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 Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 7:57 pm
The yelling outside was, unfortunately, getting much louder. It was all he could do to stop himself from opening the door and flinging the dying mortal's body at the lot of them. Noisy damn Romani.Instead of flinging her, however, he suspended her body directly in front of his arms, and reached out with two hands to either side of her neck, both becoming slick with blood. It would be so easy. He would just need to clench his hands and give a little twist. Instead, his hands came away, and the dripping of blood on the floor ceased. The wound, once jagged with torn flesh, was completely healed beneath a smear of blood. She was still unconscious, but she would live. He flung her to the chair that Ravnos had been seated in earlier.
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 8:25 pm
He was surprised. To say the least Ravnos had expected Grendel to tear her limbs off. The look on his face, the rage that had rippled off of him spoke volumes. But if Ravnos was relieved he didn’t show it. His meal had been interrupted by a temper tantrum.
And he was still hungry. But that would have to wait till later.
What was with Grendel? He couldn’t surmise that not sharing was the issue. The God could have simply walked in himself and taken what he wanted. Instead he aimed to make a spectacle out of the whole situation.
A knock came at the door and his head quickly whipped towards it. Before Grendel could do a thing Ravnos quickly crossed the room and opened the door just slightly. Blocking any view inside with his body that didn’t have blood on it. He exchanged a few words with whoever was at the door and then closed it. His lips in an even harder line and with a flick of his wrist the woman was gone. Where too we’ll, really only Ravnos knew. He didn’t need any evidence giving away any indication of what they were. Erasing memories and so many of them would give him a more than enough of a headache later.
Ignoring the pool of blood on the fooor, it was cold and unappealing now, he crossed the room once again except this time in Grendel’s direction with the same swiftness as before. And soon he was in front of the God, a heavy frown across his dark features as he reached out and took his face in his hands. Pulling his gaze to his own and holding his head firmly so that he couldn’t look away.
Well he could if he tried to over power him but whatever.
“What is it that really bothers you Grendel, God of Vampires? Do gods even have bothers?” His grasp softened a bit now as he searched the other’s face for an answer. Any answer. Perhaps he had gotten in over his head. If this wander continued he would have to be very careful with what he said from now on.
There would be no miscommunications.
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:33 pm
Grendel still simmered, but it was better than the roiling, seething mess he had been in moments before. And still, he felt as though he had done nothing wrong. It was completely natural for him to do as he willed when he willed it. If he felt like stealing away Ravnos's toy blood whore to dispose of her, then he would do it. Except he hadn't. Not quite. He hadn't been able to follow through. Something had stayed his hand. He raised his hand when the knock at the door came, fully ready to exercise more power. It built within him, eyes glittering like obsidian. The only thing that stopped him was Ravnos getting in his way. While the disciple dealt with whoever was at the door, Grendel stared at the mess on the floor in disgust. Dirty mortal with her dirty blood. It was probably rancid. With a wave of his hand, just as Ravnos had begun to cross the floor back to him and it was gone, as was any other trace of her having been there. Even his hands and tentacles were pristine once more. Even that which had been previously spilled down Ravnos's body. All gone. He nearly jerked away when Ravnos reached for his face. What did he think he was doing?A dangerous growl of warning rose from his throat but it was cut off when Ravnos spoke. The disciple's eyes penetrated his, and he stilled. Did Gods have bothers? Of course, they did. He just did not feel like he knew Ravnos well enough to disclose them. So, instead, he reached up, to grasp the disciple's hands and remove them from his face. However, he still wanted to make this work, this plan that Ravnos had, so he needed to say something. He just needed to choose his words carefully. "I have been away from the mortal realm too long. I have been alone for nearly as long. My father has left. My mother is probably with him. My sister, I have not seen in over a decade. I am just not used to....all of this." He gestured around him. "When I am hungry for blood, I conjure it. When I long for company, I simply watch my father's childer. I am a God. Your rules are not my rules." "And you were the one to leave me alone." He pointed out. He hoped that was enough to say, for now.
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 9:55 pm
Eyes narrowed for a minute as his hands were pulled from Grendel’s face. He supposed he could understand that to a point. The rules of mortals and even the Kindred were nothing to a God’s rules. And he wondered what kind of rules Gods had that were so different.
So that was it. The word alone popped up several times in his explanation that he had just cobbled together for Ravnos’ sake. “I’m sorry.” It had never occurred to him that this would be the issue. “You are right. I did leave you alone. A bad move on my part.”
Obviously.
He glanced at the door once more. Too hungry and drained to deal with the slightly panicked Romani who would need memory wipes. That would be something to handle tomorrow.
