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Post by Alexis London on Apr 17, 2010 10:36:45 GMT -4
Alexis woke up to the sound of city traffic. It was early, per her gold watch, but for the day it was time for rush hour. That disturbed her. If they were close to rush hour, that meant business time and people would come looking for her. And that was not a good idea. The last thing she wanted was Clinton coming calling when her living room was coated with blood.
Alexis figured if she was clearly thinking business, then she had to be feeling better. Slowly, she sat up and realized there was fairly little pain. Swinging her feet off the bed, Alexis eased up her shirt. The wound was healed off, leaving only minor pain and the stitches.
There was another vampire in the bed behind her. Alexis remembered that. It gave her a pang of remembrance because the last man there had been Jon. But that was different. There was nothing about this that was romantic. It was because they'd both been run down by a truck-well, a truck named Gardener.
She headed into the closet and threw on a pair of black yoga pants and tank top that was made of fine silver colored cotton. Alexis figured if she couldn't wear silver jewelry, she might as well buy clothes in the color.
Alexis ran her fingers through her hair. Her gray streak looked a little pathetic. Actually, everything about her looked pathetic. But she figured she'd worry about getting cleaned up when she confirmed that Killian and Ryden were falling back into place.
She decided to take on Ryden first, since he was in the room. And since Killian was human, he probably needed more sleep than vampires did. Alexis went back in to the bedroom and looked towards where Ryden was sleeping.
"Ryden?" She asked hesitantly. Dead Man's Blood was evil stuff. She hoped he was feeling slightly more up to par this morning.
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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on Apr 18, 2010 10:14:35 GMT -4
There were very few circumstances were Ryden had been caught off guard in his life and even less people who had seen him in his normal appearance. His darling Mary had been the only one to see him as so; but then again she had known him long before he had become a monster. Marisolla had seen him only once...and in retrospect that had been a very very long time ago before he had seen what the woman he thought he could spend eternity with was capable.
Truley even life after death was all held in a form of "retrospect."
But at some point during the night when the haze of the dead man's blood had faded ever so slightly Ryden had made the choice that it was far to draining to hold the guise around him...and something within him told him that it really didn't matter around Alexis. She had been hurt so much and had lost so much in just a few shorts days of him being within the walls of her life that he was more then certain she could be trusted with the simple knowledge of what he truley looked like. God knowing she could no doubt be trusted with a lot more...but they would start small.
The ill effects of the dead man's blood had a continueing toll on him throughout the night as it pulled and pushed him in and out of sleep and though he wouldn't say he ever truley rested he did manage to work a majority of the illness out of his system by the time he heard Alexis' moving about in the back of his mind.
"Ryden?"
Ryden allowed his eyes to snap open and silently stared at the wall nearest to the bed for a few seconds allowing the world to fall into place around him. He would no doubt still feel week from the dead man's blood for a few hours more but as a whole he didn't feel nearly as awful as he would have had he been a younger vampire.
"Good mornign Alexis," Ryden replied as he sat up carefully; and midway through the action realized that the caution wasn't really called for.
His eyes focused on Alexis across the room and he was pleased that she seemed to be doing better then the night before. This was all very well for them....and not so well for Gardener...but then again Ryden would be patient...and wait.
Had Alexis not been a vampire he would have offered more warning for the strange man in her bed that morning. But she was vampire therefor could sense it was him.
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Post by Alexis London on Apr 18, 2010 15:58:46 GMT -4
Alexis watched as Ryden sat up. A quick pang of surprise went through her at his appearance change. Well, he was a vampire. And vampires could be very good at hiding their true appearances. She had never tried it. She wondered if she could do it. Oh well, Alexis was particularly fond of her appearance and she was sure that hiding it wouldn't make her happy. She would have to take her chances.
"So this is your natural look, I take it?" She took a few steps closer to the bed and studied him. She had always been fascinated with the ways that vampires could change their appearances. It was quite a talent.
"Are you feeling better? You look stronger today." Alexis sat down on the edge of the bed. "I've had far too much dead man's blood for my liking as of late. One dose thanks to Marisolla."
