Cute Without the 'E'

**Clara E. Verne** · Jun 21st, 2018 02:05 AM

Sacramento's best Blood Mary sat untouched next to a brunette beauty perched atop a window sill in the corner. A few patrons played billiards in front of the casually dressed Daeva. She was watching with a look of vague confusion. The rules felt similar. She was old enough to be a grandmother were she mortal. So why can't she remember a time in her life where she'd seen billiards before?

The River City Saloon was lively this Summer night with drunkenness and a frantic release of tension. Hot summer days meant wild summer nights. Clara was glad she had reached out before coming here. The novelty of the bar was quaint and she was enjoying watching the herd (people. They're people) flirt and drink and live. It would have been a shame to ruin the memory of the first night in this place risking frenzy for an unprepared encounter. The anticipation of bracing for the tingling in her gut that wasn't there yet made it hard for Clara to relax.

John Davis JonReeves

Blushed, Expenditure reason didn't catch

Jun 21st, 2018 10:05 AM

The patrons at the Saloon slowly hush, even the music seemed to have stopped, as the sound of footsteps are heard approaching the door.The clear beat of hard soled cowboy boots.RAP RAP RAP RAP! The only way Davis' entrance could be any more ominous would be the distinctive ting of spurs hitting the ground. He didn't wear spurs.

The crowd parted as he crossed the sawdust-covered floor. Davis had been frequenting the place regularly since returning from his brief trip up river. He walked passed the bar. "Evening Colonel, your usual?" the bartender offered. Davis gave a slow nod of acceptance and continued toward the back of the room where the games where. To where another preditor's beast called. Someone was trespassing in his sanctum. Had she not sent the note, his reaction to her presence would have been different.

A hallowed, slightly paler, Davis stood before Clara. "Clara." He stated simply. "What do I owe the honor?" It was clear that this was not the same Kindred she had saw earlier in the month at court.

**Clara E. Verne** · Jun 21st, 2018 11:04 AM

The tinge of excitement twisted in Clara's guts. The Blush occasionally caused discomfort, and Clara almost wrote it off as such, until her attention was drawn to the man of the moment. Clara blinked. The look of him reminded her of some of the nomads she'd run across on the road. Kindred who spent their Requiem forsaking cities but often had to resort to reprehensible acts to rise again.

Clara steeled herself to hide her discomfort.

3 successes

Her expression was relaxed and, as Davis approached, she had her arms spread out and motioned to the bar at large. "Like I wrote, the bar intrigued me. I figured you already had stake here, if only unofficially. Didn't want to run into you unawares," Clara needed no good reason to satisfy curiosity. "But now that you're in front of me, cuz, you look worse for wear. Rough nights or...nights?" Clara's composure and even voice gave none of her discomfort away. The voice almost sounded concerned for Davis.

Jun 21st, 2018 06:40 PM

Davis couldn't read through her mask. He knew she wore one, all Kindred did. She could be sincere. He would have to take what she said to be true.

failure

"The Saloon is what it is. Familiar."

To her question, he looked himself over. Was there blood on my collar?

"Why, whatever do you mean?" he responded, as the bartender brought him a snifter of brandy and a cigar. Noticing her bloody mary and the stick of celery. She had her garnish, he had his.

**Clara E. Verne** · Jun 21st, 2018 07:18 PM

"Familiarity." The woman on the window sill caressed each syllable with her voice.

A practiced coquettish smirk formed on Clara's lips as she toyed with the Bloody Mary next to her absentmindedly. She was considering his question. "I spent time on the road. Kindred without a city. It was fun," she said with a small laugh. "I've seen firsthand what our...parents warn us about every night. And I've seen stages of it." She fished out the celery and was sniffing at it idly.

"I'm not the only one noticing, cousin." She said as patrons usually arguing over what pick-up line to use on her were put off by the cowboy's aura. It was in the way their eyes averted the pair of them and in their hushed tones asking for the check. "You didn't really answer my question though. Rough nights?"

Jun 21st, 2018 07:56 PM

Davis looked at the patrons avoiding him. He wasn't in the mood to care at the moment. .Clara wouldn't come here if she too didn't want something. Perhaps a boon. Perhaps his very last drop of blood. The dark cloud over his head would not be so easily lifted.