Moving past Grendel he began to head back to the bedroom. An uneasy tiredness began to creep at the edge of his eyelids. The sun would be coming up soon and once that happened he wouldn’t be able to stay awake. But he stopped mid step to turn and look back at the God. “Are you going to be ok while I sleep or do I need to keep you in the room with me?” Truth be told he didn’t even know if Grendel slept like the rest of them did during the day. There was so little under the surface of him that he did know.
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:08 pm
There may be a time when he told Ravnos the whole truth about it, but that was not going to happen today. There was still a lot of truth that he was suppressing even from himself. "Don't...." he stopped, as it was too late. "Apologize." He finished, gritting his teeth with a growl. He could tell the disciple was hungry, and a small sense of guilt was now worming its way through the god, telling him that it was his fault. "Rest. I will deal with whatever needs to be dealt with here." It would be easy enough for him to do it, and Ravnos was clearly not in the mood. "I won't kill any of them." He said, in case there were any concerns. He had already sated that desire today. "On my word."
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:25 pm
Ravnos was most certainly no one to apologize often if ever. But Ravnos had never been lonely for long while Grendel had been alone a very long time. He couldn’t quite imagine just how he felt. So the apology for doing exactly what others in his life had done was all he could offer for the time being.
Without another work he slunk bank through the curtain of beads. They once again clacked against each other before settling to hang over the door eat once more.
He felt a bit relieved that Grendel swore on his word not to kill anymore. At least for now. While he didn’t enjoy leaving the God to his own devises Ravnos needed sleep.
The next day sunset had come and gone but Ravnos had not stirred. Laying flat on his back upon the bed with his arms over his head. Dark hair covering his face as he slept. He never dreamed but he would get lost in memories often. Some were easier to awaken from than others.
This one took place many decades after Caine had turned him. Starving and alone he had slaughtered a family that had given him shelter during a storm. It was fortuitous for him but unfortunate for them. He languished in the taste of their blood as he fed to the point he had almost become sick.
A dark shadow watched him. <******** off.” He growled before throwing the mother’s arm at the spot the shadow had been. It splattered against the wall and fell to the ground. “b*****d….” He mumbled under his breath before returning to the gruesome scene before him.
However soon Ravnos began to stir. Eyes opening slowly as the ceiling of the room came into a blurry focus. He didn’t want to move at all. The lack of blood still made him feel stiff and he had just the slightest of headaches.
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:42 pm
It had been easy enough to do what he had said he was going to do. It took almost nothing for him to wipe the memories clean of those who may have held any suspicions against them. He even found the family of the young child he had killed and eased them of that pain. He did this silently, and invisibly, not bothering to don his "disguise" from before. Back in the wagon, the hours ticked by. Grendel sat, and while he did not sleep, he let his mind wander. He looked ahead, to where Ravnos said they would be going. He stalked the halls of his temple, still dark, quiet and empty as it had remained for years. He cast his thoughts out in search of his family and felt nothing. Had Chaos whisked them all away? Eventually, darkness fell, and the god stirred, expecting that Ravnos would soon awaken. When he didn't, Grendel hesitated, and then rose to check on him. Still asleep. Had he really been so hungry? He waited, and he watched. He fought the urge to probe the sleeping vampire's mind. He could sense that he was still....well, not alive, but not in torpor. He would awaken, eventually. Eventually. Grendel moved towards the bedside and sat on its edge. When he saw the disciple begin to stir, he conjured a cup to his hand, one that was warm, and filled with dark red liquid. It was not the same as fresh blood, pulsing with heat, but it was still good. Grendel silently held it towards the disciple.
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 10:53 pm
The scent of blood roused him further and soon he reached out to take the blood filled cup. Ravnos typically preferred it fresh, dead blood was a lesson in poison he had learned once and never again. But he drank until the cup was empty before handing it back. “Thanks.”
After a moment his thoughts cleared and he realized the wagon was no longer moving. Brushing the hair out of his face he sat up, slouching forward on the edge of the bed while his hands dangled between his knees. He produced another cigar, lighting it and taking a long drag. The headache was beginning to subside and his muscles were loosening up.
Good.
Taking another drag his gaze turned to Grendel. “Well then let’s go talk to Missy. She should be singing at the club tonight. It’s not far but it can be a bit crowded. Just stick with me and we should be aces.” He grinned, feeling more and more like himself now.
Standing he went to the bureau and gathered a new shirt and set of boots. Running class through his hair to at least make himself not look too disheveled.
