Isolated

**Clara E. Verne** · Aug 19th, 2018 12:02 AM

Clara let John play up his eccentricities. Maybe he was being sincere, maybe he wasn't. Playing at John's nurse in front of this stranger would do neither of them any good.

"Careful with the whip, John. It'll stain your nice vest." She leaned back and smiled at the man in white. "Wanna order us drinks, Cousin J?" After saying it once Clara decided she'll never say that again. It sounded wrong to the tongue.

Doe eyes measured Ashley and her words. "True enough. Though I've found that those that mix the two aren't afraid of making a mess. Most have a knack for it, now that I think on it." Clara listened to Ashley's Story: the Abridged version. Clara could sympathize. Just eight months ago she had to get accustomed to the world that had moved on in such a hurry. At least for her Sacramento was new and not the same place that had changed while she was gone.

"Digressing comes with the territory sometimes," she said with no lack of empathy. "John and I have only just come here, what? Four months ago now, John? He's a Southerner who's big into his Sacramento history and I'm an East Coast girl." Information was freely given since she'd find out the inconsequential sooner or later. "This place got a lot of memories you revisiting?" Clara was still holding out hope this club didn't have strong ties to the Court.

Aug 19th, 2018 12:16 AM

Davis listened to the new arrival rattle on about things that did not pertain to him, his riverboat, or his gambling empire. He stopped the next waiter that passed, this time a female in a black leather dominatrix outfit and a heavy German accent. Davis whispered the order "The ladies will have Mint Juleps and I'll have your best top-shelf bourbon."

Simple enough as that was, Davis's face became appalled when the waiter responded with a deep masculine voice. What kind of place did Clara bring him?

Clara's question snapping him back to the conversation. "Yes, I believe that to be most indeed correct. Four months, though this is also a return trip for me. You could say my history connected to this town goes back almost to the very beginning."

**Ashley Cohen** · Aug 19th, 2018 12:34 AM

Ashley's hands lifted from the table, coming together. "Here in this place specifically? No." Her right thumb gingerly rubbed her left palm. "Last time here, though, was messy."

"Though that was none of my business." A smirk framed her lips.

"This is a reprieve." Ashley said truthfully, as she had spent far to long on the water and it was rather nice being back on land.

"For the most part, it astonishes me how much has changed. Still I do not think it will take long to fall back into old habits and maybe gain a few new ones."

**Clara E. Verne** · Aug 19th, 2018 12:50 AM

The waitress brought the trio their drinks. Clara pulled the waitress close, whispered her thanks among other sweet nothings, and entwined her fingers with the waitress' as she pressed crumpled cash into the woman's palm. The waitress gave Clara a sultry wink and waved to the group as she continued her rounds.

Clara took the drink, focused her Blood, and compelled her body to take in the tonic. Ashley was an enigma who didn't give answers freely it seemed. Or maybe she was guarded to protect the First Tradition. It did hurt Clara's head sometimes the subtext and double-meanings a simple question-answer could lead into.

"New? Now that's a dangerous word," Clara said idly as she sipped on a drink that gave her no pleasure. She glanced from her cousin to the stranger. "I'm sure between the two of you there are some fascinating Sacramento stories. Though, of the two of you, I think you might be the only one that has any friends here still, hey, Ashley?"

Aug 19th, 2018 08:52 AM

Messy! The sewers were cleaner than this place. Davis thought. "Changes? It most definitely..." Davis stopped mid-sentence as he saw something on stage. Some perverted show between a grown man and a donkey. The curtain behind them featured the letters "Kinky Kelly and the Sexy Stud."

Davis was disgusted and repulsed but couldn't look away no matter how hard he tried. Fumbling with his drink he downed the glass, almost forgetting to force the blood to the right places allowing his undead body to process it.

"Uh Clara, do you come here often?" The girls had mentioned something about habits and friends but the conversation had escaped Davis as he tried to figure out what was about to happen on stage. Did that man need the whip and crop for the donkey? He thought. Well, he isn't getting them back.

