were actually within the town limits. She was currently walking the werewolf up the steps to the Lighthouse so she could see if that bullet had done more than graze her friend. She kept looking over her shoulder every few feet as if expecting to find another news crew following after them. Julie's purse was missing, which meant they'd left it back at the Red Cross center. Hopefully there'd be a way to get it back. Mallory eased the brunette up the last couple of steps, reaching for the door handle. Wondering if Julie was coherent yet. ( Taking Care of Their Own ) Mallory waited until she heard the water start to run, wondering if she shouldn't have tried to say something encouraging. Then she let out a long sigh and padded out of the room, deciding to leave Julie in peace. There was nothing she could say, anyway. The cat - or rather, the wolf - was out of the bag now. This whole thing just got better and better. Reply

Person-to-Person [03 Jul 2008|03:06pm] vamp_watcher ( Voicemail for Victoria ) 1 | Reply

Access Granted [03 Jul 2008|01:01pm] a_twilight_sky While there was nothing lavish about Tyler's new apartment, its humble interior still had warmth that shone through in a simplistic fashion. Perhaps it was his Japanese background. There, every home, even a home that housed an impoverished family would be beautiful in its balance. That extroverted sense of beauty had traveled across the sea with the young man. Ty lay across the couch; his left forearm draped across his forehead as his dark thoughts plagued his mind. The lack of hunting opportunities was driving him insane. Topped with the fact that he was fairly convinced his phone wasn't working, it would have sufficed to say that he was getting frustrated. Apparently, frustration was the new red. Star Tomlin was one week a vampire, and had yet to sink teeth into her first living prey. It should be noted that she did not starve; there was blood enough to survive on in her sire's refrigerator. Or at least, there had been, until the newly undead blonde had gone through the entire stock. What caused the trouble? It was those damned spells. First, there was a spell to retain her soul. That remained intact, and Star didn't regret its effectiveness, though being without guilt would simple things up, a bit. Second, a spell to subdue her inner demon, which chomped at the bit to unleash dark impulses, despite her lackadaisical habits and tendency to like rather than eat people. Oh, it was that second spell that was problematic. After a while, her hunger for blood was sated, but her hunger for a hunt just wasn't. That spell was simply no match... The streets were an increasingly difficult place to find strangers, who could be seduced into exposing their necks for a little nibble. I promise I won't drink it all... Even elevator rides within the hotel became small tortures. Really, I'm not a lush! I could stop. Sure, I've had my years of indulgence, but I've grown as a person... In the end, there was only one man Star trusted herself to be around. One who was not only immortal, and her boyfriend, but could kick her ass if she got too thirsty. Outside Tyler's apartment, she pressed her nose up to the door jamb, simply breathing in his scent. Tyler, despite his whirlwind of thoughts, couldn't help but feel the presence that approached his door. His insides twisted. It was a combination that froze him for a moment. On one hand, he could feel the presence of a vampire in close proximity. On the other hand, there was the distinct impression that the woman he loved was also here. It didn't take his mind very long to connect the dots, but he had no desire to rush to any conclusions. He didn't move. Instead, he stayed on the couch, waiting for the doorknob to turn, anticipation coursing through him. When the knob didn't turn, he chuckled to himself. “You are coming in, right?” Oh, you jerk! ( The World's Doofiest Couple ) [Thread: Open to Tyler and Star] 35 | Reply

Coming Out [03 Jul 2008|11:40am] hipcat Note: takes place at the same time as "Whatever Means Necessary" "Make sure to have the cots far enough apart to let people walk through," Becky reminded Julie and Mallory as the two women rolled out a stack of the things on a pallet from a nearby store room into the gymnasium. The harried Red Cross staffer was being pulled in several different directions at once and didn't have the time to babysit the volunteers as much as she might like. "No problem," Julie reassured the middle aged woman, and the staffer nodded before moving over to check on the soup and sandwich line just outside the doors. They'd decided to come up to Vegas and help out when the organization put out a call for volunteers, and were promptly put to work along with a few others to help set up cots along with tables for a sandwich line outside. People were already coming in to use the services too, the news was full of widespread reports of problems throughout the metro area. It seemed that demons, supernatural and otherwise, were coming out of the woodwork following Agent Markowitz's revelations on television news a few nights earlier. "This is crazy," she muttered to Mallory just loud enough for the other woman to hear. "How much worse can it get, do you think?" ( Don't ask ) ( Worse ) ( Panic and Opportunism ) The NPCs of Nancy Hollingsworth and Kenny were written by both Stargazer and Tim. Reply