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 11:15 pm
Grendel nodded but did not speak. When he took back the empty cup, he dismissed it offhandedly, watching Ravnos make sure he was, indeed, feeling better before standing up from the edge of the bed and moving towards the beaded curtain. Most of the clothes he had chosen for himself were on the other side, neatly folded on the arm of the chair, just where he had left them. He'd had an entire day and then some to reflect on his own poor behaviour and manners from the night before. While he still did not feel completely at fault, he wondered why Ravnos was still choosing to help him. Was it out of fear? He glanced back over his shoulder, in time to see Ravnos pulling on a fresh shirt. If tonight did not go well, Grendel decided he would leave the wandering disciple and find his own way. He would consider it a kindness to do so. Striding through the curtain, he summoned his clothes to him and was dressed In seconds, his hair falling in one long french braid down his back instead of loose around his shoulders as it had the night before. He put the hat back on his head and turned to see if Ravnos was yet ready. He would leave the sunglasses behind, this time. "You need to eat." Grendel stated the obvious. He thought about offering Ravnos his own wrist, except that he did not know how that particular drink would affect the disciple.
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2022 11:46 pm
As he left the bedroom he stopped to give Grendel a reassuring grin. “I will find something later. If we don’t get there soon we will miss her and have to move on to the next with nothing to gain for this part of the trip.” To be honest Ravnos didn’t want to miss catching Missy because while she was nice to look at her voice was quite pleasant
He stopped momentarily to give the God a once over. He had changed the style of his hair. “You look nice. I like the braid.”
A knot began to grow in his stomach. Was it hunger or the fear that something else would happen tonight as well? Maybe both? No. He was determined for this night to go well and for Grendel to ask Missy his questions.
“Let’s go.” He stepped past Grendel and put the door into the night air. It was crisp. Another drag of the cigar and he let loose a puff of smoke that seemed to take on a life of its own as it rose up into the night sky. As soon as Grendel emerged Ravnos began to walk in the direction of the club. Of course he was right it wasn’t that far. It was almost as if the caravan had stopped to camp almost right in front of it.
A neon sign that was lit over the entryway read ‘The Blue Lagoon’. Ravnos ushered Grendel in the door past the security standing out front. A rather large and rough looking Gangrel. As they entered the club the lights were dim and blue filled the room. He made his way to a table near the stage and indicated to Grendel to take a seat as he took one himself.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2022 6:07 am
Something within the god began to ease when Ravnos emerged, looking much more like himself than he had since just before last dawn. He did not appear so defeated now, and he moved with a sense of urgency, a spring back in his step. He even smiled, and Grendel returned the grin with a small upturning of his own lips. ”Well then, we should go.” He agreed, feeling ready to head out into the night and see what it was that the children of his domain were getting up to. The compliment caught him a little off guard, but it gave him a sense of self-pride, and that uncomfortable feeling that had settled in him since the night before, the one that told him he may have royally ******** things up, eased up even more. He let his gaze rake over Ravnos before they left the wagon. Vividly, the image of the vampire from the night before came back to him. Shirtless, bloody and disheveled. He blinked, and frowned. “Of course I do.” He said, pretending he hadn’t been just fantasizing away. “You look… better with your shirt off. ”Acceptable.”Ravnos brushed passed him, and Grendel followed, stepping down into the street and the cool night air. He kept pace with the disciple, hands going into the pockets of his jacket, silently taking in their surroundings. The smells, the sounds, the whispers of thought. He pushed out with his power to sense at the gathering place of vampires that Ravnos was taking them too, getting a sense of it before they even arrived, so that maybe this time he would not be so overwhelmed by it all. It was not far, and Grendel soon found himself looking at the building up close and in person, before he was ushered inside. ”….Why blue?” He asked, as though that were somehow important or relevant to what they were doing here, as he followed Ravnos to a table near the stage. He took the seat he was motioned towards, and eased down into it, plucking off his hat and setting it on the table top. With one hand, he reached up to ensure his hair was still smooth.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2022 6:26 am
The compliment that Grendel had payed him brought a smile to his lips. ******** yea he was acceptable. Even still the hunger lingered in the back of his mind the whole walk to the club. He pushed it down in favor of their task for the noght.
He was not so weak that he might frenzy like some fledgling. Still it made the edges of reality fade just a bit.
Ravnos blinked at the God’s question about the color. He stroked his foster thoughtfully as he raised two fingers at the bar tender. “You know I’m not sure why blue. Maybe you can ask Missy, I mean this is her club after all.” It was a curious thing. Why blue indeed. Ravnos had always just assumed, since water was blue and lagoons were full of water that it just made sense. Plus purple lagoon just didn’t sound right to his ear.
Reaching over he brushed a stray hair out of Grendel’s face after watching him check his hair. Was he being self conscious?
