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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on May 19, 2010 21:38:24 GMT -4
The drive from Alexis' shop in New York City to Salem had be nice and uneventful which considering the luck of the 2 others in the car with Ryden that was a blessing in itself. He kept his worry from Alexis as she had enough on her mind. But with a sharp eye and a bit of his own luck Ryden made certain that they reached Salem in one piece.
5 hours and 30...31 minutes had passed since they left the shop until the time Ryden pulled the car into the parking lot of an elegant hotel on the outline of Salem. Far enough away to give them all a bit of peace and Ryden hoped a bit of relaxing where Alexis was concerned; he had picked the location out with her in mind.
"Safe and sound," Ryden declared with a faint smile as he turned the car off and glanced over at Alexis.
"The hard part is over now...ish," Ryden explained giving her hand a gentle squeeze as he pulled himself from the car and made his way around and opened her door for her.
The Salem air was crisp and the sky was relatively clear as if they had seemingly left the clouds behind them in the city. Ryden could only hope that was the case on all fronts. Tapping the window of the backseat to wake Killian Ryden allowed his senses to grow familiar with the location which would be serving as a temporary home for them all.
Marisolla was already expecting them with the information he had given her and Ryden could hope that by the end of the night all was right with the world as far as Alexis Lond went. He owed her peace and the life she had had before his creation harmed her adn Killian. Soon enough everything would be set straight and in its proper place.
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Post by Alexis London on May 19, 2010 21:55:49 GMT -4
Alexis had found herself staring blankly out of the window the entire drive from New York to Salem. In all truthfulness, she was so happy to be out of the city that she never wanted to go back. New York now brought a mess of hurt and anger. The mess with Gardener, whatever had happened with Jon, it seemed like all of her time spent in New York had been erased in the last few months with pain-either emotional or physical.
The sound of Jon's voice in on her phone-be it real or some trick of nature-had worn on her. Part of her was furious with him, but the part of her brain which had been focused on him as she drifted off to a light doze reminded her of the relationship they'd once had. She woke up as the car stopped, feeling equally miserable as when she'd left New York.
"Safe and sound,"
Ryden's voice had a knack for making her troubles melt away. He had been doing it since he came into her life, and this moment was absolutely no exception. Alexis turned, met his eyes and smiled.
"The hard part is over now...ish,"
"So your ex wife will be a basket of kittens?" Alexis let herself squeeze his hand tighter. As he pulled her door open, Alexis stepped out and gave him a faint smile. She wondered if Ryden knew just how much he'd helped her-and how much better her made her feel.
As Ryden leaned back to wake Killian, Alexis looked out over the old city. She'd missed Salem over all of her years in the States, and it was nice to see it. It appeared to be a beautiful town, and despite everything, Alexis wanted to see more of it. She knew it was based on some very bad karma, but it was oddly peaceful.
"We don't have to go see her right away, do we?" Alexis turned back to Ryden, catching a glimpse of how beautiful the blue sky was. It felt like the first thing she'd noticed in ages.
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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on May 19, 2010 23:51:55 GMT -4
"So your ex wife will be a basket of kittens?"
"Something like that," Ryden replied with a faint smile as Alexis pulled herself from the car. Life with Marisolla may not have worked out by any stretch of the imagination but there was a piece of Ryden that believed that his ex-wife would make this right; if only for him. Or at least he could hope so. There had been a time; life times ago that they had both meant the world to each other; Ryden could only hope that it still held true for Marisolla.
Knocking a bit harder on the window hoping to wake the boy who so far was sleeping a lot like the dead...bad pun not entirely intended.
"We don't have to go see her right away, do we?"
Turning his full attention back to Alexis Ryden couldn't help but smile at the way she appeared in the world around her. For the first time since Ryden had met Alexis London she looked slightly at peace which was a step in the right direction.
"We can do whatever you want; when you want Alexis," Ryden explained taking the opportunity and the setting to lean into her and place a gentle kiss upon her lips.
It killed him to pull away from her but Ryden knew now was not the time for them; not while Alexis' world was still in turmoil.
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Post by Alexis London on May 20, 2010 7:54:27 GMT -4
Alexis watched yet again as Ryden attempted to rouse Killian. Sighing, she leaned into the still open car door.
"Killian wake up." She called as gently as she could. But with the way Killian liked Salem, she figured his goal probably was to sleep through it.
"We can do whatever you want; when you want Alexis,"
"Good." Alexis murmured as he kissed her gently. Catching his arm lightly, Alexis drew him back and kissed him once again.
Again, the sound of that voicemail resurged slightly in her memory, but Alexis forced it down. She was not going to focus on something that may or may not have been real, as well as a man who had left her for a good reason or not, when she had a good man who was very real right in front of her.
