Haunted Roads

When: Night
Where: Towers
Who: Tavin and Eliina

The night before the full moon, Tavin should have been home with Jerzy. He normally was. He’d come home early in the morning, he’d eat the breakfast Jerzy always had waiting and spend the entire day with him since he knew tomorrow night he'd be gone. He wouldn’t work, hell he’d not even really go anywhere if he could avoid it. But tonight was different. Tonight he told the kid he needed to go out for a bit and he didn’t want him to worry none. Just something to take care of and he’d be back. The words weren’t lies; there was something he had to take care of. Eliina.

He’d been watching her off and on for weeks now, following her through the city, seeing where she worked. He gathered up every bit of information on her he could. He’d waited and he’d debated. Tonight wasn’t the night to do this. There would be better times, better chances, if he just waited. But the days around the full moon always put him on edge. His patience always seemed to flat line. He wanted to know who she was. He needed to figure out what her presence meant before Jerzy accidentally stumbled into her. The kid didn’t need to know she was here. Not yet. Not until Tavin had some real answers for him.

Maybe others would be joyful; they’d have tears in their eyes and hope in their hearts. Tavin wasn’t one of those people. What he had was wariness and disbelief. He didn’t trust her here. He didn’t trust anyone that sent nosey ass little humans after him. There were too many ifs. Too many unknowns. And those she kept company with did not exactly give him anymore reason to trust.

If he got even a hint that something was up Jerzy and he would be gone by morning.

Tavin was never ever letting someone hurt that kid again.

He was protective of family, he had always been. Once that had included Eliina…but he didn’t know who she was anymore. Maybe, deep down, there was a part of him that wanted to believe that there was chance to have her back in their lives. They had looked for her…hunted for her so that they could be together again. Now that she was possibly in front of him it wasn’t so simple anymore. Not that it had ever really been.

There was no more delaying, no more digging into her life or watching from the shadows. Tavin was waiting now just beyond her door…he knew she was going out tonight. Someone had spoken so the other day when he’d been so very near and yet so very far away. Tavin had a knack for that, far better then any human could. Heightened senses helped in that but it was more the stealth and speed he had on his side then anything. Abilities that helped to keep him unknown to those he watched.

He could hear her now on the other side of the door. The slight jangle of keys grabbed. There was still time to turn away. Time to rethink this. To realize any other night would be better. But to him there were no other times. No other chances. That patience was gone and now there was just that need to know.

Tavin waited…and he stood there still when the door finally opened. Back to the wall, arms folded against his chest, bright cat like eyes hidden behind dark glasses. But though she couldn’t see his eyes he could see hers. Eyes that were too familiar to not be hers. Eyes that he knew to be his sisters…

Who: Tony and Eliina
Where: Tony's place
When: Thursday Evening
What: He pissed her off!


She'd been avoiding him. For weeks now. Avoiding him quite handily if she didn't say so herself. It would have been easier if she'd had a typical sort of job. One where she was only out about in the hours of the day where he would burn, hopefully to death. No, she had to work with others of his kind and it did necessitate hours that weren't always idea for avoiding fanged individuals.

But whether or not he'd had a mind to harass her, she'd done everything in her power to not have to see him, or think about him. Easier said in theory than actually done. Physically it hadn't been difficult but not thinking about what had happened that proved almost impossible. She just couldn't understand it. She avoided men, especially avoided men like Tony. Old vampires who had spent years manipulating and using those weaker than them. Perhaps that was a bit of a generalization based on little concrete knowledge... But Eliina was alright with that. She'd rather be safe than sorry.

Though safe was the last thing she'd been when she thought back on the memories of that night. Little sense that they made. Why? Why on earth had she done any of that! There was no logical explanation. It should have made her drink less, made her think that perhaps she did go too far and leave herself open to mistakes such as that... but it also was a fantastic numbing device when she couldn't stop thinking. In the end, yher vice always seemed to win.

Thursday had been a particularly long day at the office. All day in court then a series of appointments in the evening with clients who could not come to see her at any other point. Saying Eliina was exhausted by the time she arrived at her condo was something of an understatement. In her usual routine the mail was picked up, including the delivery. But it wasn't until she had set everything down in the entry of her condo that she had the space and hands to open the box. It was odd... she didn't often receive things, unless she had ordered them. And she didn't recall making any purchases recently but maybe something had been backordered that she had simply forgotten about.

Of course, it wasn't anything as simple or as pleasant as that. Eliina stared at the dress that was just under the fine wrapping. Even for a woman who took little heed of fashion, she knew that it was a beautiful dress. The work on it spoke of money. And she hated it. Hated it for being so beautiful and hated what it stood for. The bottle of wine was discovered next and set Eliina's blood to boiling. She was ordinarily such a cautious woman but here and now... that caution was set out the window.

There was only one person who would send her something like this.

Eliina's eyes flashed as she slammed the lid back on the box. She turned immediately on her heel and made haste out of her own condo. In her avoidance her own investigative work had been done and she knew exactly where he lived. The elevator ride was short, he lived far far too close. It was short enough that she still bristled with her anger when the doors dinged open. It only grew as she cross the hallway and approached his door.