He knew he had slipped into a dark place following the events at court. "I've had worse." And he had. He had been banished from New Orleans, twice. The Prince's punishment for associating with the Lord of the French Quarter. His casino on the Isle of Caprices had been burned down. The Dixie Lily caught fire and sank with him aboard. His sire's opera house had been burned down with Davis in it. And back in 1852 in this very city, he was nearly put to final death when a rival set fire to his haven and over 80% of Sacramento. Originally, these all seemed to be a series of misfortunate events, but Davis later learned they were not.

The events of his very embrace had rippled through time causing misfortune, guided by the hands of a Gangrel in Reno. Maybe that is why I misspoke in front of the Prince. I was thinking of him and not her.

"Your concern is acknowledged." Davis takes his cigar and dips in the brandy. He can't enjoy it, not like it was meant to be enjoyed but he went through the motions anyway. Placing the wet end in his mouth he began to chew. He couldn't swallow. And the flavor was dull if present at all. "Surely, you didn't come all the way down here just to check on me. Or are you here on behest of someone?"

**Clara E. Verne** · Jun 21st, 2018 08:27 PM

Clara's smirk grew to an out and out grin. "Not here on anyone's behalf. I haven't gotten so bored as to poison myself with politics." Yet. Clara rose from her perch and took a step towards the Incubi. "We are family. Distant family. But still..." Clara was finding her words.

She was raised Bacchante but this past year had the siren appreciate how apart the Daeva were from other predators that shared the night. They were the glimmers of beauty laced through the horror of the Danse. "I mean, mostly I'm here 'cause this bar looks fun. Your vibe is noticeable enough that I'm asking...that's really it." She felt out her pause and took a step towards the cowboy. "So, if you've been through worse, what will you do about that vibe? You'll put this bar out of business if it becomes known for you haunting the place." She spoke with a low but self-assured voice.

Jun 21st, 2018 09:10 PM

The beast inside him growled as Clara approached Davis. Her tone, her posture, the pauses. Every catty movement of a predator stalking its prey. Toying with it, teasing it, getting it to lower its defense before the strike.

"If I were religious I would seek confession." If I were Sanctum, I would seek the Bishop. "As I am not, I plan to...." he paused. A thought coming to him. "Family you say." He dips his cigar in the brandy again and takes a long drag.

With a start, he snaps out of his contemplative dream, his mood lifting a bit. Looking around the bar. "Yes, I may not be frequenting this establishment much more for a while. Can't let word get out that it's Haunted by my presence." Or let the Prince, Sheriff, and Hound know I'm here. "I think a trip underground is in order. For some soul searching if you will." He didn't know if she caught it or not, his wordplay not being what it was. "You wouldn't by chance know how to get in touch with Miss Weiss, would you?"

**Clara E. Verne** · Jun 21st, 2018 09:28 PM

Clara quirked a brow at the cigar chewing cowboy. "Underground?" Her accent thickened around the unfamiliar word. And then Davis dropped the bombshell. "Weiss." The name dropped between them as heavy as sin.

Clara took a step back and leaned up against the wall. She resisted the crutch so many Daeva had on leaning on their Blood and instead formed the words to get Davis to speak plainly.

failure

"You wanna just tell me what you're thinking?" The turn this conversation had taken was throwing Clara for a loop.

Jun 21st, 2018 09:49 PM

Davis saw Clara back step at the mention of the Nosferatu's name. Is it possible something has happened to make Clara fear the catfish smelling pale one?

Answering her question, "There is more to Sacramento than the hustle and bustle of these busy streets. As you pointed out some of my charms have wavered."

He played with his cigar more relishing the taste of fear for once or was he finally able to taste the brandy. He was an elder, and younger kindred where suppose to fear them."I'm good at parlor tricks but to be effective at obfuscating my illness. I'll need stronger meds so to speak. I'm resourceful and could get them on my own, but that takes time. I need a pharmacist to prescribe the drugs I need and not a good Doctor." The reference to Simmons a mental punch and kick to the image of her face in his mind.

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-06-21 10:55:25		Clara E. Verne rolls 6 to Poker Face (Subt + Com) (10 Again)		4, 8, 6, 10, 8, 3, 5		3 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-06-21 18:31:40		John Davis rolls 4 to See through Clara's Poker Face (Subturfuge 1 + Spec. Spotting Lies 1 + Wits 2) (10 Again)		6, 3, 3, 3		failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-06-21 21:26:34		Clara E. Verne rolls 4 to persuade (Man + Exp) (10 Again)		1, 1, 4, 2		failure