Alexis momentarily felt bad for bringing up the other vampire's name. After all, she and Ryden had been married once. She didn't want him to think she was intentionally trying to make him feel bad about the woman.
Rather than drag on idle chit chat any further, she got down to business. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Alexis wondered if she and Ryden would ever be able to carry on a conversation without there being some threat of danger or underlying problem looming over them.
"Anyway, I assume Killian's still sleeping. Would you like to shower and get changed? I can grab you some clothes from downstairs. We shouldn't waste much time getting out of here. I'm worried people might come looking for me since businesses are open now."
And she wanted to remove her stitches. She saw no real reason she couldn't. How hard could it be, after all?
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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on Apr 18, 2010 22:12:13 GMT -4
"So this is your natural look, I take it?"
Ryden smiled slightly as Alexis made her way over to him and seemed to study him for a moment.
"You would be correct. I do apologize...but I am a rather certain you of all others can understand the need for certain bits of security...in our world," Ryden explaiend as his eyes earched Alexis'.
"Are you feeling better? You look stronger today. I've had far too much dead man's blood for my liking as of late. One dose thanks to Marisolla."
Ryden averted his eyes ever so slightly before refocusing them upon Alexis. For a woman he had spent very little time with in his life he had seemed to cause her an awful amount of pain and hardship in her life. What he knew of Alexis London was not a great deal; but what he continued to learn about her was vast as the days went on.
"It seems I have caused you so much trouble and I barely seem to know you...I will do what I can to make things right for you and for Killian...you have my word," Ryden explained.
It was important for her to know that he knew he was at fault; he had turned Marisolla all those years ago and her actions were his own.
"Anyway, I assume Killian's still sleeping. Would you like to shower and get changed? I can grab you some clothes from downstairs. We shouldn't waste much time getting out of here. I'm worried people might come looking for me since businesses are open now."
"We should make our way to Salem as quickly as possible so that we can set yourself and the boy out; and then when we return there will be other things I need to attend to...but one thing at a time," Ryden stated with a hint of darkness in his eyes. Gardener had crossed him in a way Ryden was unsure the other vampire had any idea...but in time he would.
"If you want to check and make certain Killian is sorted I will shake off the cobwebs and once you are sorted out yourself we can go as soon as possible...if you are feeling up to it of course."
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Post by Alexis London on Apr 19, 2010 7:39:52 GMT -4
"You would be correct. I do apologize...but I am a rather certain you of all others can understand the need for certain bits of security...in our world,"
Alexis nodded thoughtfully. The vampire world was not a particuarly safe one. She understood why vampire took the measures they did and wondered momentarily if her own vaniety wasn't more of a danger than she realized.
"It's a wise move. One I probably should have considered years before, but it's a bit too late in the game now."
"It seems I have caused you so much trouble and I barely seem to know you...
Alexis had noted the way Ryden looked from her for a moment. Getting up, she moved to sit directly beside him.
"If we punished makers every time a creation did something horrid, we'd have no vampires left." Alexis reached over and place her hand on one of Ryden's. "It's in the vampire nature to be cruel. We fight amongst ourselves the same way humans due. You wouldn't be the first vampire whose creation went wrong."
It was part of the reason she had never turned anyone. She didn't want the responsibilty of teaching what she knew. And she knew there were others in their world who would blame the maker for the creation's actions. She didn't want that laying on her doorstep either.
"We should make our way to Salem as quickly as possible so that we can set yourself and the boy out; and then when we return there will be other things I need to attend to...but one thing at a time,"
Alexis nodded and rose to her feet, sweeping her hair over her shoulders.
"Of course you have other things to attend to. I want you to know how much I appreciate your help, and that I apologize for having drawn you from your own life for so long."
It bothered her that another vampire had been dragged away from their own world on her account. But desperate times had called for desperate measures.
"I will make it up to you, you have my word on that." Alexis held his gaze for a long moment to assure him of her certainty.
"I'll go and see to Killian. I'll be fine for travel. No worries." Alexis turned and started from the room to leave Ryden to his own recovery for a few moments at least. She was sure he needed some peace and quiet from the hysteria that had been the last few hours.
