To find a cause... ((Open))

[acridimar]

Stefan walked calmly down the street. This city...it was like nothing he had ever heard or seen or smelt before... Even the air... it was alive with the electricity and emotions and lives of so many... Not even Rome had been like this.
Stefan was average size, six feet tall, well built with a slim, athletic body. He had been a warrior before he had been turned and he still was now. Strength from the several millinia he had witnessed and the experience of thousands of battles. He wore his dark brown hair pulled back in a ponytail with a leather thong. His skin was so pale he seemed to glow with his own inner light. His eyes were a dark purple that looked black in some lighting. He had a handsome and beautiful face, as only a vampire could.
He wore a Dominico leather jacket and a plain black t-shirt underneath. His jeans were expensive, but to most eyes they would seem like normal blue jeans. And he wore black Nikes. A thin silver chain hung around his neck with a small bronze locket dangling from it. On his right hand was an old solid iron band, it was rusted and in poor shape, but the design was clearly a leaf pattern.

Stefan's eyes looked out at the world around him. He had been to New York City once before, but it had been in strife at the time. The American revolution was well under way then. He walked slowly down the street. He was in no hurry; what was there to hurry about? No, there was nothing left. His old, tired eyes watched as a human woman scurried across the street away from him. The burn in his throat... the thirst... But what did it matter anymore?

Perhaps I should wait for the dawn... He thought to himself. End this long tirade of pointless existence. What could he do? Build an empire here in this city like he did in Rome? He doubted there were vampires in control enough or powerful enough to make such a thing happen. And to what end?

There was nothing here, his acquaintance had told him that he could find answers in this city, but upon arriving here, Stefan found that his friend had died. Had committed suicide, really. Had walked into the sunlight. What was the meaning of vampirism? How did we come to be? Why are we here? And most importantly... Why do we stay in this infernal place called 'Earth' for eternity?

Stefan walked on in silence. His pain and despair, an almost tangible aura around him. He walked on with no plans of running from the dawn at the end of the night.

[Nicka Commen]

Nicka walked down the streets silentley, sencing little life this late. She was thristy again, which was odd. She only drank once a month, and this was her htird time in a week. Nicka's blood lust was growing again as it had her first years of being an immortal. She faced her blood lust herself, unwilling to kill humans at first, but finding she had no choice.

She found sustenance by drinking fro a male vampire once. She loved the taste of them, only not many came around her.

She quikened her pace as sh went around the corner, and then being smacked in the face with the delicious scent of a male vampire. She almost stopped dead in her tracks as her brilliant red eyes shone and her fangs elongated. She saw the man ahead with long brown hair, and built like a gladiator or something. His ruggedness was being hidden by expensive designer clothes.

Nicka shook her head, and kept walking foreward, slowly and quietly, watching the vampire... following him. Her red leather trench coat fastened at her waist, and her black high heeled botts carried her where she wanted to go.

Her long wavy curly hair flowed around her like demon wings, and she followed the man, quietly, trying to keep out of sight for a while, only untill she did something stupid, and he would notcie her.

But once she realized that the male was considering suicide, she leaned away from her hiding place, and quikened her pace, wlking up behind him. "I wouldn't do it," she whispered at him. "A dead vampire is a terrible waste of immortallity..." she said, and took a few steps closer to him, waiting for a rash or calm reaction. She couldn't tell what he was feeling, for she was still a young blooded vampire, but still very advanced in her skills.

But the reason she wanted to get closer to was breath in more of his delicious scent....

[acridimar]

Stefan had felt her presence... A young vampire by her boldness. He could smell that she was female... yes and she was thirsty. In the middle of an almost blood craze that was all too common for vampires. Still he did not know why.

Why could a vampire, at times, survive for months without a single drop of blood and yet others they would need sometimes as much as four humans a day? Why? So did this one think to drink my ancient blood? How strange... He of course had witnessed vampires drinking each other's blood. Stefan, himself, found it almost macabre to a point, but to each their own.
Stefan did not pause in his slow, casual pace, but he did respond to the vampiress following him.

