The Docks

[Thomas Steele]

The trouble with an island sanctuary, thought Thomas, is that one must take a boat to go see it. Indeed, Thomas had been spoiled by more modern means of transportation such as airplanes and cars. He had enough "cruises" during his centuries walking the earth. Yes, the salty sea air was pleasant, but boats were just so slow! It took weeks to arrive from England. When the boat finally docked, he briefly thought about falling to his hands and knees to kiss the ground. But, proud vampire he was, Thomas was able to restrain himself.

"I don't know why I let you talk me into coming here, Bladen," Thomas huffed at his very old friend. What was so special about this place? A vampire couldn't even get blood straight from the tap here, "You're lucky my latest lead came to nothing. I hope this festival is worth it, Friend." Nowadays, Thomas found himself quite testy. He'd been searching for her for so many decades, and he couldn't get so much as a clear photograph. It was like she was a mythical creature now. He was beginning to think that she would be lost to him forever, and the thought only brought him despair.

He looked around the docks, and took a deep breath. Sea salt, fish, and various supernaturals and humans. Nothing unexpected. At least they had arrived after the sun went down. It was so troublesome to figure out how to get off the boat when the sun still showed it's face.

[Bladen Thorne]

Bladen loved boat rides. It reminded him of a simpler time when his father would take him out fishing when he was but a boy. True, more modern modes of transportation were faster, and arguably more practical, but Bladen was an immortal creature. He saw no reason to hurry. If anything, he liked to make people wait. He found it threw them off in one way or another. He loved the feelings of agitation or nervousness that he brought into a room when he arrived...fashionably late.

Smiling at his friend's frustration, he said, "Ah Thomas, my friend," he chuckled, "You've been on this mad search for so long that you've forgotten to live. A break would do you some good." he put on a secretive smile, "Besides..." he took a swig from his flask, taking a moment to enjoy the burn of the beverage as it trickled down his throat, "I heard that one of the local clans procured the services of a very pretty singer," he chuckled at Thomas's flair of frustration as the two of them walked onto the dock and headed toward shore.

[Lynn Von Arx]

Lynn could not stand this worthless werewolf..ruining her day with Alavda. She hoped that Alavda knew that the nod was to let her know she needed to cool off. Maybe she could find her later. As for right now, she was walking towards the docks. The ocean always seemed to calm her down, it made her think of the lakes back at home. She was already feeling herself calm down after a nice 5 minutes walk over to the dock when she saw two figures standing on the dock already. She kept her distance but squinted to see if she could make out anymore of who they were, maybe islanders? When she got a better look she gasped. Thomas?? Here at the island?? How? And oh no...there was Bladen. She knew that if she could see them, and they heard the gasp, they would look for her in a quick second. She needed to find a good hiding place, at least until Bladen left. She looked around and found a pretty big rock a good minute away. She took a few steps back to make sure they could not make her out and headed behind the rock.

[Thomas Steele]

Thomas stepped off the dock, "I've forgotten how to live?" he snorted, "You're one to talk, old friend." He held back a sneer. Thomas was one to rub salt on a wound, but he wasn't one to overdo it. Especially in Bladen's case. Ever since the incident, his friend had become unstable...well, more unstable than used to be normal. Even so, Bladen shouldn't be poking him about pining over the past. Before Thomas could say anything on it though, he heard someone gasp. Simultaneously, he and Bladen whipped their heads over to where the sound came from. They saw...a rock.

"Did you hear that?" Thomas murmered to Bladen. His friend nodded, a creepy smile slithered across his face. Thomas knew that look. He was sure Blade was sensing some sort of negative emotion from somebody. He sighed, "Don't act on that impulse yet. We don't know who that person if affiliated with."

Bladen looked disappointed, but appeared to restrain himself for the time being. He wasn't sure how long that would last. Bladen was unpredictable these days. The two men slowly walked toward the gasping rock.

Thomas frowned when Bladen started to croon at the rock, "Come out, come out, pretty bird..." Because of this, Thomas knew not to dawdle. He refused to be kicked off the island when he barely stepped foot on it because they messed with someone affiliated with someone important on the island. He stepped around the rock and saw a familiar figure.