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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on Apr 19, 2010 12:57:38 GMT -4
"If we punished makers every time a creation did something horrid, we'd have no vampires left."
"Perhaps in times like these that wouldn't be such a bad thing," Ryden responded with a ghost of a smile.
"Of course you have other things to attend to. I want you to know how much I appreciate your help, and that I apologize for having drawn you from your own life for so long."
Ryden shook his head solemnly as Alexis had mistaken his words rather severely. It was not his life he wished to return to; he was in truth very happy with having Alexis as company. She was the first bit of sane company Ryden had had in centuries and in truth he was in no real hurry to be rid of her....as long as she would allow him her time.
"I will make it up to you, you have my word on that."
"You have nothing to atone for," Ryden explained as he was across the room and by her side in the blink of an eye.
"Nothing at all...it is important to me that you understand that...you have nothing to be sorry for," Ryden whispered his fingers brushing a stray piece of her hair back into place.
Ryden smiled slightly as Alexis turned to leave; she was a very strong and driven woman. It was a nice change to what he had seen so much of as of late. In many ways she reminded him of his Mary from so long ago and it was a lovely change and a painful one as well.
"Call if you need me for anything," Ryden explained as he ran his fingers through his own tussled black hair.
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Post by Alexis London on Apr 19, 2010 20:50:15 GMT -4
If they were going to talk about makers being responsible for their children, Alexis wondered for a second what would be done with Gardener's maker. She didn't know who had turned Gardener, or if she didn't she didn't realize it. But maybe it was worth looking into.
Alexis was drawn from her thoughts as Ryden was suddenly at her side. She smiled faintly. If his strength was moving like that, then he really was feeling better.
"Nothing at all...it is important to me that you understand that...you have nothing to be sorry for,
Alexis nodded as Ryden's fingers touched her hair. But that was replaced with the thought that her reminder that her hair had to be disgusting and filthy from the last few hours. But this wasn't the time to be focusing on such things, she reminded herself, they had work to do.
"I'll do that." Alexis murmured, giving Ryden another quick smile before she shook off the moment and turned to leave the room.
For a quick moment, she paused in the bathroom. Grabbing a pair of cuticle scissors, she snipped away the stitches Killian had put in the night before. The skin beneath it looked perfect. She was pleased.
Crossing the hallway, Alexis knocked on Killian's bedroom door.
"Killian?" She pushed the door open. He wasn't inside. Alexis determined that wasn't so odd, he had probably only slept downstairs like he'd implied. Fair enough.
Ignoring the mess in the living room, Alexis headed down the stairs.
"Killian, good morning." Alexis froze at the bottom of the stairs and looked around. Again, no sign of Killian. "Killian?"
For some reason, Alexis suspected the boy wasn't here. And that didn't sit so well with her.
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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on Apr 21, 2010 23:45:12 GMT -4
"I'll do that."
Ryden watched Alexis as she left the room without another word. There were things that troubeled her that was for certain and it drove Ryden enarly mad that he had yet to figure out what those things were. It was for certain that in the least Gardener wasa t the core of at least one of the issues that seemed to cause Alexis grief. But in regards to whatever else it was the plagued the woman Ryden ahd no idea what so ever; and eh figured it would stay that way until Alexis decided to inform him...if she decided to inform was a better wording.
After a few moments time Ryden made his way into the bathroom and took a quick assesment of his appearence. Aside from the fact he looked as if he had spent the last ahndful of nights at the bottom of a Vodka bottle...which of cours ebeing a vampire would do very little for him but had he been human he figured he would have appeared just so. After a few moments though of cleaning off his face and straighteneing his apperance Ryden figured he looked well enough for whatever it was the wolrd held for them next.
Making his way back to the edge of the bed Ryden pulled on his boots.
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Post by Alexis London on Apr 22, 2010 20:41:38 GMT -4
Alexis folded her arms over her chest and looked around the room. She felt worry rising slowly in her.
"Killian?" Alexis moved from the foot of the stairs. The room looked all right. If Gardener had returned, Alexis didn't think he was smart enough not to leave the room a mess. Covering his tracks had never been one of Gardener Wild's strong suits. Alexis wondered why he hadn't had an ugly run in with a hunter yet because of it.