It wasn’t long before drinks areived and the first couple singers had gone on stage. They were ok. An obvious plant to work up the crowd to Missy’s performance. You never went on after someone has a better performance than you was what Missy always said. By that point you had lost the attention of the crowd.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2022 8:14 am
Dissatisfied with the answer to his question about the club's name and ambiance, he pursed his lips and made a mental note to ask this Missy, though he couldn't imagine she would give an answer that would appease him. "Black would have been better," he muttered while he fixed his hair, stopping only when he noticed that Ravnos was watching him. He stayed stone still when the disciple reached over to push back the stray hair, feeling a strange mix of thankfulness and embarrassment. Of course, Ravnos was able to pull off that whole just-rolled-out-of-bed look perfectly, and Grendel might have been a titch jealous of that fact. He fought the surprising urge to catch the vampire's hand when he pulled it away and was glad when he had something else to occupy them, wrapping one around his drink while he leaned back in his chair, the other resting lightly on the tabletop, his thumb spinning a ring on one finger. He did not know what liquid his cup held, but when he gave it a sniff he crinkled his nose, and looked at Ravnos. The disciple was busy watching the entertainment. Well, down the hatch. He drained the glass in one go and set it back down on the table with an audible thud, and shuddered. His own brew was much tastier. Staring at the glass, it began to fill once more, back to the brim with the mysterious dark red liquid of his choice. Smirking, he raised that to his lips next. Ahhh...much better. A drink suitable, and strong enough, for a God. He leaned back again and attempted to actually enjoy the show.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2022 8:38 am
Ravnos had to hold back a bit of laughter at Grendel’s mumbling about black being better. But not everyone’s tastes we’re so dark. “Black lights might actually make it a bit more palatable than the blue.” He commented off handedly. Catching the questioning glance about the drinks. Ravnos downed his, leaving the empty glass to sit on the table. Mortal booze never did anything for him and honestly he just drank it for the taste anymore. Glancing out of the corner of his eye he smiled briefly as the God seemed amused about something. But hey, as long as he was in a relatively good mood nothing should happen. At least the Disciple hoped. Truth be told it had been a long time since he had to entertain another. Most of his wander had been alone, dropping in on his clan mates from time to time but never staying long. He would get what he wanted and then leave as quick as he had arrived. It was….nice? He had almost forgotten what it was like to travel in a group let alone with another. His eyes swept back to the stage as a lyth figure stepped onto the stage. Her fur pale as moonlight and long black hair that fell in ringlets down her backZ bright green eyes smiled out at the audience and a sudden look of recognition came to them when they landed on Ravnos. A small smirk turning the corner of her red lips upwards. Grasping the microphone between slender fingers music began to play and the woman began to sing. By the time she had finished she had made the rounds to several tables before ultimately ending at Ravnos and Grendel’s table. And as the music stopped she leaned on the table towards him pursing her lips. “Well, look who’s shown up on my door step.” Her voice was breathy. “Are you looking for a private show?” She winked. “Your friend can come along too if he wants. I don’t mind.” Reaching out she began to trace a circle on the back of Ravnos’ hand that was resting on the table. “Ah, not now kitten.” There we’re other things to attend to first. At that she pulled her hand back and just leaned against the table. Her green eyes narrowing with a tilt of her head. “Then what is it you want, darling? Ravnos don’t just show up at my club without wanting to leave with something.” Ah, truth. For a Daeva, and a young one at that, she was rather well informed about the clans. But he supposed as a club owner who catered to all sects she needed to be. “Missy this is my friend, Gren. He has some questions he would like to ask you.” Her gaze turned to Grendel with a smirk. “Yes they are real, I charge 100$ an hour for private shows and yes the carpet matches the drapes.” Ravnos sighed heavily, glancing at Grendel. Part of him tended just a tiny bit.
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Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2022 9:53 am
Grendel was indeed feeling good. Well, good for him, at least. Once he got over the initial ambiance of the club and got himself comfortable, he found that he was even enjoying himself, to a point. Having something to drink that warmed his insides and didn't taste like piss certainly helped. When a new act hit the stage, he found himself almost entranced with the music and the words. If he were the breathing type, it might have even given his breath pause. Instead, he was completely fixated on the figure, eyes following her around the room. Of course, he caught the way she had looked at Ravnos, and that knowing smile. He remembered what the Disciple had said about her. Something ugly and bitter twisted deep in his gut, but he chose to ignore it. He could not begrudge Ravnos his pleasures. Still, though her song was mesmerizing, Grendel began to tense as she got nearer. On a whim, his free hand slid from the table and moved to grip Ravnos's thigh when she leaned towards them, the motion purely possessive. It was all he could do to keep his face calm. Grendel's eyes fell on where her finger circled the back of Ravnos's hand. One thought, that was all it would take. One thought and those dainty little fingers of hers would snap. She pulled back just in time, and Grendel relaxed his grip on (poor) Ravnos, though he did whisper in his mind; She is like a painting that you must stand further back to admire. I find up close she is much less pretty. While Missy nattered on, something about carpets and drapes, rose his drink to his lips and drained it, eyes cold and locked on hers. "Sit." He said, kicking out a chair towards her. He only marginally managed to miss hitting her with it. Ravnos should have been proud of Grendel's restraint.
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