"Lynn?" his eyebrows drew up. He hadn't seen this one in a few centuries, but he somehow recognized her. The wheels turned in Thomas' head and he remembered that Lynn was her best friend. He could have chuckled. Just when you think you should stop looking...He smiled charmingly at her, "Lynn," he said, sounding more sure of himself, "It's been far too long." He looked around them as if he was unaware of where they were, "What are you doing hiding back here?" he wanted SO badly to ask if she had seen Alavda, but stopped himself.

[Lynn Von Arx]

Lynn knew she was doomed as soon as she gasped, but she thought she would have had at least five minutes of idle chitchat between the two. No, instead, what she didn't want happening did, which was Bladen wanting to find her and mess with her. To her amusement, Thomas found her first and she smiled at him. He was just as shocked as she was to see him? Well that was a relief, maybe she could take this to her advantage, at least to get away from the crazed man. She had heard the stories, and she did not want to be another of Bladen's victims. "I was trying to hide from your friend, if you still prefer honesty." She commented as she sat up straighter and dusted herself off from the sand that was most likely on the back of her legs.

"It has been a long time, I was hoping that maybe you and I could talk, alone?" She tried to signal him to get Bladen to leave, but she wasn't sure how willing Thomas would be to send off his only friend in a place that was unfamiliar to the both of them, so she tried to sweeten the deal. "It's about Alavda..."

[Thomas Steele]

"I do prefer honesty," Thomas was a man born in the Middle Ages where the truth of your word had far more value than it did in these modern times, "I wouldn't worry about my friend here," he glanced at Bladen, who was giggling over whatever nervousness Lynn was feeling no doubt, "I doubt he would do anything to you this day." Even as he said this, he was unsure. It was impossible to predict Bladen these days.

His smile faded when she asked to speak to him alone. What could she possibly want? He was about to ask her as much when she mentioned Alavda's name. If he had dog ears they would have perked up. He tried to appear distant from it, but he couldn't keep the hope and desperation out of his eyes. He turned to his friend and hoped that Bladen wouldn't try to stay, "Bladen, could you go on without me? It appears I have some business with Miss Von Arx." Bladen only gave him what he hoped was an amused smile, and left without a word. Odd. Thomas thought that he should be concerned, but wasn't.

He turned back to Lynn, "We're alone now. Pray tell, what is it you wanted to speak of?"

[Lynn Von Arx]

Lynn looked between the two. She was really hoping that Thomas would rid her of Bladen, at least for a time, if what she said wouldn't work, well, she may be in for a world of emotional hurt. She then saw the look in his eyes and knew she had him, a smile Thomas would be familiar with came across her face, a smile that showed she won the interaction. She watched as Bladen went away without question. She wasn't expecting it to be that easy, but she knows she will most likely find out why that was later on.

She then looked at Thomas and smiled. "I can't believe of all the years, fate would bring us all back together now." Lynn laughed. "First I find Alavda, and now I found you..I'm glad to see the years have been kind to the both of you." She switched back to a smile as she looked Thomas over. "You will have to excuse me as to why you were so gosh darn curious about a woman you left in the dust all those centuries ago." She said, putting her hands behind her back, holding one of her wrists with the other hand and walking around him. "And not even one letter to me or her, how do I know you do not mean her harm now? Or rather, that you could harm her more than you already had..." Her voice and face now had more of a sternness to it.

[Thomas Steele]

Thomas knew that smile, and he gave her one of his own. Where her smile suggested happy triumph, his less cheerful one suggested a promise that he wouldn't forget this. Ah yes, she should not forget that just as she was from a prominent clan, he was from one too. He could raise hell just as well as she could. He would have said as much, but he was old enough to know not to burn bridges before you had to. So he tried as hard as he could to be nice.

She started speaking about meeting up after a long time...She saw Alavda? That had to mean she was alive. A weight that he didn't even know existed lifted off of him. He had been so scared that she had been killed...he felt his eyes sting, but years of practice kept the relieved tears at bay. Then she said something about not writing, and he was about to ask her why he'd write her HER since she was Alavda's friend when he started to catch on to what she was accusing him of.