The Last Loose End [01 Jul 2008|09:08pm] vamp_watcher [ mood | working ] [ music | Violence Fetish - Disturbed ] Things were finally setting into place – even if the Elders felt it was taking too long. Epimetheus was amazed how vampires so old could be so impatient. It wasn’t like they were on their deathbeds or anything. All that mattered to the vampire was that what he paid Grace to do had been done. The child had been found and the Slayer murdered. Epimetheus took great joy in learning of Samantha’s demise, even if some part of him was a little jealous. He hoped to one day kill a Slayer of his own, and one as twisted as Samantha seemed like the perfect candidate. Only problem was, Grace deserved that kill, not Epimetheus. He realized that, and used that fact to his – and the Order of Zeus’ – advantage. With Samantha gone, their chances of securing the Chosen Child and seeing the fruition of the prophecy were that much better. ( Double Cross ) Grace found a few splintered boards piled up in a far corner of the roof, and on her way back she had the beginnings of an idea. She'd have to check out a couple of things first, make sure everything was kosher, but if she was right -- and when wasn't she? -- the Order of Zeus would be left holding their dicks, both metaphorical and not. She looked down at what was left of Epimetheus, then pushed the stake through his chest and into his heart. A mercy killing, of all things. She watched him turn to ash, the breeze picking up the remains and scattering them as if he'd never existed at all. People who fucked with her got dead, that was just how it was. "I'll find the cure for what ails him. 'Cause I'm smarter than you." Reply

Training [01 Jul 2008|04:32pm] jill_at_law Jill couldn’t believe the knot in her gut as her plane landed at Reagan International. She was in her second start from scratch in the last few months, after her transition from Wolfram & Hart to Project Integration went, quite literally, nowhere. But Uncle Sam for some reason decided Jill was better served in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was relocating her in lieu of actual termination. Which, considering her former employer, was a welcome relief. The luggage rack took forever, as it always did. It seemed as if travel was more of a hassle than ever, even when someone else was footing the bill. Why the FBI saw fit to hire Jill was beyond the former layer’s comprehension, but she wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit to find out why. She was getting another shot, and all that mattered to her now was making sure she didn’t fuck it up. ( The Moment You Said Yes ) [NPC Agenta Rivers and Creswell were written by Paul.] Reply

despite all my rage [28 Jun 2008|07:39pm] boy_on_fire The police didn’t matter. The lack of people didn’t matter. The attempted calls to Star that remained, for now, unanswered didn’t matter. Nothing mattered to the demons of Sin City, still needing to feed. In turn, nothing mattered to Tyler, who continued to hunt as best he could. Prey was scarce for all of the night’s children. The dry season had fallen on the American Serengeti. Every hunt was an important one now. Every moment spent not feeding on the weaker was a moment of defeat. And if too many lost moments stacked up, the game was over. But in the night, when the dry dark fell upon the sands and neon lights When the predators came out When the hunters and the hunted played their ancient game When, if you stared hard enough, long enough in to the shadows, you might just see them move …the rituals continued. Sliding from shadow to dark place, a ghost of a man slipped unnoticed by all human eyes. He grinned wildly, the thrill of the hunt, the night air, and the chaos below made him feel so alive. That was a feeling he did not take for granted anymore. He paused momentarily, his eyes closed so that his inner senses could pick up on the subtle nuances of his environment. Thirty foot away, something moved. What ever it was that moved, it didn’t give off any body heat that was discernable to the young reincarnate. That meant only one thing. Bright fangs flashed in the neon light from across the street. Two hunters crossing paths. “We just have to play a little more quietly, won’t we?” In the shadows, one hunter triumphed over the other. Tyler would return home satisfied. Now if only he could find his girlfriend. Maybe there would be more satisfaction waiting for him in the night. Reply