"A waste of immortality? Please tell me, my dear... What should I be doing with my life of eternal night?" His voice was barely above a whisper; it was a deep baritone bordering on bass and despair was laced into every word of his response.
"I have walked this world for over three thousand long years... I have tried to occupy myself with many things... The rise and fall and rise of the human race has long since bored me. The little ants are doomed to scuttle around and do nothing productive. I have attempted to study the strange things of the world... the supernatural. The Children of the Moon, werewolves... I have searched for the past, the origin of vampirism. My dear, I have even loved..." At this his left hand reached up to clutch the brass locket around his neck. "And yet I am here; I see nothing left but a long existence of bitterness and uselessness. What am I here to do?"
At this, he stopped his slow walk and turned slowly and without sound, to face the vampiress that followed him. His dark violet eyes searched the vibrant red of hers. He saw the thirst there, yes. She wanted him, didn't she? Would he stop her? He didn't know...

[Nicka Commen]

Nicka met his violet eyes. She was lost in them as soon as he bore his gaze through her skull. She wanted to turn away, but found she couldn't. "Three thousnad years..." she whispered. "I've only been around for fiftey or so." she sighed, hiding a smile.

She inhaled deeply, and caught his scent like a perfume of blood. She bit her tongue, and tried to contain herself. She didn't want to bite him... Yes she did...

She argued with herself constantley about her thirst. "You sound as if you've seen everything, yet nothing, my friend. Shall your mind go to waste?" she asked, and walked infront of him, her back to him. "If you're thirsty... I can find you a worthy female." she said. "The club I own is full of them..." she said, and faced him once more. "Unless you don't want to..." she said.

Nicka found herself tied up with this ancient vampire now. She couldn't just walk away, but she couldn't stay either. Surley an elder like himself didn't want Nicka, a young blood, to be hanging around him very long. Nicka never assiciated with hs kind. She found them to snobbish for her tastes, but this one might have been differnt in her eyes.

She caught a glimps of his neck, and her mouth slightley opened. She breathed in sharpley, and her fangs throbbed. "Stop it..." she hissed to herself.

Oh god... she was going to have to do something about it...

[acridimar]

She found him intoxicating... It was clear what her internal struggle was about. She seemed slightly put off by his age. He new better than most that elder vampires were generally idiots and temperamental to boot. She seemed genuine enough in her offer for a meal... He hadn't fed for nearly a month and the thirst was becoming a constant burning pain in his throat.
He was considering his reply carefully when he caught her eyes dart to his neck and heard her pained whisper.... She wanted to attack him. Automatically his mind began the cold calculations. The exact movements to immobilize her without either being hurt, then he paused. "Heavens above will I defend myself from a youngling just to face the dawn in a few hours?" He thought to himself. He gave a long sigh and pulled in a breath of his own to get a better idea of her scent and mood.
Every muscle of his body became rigid. That smell... Memories surged up before his eyes. His wife, his love, gone... Her cold, dead body. Her scent, forever burned into his mind. At the same time these memories arose, his thirst began to scream for blood. HER blood. Her smell may remind him of his love, but it wasn't the same. Blood. But vampire's blood. Not the warmth of a humans', but cool... Iced and fermented and beautiful....
Stefan closed his eyes and stopped the line of thought. No, he would not drink vampire blood. He would find out WHY vampires felt like this. What drove the thirst in such an irrational way!? He would know. He would find out what's happening here in the city and do his best to stop himself from being dragged into any petty war which was being fought. Then, when the last stroke had fallen and the war was won, he'd take everything as his. Make a clean slate to search with. That is what he lacked. What he had never had. Why search for answers by traveling and researching in libraries? No, he would amass information himself with his own empire. Offer rewards to those who brought him the information, yes, an incentive for the information to arise.
Stefan opened his violet eyes and looked at the vampiress before him. He held his breath and controlled the overwhelming urge to attack now... No, patience would win. After all... he was immortal, was he not? And what could stop him? Nothing. He knew how it was done. He had done it before. Had he not taken Rome in a decade and lived for centuries there? Oh he would do it and find what he needed. First... he would need information. And then... allies. Connections. Favors. Yes, this would work. But first... to get rid of this damnable thirst so he could concentrate on the task at hand. Getting to know Nicka... and convincing her not to attack him.
Stefan looked directly into Nicka's eyes and spoke in his deep voice again, "I think a drink at your club would be lovely, my dear." A faint smile crept onto his face, "Though if I could ask you a favor, please wait to get to know me a bit before you sink you gorgeous teeth into my neck. Please, do lead the way to your club. And do you mind if I ask you a few questions? I haven't been to New York City in a while... And I don't know anyone around here, yet." Stefan then gestured with his right hand, indicating that she should lead the way.