"Left in the- what?" he was flabbergasted. He could hardly believe what he was hearing, "What are you talking about?" his Londoner accent disappeared in favor of a more ancient sounding one. Other vampires thought that it sounded Celtic, but Thomas knew that it was not, "What do you mean 'left in the dust??'" he stepped closer, "You dare accuse me of these falsehoods? I would never harm a hair on that woman's head," he would not touch her. He wasn't that angry yet, but he kept approaching her until her back was touching the rock she was hiding behind earlier, "I left to take care of clan business. When I returned she was gone. I could find no trace of her, no stray hairs, no scraps of clothing, no..." his voice caught as he remembered how scared for her he was, "no blood. I had no idea where she was. And you have the gull to suggest that I would hurt her when I have done nothing but search for her?" he was breathing hard now. He was not trying to calm down, he was truly upset.

"Where is she?" he asked, a touch of desperation in his voice, "Is she alright?"

[Lynn Von Arx]

Lynn felt that nerves twitch come back as he started to back her into the stone she was just behind. She could see and hear the anger in his voice, but when he accused her of deceit, her fire came out. "You left her Thomas, she told me herself that she saw you, and you drained her dry of all her blood. I lost a part of my friend that day, so do not accuse me of falsehoods." Her teeth now bared. How dare he have the gull to accuse her, of all people, to lie about something like that. "I looked up to you and thought you were a great match for her, I didn't want to view you in a negative light, you did it to yourself-" She was then cut off by him saying that he was taking care of clan business.

"Then..how did you.." She started to calm down as a panic seemed to take Thomas now, a panic that seemed to have disappeared for so long, he lost track on how to handle it. This was truly unlike the Thomas she knew and she sighed. "I would love to tell you Thomas, but...unless I can prove you are innocent of what Alavda thinks you did to her, I can not tell you her whereabouts."

She knew he would not take that well, so she could only hope that a logical side of him would hear this. "You have to understand it from my view, I have to keep her safe. All you have to know is that she is safe and sound." Lynn provided another smile he would know, and that was her genuine one, the one that had a small gleam of her actual teeth in it. "You know I would never let anything happen to her."

[Thomas Steele]

Thomas heard her, and he understood what she was wanting. He also knew that he was getting out of control. He showed fang before he could force himself to back away from her. He paced for several minutes, trying to calm himself down enough to talk to her without strangling her at the same time.

When he could finally think again, he turned back to her, but did not approach. That's right, he was calm now, see? "What do you want me to tell you? I would never do that to her," he fought down anger at the thought of anyone doing that to her, "As you know, we were on our way to England. On our way there, I received a message from my father for something urgent that I needed to immediately take care of." his gaze grew distant, as if remembering what happened, "I left her in a safe place to wait for my return. But when I came back, she was gone," he took a breath and he was horrified at how shaky it was. He raked his fingers through his hair, "Lynn, I didn't know if she was dead or alive." he started pacing again, "I searched everywhere...EVERYWHERE for her, but I found nothing. I-" he suddenly stopped speaking, a thoughtful expression settled on his face, "Wait..." he looked at Lynn, a furrow in his brow, "You said that she said that I did that to her? But..." his eyes widened, and he cursed.

"May death fall upon that man..." he muttered, "It was him!" sudden understanding blossomed in his mind and he was filled with rage all over again. He punched the boulder, cracking it in the process. He barely felt the resulting pain. He glanced over at Lynn and realized that she did not know who he was speaking of, "It was my father. It had to be. You know that I would never hurt her or violate her blood like that. My father would. You know what he is capable of." He was speaking of how his father could manipulate people in their dreams. It was normal for them to mistake what happened in the dream for reality, "It is just the sort of game he would find amusing."

Then he was struck with horror all over again. Alavda thought that he had hurt her. The urge to find her was stronger than ever. He had to set things right! "Lynn. I promise that wasn't me. Please tell me where she is so I can set things right." He wasn't saying it yet, but he was prepared to put his pride in a drawer and beg.