"All right, Killian. This isn't funny." Alexis was beginning to wonder if this wasn't some sort of human joke. Killian had a sense of humor after all, she didn't trust him not to use it.
Alexis walked to the store room and pushed the door open. No Killian. And no scent of blood anywhere in the room or signs of violence. Alexis frowned. He wouldn't have just walked out of the house....would he?
She was trying to sort through rational thoughts-thoughts that didn't involve Gardener. Humans had to eat, perhaps he'd left for food. But there was no sign of a note either. Alexis felt her frown deepening. She disliked the confusion, fear and unknowing that was rushing through her head.
"Ryden." She turned the call to the stairs. "Killian's missing."
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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on Apr 25, 2010 10:23:02 GMT -4
Ryden had no sooner gotten the laces on his boots tied then he heard Alexis' vocie call through the shop.
"Ryden, Killian's missing."
They had had peace and order for no longer then 5 minutes; honestly he really needed to get them to Marisolla as the luck which encased Alexis was insanely bad...there was poor luck and then there was whatever curse Marisolla had placed upon the duo. In time her magic had gained plenty of strength.
Pulling himself from the edge of the bed Ryden shook off the fleeting pulls of the Dead Man's blood that threatened to tear at him and marched down the hall and down to the store area of Alexis' dwelling until she came into view once more. He hadn't bothered checkign the boys room upstairs since no doubt that would have been the first place Alexis would have looked for him.
His eyes quickly scanned the shop floor and there was nothing which seemed out of place; nothign save for the fact that they were missing an entire human boy.
"I am to assume that there is no note from him?...Or anyone else?" Ryden asked not really wanting to bring up the idea that Wild had returned while they had both been knocked out and taken the boy. Though the shop held no signs of violence or force.
"Have you tried calling him?" Ryden asked searching the front of the room and coming up empty. Even the distinct smell which came from having a human around was faint and gave evidence that he had not been around for several hours.
"When did you see him last?" Ryden asked making his way back over to Alexis. He felt rather useless since after Gardener had fallen upon him with the dead man's blood he recalled nothing.
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Post by Alexis London on Apr 25, 2010 15:17:00 GMT -4
Alexis paced across the room for a moment, thinking. If Killian had decided to leave the house, where exactly would he go? He hadn't mentioned any favorite haunts, or any friends that lived nearby. Hell, for that matter, he hadn't mentioned having any friends period.
"None that I've found." Alexis responded to Ryden's question about a note. She had a thought, and walked over to check and see if the door was still locked. It was. Her bag and purse were sitting on the floor. Alexis opened the black leather handbag and pulled out her phone. She didn't see any voicemails registering, but that didn't mean the phone hadn't shown one.
"I hadn't tried calling. You would have thought that he'd left a note if he'd left on his own. You don't think he would have gone wandering off to try and find Gardener on his own?"
Alexis flipped open her phone and located Killian's number. She pressed the call button and held it to her ear, listening to the ringing sound. As she did, she looked over at Ryden and shook her head thoughtfully.
"I never had this much excitement in my life for so many years of vampire life. But to tell you the truth, I won't be sorry to see it go."
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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on Apr 26, 2010 7:35:45 GMT -4
"I hadn't tried calling. You would have thought that he'd left a note if he'd left on his own. You don't think he would have gone wandering off to try and find Gardener on his own?"
That was actually a very big possibility now that Alexis had brought it up ad called teh idea to Ryden's attention. It was no secret that Killian looked at Alexis as his family and they both cared for each other greatly so why wouldn't he have gone off in search of the man who had tried to kill her yet again?
Hell Ryden had only known Alexis a small space of time and there were already plans forming within his own mind to take care of Gardener Wild so yes he could very much see the boy going off in search of revenge.
"He cares for you a great deal...I wouldn't call the notion completely foreign," Ryden explained not really wanting to bring about more bad thoughts but they needed to cover everything.
"I never had this much excitement in my life for so many years of vampire life. But to tell you the truth, I won't be sorry to see it go."
"I must agree with you there..." Ryden responded as he continued to check the front store room in hopes of finding a note or some sort of clue.