The Last Temptation [28 Jun 2008|12:06am] rhiannon_lee A sort of belated madness set over the city, after the initial shock of the revelation passed. With the President's address, the full weight of a new world reality rested heavily on morale. There were those who continued rioting and looting and venting their frustrations in destructive ways. The mass exodus carried on, though highway traffic was nightmarish. But in increasing numbers, people began to go into nonfunctional states. They wandered about lost, having been ousted from hotel rooms or robbed of their cars. When stranded without a place to go or a direction to pursue, they simply walked. But here, they were also thwarted. A national curfew had been put in place. At dusk, everyone was to get inside. While it would be impossible to capture all who disobeyed, the local policing forces and national guard managed to force businesses to close. Enforcement vehicles patrolled the streets, shining spotlights into dark corners, and pronouncing the curfew loudly to any who lingered. People were literally horded into the nearest buildings. It was the price to pay for pushing their luck. Rhiannon got stuck in such a trap. She was patrolling near the Orleans hotel when she rounded a corner and found herself face-to-face with a police car. Reversing directions only pointed her at another one. The area was blocked off. Rather than pick a fight, the brunette put her hands up, voicing a tired, "Alright, Christ," and went into the hotel... Where there was profit to be made. Management claimed that no one was allowed to loiter. Since the casino and bar were closed, there was nothing else to do but pull out a bank card and get a hotel room. Luckily, over thirty rooms had gone prematurely vacant. Under normal circumstances, Rhiannon would've cursed a blue streak and hit the nearest emergency exit, but leaving was rendered impossible. With a mental attitude of 'fuck it', she dragged ass upstairs and locked herself in a standard single. The decor in Orleans was a supposedly modern take on art deco. The walls were alternately red or rust or burnt orange. The furniture, white with turquoise accents. The throw pillows were shaped like tubes. Rhiannon grabbed such a tube and tossed it in the air, pacing around despite feeling as if she were an engine running on empty. The television as distraction? No. The only thing on was that god-forsaken man's face, reciting his inspirational script over and over and over... As if it wasn't his administration that made Project Integration possible. Rhiannon rubbed her wrist, where the chip was hidden, then forced herself to toss the pillow aside and check out the mini-fridge. "I seem to recall a bath..." Elfleda's voice. Unmistakable. One of those moments where she deliberately used that strange ability of hers to link with both mind and physical ears. Neither exclusively one, nor the other. Even when it came of sensation, it seemed the Corruptress teased. As ever, when next she spoke, it was purely with what could only really be described as vocal chords. Whether or not Elfleda physically still possessed any, of course, was a matter for personal interpretation. The last time they had met, Rhiannon had helped her to ascend back to hellish throne. As of now, she just casually walked directly through wall. What could she want now? "It's all a bit of a puzzle, isn't it?" ( An Invitation ) Reply

Frustration [28 Jun 2008|12:59am] curious_chimera [ mood | frustrated ] Taking the car could have been a bad idea, that was excatly what Reverie was thinking as some crazed truck driver almost took a U-Turn out of the parking lot she was currently trying to get into. Slamming her foot on the break, she smashed her fist against the horn. It emitted a loud piercing sound and caught the other drivers attention. He flipped her the finger and continued to try and U-Turn, blocking her path. She wasn't usually lacking patience, but lately her inner demon flamed up so intensly it was starting to frighten to her. It was something she would have to take up with Dr Metzger. Whatever experiments she's been doing... Reverie didn't like how they were effecting her human part. Rolling her window down, she shouted unabashedly, "Fucking move already!" The guy in the car gave her a sneer, paused, and turned his ingine off. Reverie's hands clenched on her steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. Now was not the time to expose herself. Sure there was Slayers, Witchs, Vampires, Demons... You name it. The problem was, she was the only one of her kind. It made her sick, suddenly to the government she was like a rare Pokemon waiting to be collected. Gotta Catch 'Em All! Reverie clenched her teeth. Gripping the steering wheel under her hands until her skin felt molded to it, she lifted her foot off the break peddle and gave an almost animalistic glare at the truck driver. So he wasn't going to move huh? She'll move him herself. Why not, everyone else was out being defenders of anarchy. Reverie kept eye contact, and reved the engine of her car. The guy in the truck laughed. "Darlin' this is a 4x4, your little sports number don't worry me." Reverie didn't even bother with a retort. Her foot slammed into the gas as her hand manouvered the stick shift. The car screeched forward, rear-ending the truck with a crash and scrap of metal on metal. "You litle bitch!" It was Reverie's time to flip them the finger, her foot still on the gas and pushing the truck further down the road. Then, she reversed calmly and shot off into the parking lot, exicuting a spectacular parking between two other cars. She stepped outside and made her way forward to the Super Store. She was going to stock up on things like candles, weapons, foods, the usual in the face of empending doom. With a sigh, she walked inside the giant supermarket. Her ears were the first things being assaulted. Then it was her eyes. People, some demons, some nice demons, clerks, people fighting, screaming at each other. Threatening violence, shouting, pushing, snarling, indignant yells echoing around the isles like some ghostly wail. This could take a while... Reverie groaned, and turned up the first isle, grabbing bottles of water, batters, and torches. Next was the sports section. Baseball bats, aluminium of course, and darts. They could come in handy. She meandered like that for a few minutes, her trolly packed by the time she neared the screaming at the checkouts. Someone was pointing and screaming at a man in a coat. Reverie narrowed her eyes. That wasn't a man... It was a demon, that was... Apologising? What the hell? Rolling her cart straight to that checkout, she shouted, "Hey, what's going on here. Serve the customer." The guy behind the chekout spat back, "I'm not serving that thing anything. It's an abomination, a freak." Reverie's teeth clenched again, and she moved far too quickly for an average human, before the clerk had blinked Reverie had a grip of his collar and was pulling him across the checkout until his toes dangled. "Listen you little arrogant fuck, if he's not biting your god damn head off and apologising it makes him more fucking human than a piece of trash like you. Now get back there and get this line of customers free, before I suggest we all walk out due to your shitty attitude. If we're all being seen as freaks, we might as well become theifs too, right?" The clerk's face turned a pale white. So they could look human and act human too? His eyes nervously darted up the crowd which seemed to have calmed down due to him being hauled across the counter. "Get some fucking respect, and get back to work before we make you lose it." Standing with a smile was the demon in the jacket. Reverie gave him a soft smile in return. "I only came here to get my cat some food, she likes the nibbles." He laughed, his purple eyes shinning. Reverie grinned, adding, "Tell me about it... I don't care what anyone says, this place will always be hell for me." Reply