[Nicka Commen]

Nicka now saw his burning thirst for blood. Her blood? She shook her head. No, of course not. He was an elder, surley he was patient. But then again, some of them were brutal, and savage. Nicka smiled at Stefan. "Of course, sire," she said being more formal. "and worry not, I will not attack you unless you know it," Nicka laughed and winked at him. Her flirtatious nature got the better of her all the time, but now, she felt it was almost nessary.

"You can ask me questions later, after you have fed." Nicka siad, leadng him through an ally way near by. It was the only way to get to her club, was through the hidden passages of the city.

She knocked on a door, and a tall bald guy stuck his head out. "What?" he snapped, but he had a playfull smile on, then his smile vanished once his eyes \went to the vampire behind her.

"Open up Barry, it's my place." she hissed.

They went through the halls, loud rock music surrounding them. Nicka took off her coat, and handed it to one of the bar maids.

A blonde passed her, and Nicka grabbed her arm, and turned to Stefan. "This is Jenna. My blood donar. Her blood is pure." Nicka purred. "If you desire human blood, she will be the best for you."

She lightley pushed Jenna to Stefan. "When you're finished, she will take you to my office. We can talk there." she said, and turned away, walking up the stairs into her little haven of an office.

[acridimar]

He followed Nicka through the twisting alleyways of the city. The way her long curls moved. Watching her elegant stride... She didn't seem to move the same way as he did. More cautious it seemed. Perhaps it was her age? A light smile flashed across his lips. Did he swagger? Did his own movements give away the fact that he was an ancient? He must observe himself and tone down his words and actions.
What were the young like? Rash. Forever insecure. Moody. Well, he could play that part if he must.

As they entered her club, he found himself taking in the details. So this was the atmosphere vampires socialized in now? Well it wasn't too much different from the old parties he use to throw...
Nicka grabbed one of the women and offered her to him... "Well..." he thought to himself as he gazed at Jenna's pale form, "She wants me to create a vampire here and now out of her favorite blood donor or she no longer wants this one..." Why not test his control? It had been a while...
Nicka left, off to her office he presumed. He indicated for Jenna to lead the way and spoke aloud in a soft voice, "Wherever you'd like to do this, lead the way." Jenna gave a silent nod and led the way to a small 'pleasure' room. As they entered and Stefan closed the door behind them and he swiftly took control of the situation completely.
Many vampires prefer not to use their mind controlling ability on humans... Gaining more pleasure from the struggle, but Stefan was not drinking for pleasure. He was thirsty, he needed to quench the burning in his throat so he could concentrate on something other than Nicka's beautiful neck... And this would be a chance to make an ally. If this experience seemed enjoyable to Jenna... then in three days time when she became a vampire she would have some loyalty to him, or at the very least a hesitancy to act against him.
Using his mind controlling power, Stefan allowed Jenna to believe that instead of the emptying, painful act of his drinking her blood... She believed he was actually caressing and pleasing her. Controlling the human mind took practice and he had taken this particular practice to an art.
When he had finished and Jenna looked even paler than before, he helped her to her feet. He had drained so much blood she could barely stand. "Please take me to your mistress' office, Jenna." He murmured in her ear.
She led the back down the hall and up the stairs to where Nicka had retreated. Would Nicka have called some sort of protection? How odd this situation looked, suddenly dawned on him. Ancients did not normally wander alone on the streets of New York City to be picked up and taken home by a youngling.
As they reached the door to her office, Stefan turned to Jenna and brushed his lips against her ear and spoke again in a soft voice, "Go find a quiet place and forget the pain you will feel... I look forward to seeing you again in three days."
Jenna gave him a brief, longing gaze and flashed a smile, then turned to walk slowly away. Stefan faced the door again, gave a light knock to give her forewarning and entered Nicka's office. His thirst had sated, he no longer felt its burn. He had a plan and a course. Now he wanted to get to know this vampiress who had suddenly walked into his life. He was surprised to find he was genuinely curious about her.