"I don't really care what we do, so long as we aren't in New York." She murmured, reaching down to lace her fingers through Compton's. "I doubt Killian will want to do anything. He isn't a fan of this town."
From what she had seen thus far, Alexis didn't understand how Killian was not a fan of Salem. Surely, the ton seemed to crackle with magical vibes, but it didn't seem so bad.
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Post by Killian Reynolds on May 20, 2010 9:23:42 GMT -4
Killian had spent the first half of the trip from New York to Salem glaring out the window and cursing himself for being a jackass and the other half of the trip sleeping. It was actually his master plan to attempt to sleep through the entire trip only being awake for enough time to be un-cursed and leave Salem. The sleeping plan seemed to be doing good until somewhere in the back of his head he heard a light knocking...followed by harder knocking...and then finishing off with Alexis' voice.
"Killian wake up."
Damnit.
There was always the option of playing dead; though Killian was pretty certain that neither Alexis or Ryden would buy the fact he had just randomly upped and died in the back of the car for no good reason.
Against his better judgment Killian forced his eyes open and immediately glared at the world outside of the car. They were in Salem; he could feel it...it felt like Salem. There was that feeling when you went back home he guessed sort of like you just knew. And he knew...though instead of feeling glad to be back his sense of home was riddled with poison and he just wanted out.
"I'm up," Killian muttered resentfully as he pulled himself from the car.
"I don't really care what we do, so long as we aren't in New York. I doubt Killian will want to do anything. He isn't a fan of this town."
"Wait we're sight seeing? Do you know what they do for sight seeing he...never mind," Killian muttered figuring it really didn't matter what he said on this trip to hell...he was screwed.
He took a moment to look at the area around them; he was abashed to find it looked vaguely familiar. It was the very edge of town though it looked a lot different...then again 300 years would do that to a place.
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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on May 20, 2010 10:08:37 GMT -4
Ryden couldn't help the smile which crossed his face as Alexis pulled him back for another kiss. There was something about this woman which possessed him. He wanted to move mountains for her to do whatever she wished and give her whatever she needed; as long as he could help it...and it would take a stake through the heart he would never leave her as long as she wanted him by her side. Never in a million years had he thought the woman who came to him in England would have such a hold upon him. But that was the magic about her that Ryden didn't even think she knew she possessed she drew people to her.
"I don't really care what we do, so long as we aren't in New York. I doubt Killian will want to do anything. He isn't a fan of this town."
"We can do everything and anything you want...for as long as you want to stay here for," Ryden responded enjoying the feeling of Alexis' fingers entwined within his own. They felt at home there as if they had belonged there all alone.
"I'm sure Killian will warm up to the fact that Salem is a very different place from when he was..."
Wait we're sight seeing? Do you know what they do for sight seeing he...never mind."
"Or perhaps not," Ryden whispered to Alexis with a ghost of a smile as Killian joined them outside of the car.
Ryden allowed his hand to gently rub Alexis' back before he pulled himself to the back of the car and began to unload their bags.
"We have our rooms for as long as we wish; undisturbed and with a full staff at our service," Ryden explained of the classic hotel they would be staying at. It was not currently high tourist season in Salem so they had the mini mansion to themselves for the most part.
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Post by Alexis London on May 20, 2010 10:33:08 GMT -4
"We can do everything and anything you want...for as long as you want to stay here for,"
"Good." Alexis murmured faintly as her eyes continued to take in her surroundings. She tightened her fingers on his, amazed that he had such a power in her life to right the things which had gone so completely wrong over her life. It took away the heartache Jon's departure had left in her, and if he was gone, she supposed she could move on.
"I'm sure Killian will warm up to the fact that Salem is a very different place from when he was..."
Wait we're sight seeing? Do you know what they do for sight seeing he...never mind."
"Oh Killian." Alexis sighed. She didn't get his attitude-at all. But if he didn't want to go around the town, she was ok with that.
"Apparently not." She murmured to Ryden's whisper. "Oh well, his loss. I wonder what the shopping is in this town."
A town as old as Salem had to have tons of small boutiques she could shop in. She didn't want stuff for the store, she wanted stuff for herself. Fun jewelry or something of the nature. She was sure Ryden would love doing that with her.
"We have our rooms for as long as we wish; undisturbed and with a full staff at our service,"
"That sounds lovely." Alexis shouldered the Louis Vuitton bag she had packed so long ago. "I think I need to clean up a bit first and get some of the car grime off of me."
She liked the idea of not having to maintain her store and home for awhile. In the back of her mind, something said it was time to get out of New York, but she would fix that when they were no longer cursed.