She would not be his little doll to dress up either. Never again would she be that... thing. He could take his gift and shove it, quite literally. Which encompassed her plan entirely, to whoever opened the door.

Who: Eliina and Justine
When: Monday night
Where: Chroma


Work had been complete and total hell.

Her nerves had been on edge all day, flustered and frazzled like she had never been before, at least not professionally. But Eliina went to great lengths to ensure that what she felt inside, what troubles she might experience in her personal life stayed just that... exceedingly personal. But Monday morning it all seemed to bleed together and she couldn't quite seem to get herself to reach that professionally aloofness that she had mastered years ago.

Her secretary asked her three times if she was coming down with something and just wanted to take the afternoon off. True to form, Eliina denied this offer and stayed through the day. No matter how difficult it was she far preferred to bury herself in her work than sit another day in her condo and try to figure out exactly what she had done the week before and why.

Clearly, she had been unable to come up with any acceptable answer to her actions as fuzzy as her memories were. They were still there. She could still see and remember snippets of the evening in her mind. She had... been with him. Eliina just couldn't seem to make sense of it. Him... HIM. She despised that vampire, and yet she had let him hold her and let him touch her and...

She should never be allowed to drink again. But somehow drowning herself in another fine bottle of wine and not even being able to comprehend the reality of the fact that she'd let herself get that close to someone she hated seemed still too tempting a pastime. In the end, Eliina had no answers. Her life for as typical as it looked to any outsider, had been far from typical. Raised and groomed to be one man's possession. She didn't know what to do with a... casual sex encounter. She had never even known she'd wanted such an encounter. Men... for the most part repulsed her, sent shivers down her spine. And not the tingle of anticipation sort of shivers. The please don't touch me sort to be more specific.

But here she was regardless of how she thought she felt about the situation. Confused and not sure that she should even speak with someone about it. However, she did know that it was eating her alive. And she couldn't drink her way through the day no matter how much that did appeal. Maybe she wouldn't actually have to talk about it with the one of the very few people she considered anything close to a friend. Justine was a woman, she might be able to help her understand all of this... if Eliina could get over her own disgust and embarrassment.


That, however, was an issue to deal with after her glass of wine. And that wine was ordered promptly as Eliina set foot in Chroma. Wine first, finding Justine second.

Who: Eliina and Veronica
Where: Old Town Towers, Eliina's condo
When: Monday Evening


Eliina didn't often pace, even rarer did she take up the old habit of chewing at the perfectly manicured nails that she kept. One of her few vanities. But at the moment she was wearing a path on the rug that sprawled across her living room floor, protecting that hardwood floor investment. Another glance at her phone told her that it wasn't quite seven yet and that she should just calm down and wait patiently for Veronica to arrive as they'd discussed over the phone earlier.

That was easier said than done though.

She broke away quickly from the path she was so familiar with and headed into the open kitchen. The kitchen that looked barely used. A bottle of Chardonnay sat open on the counter and Eliina poured herself another glass, her hand shaking ever so slightly as she held the glass bottle. Damn.

Her nerves had always been a source of irritation. Panicked breathing and that tight feeling in her chest. Why now though? She was scared. Her memories of her brothers were so very faint and it was such a long shot... she barely remembered their names. But more than that it was as if... doing this would bring back the ghost of her entire past, leaving it bare in front of her and maybe she would lack the courage to face it all again. How he'd loved to tell her that they were dead. That even if they were alive they wouldn't want to know her as she was now... No matter how many times those words had been spoken she'd never truly been able to believe them.... until she'd done what she never thought she'd been able to do and dirtied her hands beyond cleansing.

But the desire still remained in her, to find out the truth. She could only hope the cost wasn't too great.

Wine glass in hand and still dressed as she had just left the office, she made her way back into the minimally decorated living room and waited for the sound of the door buzzer announcing the arrival of the investigator.

Who: Eliina (Narrative)
When: Friday Night
Where: Her offices


The office was quiet. Near silent. It wasn't a state that it held often. Especially in the evening hours, clients of the undead variety tended to make their appointments then, imagine that. But Friday night, well it was a bit rare that appointments were made unless absolutely necessary. Apparently even some of the attorneys and clients wanted to have a life.

That fact didn't exactly apply to the blond who was at her desk long after her personal secretary had left as well as some of the junior associates. The only sound was the gentle hum of her computer as she poured her eyes over several cases that she'd printed out earlier. It was just busy work though. No court appearance on Monday to be preparing for, no briefs to complete, no motions to prepare... well at least not any that were pressing. But still she was at work.

Always the case. It was one of the few places she felt at home, even her own condominium didn't make her feel as comfortable as being tucked behind her desk did. But it wasn't a home feeling. She didn't know what that felt like anymore.

The words on the page began to fade into a blur of black type. If Eliina was being smart she would have packed up shop and headed back to her apartment, there was a nice bottle of Pinot Noir that had her name on it. Instead though her mind strayed... old memories that had never really faded though she had been so very young. Barely snippets anymore, what lingered the most were the words that Lorenzo had always used against her when she protested.

