Previously In New York, Part 5


Ariana had sent a message to Conner on Wednesday asking where he wanted to meet for his payment on Friday. She did not yet have the information about the second job. She was sure Greg wanted to see the outcome of the agenda from her previous assignment. She still did not know what to think of Conner. She was perplexed at his little interaction with her. Then again, she could not expect everyone wanted to talk to her, despite her being a reporter. Perhaps he feared that she would say something. If so, she could not blame him. They did not know a thing about each other. Maybe he wanted to keep it that way.

She did not want to seem desperate for a friend. Ariana had only acquaintances from work and Louie her editor. Greg did not want her caught up in things that took away from her work. She owed him her undead life for rescuing her so many years ago. Greg did not allow her personal interaction with any other kindred, and she obeyed. She did not know any better. Greg kept her at a sort of distance from discussions and meetings that went on as much as he possibly could, mainly to protect her since she was a journalist. So she had thought. Greg had hurt Ariana several times for stepping out of line and disobeying. She always assumed she deserved it. During a grand evening of entertainment she would sometimes interact with other Kindred far too long. Ariana would always say “we were just talking,” because that is all that ever happened. She had only kissed humans when she was feeding, and nothing more. To Ariana, this was normal to her. Stay within the lines. Keep out of the way. Do her job and anything for which she was called upon. She would be rewarded…someday.

So it was Friday and Ariana was getting ready for a new club event in her apartment. Even though she had switched handbags, the dagger Conner had left, was switched into the new one. Ariana was not upset that he vanished, she assumed he would. Decidedly, she would not make further efforts in conversation with him. It seemed like what he wanted. What she did not want was another man hitting on her, it always ended in tragedy.

As Ariana prepares for her evening out, Conner stands again on her fire escape. He is wounded. Many small cuts all over his arms chest and face. His shirt, cut and torn, his heavy Jacket, very much the same. Conner had fought several men, taking lives and gaining information. Conner was not happy in this, but he had to pay his debt. Tonight he did his duty. Now he must do another. So he stands on the fire escape and waits for the opportune moment.

Ariana could not find her phone before she left. She looked everywhere. She had been looking for 20 minutes. She was distracted already this evening, and this was proof of it. The music on her stereo by the window stopped and her phone had been ringing with texts. Probably from Louie, she thought. She walked over to the stereo picked up the phone and stood there reading.

Conner runs a gloved hand along the glass, making no noise. Just watching the woman as she dashes around the room. He wonders who is calling her, he wonders who she is texting. The Mekhet is surprised to hear the woman listen to Sinatra. Sinatra was loved by many in Conner’s past. Those gangster mafioso want-a-be’s. Only the Old Man was actually of the Mafia. The rest were barely even men. Hiding and shying away from blood and death. That is why a man like Conner was needed, to do the dirty work, the bloody work. And now, for today, the bloody work was done, and Conner stands watching the Ventrue.

As Ariana was finishing a text to Louie, the music changed to from Sinatra to an upbeat Enya song, the theme from Everafter. She could not resist dancing. She was not in a hurry to go anywhere yet. She was wearing a simple black dress that flowed a little, or a lot while she was dancing. Completely lost in the music, mentally thanking her deceased mother for all the dance lessons. As she had spun around to the music she suddenly saw someone at the window and froze.
As she looked at the man, the shear curtains obscure his face. He makes no move to run or hide. A leather glove can be seen running along the glass.

Ariana moved to the window and carefully pulled back the curtains. It was Conner. She was completely embarrassed and wondered how long he had been watching. But nothing she did indicated her embarrassment. She opened the window. “Conner, please come in.” When she spoke she saw the cuts on his face and clothing. She was unsure of asking him but her curiosity got the best of her. “Are you okay? May I ask what happened?”

Conner slides in the window, “Work.” Conner says simply,
“You asked to see me Ms. Donavon.” Conner says as a statement. Conner's cuts and wounds looked odd with there being no blood coming from them. It was odd to say the least. “Do not worry, I have fed before coming. You are not at risk.” Well any more then anyone would be at risk with the deadly Mekhet standing in front of her.

“Yes Mr. Greyson. I have your payment. Excuse me for a moment.” She went into the back room and was out in a flash. She was extremely uneasy of him at that moment. He may have said she was not at risk, but she tried to contain her fears. She walked back into the living room and placed the envelope on the table between the window and the sofa and then stepped back to the side of the sofa. “Here is the rest of your payment from my sire. I do not know the details of the next assignment as of yet. As far as my payment is concerned, what do you wish of me? I am not certain I can pay as much as my sire.” Unfortunately when she looked at him finally after speaking, the fear in her eyes was apparent.

“Why are you afraid.” Conner asked as he watched the woman’s expression change rather quickly. She feared him, feared what he would do to her. It is good that she fears him. But she should never show that kind of fear. Fear of his blades yes, fear of his skill, fine, but she should never fear that he would do such a thing. Conner picks up the envelope and slides it into his inside pocket.