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Post by Killian Reynolds on May 20, 2010 12:54:32 GMT -4
"We have our rooms for as long as we wish; undisturbed and with a full staff at our service."
Killian was doing his damnedest to ignore the fact like it sounded like they were friggin setting up shop in Salem...he had been under the impression that they were going for curse removal not for a vacation. Silently pulling his way to the back of the car Killian pulled out his bag and shouldered it.
He was pretty certain this was some sort of joke the universe was planning to play on him; see how far he could be pushed before he snapped.
"Oh Killian."
Killian took the opportunity to glare at Alexis before returning his sight to the hotel Ryden had booked them in.
Killian wanted to point out to Alexis that she didn't want to get too comfortable in Salem; it had a habit of stabbing you in the back. But instead he kept his thoughts to himself and stalked off to the hotel.
"Don't forget to hit up all the witch trial things on your adventure," Killian muttered bitterly to Alexis and Ryden. Though a part of him wondered if he would find information about himself tucked in those places...he wasn't brave enough to search.
He was currently debating the pros and cons of wasting a life in order to get out of a majority of the trip. If he had had more then 2 he really thought he would have taken a hit but not surprising he wasn't that lucky.
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Post by Ryden Alexander Compton on May 20, 2010 14:18:21 GMT -4
"Apparently not. Oh well, his loss. I wonder what the shopping is in this town."
"I am sure we will find out in no time at all," Ryden responded with a smile knowing exactly what Alexis had in mind.
Ryden finishing pulling his bag out of the car when he noted Alexis carrying her bag. He walked up beside her and slid the strap from her arm.
"I can mange that," Ryden replied with a friendly smile. It was important she spent the time she had to relax. Ryden could hope Marisolla would be civil but he could not assure it. Though it did help a great deal that he was there to help....or at least he hoped it did. Time would tell that was for certain.
Ryden could feel the tension and the rather strong and seemingly oddly placed feelings of despair rolling off of Killian. He was rather certain you could feel it even if you weren't supernatural the boy just seemed to be a ball of discontent.
"Killian..." but the boy was already stalking towards the hotel.
Perhaps it would be best to leave him be until the curse was lifted; that had to do something to lift his spirits after all.
"I'm guessing he is not always so cheerful?" Ryden asked turning back to Alexis.
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Post by Alexis London on May 20, 2010 21:34:30 GMT -4
"Don't forget to hit up all the witch trial things on your adventure,"
Alexis had not been in America during the Salem Witch Trials, but she'd heard enough of them. History did not say that people of Salem who were frightened slunk back to England. And word did get around. Unfortunately, some of the people who had slunk back to women were witches. Alexis wondered if the Puritans realized that some of their witches had slipped through their fingers.
"We'll do that, Killian." Alexis rolled her eyes as he stalked towards the building.
"I can mange that,"
Alexis returned Ryden's smile. She was highly unfamiliar with the concept of men taking care of her. It was refreshing, yet foreign.
"Thank you." She rolled her eyes towards Killian's retreating form.
"I'm guessing he is not always so cheerful?"
"No, not a bit. Excuse me." Alexis had to kiss Ryden one more time before she left his side. She didn't know why, but it seemed a sudden necessity. After her lips had fallen on his, she glanced around, and making sure no one was about, moved with vampire speed to Killian's side. "Come on, darling." She draped her arm across his shoulder, pulling him to her and kissing his cheek. "Don't worry. Maybe we can get you through your dislike of Salem. Just take a quick look around."
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Post by Killian Reynolds on May 21, 2010 7:43:22 GMT -4
Killian was rather occupied in glaring at the sky and the hotel as he made his way towards it. At least though with it empty there would be less people to get under his skin and he could hopefully spend the time they had to be in Salem...not being "in" Salem.
And then Alexis was there nearly causing Killian to jump out of his skin.
"Come on, darling."
Killian glared at Alexis as she was suddenly beside him...friggin vampire super-powers.
"You trying to give me a heart attack?" Killian grumbeled.
Rolling his eyes as she pulled him into her and kissed his cheek...apprently Alexis was happy to be in Salem...far to happy for Killian's liking.
"Don't worry. Maybe we can get you through your dislike of Salem. Just take a quick look around."
"Dislike?!"
Killian froze in his spot and stared back at Alexis; but then again it wasn't her fault. She didn't know what his problm with Salem was...hell nbody did...or well nobody aside from Mary Harper who she knew far more then Killian was comfortable with since she had witnessed it all.
Sighing Killian continued on towards the hotel.