"I tend to enjoy life a bit on the boring side myself...it ensures you live longer that is for certain."
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Post by Alexis London on Apr 26, 2010 21:36:30 GMT -4
The ringing in Alexis's ear continued, and then died abruptly. Alexis looked confused, but then realized the battery was dead. Crossing the room, she slipped behind the shop counter where she kept her spare charger. Plugging the phone in, she watched the Motorola logo pop back up on the screen.
She really hoped Killian hadn't gone after Gardener. One, because Gardener would have eaten him alive (literally) and two, because she didn't want the boy risking himself for her.
"I hope not. Gardener will kill him. And I don't want him trying to avenge me. That's just not worth it."
Alexis saw that as her phone regained its charge, a voicemail indication popped up. Clicking on it, Alexis listened to Killian rattle off how he'd be back in the morning.
"Well, that was him." She looked at Ryden. "He said he'll be back in the morning. And it's morning."
Alexis frowned and watched Ryden move around the room. She was getting used to his new look. It looked very elegant. But of course, he would. Ryden just gave off elegant vibes. Alexis liked that.
Get THAT thought out of your head. Alexis forced herself to change the topic in her mind. She shouldn't be thinking of Ryden as anything but a vampire nice enough to assist her in a major issue.
"You live longer-and you develop a routine. I like routines. I miss them."
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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on Apr 28, 2010 10:46:32 GMT -4
"I hope not. Gardener will kill him. And I don't want him trying to avenge me. That's just not worth it."
"You matter to people Alexis." Ryden explained as he allowed his eyes to scan the room one final time for a note or something in regards to where the boy had gone. Once he was located Ryden would need to call Marisolla and allow her to knwo that he was at least on is way to see her. It would have been impolite to show up un-announced and it would have no doubt been a rather poor addition to his ex-wifes sour state of mind.
"It is time you begin to grow at peace with that notion."
"Well, that was him. He said he'll be back in the morning. And it's morning."
Ryden noted the phone within her grasp and was thankful that the boy had seen to leaving her a message and was as far as they both knew well...ish considering as Alexis had pointed out that it was indeed morning.
"Indeed it is morning...still rather early morning though by human standards. No need to worry just yet about the boy. While we wait perhaps it would serve us both well to finish preparing for the trip so that no further...surprises can stand in our way of getting your life back to normal?" Ryden asked as his eyes traveled to the majority of their bags which sat relatively close to the back door. They had been left there the previous night before their visit with Gardener.
"You live longer-and you develop a routine. I like routines. I miss them."
"We shall have you back to your routines in no time; you have my word," Ryden promised with a smile as he walked past Alexis grasping her hand ever so slightly before he continued over to the bags near the door.
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Post by Alexis London on Apr 28, 2010 19:52:36 GMT -4
"It is time you begin to grow at peace with that notion."
"There are a number of things in this world that I need to come to peace with, Ryden."
Alexis told him and meant it. She had been around for many years, most of them living alone using humans for food, sex and money. She had been at peace with that lifestyle, until Jon Brunner had fallen into her life and changed all that. And she had been at peace with that lifestyle, until it had fallen to pieces around her. Now she wasn't sure what she should come to peace with because things fell to pieces so easily around her.
"Indeed it is morning...still rather early morning though by human standards. No need to worry just yet about the boy.
Alexis nodded as she hit the end button her phone. It didn't stop her from worrying, but she did at least have other things to do. One of those things was getting cleaned up and making herself look reasonably presentable.
"Agreed. I'm going to go take a shower and change clothes. I'm tired of looking like something a rather large cat got ahold of and dragged through a mud puddle."
Or a gator dragged through the sewer, she'd experienced that before. Another thought she needed to do without. She caught herself frowning and shook the look from her face. ]
"We shall have you back to your routines in no time; you have my word,"
Alexis felt another quick pang of guilt as Ryden squeezed her hand. She knew he said she had nothing to be sorry for, but it didn't stop her from feeling bad. When this was over, she was going to find a subtle way to make it up to him. Money wouldn't do the trick, but she'd find some interesting trinket to do the trick.
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