[Lynn Von Arx]

Her nerves were slightly calmed as Thomas seemed to be thinking things over and not killing her for holding information against him. She was about to talk as he then realized it was a man that did something to Alavda and watched as he punched the boulder she was still standing at. She gasped out of shock then at how his hand was trembling. She wanted to ask if he was alright when he said his father did this. If vampires could become more pale it was at that moment. Thomas's father, a man feared by many was at the heart of all this. Lynn clinched the chest area of her clothing and gulped, hard. "I know what your father can do, almost every clan does.." Her words were now shaky, and she felt faint as she slid her body down, using what was left of the stone, and looked up at him.

"It is still best you do not see her yet, she is happy right now, and I just found her again, I'm afraid if she sees you too early..she may run away again..." She then pointed her finger up at him, to indicate to give her a second to collect herself and her thoughts. After a few breaths, her smile came back. "She will be distracted during the festival that they throw here, she will be doing what you love the most, singing." Lynn looked off into the distance, as if remembering an old performance Alavda did. She back after awhile and her genuine smile was back.

"Keep a distance and you will be able to see her, hide your appearance and maybe you can get close..but." Her tone became serious once again. "Do NOT bring Bladen...I can only fear what he would do." After that was said, she laughed. "I KNEW you couldn't have hurt her! I just needed the proof!" She did a little victory air punch and looked back at Thomas. "I really am glad it was not you...maybe Alavda can be truly happy again when this is all taken care of."

[Thomas Steele]

"The festival..." he muttered under his breath, remembering what his friend had said about it earlier. He wondered if Bladen knew...

"I hear what you say, Lynn," his Londoner accent had returned with most of his composure. He wanted to tell her that her plan was awful, and the sooner he could see her, the better, but the more logical part of him reasoned that this was the wiser choice. If Ala thought that he had abandoned her like that, she would surely flee when she saw him, "And I grudgingly see the logic. I must say, though, this is a small island. I will try to not be seen by her, but I make no promises. Especially for Bladen. There is no force on earth that can control him," he gave a dry chuckle, "The festival is not far off, so I will wait until then, but no longer than that."

In the distance, a familiar voice cried out, "Lynn! Where are you?" Thomas's heart stopped, and it took everything in him not to go to her. He gave Lynn an upset glance, "If you have need of me in the meantime, you can find me here," he handed her a card before he made himself scarce.

[Lynn Von Arx]

Lynn was glad that the old part of Thomas was starting to show through, the one that was a balance of emotion and logic. Alavda was so lucky, she thought. She faked a laugh at this comment about Bladen. She understood that he may not be able to do much about Bladen, but she had to try. She then heard Alavda's voice and was going to tell Thomas to leave, but he was already on the case. She took his card and put it in her purse she was carrying around and waved over to Alavda when she saw her. She then frowned. "Where are the Mages that were with us?"

[Alavda Noir]

It had taken Alavda a while to track down her friend. The whole way, the wondered if the mages managed to leave the restaurant alright. She didn't worry about it very much. Mages were perfectly capable of defending themselves, and it didn't appear that the fight would involve them anyhow.

Her search brought her to the docks. The sound of the waves rushing onto shore was louder here, and she reveled in the sound of it as she hurried along. She spotted her friend talking to a man that she could not make out. His mannerism, the way that he stood appeared very familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on why. She called Lynn's name, and started to jog over. By the time she made it over, the man was gone. She paused in front of Lynn, looked to her left, and then to her right before resting her gaze on her friend.

"Who were you talking to?" she asked thinking that she'd seen him before. When Lynn asked her about the mages, she replied, "The mages? Still around the restaurant, I imagine." then it occurred to her, "If you're worried about them, don't be. Most mages are able to handle themselves."

[Lynn Von Arx]

"I was talking to an old friend. You would be surprised all the vampires that know one another here." Lynn responded truthfully to her friend. "And I know that mages can take care of themselves, I was mostly worried about the timid one." She admitted then hugged Alavda. "I never really got to say how happy I was to see you again, did I? All those years..I'm actually quite shocked you do not have a label or are on broadway still." Lynn laughed then let go of her friend. "Do you ever miss it? Going from town to town in Europe, gracing all of those individuals with your beautiful voice?" Lynn had to admit, at times, she was even starstruck by Alavda. She would give her sunwalking abilities just to go back and hear Alavda sing in her native tongue at least one more time.

"I think you singing again is the most exciting part about this festival." Lynn sighed happily.