"Whatever you want to do Alexis...I've come this far into hell mine as well get a sunburn," Killian muttered resigning himself to the fact that as far as Salem was concerned he had no way out...interesting how like could mirror itself even with so many years in between.
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Post by Alexis London on May 21, 2010 13:26:32 GMT -4
"You trying to give me a heart attack?"
Alexis grinned. She kept her arm firmly around Killian for the moment.
"Have you ever died of natural causes? Maybe it would be interesting." She teased him faintly. He wasn't in the mood, and she could see that.
"Dislike?!"
Ok, so apparently his interest in Salem was far more than the casual dislike.
"Killian-." Alexis sighed as he started back towards the hotel.
"Whatever you want to do Alexis...I've come this far into hell mine as well get a sunburn,"
"Killian." Alexis used her vampire speed again to reach him. "You have to tell me at some point about what you don't like about this town. Obviously, it's very intense. But I can't do anything if I don't know what it is."
She reached out and rubbed his arm lightly, turning him to face her.
"Killian, tell me what happened to you here. You can trust me. You know that."
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Post by Killian Reynolds on May 22, 2010 3:41:58 GMT -4
"Killian. You have to tell me at some point about what you don't like about this town. Obviously, it's very intense. But I can't do anything if I don't know what it is."
Killian sighed his eyes closing for a moment as Alexis caught up with him yet again; she was nothing if not determined. But she wanted to help...she wanted to do "something" and that was the problem; there was nothing to be done. The damamge had been done over 300 years ago. Anyone at fault was long since buried and gone...save for him...he was still there dealing with it and he would deal with it because it was part of the curse...or at least it was to him.
That was the thing once Marisolla's curse was lifted life would go back to the way it was...but Killian Reynolds had been cursed long before Mary Harper was ever in the picture.
"Killian, tell me what happened to you here. You can trust me. You know that."
Turning to ace Alexis as she rubbed his arm Killian wanted to tell her...wanted to tell somebody...needed to almost.
"I know I can trust you Alexis," Killian whispered his vocie having lost the harshness it had held since they had arrived in Salem.
"And I will tell you...I just can't here...not while we're here...not here," Killian explained his blue eyes locking with Alexis willing her to understand. He knew he probably sounded like a crazy person but it was taking all of his willpower to deal with being in Salem at all never mind being in Salem and re-living the events that had occured 300 years ago.
"...I just...you're my best friend Lex...I haven't had anyone to talk to in years...but I promise...I'll tell you...just not now...not here."
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Post by Alexis London on May 23, 2010 16:59:42 GMT -4
Alexis waited, wondering what Killian would say. He seemed to be considering the statement. She wondered if he would tell her anything, or if she'd pushed far enough that now he'd just drop his stuff and run off. Vampires weren't so great with emotions. She knew she might have pushed too far.
"I know I can trust you Alexis,"
"Good." She murmured, studying his face.
"And I will tell you...I just can't here...not while we're here...not here,"
He was agonizing this. Alexis didn't know what types of horrors could have happened that had brought about this hesitation.
"...I just...you're my best friend Lex...I haven't had anyone to talk to in years...but I promise...I'll tell you...just not now...not here."
"Killian." Alexis reached the distance between them and embraced him. "You're like a son to me, and I want to know everything about you. And I'll give you my history as well. You probably know more about me than you realized."
Elizabeth Bathory had hit human history, Alexis knew that. Especially people who enjoyed vampire lore. She was sure Killian would be terrified, or fascinated. But she guessed terrified was more that like.
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Post by Killian Reynolds on May 24, 2010 20:48:10 GMT -4
"Killian."
He had forced himself to look away from Alexis before she was there again and embracing him.
"You're like a son to me, and I want to know everything about you. And I'll give you my history as well. You probably know more about me than you realized."
Killian didn't make a move to pull away from her or push any of it aside. The truth of the matter was that Alexis was the nearest thing he had come to a mother since he had left Salem. It wasn't just the matter of her feeling like his family; some how over the last handful of months she had become his family.
Finally pulling away from her slightly Killian stared back into her eyes and he knew that he wasn't the only one with dark secrets. After all Alexis was a vampire; there was no doubt that there were dead puppies in her past at some point in time.
But Salem wasn't the place for this; wasn't the place for them to start sharing all their past horrors especially not when they were both still cursed; God only knew what could happen. Hell what had already happened...especially in a town like Salem.
"I promise...that once we get out of here we can sit down and do a sharing circle or something," Killian explained doing a rather poor attempt at a joke.
"If you ate ice-cream I would promise that but we both know it's not on your diet," he continued on with a cringe...his jokes were worse then usually when he was in this sort of state of mind.
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