[Nicka Commen]

Nicka played with a strand of her hair, and waited for Stefan to Arrive. As she turned around to face the door and there stood the elder vampire. She smiled at him. "Your grace." She sighed, and gestured to a chair across from her desk.

"I hope Jenna was to hour liking. She's satisfing enough for your tastes. Now, I'm waiting for your questions." She sat down behind her desk, a hand sliding up her arm, and resting on the base of her neck. She was holding away her thirst for his sake and her own.

She was intrigued by this man and she knew he wanted to get to know her. "So are you going to stau here long?" She asked him.

((Sorry short but I'm on a blaclberry. Frustrating!))

[acridimar]

Stefan took in a long steady breath and froze again. That smell was so like his love's... Yet it was different too. What was different? He started feeling dizzy and the thirst burned in his throat again. He wanted her blood... His violet eyes blazed momentarily as his control wavered and he stared for a fraction of a second at her pale neck.
This was not the time for rash actions, however much he needed to act like a youngling... Stefan walked slowly across the room and sat down in the chair opposite from Nicka's. He then spoke again in his soft, deep voice, "Please, there is no need to call me so formally. My name is Stefan and, though I have lived many places... We can say I am from Romania. I have a beautiful estate there and the most wonderful garden. In the summer, the moon and stars dance upon the waters of the many fountains and the stream and during the winter, the cool light of above sparkles brilliantly against the untouched snow..." Stefan's eyes focused on something distant that none could see but himself. After a moment, he seemed to realize his lapse in the conversation and continued, "I am rather intrigued by your... blood donor. Well, she is going to be a vampire now, but how did you share her for so long? There was definite signs that she had been drained of blood many times... As to whether I will stay here long? That entirely depends on what you call long. I may be here for a few centuries or more, but that isn't exactly a long period of time to me." He gave her an almost shy smile and looked her directly in the eyes, "My first real question would have to be, who are you?" A low chuckle escaped his throat as he continued on, "I don't even know your name yet. How did you become a vampire? Have you loved? What have you seen? What kind of values do you hold? Do you create new vampires, yourself? Have you ever traveled? How old are you? What was your first year as a vampire like, to you? Do you have many friends or contacts now? Why did you approach me? Why did you offer to bring me here? And why do you continue to hold back your thirst? And how? Younglings don't exactly have the trained self-control that older vampires have... I would have expected some attempt to attack or seduce me by now, yet you haven't." Stefan cocked his head curiously and looked directly into her eyes. "I wonder why her eyes are red. Eyes revert to their original color after the first few years..." he thought to himself. He then let his own violet eyes roam across the parts of her body that were not blocked by her desk. Taking in the pale tone of her skin, almost like alabaster. It looked healthier than his own skin... His eyes still drank in the sight of the beautiful vampiress before him as he waited for her to answer.

[Nicka Commen]

Nicka giggled slightley at the quizical elder. "Forgive me sire, but it was my custom to respect elders. And, my Name Is Nickolteh Commen, but please call me Nicka." she said.

She liked that someone was interested in knowing her. No one has shown her any sign of intrest of her other than sex. Nicka took in a breath, and decided to answer some of his questions.