Ariana looked away. “I apologize if I have offended you Mr. Greyson.” He was still a stranger to her and she did not know what he may be capable of doing. “I do not know you at all. I have never dealt with business in a manner such as this and someone of your type of work.” She thought for a second and then stated what she thought was obvious. “You speak very little with me and vanish into the night. Your mysteriousness is intriguing to me, but in the same manner, it is so unfamiliar to me. Then tonight, you appear at my window, completely disheveled, and well, what am I supposed to think?” Her last words were spoken softly. She was still not looking at him.

Conner removes his jacket and his over shirt. Underneath it was a simple tee shirt. Also covered in holes and punctures. Conner’s forearms both have sheaths on them. Conner’s waste holds a belt with another sheath on it. “What do you want to know.” Now it was Conner’s turn to be surprised, mostly at himself. He was not one to open himself up for questioning or, well, relations of any sort.

She had not moved from her position where she stood by the sofa. She had involuntarily folded her arms while he removed his jacket and shirt. It was not like her to be like this, yet she was not normally in a position like this. “Do you ultimately work for someone else? I know you have done the one job for myself and sire, but it appears you do a lot of work. How do I know that this is not a set up for my master. Sire.” She did not realize immediately that with all the different emotions running through her that she slipped up. Quickly she regained the conversation, hoping he did not catch the error. “I have a feeling you do not personally want to talk to me about such things. I just wonder what drives a person to do the work you do.” Any inkling of emotion she had a few weeks ago was replaced with wanting to run.

“Ultimately, I work for myself.” Conner asked pulling back on his coat, leaving his shredded suit jacket and button down off. “But we all have our debts we have to pay.” Conner sits on the couch, and leans on his knees. His hair was tousled and his eyes were blank. “I have nothing against you. I am quiet. Just because I am quiet does not mean I am unhappy.” Conner said. “Why are you concerned with how I feel about you. This is a business transaction is it not?”

“Mr. Greyson, it has nothing to do with feelings. It is just very awkward for me to deal business such as this with a person I do not know.” She was moved to the opposite side of the room as he sat down. “I never knew the gravity of this business deal. I do not even know if I can trust you.” She shook her head. “I do not know why I even got into this sort of thing. If my sire did not insist that I do this for him and the Invictus, I do not think I would be in this position.” Her voice trailed off. “I know there will be more to do soon. In all reality, you are technically the one doing the work. You are the one in danger, I am just the messenger.” Her hands were wringing together. She did not realize she was fidgeting.

Conner stood and looked to the woman, saying only one thing, “You can’t trust me. You should never trust a man with a knife.” Conner says and with a flash cold mat black steal appears in his hand, only the keen edge of the blade shined with silver. Before the woman could move, Conner cleared the space between them and held the knife next to the woman’s throat. Not piercing or slashing the skin, Ariana could just feel the cold coming off of the blade. “What have you learned.” Conner’s voice was still that soft, emotionless cold. The cold of a blade, the cold like the blade just floating millimeters from her neck. If she tries to move away Conner’s off hand will grab her by the back of the neck.

Everything flashed in a moment before her. Even if she could breath, she would have been holding her breath. She closed her eyes wincing and thinking not again. Not moving, and her eyes closed she spoke in hardly a decibel above a whisper. “I have learned that I cannot trust you.” If she pulled away he would not hesitate for a moment to end her, so she thought. She only knew how to run and clearly, she could not do that now.

“Correct.” Conner says and in another flash the blade is gone. Conner backs away arms spread wide like an undead savior, as if to show that his point is made and no further harm will come to her.

Completely bewildered on what that was supposed to accomplish but frighten her even more. Ariana had not moved from the spot. She looked over to the door of her apartment and back to Conner, still wanting to run. “That is one lesson I shall never forget.” She muttered. She changed her tone slightly and wanted to ignore what just happened. “You still have not named what I owe to you.”

“I have taken what I want.” Conner says, “You have nothing else to offer me.” Ice water ran through the shadowy veins. Conner makes his way back toward the window. His eyes do not turn back to the woman.

What on earth does he mean by that? Ariana thought. “Mr. Grey,” She said quickly again slipping on his name. “The other job, do you still want to do it?”

Conner stops, placing his hand against the window sill and turns. “Would you trust me to do the job?” Conner asked his cold eyes looking into and through the Ventrue.

Ariana looks back into Conner’s cold eyes with her own serious eyes. “I do not trust you. However, I trust that you can do the job.” She said with a tone of the harsh reality that Conner had shown her only moments before.

“When you have the information you know how to reach me.” Is all the man says before he is out the window and off into the shadows of night.

Ariana wanted to scream. Which was totally out of her nature to do. She paced around her living room and noticed he left his jacket and shirt on the sofa. She did not touch it. She left it there for the time being. She sat on the opposite end of the sofa and stared at the clothes he had left. She spoke quietly to herself. “Why does he need to be so difficult? Do I need self defense lessons if I deal with this chaos more frequently?” Frustrated and upset she decided tonight is not the night to go out. She got out her laptop and did some work.

End Scene