All for Naught [27 Jun 2008|11:58am] birthright_npc “What did you find, Magus?” The vampire kneeling before Seraphus was a meek one, looked as if he were barely strong enough to stand on his own two feet. But Magus was an old and powerful sorcerer, able to mystically keep his body intact even as disease ravaged it. Centuries ago, Magus lay bed-ridden, syphilis threatening to take his life before Seraphus saved him from death and delivered him to eternal damnation. Forever grateful, Magus spent his unlife serving his sire and the cause of the Order of Zeus. He had seen the prophecies, knew that of which the Elders spoke. He had seen many an offspring of the Slayer grow into manhood, and yet none of them were the descendant of Zeus. And having just consulted with the Oracles, using his centuries-refined mystical powers, Magus was convinced the Order would have to look elsewhere. “It does not look good, master,” Magus spoke in a shaky voice. “The boy does not exhibit any of the signs.” ( Loophole ) [Written by Jeff.] Reply

Down and Out [27 Jun 2008|10:54am] birthright_npc The more Frank Dickerson ran, the more he began to realize he wasn’t getting away. Turning the corner and heading into one of the many dark alleys of Las Vegas, Frank looked over his shoulder, seeing that not only was the police officer still on his tail, she was catching up. And the officer didn’t appear to be all that winded, either, which was amazing, considering this high-speed foot chase had been going on for nearly five minutes now. Frank was down and out, unemployed for two months now and in desperate need of money to feed his family. The chaos surrounding the public admission that demons existed was actually a boon for Frank, as he was able to on more than one occasion steal money and valuables from people as they panicked and rioted in the streets. But tonight, one of Las Vegas’ finest caught him. Frank, never having been a violent man or one prone to confrontation, decided to run, hoping to use the athleticism he had in his high school track days to outrun the officer. It was like Armageddon out here, so Frank honestly wondered why the officer was worrying about some petty criminal. ( They'll let anyone on the force ) [Submitted by Jeff.] Reply

The Way Things Are [27 Jun 2008|03:37am] birthright_npc Military trucks roll down the highways of American towns and cities. Conspiracy theorists hype up the 'Big Brother' angle, beyond all measure. Their impact, though, is slight. Restricted to their own focused audiences. Most people want some sort of order. Everything has been too chaotic. In Nevada, business owners complain that a Las Vegas without nightlife, is virtually no Las Vegas, at all. They will deal... They hope. Most of the hotels have their own, internal attractions; some having entire theme parks behind their closed doors. People start to think of films like 'Outbreak', 'Deep Impact' and 'Independence Day'. The Internet has already virtually collapsed, several times in the last few days. Any remaining VIPs not already summoned to nuclear bunkers prepared for World War Three, now get the call. The National Guard now pours across civilian areas. Traffic is halted. FEMA, if it even still exists, is going into overdrive. Special, 'less-lethal' means of riot control are deployed, such as microwave beams to cause the sensation of pain across one's skin, around areas of special security interest. With curfews in full effect, however, few, if any accidents, necessitate their use. Some people start to feel bored: Where are all the explosions? If this is really the New World Order, where are all the concentration camps? Legitimate questions and the conspiracy theorists play for time. Far from the shambles of the defunct Project Integrations, the measures now undertaken for security are professional and swift. Anything intent on causing trouble is, for the most part, quickly identified and neutralised, except in a few cases. Most commercial flights are cancelled, until the authorities can devise a properly regulated system of monitoring passengers. Ironically, many of the recommendations suggested in the wake of '9/11' are now being hastily implemented by force. Las Vegas is still a neon playground. Just a lot quieter and, with the exception of armed soldiers and law enforcement, mostly with empty streets. Searchlight, for the first time in a long time, actually has some police representation wandering its dusty roads. Results differ in other countries. For the stricter regimes, far nastier precautions are taken. All things considered, things are rather peaceful. So far. [Written by E.] Reply

"My Fellow Americans..." [27 Jun 2008|03:31am] birthright_npc ( When everything changes... ) [Written by E.] Reply

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