"Well, I was turned by the previous owner of this club, I'm from Brooklyn, as you can tell from my accent. No, I have never loved, only because no one as ever treated me with kindness. I'm not really sure what you mean about values... but I'm not sure if mine are good or bad. I do not create vampire, only cuz I don't have the time. I don't ever travel because I'm afraid of stray vampires. I am 40, still a young blood..." she hesitated at the last few questions. "I approached you because I knew you wanted to die. I knew you didn't think you had a purpose. I thought if I let you come to the club and settle your thirst, I could get to know you. I have no other vampire friends besides the door man out front. I held my thirst back, because I knew you were stronger than I. I didn't know you, so how was I supposed to know if you would kill me or not. Your blood entices me. I have been craving the blood of a strong male vampire lately. I haven't drank any in years though, because it's addicting. I miss it... My teacher, the one who changed me gave me an amazing standard of self controll." Nicka stood up and glided over infront of him, leaning on the desk. "I don't know why I want you so bad..." Nicka flashed almost a seductive smirk. "Don't worry. I sometimes seduct people when I don't know it, so if you think I am, trust me I'm not." she leaned down and kissed him lightley on his forehead as she did with everyone she was comfortable with.

"Now," she sighed. "Any other questions?" she flashed her brilliant white teeth again, and then stopped herself before she could smell his blood again, but to late.

Her smile dropped, and her eyes widened. She wanted his blood... she wanted it now...

"Oh god..." she whimpered, and sunk to her knees before the elder. "It's killing me, it really is..." she said and hid her face in her hands.

"Sire, you must leave before I-" she tried to finish, but she couldn't. Her blood was arguing with her... pulling her in...

She breathed in deeply. "No Nicka... No..." she whispered to herself, trying to keep her calm. Her mistress had taught herbetter than that, and she intended to prove it.

[acridimar]

Stefan watched and listened with interest as she responded to his barrage of questions. Actually, no, he hadn't learned the accents of the various parts of this city yet. He almost wanted to laugh out loud. New York City was starting to look even more complex now that he was truly looking at it.
And so... Nicka enjoyed to seduce people? Well, he would certainly be watchful... Though he doubted he would stop her. He was started to grow attached to this youngling. As she circled around the desk and planted a playful kiss on his forehead, he felt and saw her control fray and begin to disappear. Nicka fell to her knees before him.
He knew that if he he lost control now even for an instant, Nicka would die. "Do not breath in, do not even THINK. Just act." Stefan thought to himself as he moved forward in speed unmatched except by the eldest of vampires. Smoothly and in less than a blink of an eye, he spun around Nicka and knelt down behind her.
With his left hand, he held her gently, but firmly under the chin. Bringing her head back so that it rested against his chest. At the same time, Stefan contorted his right hand to twist off the iron band there and then whipped it around in front of Nicka's eyes. There, he twirled the ring in a steady pattern around his fingers, letting it catch the light from the lamps of the room. As he did this, Stefan spoke in a calm, soothing voice to Nicka, "This is an old hypnotizing trick I've learned over the centuries. It doesn't effect vampires as well as humans. Humans and werewolves seem to be especially susceptible to being hypnotized, but I suppose our undead brains have a resistance to it. I have, however, found that it works wonders for calming down even the most wily of vampires... Please, tell me when you have control again..."
While he spoke, Stefan continued to twirl the ring faster and then slower and faster again in a steady, never ending cycle of loops through the gaps between his fingers. And as he did this, he took the opportunity to take in more details of Nicka's self, letting the smell of her wash over him. It was getting easier to hide his longing for her at least.

[Nicka Commen]

Nicka was shaking, her thirst for this man's blood growing strong. She senced a new thirst within Stefan himself. She looked at the hypnosis act he was trying to calm her with, but it didn't do much work. She closed her eyes tightley, and curled up into a little ball against his chest. She was ashamed of herself losing control so quikley.

"Forgive me," she muttered. "I didn't mean to cause such a scene... I think I'm fine now."

She wasn't very sure of it, but she thought she could handle herself enough to atleast get some distance in between them. But she didn't want to leave his arms. His blood was calling to her, and she wanted to answer, but she thought for sure this elder wouldn't hesitate tokill. Nica was quit strong, yes, but she was no match for someone of his experience.