**Ashley Cohen** · Aug 19th, 2018 09:28 AM

Ashley held the drink, using the plastic stirring straw to swirl the contents. "Stagnation is even deadlier." She offered Clara, as the ice cubes clinked softly against the glass. After a moment, she settled the drink back down onto the table.

Ashley watched the Colonel for a moment. He seemed out of his element;the south in 1800s. "They are just artiodactyls, you shouldn't let them bother you."

Ashley tilted her head back, as she looked up to the ceiling for a moment. "Just the two at the top. I remember Alessandra and Vivian, though I did not converse much with either. Alessandra and I did a small job with others." She gave a shrug, as her dropped back down with her eyes shifting between them.

"She is more than capable." Ashley saw what she could do with her claws and thought it best to never be on the receiving end of that. Still it was a strange turn of events, as it inevitably lead to the question of where the real monsters of Sacramento were hiding or sleeping.

Aug 19th, 2018 09:45 AM

'If you want something done right, do it yourself.' It was an enduring phrase for many reasons. Vivian had agreed to bring here and yet, they never were able to align their schedules. The Hierophant decided, may as well see what happens here.

He was half-ready for running into local Kindred. There were the Daeva - Clara - was that her name? He had never had the opportunity to speak to her.

Then there was 'Dungeon Diving' Davis. As much as the man warranted the nickname, Krieg wouldn't give voice to it. He needed answers on why the Daeva Knight was skulking around in the Deep Kingdom.

A new face with a powerful Beast. A rush of fear flooded his body. He stayed his legs. Who is this formidable woman? It was worth finding out.

"Hello friends," he greeted them. Then looking to the 'new' woman, "I don't believe we have met. I'm Karl."

**Clara E. Verne** · Aug 19th, 2018 01:22 PM

Breather. That's the bitchy thing I want to say, she thought as she looked at John. What kept her from saying it was the nightmare after committing the one sin even monsters agree was off limits. And the memory of the Family that had helped her.

So it was a relaxed Clara that glanced towards John and smirked. "Lighten up, John. Sex and whips and debauchery are older than anyone here. You included. Relax." She punctuated the statement by downing the drink that did nothing for her. It was to swallow any insult that might slip out.

The French girl regarded Ashley. "Those don't sound like friends." She said while mirroring the blonde's body language and laconic responses. "Sure. We can all agree on her capability." She agreed on her assessment of Alessandra. The tattooed Italian didn't become Prince for show. "Stagnation," Clara purred. She tasted each syllable and rolled her tongue around the word. "Now that's a big word."

Clara didn't have a chance to finish her thought--a Giant had entered Asylum. Big doe eyes regarded him with a cold expression on her face. She knew him. He was the Haunt who whispered in the background of Court, but the urge to murder didn't strengthen. Clara was grateful for that small blessing. "Karl. I've seen you around. You missed the good show. You know John. Have you met Ashley?"

Aug 19th, 2018 03:26 PM

"Mr. Krieg good to see you as always. Please join us!" Davis had finally managed to ignore the carnal acts that would cause an entire city to burn and may have just been the cause of one or two in the past.

**Ashley Cohen** · Aug 19th, 2018 04:27 PM

Ashley scooted along the bench of the booth, inching closer to Clara. It was mostly to give the large man enough space. While her beast didn't lash out, the familiarity of her other two compatriots, plus his presence in the Nox that one night, let her know enough to be cautious.

"Evenin'." She said, looking upward to the giant. He had nearly two feet on the tiny lord, if they were standing up. The difference in height was only exacerbated with her sitting down in the booth.

Ashley pushed the glass, ever-so-slightly towards the giant. "And here's a drink."

"It is a mint-something."

Ashley did not seem to be intimidated in the least, by the disparity in size. It was likely that the murderous feelings she harbored to her other two friends outweighed feeling nothing at all towards the mass of a man.

"Karl. Ashley. Ashley. Karl. It is a pleasure."