Her brothers were still alive and he knew where... A fact he taunted her with, threatened her with. But once he was gone... there had been no evidence in any of the old bastards papers to indicate that they had been truth. Had it all been lies just to bend her to his will? She wouldn't have been surprised. But she couldn't just accept that, wouldn't.

Eliina had flirted with the idea of searching for them, now that she had the opportunity and the freedom to do so. Would it be possible? She didn't have the foggiest. Her fingers moved on impulse. Searching through the contacts on her outlook. Investigators that she'd used before. A few were slimeballs that she would never call again unless the hounds of hell forced her to. But Veronica Kincaid... that was a name she was willing to deal with again. Didn't hurt that she was a female and Eliina would be the first to admit to her preference in dealing with women over men.

Nimble fingers flew over keys and an email was quickly sent to the email on file.

Who: Anthony and Eliina
Where: Eliina's office
Why: Tony's branching out
Rating: PG13 at the minimum.

It had been an entertaining week so far. Having moved into a new home, Anthony was getting himself settled in. Most of his furniture had been taken care of. None of it really meant anything to him in the long run, but one always did have to keep up appearances at the very least. Potential victims coming into his home, which also doubled as his ‘photo studio’ would question the lack of furniture after all.

Of course, he already had to get rid of some of it. His initial annoyance with Slade had passed rather quickly when he began to play with his new toy. At the very least, the fire demon had an eye for beauty. The young girl managed to last a couple of days before he broke her. It had been an enjoyable couple of days, for him at the very least, but in the end the whole mattress set had to be replaced. He was half tempted to send the demon a bill for the new bed, though he would have to send her something at the very least.

He was not quite sure where the girl would end up. Likely some brothel in South East Asia, or perhaps even India or the Middle East, where white women were seen as exotic rather than the norm. He doubted she would be thankful for still being alive, but then, mortals always took slavery so personally. It was always amusing to watch their reactions to such things. But, just thinking about it brought his mind to the task at hand.

In all his time in Seattle, he had not managed to snag a reliable contact within the legal realm. Which was unusual for him, since lawyers were always so easily bought. He must have been getting lazy in his ‘old age’. That thought amused him even more, but as the problem became known to him, so to do a solution.

It was a pity that Lorenzo had been killed. The vampire had been like a kinsman to him. As often a rival as not, but always respected, Tony knew the bloodsucker had his fingers in every pot imaginable. But, his attention was focused upon his former pet. Pretty little thing, but more importantly, she was a lawyer. And by all accounts, one willing to let her fingers get a little dirty.

As he settled into a seat in the waiting room of the office, Tony let himself smile a little. He planed to enjoy the next couple of minutes at the very least. He wondered if the girl would even remember who he was, it had been so long since he had last seen her.

Who: Eliina and Justine
Where: Wild Ginger
When: Tuesday, 7pm
What: Ladies Power Lunch er... dinner!


It was time for a drink... wasn't it? Not as though it were some ungodly early hour or only so late as lunch. But then again when it came to some days... it never felt too early. However, Eliina or Ellie as most knew her, wasn't inclined to mid day drunkenness... especially not when sh'd had more than her fair share of clients who were accused of similar things. Pro bono work did bring in quite the colorful array of clientele. That said, after the day she'd had, she almost preferred a few slurred phrases and the slight aroma of unwashed clothing. At least they weren't the sort that thought their money and power granted them a free pass through society. The opportunity to do what they would and expect someone else to clean up all of their messes.

She was exceptionally good at holding her tongue however. Or rather curbing her speech, and turning it rather to biting renditions of the facts as they stood. Something that the rich and guilty never appreciated. But she was good at what she did. And no matter the caustic words she might have to say regarding their personalities she always gave excellent representation and for that, she was well worth the exceptionally high billable hours she tallied up working on their cases.

Those cases were never her passion, but they were what paid the bills and without those cases Eliina knew that the exceptionally nice condo she lived in would be nothing of the sort. It was also the price she paid for her freedom and that was worth all the frustrating clients the world could throw at her.

Of course, that wasn't to say that Eliina didn't require a little time away from the frustrations of said clients. And that was where the dinner she was currently headed towards came into play. She didn't go out for dinner often. More likely she could be found at home, tucked away with a carry out meal or still at the office, behind her desk and a stack of files, working her way through more carry out. When whe could remember to eat. But, as her secretary kept telling her... she needed to get out from behind that stack of paper every now and again or one day she'd never un earth herself. Eliina didn't often find this amusing. But today, she took it to heart and had Janice call one of the few personal contacts on her list, Justine Baptiste. She didn't have to be back in court until the Tuesday, so a dinner was manageable.

Her heels clicked with rapid steps as she walked the block from the Washington Mutual Tower, where her law firm was housed, to Wild Ginger. It was close and it served excellent food. Dressed as always in the same simple black suit she'd worn all day, Eliina was escorted back to a table in the back of the restaurant as requested. "I'll let you know when Ms. Baptiste has arrived Ms. Louis," the hostess quickly hurried off and left Eliina alone with the menu. Already perusing the wine list.