She struggled free of him, and slowly stood up, leaning against the desk with her hands.

"Forgive me, sire..." she pleaded in a whisper. She wondered what he thought of her now. A disgrace? Maybe. She had just embarrassed herself infront of a male who had seen so much, and then to be dragged out to her club for her to break down.

[acridimar]

He saw the shame in her eyes and got slowly to his feet. Shaking his head, Stefan spoke in his soft voice, "Nicka, Nicka... You have nothing to be ashamed of. I am an elder vampire. I remember all too well, the blood craze. That frenzy that vampires fall into every once in a while. It's...." He paused to of how to continue. What was it? He almost had to chuckle as the answer came to him and he shook his head as he continued, "It's natural for vampires to drink blood and every vampire who has lived for at least twenty years knows what a blood frenzy is."
Stefan looked into her red eyes. Were her eyes red because of her blood frenzy? Were they naturally red? Not those questions yet... What he did say was, "That's very interesting, though; I have never seen a blood frenzy so strong that I couldn't control it with hypnotism... Are you sure you're all right?" He hesitated for a moment. He didn't really want to leave her, but if she was having such pains in keeping her frenzy in line... "I...I can go if you need me to.... But if it makes you feel any better, I wouldn't kill you if you attacked me."

[Nicka Commen]

Once he had said she hadn't shamed herself, she was almost releived, but she still was a bit peeved of her self controll. Stefan offered to leave her, and Nicka shook her head. "I'll just hunt you down then. " she muttered, almost to quietly, but knew he could hear. "It would be better if you stayed utill it passed... I just need to feed, but, drunk human isn't my taste for tonight, and Jenna is in the middle of turning, and I am not taking from the door man." she said, and cringed at the thought of the overly large door man that was aso a vampire.

She sighed, and shook her head again. "I'm just going to wait it out like I usually do." she turned around to face him, careful of her actions.

"And, I... think, I'm glad that you wont kill me, but then again, I'm leaving you helpless." she sighed. "The bouncers should be clearing out the club soon. Cops are calling, so soon it'll be just us in here. That would be better for me anyways. The music is getting to me..." she growled, and sat on her desk, and then looked up at Stefan, smiling, her red eyes flashing again.

"Is there something else you wanted to ask sire? We need to pass the time. And I need to gain my control by fighting it back with you around." she siad, and pulled a strand of hair behind her ear.

[acridimar]

Stefan watched as she reigned herself in and calmed down. He slowly began to pace back and forth in the room. Speaking in his soft baritone as he did so, "Well, I'm unfortunately a very curious one so I can bombard you with questions all night if you let me. So the only other vampire here is Barry, your doorman? How do you know him? Is he connected at all? I..." He paused and looked directly into Nicka's eyes again before continuing, "I have heard of rumors... There is a coven in London... They have declared war on a pack of werewolves. I don't know anything else about the situation, if you could tell me anything you might know? I'm intrigued by it and would also like to ah..." He paused again and resumed his pacing for several seconds, "...Well I would prefer to let things play out before approaching either side in the open. Do you have any brothers or sisters? Er... I should say BLOOD siblings..."

He stopped his pacing and allowed his eyes to fall upon Nicka again. "Do YOU have any questions for ME? I will answer... all that I can. There are some things that even I can not answer about myself." As Stefan said this, he looked down at the iron band he still held clutched in his right hand. In one smooth motion, he replaced it on his finger and stared at its dark contrast to his pale skin. The leaf pattern... He remembered the day he carefully carved it there... He had been young and foolish and so full of life in his immortal self. So eager to DO things. Now he felt as rusted as this ancient iron band. He closed his eyes and let the memories of the past wash over him and spoke again, "I wonder, is it obvious that I'm an elder? That I've seen too many years? Is it in my walk? My stance? The tone of my voice? The trinkets I carry?"
He opened his violet eyes and looked expectantly to Nicka and waited.